Converting an abandoned golf course to a disc course: Do's and don'ts

[centervolume]

(sorry this was meant as an addition to the parallel thread on course design... can't find "delete post" function)

I'll get it going:

Don't blindly follow the existing course layout

Do use a mixture of woods and open field type holes

[Jay Dub]

https://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=6899

Duhnam Rec Center was a 9 hole golf course. Changed to an 18 hole disc golf course designed by HOFer Fred Salaz (co-designer of Idlewild)

[elmexdela]

answers easy

just dont do it

[Casey 1988]

Don't use too many of the putting greens kept as greens as an Island where all but basket inside is OB or having if disc lands in long green OB and short putting green is an Island.

Do Use water hazards if there are any on the course for holes to be challenging.
Do use the some of tee areas for some actual tee pads to go in the spot if the Tee will work for the hole shape.
Do use the Clubhouse for a place to sell new discs and equipment including some clothes but more shoes you and then others like as well as buy/trade uses discs of equal price.
Think about If a small snack place on the premise think about selling quick foods that take not much for preparing and if you can down the road get licence for alcohol for adults.

[InDaWoodsDiscN419]

Originally Posted by elmexdela

answers easy

just dont do it

Or, plant every available open fairway etc. with trees and wait 40-50 years! Then proceed.

[joecoin]

Design disc golf holes at right angles to existing ball golf holes.

[mostlynorwegian]

Google maps, or its equivalent is your new best friend.

[fish58320]

1. Recognize that the scale (grading/slopes, width, length) allowable on ball v. disc golf courses are very different.
2. Use aerial photography and topography liberally. Print out large-format maps that you can mark up with interesting features, desirable/undesirable locations for tees/baskets/landing zones.
3. Try to incorporate fringes or wooded areas in ways that aren't just tokens, like one gap to hit.
4. Research and budget for trees/shrubs/vegetation to be planted, and try to plant them as soon as you have a workable layout. Make a strong effort to create directional components--not just planting a row of trees. Think about:
a. sweeping curves that would restrict certain shot shapes
b. Strategically locating them at a landing zone to create preferential locations to attack the next shot
c. Making different "looks" for pin positions or teepads
d. Resetting the scale of the course from BG to DG.
5. Ball golf courses (because of item 1) almost always end up being ridiculously long and straight. As such, there's not much punishment for bad shots, and the number of engaging or difficult shots on a converted or hybrid course is frighteningly low.
6. It's flat-out lazy if you make greens/bunkers/cart paths OB, but don't make anything else to challenge players. I'm not saying flag OB everywhere, but find ways (different cuts of grass, incorporating woods areas or steeper slopes, planting trees) to encourage players to throw different shot shapes, consider different obstacles, or quit throwing only their stable driver.

[Steve West]

Look for land that is not on the actual course, but still is part of the property. The fringes, the no-longer-needed maintenance yard, extinct golf holes, etc.

[centervolume]

So here's an arial shot. This course has been abandoned for 15 or 16 years now. I think it has a lot of potential with the wooded areas and water giving some variability to the terrain. It's not a hilly area unfortunately but some very gentle / gradual slopes.

The image here shows about 4800 feet right to left and 2750 vertically. I've had fun drawing in some possible arrangements with 18 holes along with an additional short course or 9 par 3s for kids or warm up.