AHHHH LEAGUE PLAYERS!

[craftsman]

The difference between bowling, softball, etc and discgolf is that dg is running illegal gambling with (ime) a good portion of its participants breaking other laws.
Imo, we should reconize this and tread a lil lighter.

 

[Dave242]

No need to tread lighter as a fix. If leagues tread lighter they are complicit in the illegalities you speak of. Fix the illegal problems.....or at least distance yourselves from them as far as possible.

 

[Jay Dub]

You need to look at it from the perspective of other how other sports leagues use public park facilities dedicated to their activities.

Consider softball & soccer: they use specific facilities at public parks and it would make no sense at all for random individuals to go onto those facilities during organized events and expect to practice batting or shooting goals. Why would DG be any different?

Well, it is different. League players should kindly explain this analogy to individuals....and kindly let them know that it is different in that both league players and individuals can play the course at the same time. But, that the organized league event takes priority.

Individuals co-mingling with a league should kindly realize that they are fortunate that they are allowed on the course during league play (unlike softball or soccer). As has been mentioned, if it is a large league with groups on most/all holes then co-mingling will be a very slow moving experience.

Fortunate to be allowed? The league has priority? Those sound like nothing but elitist statements.
If they are that important then close the course, have signs up explaining the course is closed or get out of the way of the other people enjoying the public park.

If it's a private course, the owner has the say.

 

[Streets]

Fortunate to be allowed? The league has priority? Those sound like nothing but elitist statements.
If they are that important then close the course, have signs up explaining the course is closed or get out of the way of the other people enjoying the public park.

If it's a private course, the owner has the say.

I'm not sure he's necessarily trying to sound elitist. Imagine your local rec center, Y, etc. has a rec basketball league going on certain nights, with a set structure, teams, scorekeepers, refs everything. People who come that night to "just shoot a round" aren't going to be allowed to play while those games are going on.

I think that's what he was getting at

 

[Jay Dub]

I'm not sure he's necessarily trying to sound elitist. Imagine your local rec center, Y, etc. has a rec basketball league going on certain nights, with a set structure, teams, scorekeepers, refs everything. People who come that night to "just shoot a round" aren't going to be allowed to play while those games are going on.

I think that's what he was getting at

I don't agree with the comparisons. 18 tees, fairways and baskets are not the same as one court with 2 baskets or one field with two goals.

I don't think of Dave as an elitists from what I've seen him post on these forums, but those statements come across that way to me.

 

[dysmike]

I'm not sure he's necessarily trying to sound elitist. Imagine your local rec center, Y, etc. has a rec basketball league going on certain nights, with a set structure, teams, scorekeepers, refs everything. People who come that night to "just shoot a round" aren't going to be allowed to play while those games are going on.

I think that's what he was getting at

Obviously the courses, and leagues, are more organized in your locality. Here, not so much. Then again, I've also never had an issue either playing through, or around, with the leagues here. At most I'll get an invitation to join.

 

[Streets]

There's a mix of both around my area, large/small, laid back/well organized.

I was just trying to make a connection with what Dave said, not commenting about my area.

 

[DiscinFiend]

You need to look at it from the perspective of other how other sports leagues use public park facilities dedicated to their activities.

Consider softball & soccer: they use specific facilities at public parks and it would make no sense at all for random individuals to go onto those facilities during organized events and expect to practice batting or shooting goals. Why would DG be any different?

Well, it is different. League players should kindly explain this analogy to individuals....and kindly let them know that it is different in that both league players and individuals can play the course at the same time. But, that the organized league event takes priority.

Individuals co-mingling with a league should kindly realize that they are fortunate that they are allowed on the course during league play (unlike softball or soccer). As has been mentioned, if it is a large league with groups on most/all holes then co-mingling will be a very slow moving experience.

:thmbup::hfive: I agree 100%

The difference between bowling, softball, etc and discgolf is that dg is running illegal gambling with (ime) a good portion of its participants breaking other laws.
Imo, we should reconize this and tread a lil lighter.

That's being stereotypical, that's like saying all snowboarders & skateboarders smoke...there are plenty of illegal activities happening in all sports/activities so saying that in dg "a good portion of its participants" are breaking laws is just being ignorant. I've been in quite a few leagues & there are people doing illegal things but not a majority of people by any means. I've seen more casual players do stuff like that than league competitors. Also there is no reason to tread lighter for the exact reasons I stated.

 

[Jay Dub]

Obviously the courses, and leagues, are more organized in your locality. Here, not so much. Then again, I've also never had an issue either playing through, or around, with the leagues here. At most I'll get an invitation to join.

Makes me wonder how many leagues draw 72 people every week. Or even once a season.

 

[Puckstopper]

Sorry... but I think back to all my years of playing real golf leagues and I don't recall anyone playing that night that wasn't in the league. Don't see why disc golf should be any different.

Uh, because in real golf the league is run by the course(which owns the land) in order to bring in players who will pay for greens fees/cart rental, food and beverages, items from the pro shop, etc. In disc golf the game is usually played on public land which is free for the use of all. A private disc golf course is welcome to close itself to non league players. If you want to close a public park you need to pay for a permit usually. Sorry to let facts get in the way of your "point".

Now, I'll be the first to say that I think if you see it's league night and you don't want to play in the league you should probably find another course. However, I know it's easy for me to say that, given that there are a wide variety of courses to choose from here in Columbus. In other areas it may not be so cut and dry.

Finally, OP, you're kind of a tool. Whether it's league play or not, I'm not letting you play through if I'm keeping pace with the group in front of me and they're keeping up with the group in front of them (which is usually the landscape on league nights). If the course is crowded and a group isn't keeping up it's fine to play through. But if the course is full, you playing through is creating a ripple effect of slowness behind you. If you understand that you'll understand when it's appropriate to play through, and when its not.

 

[Puckstopper]

That's being stereotypical.

Stereotypes exist for a reason. In Ohio it's illegal to have alcohol in a public park, and yet many of our local league players indulge in a beer or two after league while sitting in the parking lot BSing. Many more do enjoy other substances on the course. You certainly don't usually see the parents at the local little league game sharing a joint, or softball players passing a 40 up and down the bench.

 

[Streets]

I think the REAL question is why there are two parallel threads on the EXACT same topic???

 

[AndyJB]

Fortunate to be allowed? The league has priority? Those sound like nothing but elitist statements.
If they are that important then close the course, have signs up explaining the course is closed or get out of the way of the other people enjoying the public park.

If it's a private course, the owner has the say.

I think he and I are kind of agreeing...like we have 25 percent the same thought but the other 75 percent isn't meeting up.

I would like to see Parks and Rec or DPW or whomever owns the land a league plays on to be more proactive with it. Such as with a Rec Center or bowling alley or baseball field or what have you. The issue, it would seem to me, is that disc golf is a wide-open space. It's usually in multi-use areas. Whereas a golf course will be partitioned off for use only as a golf course, a disc golf course is built typically in some sort of park format/area. This inherently causes a problem with a league trying to reserve the course, especially so if the league is small.

If it's a big, 100-player tournament it's easy for a casual player to pick up what's going down. But when its 10-20 guys playing dubs or even singles, to most casual players that means nothing more than that it is a busy day at the course.

Hence why I think Parks and Rec departments need to be a bit more proactive. I still don't think many of them realize how much bang they are getting for their buck. While disc golf courses are by no means cheap to install, Parks and Rec or DPW usually benefit from a local group volunteering hundreds or sometimes even thousands of man hours to physically do the install. True, Parks and Rec has to provide the grants and surveyors, but that's a pittance compared to what a good club can do as far as maintenance on a course. Essentially, for a few thousand dollar investment they get a self-sustaining project that provides good recreation from entry-level youth all the way up to the most seasoned senior grandmasters, and every dichotomy in-between.

So, it's easy to see why a league/club can off as elitist because of how much effort they put into a course. But they aren't completely to blame. Parks and Rec should step in and grant them, minimum, three hours a week to have the course to themselves by putting up signs on the first and last holes, and the hole in the middle of every course (you all know what I'm talking about) where the random chuckers start for some inexplicable reason. One sign on a kiosk that hardly anyone reads is not good enough pursuant with the effort leagues/clubs put in to keeping a course in good working order.

I find, however, that club reps are hesitant to bring something like this up for fear of losing what little privileges they have, if not the course all together. So no one even makes the attempt. If they did, they would be surprised at how easy to get along with most Parks and Rec officials are. That is a pretty thankless job with not a lot of pay (unless you are in a really big city) so they do it for the love of the job. They will work with you if approached professionally and non-aggressively.

Hopefully this inspires a few clubs to be more proactive in this. it will help bring in new players (you could even put the club membership rep right at hole 1 with info and to answer any questions from casual players) while alleviating the problems of coming across as douchenozzle elitists who take themselves way too seriously.

 

[AndyJB]

Stereotypes exist for a reason. In Ohio it's illegal to have alcohol in a public park, and yet many of our local league players indulge in a beer or two after league while sitting in the parking lot BSing. Many more do enjoy other substances on the course. You certainly don't usually see the parents at the local little league game sharing a joint, or softball players passing a 40 up and down the bench.

I don't know what softball leagues you play in, but mine usually have a case, minimum, in the dugout, if not a kegerator.

 

[DiscinFiend]

Stereotypes exist for a reason. In Ohio it's illegal to have alcohol in a public park, and yet many of our local league players indulge in a beer or two after league while sitting in the parking lot BSing. Many more do enjoy other substances on the course. You certainly don't usually see the parents at the local little league game sharing a joint, or softball players passing a 40 up and down the bench.

:doh: Don't be naive you can't compare a disc golf league to parents at a little league game. Little league is played by little kids not adults. In bar leagues there are people who frequently smoke & drink during games/events in everything from softball, volleyball, bags, darts, pool ect. & most disc golf leagues are way more comparable to a bar league than parents watching their kids play little league. Also you may follow/believe in stereotypes but I try my hardest to not judge people by the color of their skin, the clothes they wear, the car they drive or the job they have but rather by how they treat me, how they treat other people & how they act.

 

[Dave242]

Fortunate to be allowed? The league has priority? Those sound like nothing but elitist statements.
If they are that important then close the course, have signs up explaining the course is closed or get out of the way of the other people enjoying the public park.

If it's a private course, the owner has the say.

If you want to call a group that goes through the work of going through the right channels to organize an event with the course owner (Park dept) "elitist", that is fine.

Like I said, casual players who have the expectation that the course is theirs all day every day, will be disappointed. They might well call the league "elitists" and "snobs". But that is a reflection of them, not the league. One could easily argue that these casuals are the elitist/selfish ones.

For tournaments, organizers do indeed close the course down to everyone but tournament competitors and spectators. They can and do call in Park Police to enforce this if need be. I suppose leagues that are big enough could easily do the same thing for their event.

But, DG organizers being the friendly inclusive type that they are, often allow casuals on the course at the same time a league play.

 

[Dan Ensor]

Sorry, I'm not going to read the thread. I only read the first post.

It's equally rude to let every casual player on the course play through and make the entire league wait for you to get done so you can feel good about being nice to the casuals on the course.

 

[AndyJB]

Here's another thought that has absolutely nothing to do with the OP:

For those of you who have multiple courses in a small area, has anyone tried setting up a casual league? As in, a league where people of lesser skill or a less-competitive mindset can still get together, but with the laid-back attitude that usually entails? I was never into bowling, but I had a friend who was, and I seem to recall there being different leagues, like A League was for cash and had the heavy-hitters, B League allowed side wagers and still had very competitive folks who were still honing their skills, C League was for people who had just started but loved the game or people who just didn't posses the natural talent but loved the game and D League was for people to basically get together with other people who liked bowling but liked beer more.

Anyone think this is viable? I use Colorado Springs as an example...Cottonwood (where most League is played) would be the A League, Widefield (which is an awesome course but on the opposite site of town) would be for B/C League and Cumberland Green (small, begginers course) would be for a D League.

 

[DiscinFiend]

Here's another thought that has absolutely nothing to do with the OP:

For those of you who have multiple courses in a small area, has anyone tried setting up a casual league? As in, a league where people of lesser skill or a less-competitive mindset can still get together, but with the laid-back attitude that usually entails? I was never into bowling, but I had a friend who was, and I seem to recall there being different leagues, like A League was for cash and had the heavy-hitters, B League allowed side wagers and still had very competitive folks who were still honing their skills, C League was for people who had just started but loved the game or people who just didn't posses the natural talent but loved the game and D League was for people to basically get together with other people who liked bowling but liked beer more.

Anyone think this is viable? I use Colorado Springs as an example...Cottonwood (where most League is played) would be the A League, Widefield (which is an awesome course but on the opposite site of town) would be for B/C League and Cumberland Green (small, begginers course) would be for a D League.

I agree that sounds like a good idea but in most leagues I've played in/currently play in they've got divisions (Open, Adv., Intermediate, Rec, Womens, Junior's) & I've noticed for all the people that don't take the game as seriously & play in a low divisions seem to be more about the beer & seem to be less uptight about the rules. So in a lot of leagues there's a place for everyone.

 

[Okie-J]

Finally, OP, you're kind of a tool. Whether it's league play or not, I'm not letting you play through if I'm keeping pace with the group in front of me and they're keeping up with the group in front of them (which is usually the landscape on league nights). If the course is crowded and a group isn't keeping up it's fine to play through. But if the course is full, you playing through is creating a ripple effect of slowness behind you. If you understand that you'll understand when it's appropriate to play through, and when its not.

And there you go.

Shoulda got there earlier.