Caddy Book as Substitute for Tee Signs?

[Doofenshmirtz]

I just completed a disc golf course on an existing golf course. The owner did not want permanent signs and did not have the funds for tee boxes. Because the grass tees will likely need to be moved occasionally to address wear and for a few other reasons, there will be no tee signs.

I did the graphics for some tee signs and added some pages for navigation at key parts of the course. These will be put into booklets that will be provided to players at the beginning of the round and I have made the booklet downloadable from this site here.

Has anyone had experience with something like this? Looking for input/ideas on other ways to get this info to the players. And I repeat, there will be no tee signs.

 

[BillFleming]

uDisc. You can mark the course tee boxes and baskets/targets there. When you use the app, it gives you a map of the course and a blue dot to show where you are. Now the accuracy isn't the best, but it can get you to the general location of each tee pad. You should also be able to put a comment on the uDisc entry stating what the markers look like.

 

[ru4por]

uDisc. You can mark the course tee boxes and baskets/targets there. When you use the app, it gives you a map of the course and a blue dot to show where you are. Now the accuracy isn't the best, but it can get you to the general location of each tee pad. You should also be able to put a comment on the uDisc entry stating what the markers look like.

This is the answer for most. I have no interest in playing a course that requires a phone. I am going to be in the minority here, though.

 

[Doofenshmirtz]

This is the answer for most. I have no interest in playing a course that requires a phone. I am going to be in the minority here, though.

I'm with you on this one and that is why there will be physical booklets. But, I wanted the phone users to be able to use their phones.

 

[Doofenshmirtz]

uDisc. You can mark the course tee boxes and baskets/targets there. When you use the app, it gives you a map of the course and a blue dot to show where you are. Now the accuracy isn't the best, but it can get you to the general location of each tee pad. You should also be able to put a comment on the uDisc entry stating what the markers look like.

Yep, I already set up the course on UDisc. The problem is that there doesn't seem to be any way to put the OB information on there. It would be nice if I could upload the tee sign graphics and have UDisc display them for the hole or allow them to be displayed as an option.

 

[ru4por]

Maybe stealing a practice from golf would be effective. Just print up scorecards, which would solve distance and par questions. On the back of the cards, print a course map. That would solve navigation issues. Have a mail box with cards and pencils available on the first tee or kiosk. A few next tee signs would help.

 

[BogeyNoMore]

I don't see the two as mutually exclusive. No reason the course can't be mapped on U-Disc and have a printed map. Let players decide what they want to use. That said, not sure why you'd need/want a "booklet" per se.

I would think a decent map on the back of the score card would do the job more than adequately. I find it easier to navigate unfamiliar courses, when I can see all the holes in relationship to each other, rather than seeing an isolated hole.

 

[Doofenshmirtz]

I don't see the two as mutually exclusive. No reason the course can't be mapped on U-Disc and have a printed map. Let players decide what they want to use. That said, not sure why you'd need/want a "booklet" per se.

I would think a decent map on the back of the score card would do the job more than adequately. I find it easier to navigate unfamiliar courses, when I can see all the holes in relationship to each other, rather than seeing an isolated hole.

The golf course that this course is on has 9 holes in 6 areas that are separated from each other and form and irregular "Y" shape. With 21 holes, they won't fit cleanly onto the back of a reasonably-sized score card and be large enough to be able to convey all of the information that I am trying to convey. In any event, I'm not trying to replace a course map with the booklets; what I am trying to replace are tee signs.

The information that I really want to convey with the booklets is hole layout, tee locations, basket position, OB, Drop Zone locations, etc.

 

[glassila]

You could probably make up a laminated caddy book fairly cheaply (under $5) and have them at the main sign/kiosk.
I believe most people would return them upon completion of their round if asked to.
It sounds like you want to provide a lot more info than a scorecard is capable of.

 

[BillFleming]

Yep, I already set up the course on UDisc. The problem is that there doesn't seem to be any way to put the OB information on there. It would be nice if I could upload the tee sign graphics and have UDisc display them for the hole or allow them to be displayed as an option.

The bolded part is the main issue I have with uDisc. I play at a course that has had temporary changes due to construction. Some tee signs are 'out of date' due to the temporary changes....why make a new tee sign when the change will go back to the original version after the construction is done? For example, one hole has a temporary mandatory to keep players from throwing over the tee pad of a temporary hole. But that mandator isn't on the tee sign or uDisc, so I've seen players ignore it.

PDGA's Live Scoring is able to show the rules for each hole, so why can't uDisc? (they haven't answered me about that).

 

[elmexdela]

u disc or small quick paper map or nothing

i dont want a 18+ page novella on how to play a course for one rec round

 

[brentjacobs]

I believe I've seen notes/OBs/etc for each hole listed in the "About the Course" section of UDisc for a few courses. It's not ideal since you can't easily see that while in a scorecard but it would be available and players could screenshot to refer back.

But I like caddy books. I've had them at a few courses/tourneys and I think they're great.

 

[BuiltTooLong]

I would make sure you put the caddy book in multiple spots on the course. Good chance people will miss it the first time and/or lose it during the round.

 

[dmoore1998]

I've played a course with no tee signs. They had UDisc, but I don't love taking out my phone while playing. They also had a single page notebook paper-sized sheet that had the scorecard on one side and a big map laying out the holes on the back. It's actually a lot more useful than single-page hole layouts in a caddy book. It allows you to orient yourself better from the hole you just played, and then looking at the next hole to be played. Unless you have complex OB, it shouldn't be difficult to just outline those in red or something as an aerial view of the entire course.

You could also just have the overhead map on the backside of the sheet. The front side of the sheet with the scorecard and a list of 1-18. Each number just outlines the OB rule for the hole.

I.E.

Hole 1, 237 feet, path and everything left of the path is OB.

Honestly, the course I played didn't feel any "less" by having no tee signs and just having the paper available. I could fold it up and stuff it in my pocket without even noticing it. I'd prefer that a lot more than a "book" to deal with.

 

[BillFleming]

The only issue about paper (caddy book or single sheet), is replacing it. It's going to cost money to create it whichever way you go. How often will you be replacing/stocking new ones? It's a pain to show up to a course where you need a paper map/directions and there aren't any available. Don't count on players to return them, even if you laminate them. There will always be players who forget or who play often and decide to keep the book/sheet....then they forget they have it and get another one. You also won't really be able to limit it to one per group...so now you have them going out faster. It's going to cost time and money to keep them printed out and supplied to the course.

 

[ru4por]

I guess I have certainly played my fair share of courses with no tee signs and a lack of navigation efforts. Kind of a pain to bumble about a patch of unfamiliar woods/meadows......but, way worse ways to spend an afternoon.

You know kids....back in the day, we didn't have fancy scorecards, cellular phones, maps.... We did not even have music, unless someone had a boombox, on a wagon they were pulling. Back in the day, if you wanted music, you sang the song bouncing around in your head.

 

[dreadlock86]

i like what you have already but it does seem like it will be a significant cost over time.

a single sheet paper map could be segmented into 4 quadrants showing the overall and then a zoomed in look at each part of the Y. the other side could have just the pictures of the transition areas that are in the booklet. QR code for a digital version of the booklet.

 

[Cgkdisc]

How are the tees marked? Why can't the hole #, distance and maybe Par be marked on whatever material is being used to mark each tee? Or, print the QR code to the course map on the first few tee markers or on a label on the first basket. Presumably, you'll need good Next Tee signs on the baskets to indicate direction next tees. I laser print info on sheets of weatherproof polyester adhesive label stock and cut multiple labels to size. (SheetLabels.com)

 

[DavidSauls]

Not quite the same, but we have a private course with navigation issues -- the tee signs have minimal info, but there are two overlapping layouts that can be confusing. Plus a very long list of ground rules (O.B., etc., plus a few navigation tips)

For a long time, we did paper maps -- one for each layout, with a map on one side of the sheet, and all the ground rules for that layout on the other. It worked. Ours aren't laminated, and when people return them they tend to be pretty ragged. So we have to make sure they get replenished regularly. Fortunately, it's a low-volume course.

When we put the layouts on UDisc, we started giving people the choice. 95% seem to choose UDisc. But the paper maps are still there. It doesn't have the ground rules, but casual players can figure them out, make them up for themselves, or ignore them. (We do have signs in a few places, though).

We also improved navigation, with differently-colored baskets for the different layouts, and coloring one spoke on them to point to the next tee. It made a big difference.

That, and Chuck's suggestion to put hole distance on the tee markers if possible, might get you a long way.

A caddy book is notice. But it's something that someone will have to keep up with and keep stocked, plus depending on the size, it may be more than a lot of players want to fumble through while playing.

 

[DavidSauls]

Excuse the typos in that pre-coffee post.