Cross country meet at the course

[MarkDSM]

Last Thursday at Walnut Ridge http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=64 my play group arrived mid-afternoon to find white and red lines spray painted along much of the course. A large cross country meet was prepping to go. Chatted with one of the guys setting up and we decided we had time for a round.
The timing worked pretty well and we shared or crossed fairways on four holes during the kids walk-through (not the race, they actually walked the entire winding route pre race). It was kinda cool waiting and throwing through the gaps in the groups. Maybe 300-400 teenagers plus numerous adults. Many seemed interested and we heard a lot of positive comments in the background. During our post match regalement and cool down we chatted with some of the adults there to watch the kids. It was a positive experience.

Just posting as I do not know if DG course usage is common for cross country meets. Might be something someone could use in the selling of new course or getting bodies out to an existing one. Community spirit and all that stuff.

 

[jasonc]

Happens every year at Adler Park DGC.

I wish they would figure out another way to mark the course other than spray paint on the trees. No good for Mother Nature and it looks bad too. :thmbdown::thmbdown::thmbdown:

 

[thedrew300]

One of the courses in my town was the sight of a meet a few weeks ago, but the cross country route was there long before the DG course. We have 2 nice courses in town, just had to move our weekly mini, so no big deal.

 

[Grungedude42]

Happens frequently at The Hill. http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=4527.
Even mentions it in the current course conditions. Lots of casual runners even when there's not a race scheduled. We just usually smile and wave. They don't tend to slow down and get in the way, like walkers.

 

[BgWvDave]

Happens every year here in Castel Hayne, NC as well. This years run is scheduled for Oct. 3rd.

 

[DavidSauls]

I've played tournaments at Crooked Creek Park (Chapin, SC) when a high-school cross-country meet was going on. There are a few holes where you'd have to wait for a mob to trot by before driving.

On the other hand, I've played tournaments where the civilians were less numerous, but vastly slower to clear a fairway.

 

[MarkDSM]

Happens every year at Adler Park DGC.

I wish they would figure out another way to mark the course other than spray paint on the trees. No good for Mother Nature and it looks bad too. :thmbdown::thmbdown::thmbdown:

Yuck :gross: ! The track lines I saw at Walnut where just on the ground. Walnut is a Corps of Engineers park so I know they would not stand for painted tress.

 

[Rob Martin]

As a previous CC runner and now DG, I think this is awesome.

 

[curveball4]

Victor Ashe in Knoxville has a few high school meets every year & the course is closed for DG. They also have a cross country bicycle race every year

 

[BogeyNoMore]

I've seen it at a few courses: Grizzly Oaks, Labyrinth and Hudson Mills Original quickly come to mind.

Many of the features sought for DG also work well for cross country courses (e.g. elevation changes, naturally occurring paths/fairways through the woods and brush).

There's an large invitational (several schools) HS meet at Hudson Mills every fall that runs right through sections of the Original course. I went to watch my son race and was shocked to see the DG course open with plenty of people playing while the races were going on. I'm quite familiar with the course and there's no doubt in my mind that runners could get hit with bad shots given how parts of the CC course run parrallel to some of the fairways.

I told people in the office at HM that although I'm and avid disc golfer, I really think they should close the Original course for that day (especially since there's another course on site that's presents no danger to anyone) because racers are completely focused on their race, and aren't necessarily the least bit aware of what's going on around them or thinking they may have to dodge flying discs during a race... nor should they have to. But they haven't done anything about it yet. I suppose it'll take some some unfortunate accident to get them to do something... whethet that's closing the Original course for a day or moving the CC course to another section of the park

The funny thing is, they did close the DG course in prep for 4th of July Fireworks preparations...

 

[tdschrock1]

Spray paint on the tress sounds bad. Exposing disc golf to the running community sounds great though...

 

[The Last DJ]

I've even seen the ROTC groups at my home course. Usually this involves war games like paintball. It's odd to be putting out as a dozen youngsters army crawl through the rough dressed in full camo. They were very quiet and respectful, though!

 

[Knarfks]

Now we need a CC disc golf tournament, best time, time penalties per stroke

 

[OcDiscGolf]

On the other hand, I've played tournaments where the civilians were less numerous, but vastly slower to clear a fairway.

Bingo. Happens at HB (Huntington Beach) a couple of times a year. It seems DG Courses make ideal CC courses as well.

 

[Grungedude42]

Now we need a CC disc golf tournament, best time, time penalties per stroke

Screw that. I want a "reverse capture the flag" paintball tourney where you have to put the disc in the basket.

 

[scarpfish]

The local high school used to run their CC course through much of our DG course. Nowadays they use some land along the back nine that's kind of adjacent to it. I suppose since the number of disc golfers has increased, that's probably best for both, but I didn't mind losing the course for one afternoon.

I remember running cross country meets on ball golf courses in high school , while the ball golfers were playing. Got popped in the hip by an errant approach shot running around the back side of a green once. Probably saved that guy a stroke.

 

[BogeyNoMore]

I remember running cross country meets on ball golf courses in high school , while the ball golfers were playing. Got popped in the hip by an errant approach shot running around the back side of a green once. Probably saved that guy a stroke.

But realistically, this sort of thing is completely avoidable and should never happen. Solutions?
a) close the DG course down for the day (or at least until the CC meet has ended)
b) close down the 1 or two holes that could be trouble (if that's all it is)
c) route the CC course so that racers being hit isn't a possibility

... it's not rocket science.

These types of interractions with the non-playing public are specifically one of the things the sport should seek to avoid.

 

[ru4por]

I've seen it at a few courses: Grizzly Oaks, Labyrinth and Hudson Mills Original quickly come to mind.

Many of the features sought for DG also work well for cross country courses (e.g. elevation changes, naturally occurring paths/fairways through the woods and brush).

There's an large invitational (several schools) HS meet at Hudson Mills every fall that runs right through sections of the Original course. I went to watch my son race and was shocked to see the DG course open with plenty of people playing while the races were going on. I'm quite familiar with the course and there's no doubt in my mind that runners could get hit with bad shots given how parts of the CC course run parrallel to some of the fairways.

I told people in the office at HM that although I'm and avid disc golfer, I really think they should close the Original course for that day (especially since there's another course on site that's presents no danger to anyone) because racers are completely focused on their race, and aren't necessarily the least bit aware of what's going on around them or thinking they may have to dodge flying discs during a race... nor should they have to. But they haven't done anything about it yet. I suppose it'll take some some unfortunate accident to get them to do something... whethet that's closing the Original course for a day or moving the CC course to another section of the park

The funny thing is, they did close the DG course in prep for 4th of July Fireworks preparations...

Certainly is a common SE Michigan thing. I have also seen multiple courses used for CC. They usually chalk a line on the groung as opposed to painting trees though. A little patience and courtesy has worked in situations I have played in. Also found that it was an introduction to the game for many spectators and runner.

 

[Stardoggy]

Jaycee Quarry Park in Sheboygan has a couple mountain bike races a year, and they tape everything off. We found that out the hard way. You also get a lot of MB'ers riding the trails, which are literally right next to a few fairways, not to mention a couple of hills that ARE fairways. How nobody has gotten pegged coming around a corner is beyond me.

 

[BraveThrower43]

Fox Chase in Albemarle NC and North Cabarrus Park in Concord NC are both used several times a year for Cross Country meets

It blows my mind when those kids get to hole 8 and have to run up the mountainside at Fox Chase.