Denver Trip

[ERicJ]

I'm gonna be in Denver this week and was wondering if anyone had helpful thoughts on my planned courses to play:

Thursday

• 4.0 18 Badlands DGC @ Camenisch Park
• 3.0 09 Schaefer DGC
• ?.? 09 Ken Caryl DGC
• 4.5 20 Beaver Ranch/Conifer Park
• ?.? 09 Mines Park DGC

Friday

• 3.5 18 David Lorenz Park
• 3.0 18 Exposition Park
• 3.0 18 Westminster DGC

Saturday

• 3.0 24 Bird's Nest Disc Park
• 4.5 18 Johnny Roberts DGC

(Numbers are current DGCR rating and # holes.)

I'll be staying at a hotel in downtown Denver.

Other courses I considered, but deferred

I read Rocky Mountain Village DGC was closed for the summer camp, and Winter Park Resort & Ghost Town seem like an awful lot of driving.

ERic

 

[McMarkD]

Ken Caryl and Mines are really short courses. If your goal is to bag as many courses as possible then go for it. I love Ghost Town! It is unique and a lot of fun. Just had a blast at Beaver Ranch today! Lots of fun and a good climb! I hope you are in great shape, because after 20 at Beaver Ranch, I am ready to drink beer! But, I can always squeeze a Schaefer in! Make sure you bring lots of water! Also, I like to play bird's nest in the evening when the wind starts messing around with your game! If you are good, I would blow off the Ken Caryl and Mines courses unless you want to give Aces a good try. Mines doesn't allow drivers, but you can still Ace a lot of the holes. Again go to Ghost Town then take the back road down (the owner will give you easy directions) to Idaho Spgs and get a Beau Jo's Pizza and a smile.

 

[ERicJ]

Mark,

Thanks for the input. I've got from ~8am to 4pm on Thursday and Friday to play so I'm trying to play as many highly rated courses as I can in what makes sense from a mini-road trip point of view. I want to sample what Denver disc golf has to offer. I think that schedule might be somewhat aggressive as it is. I can see Mines possibly getting dropped for time, that's why it's last for the day on the way back to the hotel.

Re: Ghost Town, if I drive that far I might as well play Winter Park too, but then that's at least 3 hours of drive time out of my 8 hour allocation for just two courses. That might be better saved for another trip when Rocky Mountain Village is open too, right?

On the off chance that anyone is available to meet up and play drop me a PM. The courses listed above are in order of what I'm planning to play from ~8am to 4pm. I would appreciate the local guidance.

ERic

 

[Luke@DiscTrips]

ERic - Ghost Town isn't as far away as you think, especially if you line it up with some other west Denver courses like your Saturday schedule. In fact, if you got started early on Saturday, it would be a very easy hour's drive (or less) from downtown up to Russell Gulch. Then the drive back to Bird's Nest in Arvada would just be like 45 minutes. Winter Park is a lot farther away; the ski resort course is a huge time commitment (and $ to ride the gondola),and the Snow Mountain Ranch course is kind of in a sad state due to the massive beetle infestation that has killed acres of trees in that area.

Bottom line: Ghost Town is a unique, unforgettable course and well worth the hour each way. Make sure to schedule a tee time with Brian, the course's owner.

As for Ken Caryl & Mines: I have a special place in my heart for Ken Caryl, because that was my very first course as a teenager growing up nearby. It's very "cute," being short but not boring, with a couple interesting mandos. Same goes for Mines Park -- short but fun.

Denver disc golf definitely has its own flavor -- I think you'll like it. Too bad you can't play Lakewood Dry Gulch, now that it's torn out for construction. But overall, your plan sounds ambitious and solid.

 

[McMarkD]

Eric, I have been playing for just 3 months. I need to go back to mines now that I can throw my kite and stingray far. But I played Beaver Ranch again today! 2 days in a row... I am a little sore, and my score wasn't as good as yesterdays, but I did demonstrate that your goal is doable! I know... doing it for you was tough but I had to try! Thanks. I took experienced Kansas disk golfers and they couldn't (or wouldn't) believe that the altitude made all the discs more over stable. Oh well, it was fun! Where are you coming from? Also... personal problems prevented me from playing Winter Park this past weekend, but it was supposed to get a foot of snow! Brian the owner of Ghost town is great to talk to, and one time I saw him playing Beaver Ranch. Also there are some serious risk - reward decisions at Beaver Ranch... Makes some holes a blast! Have fun.

Mark

 

[ERicJ]

...they couldn't (or wouldn't) believe that the altitude made all the discs more over stable. Oh well, it was fun!

Really?? That should be interesting....

Where are you coming from?

Coming up from Texas.

ERic

 

[McMarkD]

You can leave your firebird at the hotel! Just Kidding. I play Bird's Nest all the time! Great course. You will laugh at the Differences for LightHouse and the courses you play in Houston. Are you playing with someone. You can loose a disc thrown right at the Pin in some of the cactus! It helps to have someone else to help look for it! I have major Family commitments this week, or I would Love to try your Schedule! Please write reviews on the courses! Also, the my brother threw my Blue Wolf in the Top of the Tree on 17 at Beaver Ranch! It is still there today! Have fun throwing your whole bag off the Tee at 17! I usually play pin C there but check out pin E!!! Watch your step at Schaefer... Prairie Dog holes can be nasty! Big smile and have Fun, and if you can work in Ghost Town...

 

[Luke@DiscTrips]

The overstable thing: It's true -- The thinner air offers less resistance on the disc, making it behave like it's moving more slowly relative to the air around it, as though you were throwing with a tailwind. All else equal, discs will more quickly trail off to the left (RHBH). This is especially evident way up in the mountains, like, say, the Aspen Mountain course at 11,000 feet -- an amazing place and possibly the highest course in the world. Check it out next time you're in CO...

FYI, when McMarkD says "LightHouse" I believe he's referring to David Lorenz. That's what the locals call it. Correct me if I'm wrong, McMarkD, but I just wanted to make sure ERic got your point. He's right that it's full of low-lying cactus that can gobble up a disc if you're not watching. Not exactly my favorite Denver course, but worth a try.

Have fun!

 

[McMarkD]

Oops Sorry. LightHouse = David Lorenz... Eric should be playing today... I hope he does Ghost Town... Completely different than any other course!

 

[ERicJ]

The trip went great! The schedule almost held. I didn't make it to Mines on Thursday, but did get in a second round at Westminster on Saturday. I've got all my scores posted in my scorebook.

Thursday

• 4.0 18 Badlands DGC @ Camenisch Park
• 3.0 09 Schaefer DGC
• ?.? 09 Ken Caryl DGC
• 4.5 20 Beaver Ranch/Conifer Park
• ?.? 09 Mines Park DGC

Friday

• 3.5 18 David Lorenz Park
• 3.0 18 Exposition Park
• 3.0 18 Westminster DGC

Saturday

• 3.0 24 Bird's Nest Disc Park
• 4.5 18 Johnny Roberts DGC

(Numbers are current DGCR rating and # holes.)

I've updated a bunch of the courses' hole info with laser accurate distances that I did while I was there. And I need to post a boatload of the pictures and write up my reviews of the courses. That'll take some time.

I'd have to say David Lorenz was the biggest disappointment. I expected muuuch more based on a 3.5 star DGCR rating. That course is gonna get less than average from me when I rate it. Absolutely no shot variety. I found it to be a really boring course.

Only disc I lost in 74+54+60 official holes played was a white Pro Wraith on #11 at Badlands.

ERic

 

[martinb]

denver

can you do a quick list of what you liked the most? basically start from best to worst? dont even want a description of the course, just which course you thought was the best, down to the least best....

 

[Greg Layton]

Thanks for the feedback on David Lorenz. Someone else in my "30 course..." thread recommended that I not play it when I come through next week, so it looks like it's unanimous. I look forward to reading your reviews of the other courses!

 

[ERicJ]

can you do a quick list of what you liked the most? basically start from best to worst? dont even want a description of the course, just which course you thought was the best, down to the least best....

Okay, here's the list from best to worst, in my opinion:

1. 4.5 20 Beaver Ranch/Conifer Park
2. 4.0 18 Badlands DGC @ Camenisch Park
3. 3.0 24 Bird's Nest Disc Park
4. 3.0 18 Exposition Park
5. 3.0 18 Westminster DGC
6. 4.5 18 Johnny Roberts DGC
7. ?.? 09 Ken Caryl DGC
8. 3.5 18 David Lorenz Park
9. 3.0 09 Schaefer DGC

As a quick & dirty rating I'd say #1 & #2 get two thumbs up. #3-6 get one thumb up. #7 gets a neutral. #8 & #9 get a thumbs down. Like I said those are based on my opinion of how I liked the course; I'll post the full reviews and pics after I catch up from all the other stuff on the trip.

ERic

 

[ERicJ]

...on 17 at Beaver Ranch! ... Have fun throwing your whole bag off the Tee at 17! I usually play pin C there but check out pin E!!!

#17 was pretty cool. I had a group of five behind me so I didn't get to empty my bag on #17, but I did play it to the 'E' pin... and the '6' I took on that hole blew my otherwise really good round all to hell.

Watch your step at Schaefer... Prairie Dog holes can be nasty!

Good advice. I escaped without injury. Westminster was also loaded with Prarie Dog holes, and David Lorenz too to a lesser extent.

ERic

 

[martinb]

thanks eric.

 

[ERicJ]

Vertical Profile

Here's another little neat tidbit. I had my Garmin eTrex Vista turned on in tracking mode while I was playing these courses, mostly for the purposes of Geotagging my pictures after the fact. But the Garmin MapSourse program lets you generate these Vertical Profiles of your tracks. It was interesting to compare the one from Beaver Ranch with my local course Missouri City Community Park here in Houston suburbia. Be sure to look at the vertical (altitude) scales.

Houston:

Denver:

The long flat segments at the beginning and end of Beaver Ranch are the half mile hikes between the parking lot and the first tee.

ERic

 

[McMarkD]

Thanks Eric, the Geotrack of Beaver Ranch is cool! I want you to know that you cost me a laser rangefinder, because they move the pins around at Bird's Nest a lot! I just bought the cheapest Leopold. I like to have that info. So I am about to geekify my disc golfing. Did you notice the difference of the stability of your discs at Beaver? I am anxious to go visit my daughter in FL and see what my discs do at sea level. Lots of people tell me about the changes in stability. Did you throw your Firebird up here? Well, I am headed to Bird's Nest, and Dog Leg Discs!

 

[ERicJ]

Thanks Eric, the Geotrack of Beaver Ranch is cool! I want you to know that you cost me a laser rangefinder, because they move the pins around at Bird's Nest a lot! I just bought the cheapest Leopold. I like to have that info. So I am about to geekify my disc golfing.

Yeah, I'm totally geeked out on new courses. I've got my friggin' Batman Utility Belt with the laser range finder, GPSr, camera, and cell phone. But I'm obsessed with the little details. For the courses I play getting all the distances right on DGCR is a goal.

I love my Nikon range finder, so easy to use and consistently accurate. The baskets at Beaver Ranch are great for spotting too. The bright silver is really easy to see. I'm not sure how the Leopold will do but the Nikon is amazing at bouncing the laser off the chains, never had a problem. In fact when I was scouting distances for a yet-to-be-installed course they had basket positions marked with 3/4" PVC pipes sticking out of the ground. With a monopod I was able to zap 3/4" PVC from 400' away. Let me know how the Leopold works for you.

I've updated Beaver Ranch distances on DGCR for the pin positions that were in place when I played. The other distances are what were listed on the tee signs. Please update the others as you gather data.

Did you notice the difference of the stability of your discs at Beaver? I am anxious to go visit my daughter in FL and see what my discs do at sea level. Lots of people tell me about the changes in stability. Did you throw your Firebird up here? Well, I am headed to Bird's Nest, and Dog Leg Discs!

I can't say I saw a big difference in stability. Distance yes, stability... not really. Most of the distance difference was from throwing downhill which happens a lot on Denver courses and almost never in Houston. Pro #1 at Westminster saw me toss a bunch of discs across the lake for fun. With a decent TeeRex drive I birdied 416' #5 there with ease . I had my Firebird with me and may have thrown it but don't recall specifically. But I did throw a lot of TeeRex and the occasional XCaliber.

ERic

 

[DGtourist]

God bless you, our biggest equipment nerd. You should write equipment reviews. Also, aren't range finders illegal in tournament play? Oh and how much do they cost? I must say those goetags look pretty cool, I used to take and interest in that for marathon routes (back when I was in shape).

-JD

 

[ERicJ]

Yes, any distance measuring device is illegal in PDGA sanctioned tournaments.

Rangefinders vary in price depending on quality and range/accuracy capability. Cheap ones can be had for $100-$150. My model, the Nikon Monarch 800, is presently selling on ebay for as low as $225. It's the quaility you'd expect from Nikon, plus waterproof and fogproof too!

Some brands have a lot of "modes" for measuring under different conditions. The Nikon simplifies it to two: "first target priority" and "distance target". Works great. I did my homework before buying and decided on the Nikon. The only complaint I have is it only reports in meters and yards; I have to do the x3 math to get distances in feet.

ERic