All about personal preference. I LOVE Winter Park, but a lot of people don't. And that's ok.
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Destination Courses - Do You Go For The Course Layout or The Scenery/Surroundings?
- Thread starter Treeplant
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All about personal preference. I LOVE Winter Park, but a lot of people don't. And that's ok.
HeavyCritters
**Stickin'Putts**
Winter Park is under some restrictions as to what can be done there. It's a decent course design wise and I don't mind the rutted out natural tees or anything of that sort. Kind of think saying it's over hyped is too critical... But that's me and amenities and perfectly groomed holes were never that important.
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^This. I thought Water Works was wonderful. Almost gave it a 4.5, but it's a destination course for sure...at least IMO. Obviously not everyone feels that way. Yet most seem to like it even more than I do.
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Dire Wolfy
Still a puppy
I go to them because they are near where I am staying.
markmanchette
Bogey Member
For me, it's about "the feelings I get" when I am somewhere extraordinary. When I get done with a round at my favorite courses, I FEEL CONTENT. I FEEL LIKE ALL IS EXACTLY RIGHT IN MY WORLD. I literally feel like I am closer to God! I know that will sound corny, but FOR ME, There are courses that HEAL ME. It's largely natural beauty that does it to me. For me, it is SPIRITUAL.
I am in North Carolina. I live for our mountain courses. How can one be anything less than fully alive, when doing what they love, where they love, sharing an experience they probably will not find anywhere else in their lives?
I rate courses with my heart. And if that makes me weird, or less of a true disc golfer, well, good for me, I am okay with that.
I am in North Carolina. I live for our mountain courses. How can one be anything less than fully alive, when doing what they love, where they love, sharing an experience they probably will not find anywhere else in their lives?
I rate courses with my heart. And if that makes me weird, or less of a true disc golfer, well, good for me, I am okay with that.
I agree totally... Especially the spiritual part. When a disc flies so well on a gorgeous line through woods and rock with a little stream bubbling nearby! That is like tickling gods nose with a feather and he/she has a little sneeze with no spittle...
Heh...
Heh...
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^ Would've said it differently myself, but echo the feeling.
markmanchette
Bogey Member
Couldn't say it better. My favorite disc golfing picture I've ever taken, is of my disc, in a Small babbling creek, Crystal clear water flowing over it. Hole 19, blackjack. My life would literally be incomplete without having seen this, heard this, felt this.
I can tell a course is a Destination Course by how much trouble I'm willing to go through to return and play it again some day.
ECHO ECHO ECHO................... I feel this way every time we go to BlueGill. Not sure, why?how but I seem to get in the "IT" moment there a lot.
I agree with David that "destination" courses are ones that I would be willing to go to the trouble of playing again.To me, a "Destination" Course means something different than Highly Rated Course. It means there is something truly unique about the course or the property that transcends the game of disc golf while still presenting challenges. Courses where your jaw drops down at the amazing beauty around you while you quiver on the tee, hoping your disc lands in the fairway. Some examples are Diamond X, Whistler's Bend, Smuggler's Notch, Haleakala, Sugaree.
I honestly don't care one bit about fancy restaurants, nightlife or five star hotels. That is the farthest thing from my mind on a disc golf vacation. It is a nice bonus if an area has this stuff, but not necessary.
A Destination "Location" means there is a concentration of quality disc golf courses nearby along with a unique vibe. Some of my favorite destinations are Portland, Lake Tahoe and the entire state of Vermont*.
I too have experienced a WTF moment while playing a top rated course. I was in disbelief that a certain prison themed course was in the top 10 (in 2011). While it was well maintained, the disc golf was gimmicky and IMHO was not worth the time and effort required to get there. That is why I read the cons on high rated course reviews. A lot of reviewers pointed out exactly what I hated about this course, but they still rated it very highly anyway.
* For perspective: I live in San Bernardino County California. The entire state of Vermont is less than half the size of my county.
SBC, CA: Area 20,105 square miles
Vermont: Area 9,614 square miles
I honestly don't care one bit about fancy restaurants, nightlife or five star hotels. That is the farthest thing from my mind on a disc golf vacation. It is a nice bonus if an area has this stuff, but not necessary.
A Destination "Location" means there is a concentration of quality disc golf courses nearby along with a unique vibe. Some of my favorite destinations are Portland, Lake Tahoe and the entire state of Vermont*.
I too have experienced a WTF moment while playing a top rated course. I was in disbelief that a certain prison themed course was in the top 10 (in 2011). While it was well maintained, the disc golf was gimmicky and IMHO was not worth the time and effort required to get there. That is why I read the cons on high rated course reviews. A lot of reviewers pointed out exactly what I hated about this course, but they still rated it very highly anyway.
* For perspective: I live in San Bernardino County California. The entire state of Vermont is less than half the size of my county.
SBC, CA: Area 20,105 square miles
Vermont: Area 9,614 square miles
I'm not sure, but the sometimes-difference between "destination" and "highly rated" might be revealed in how often you'd play the course, if you could.
You might have a destination course that you'll make a huge effort to return to, and you'll tell everyone, "You've got to try this course at least once"---but you know, if you lived nearby, you wouldn't play it all the time.
Conversely, you might have a local course with great layout and pleasant enough surroundings, that you play all the time and rate high due to its quality, but wouldn't exactly tell people to drive 500 miles to check out.
Though most of the time, the two go together.
You might have a destination course that you'll make a huge effort to return to, and you'll tell everyone, "You've got to try this course at least once"---but you know, if you lived nearby, you wouldn't play it all the time.
Conversely, you might have a local course with great layout and pleasant enough surroundings, that you play all the time and rate high due to its quality, but wouldn't exactly tell people to drive 500 miles to check out.
Though most of the time, the two go together.
This is how I some what feel about Winter Park, i enjoy the beauty and the seclusion that comes with the course. Also. back in the day they use to have 7-9 gold tees on the original 18. When you put those bad boys into play that course was a beast. Sadly, those tee pads are pretty much no existent, I still remember where a few are but, now that the course hasn't been taken care and is over grown in spots its hard to find them. I still manage to get there 4-6 times a year, mainly cause its the closest to "mountain golf" as I can get up in N.E.W.
Point taken. Thanks for helping me refine and adjust my argument. Of my personal blindspots is not thinking of animal husbandry when thinking 'agriculture' or 'farmer'. Undoubtedly, industrial animal farms account for most the ag related pollution in this data.
However, follow this link:
https://www.livescience.com/9331-scientists-measure-pesticide-runoff-golf-courses.html
It might give a better understanding of what happens on golf courses with regards to environmental practices, granted the article's a bit old and only deals with pesticides - not other sources of pollution. Note the paragraphs about 'precision farming'.
Then please consider how things are done in disc golf and your personal observations of disc golf courses over several years. I think golf and golf courses get a bad rap on environmental issues partly because of history, but largely because many feel the golf culture symbolizes/reinforces an oppressive class system, which is another subject entirely...
zontar
Double Eagle Member
I had a roommate in college who studied animal husbandry. 'till they caught him at it.....
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Interesting link, thanks for posting.
I'm sure you are right about animal husbandry. The Eastern Shore of Maryland is a major chicken production area, and there just isn't enough farmland to absorb all of the chicken manure.
