brutalbrutus
* Ace Member *
Is there any time frame on this goose? My family has a cabin east of there so, I would be available for some course work, if given some workday dates.
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Executing The Dream
- Thread starter Menacewarf
- Start date
The welcome mat's out. If you get that close, you've got to visit. Though I can't make promises, we rarely travel during the Thanksgiving holiday, so are usually home (other than on the holiday itself).
Fireants aren't very active in cool weather. With a record-cold November, we haven't been bothered by them in a while. But don't them deter you; just practice up on your profanity, and you'll be fine.
We are still in the planning phase... Johnny Sias' next visit we will begin hole design. We already found a couple of gold mine areas for holes. There is room for a cross valley shot that is going to be amazing... and downhill blind rhfh shot. Lots of rock outcroppings to work with too. I will take more pics next weekend when I am out there with Johnny. I have a meeting with the park director next tuesday to figure out a couple of details.
As far as timeline, I would like to get this sucker in the ground as far as the fairways cut and baskets in the ground by the end of May. I will let you know when we start planning for work days... hopefully we can get started by the beginning of February.
- Joined
- May 4, 2010
- Messages
- 1,648
Man, been too long since there's been an update in here. I even received the "Old Thread Warning". Doesn't DGCR know we're all just too busy working?!?
First item of note. I know we talk gear in here quite a bit so... Quilt lined duck bib overall Carhartt's are the bee's knees. Damn near impervious to thorns. Full range of motion for the upper body unlike full cover-alls. Plenty warm with the ability to add/remove upper layers. Good pockets on the chest for lip balm, pocket knife, cell phone, etc. I received a pair for Xmas from my dear wife and was able to use them yesterday while doing some clearing with my bro-in-law. Now that my unpaid commercial is over...
Things are in a state of flux at Hidden Ridge. After a far-too-long holiday break we were back at it yesterday. The weather was mid 30's and a bit overcast, but no wind. Perfect for working outside comfortably.
After we got a hole (probably #2) cleared enough to open up some views and I had a chance to look over it a few times from the tee, pin, and various points of the fairway, I realized it would work better playing it in the reverse of what we originally had planned. Instead of being 100% in the trees, you'll now throw from the open out near the driveway into the woods. This will also allow us to have a nice zig zag route for a few other holes (3, 4, 5, and maybe even 6.) that we had planned in our heads. This path will get you from the high point of the property all the way down to the creek by about hole 7 or 8. 100' +/- of elevation change.
I'll post up some pics from my phone in a bit.
First item of note. I know we talk gear in here quite a bit so... Quilt lined duck bib overall Carhartt's are the bee's knees. Damn near impervious to thorns. Full range of motion for the upper body unlike full cover-alls. Plenty warm with the ability to add/remove upper layers. Good pockets on the chest for lip balm, pocket knife, cell phone, etc. I received a pair for Xmas from my dear wife and was able to use them yesterday while doing some clearing with my bro-in-law. Now that my unpaid commercial is over...
Things are in a state of flux at Hidden Ridge. After a far-too-long holiday break we were back at it yesterday. The weather was mid 30's and a bit overcast, but no wind. Perfect for working outside comfortably.
After we got a hole (probably #2) cleared enough to open up some views and I had a chance to look over it a few times from the tee, pin, and various points of the fairway, I realized it would work better playing it in the reverse of what we originally had planned. Instead of being 100% in the trees, you'll now throw from the open out near the driveway into the woods. This will also allow us to have a nice zig zag route for a few other holes (3, 4, 5, and maybe even 6.) that we had planned in our heads. This path will get you from the high point of the property all the way down to the creek by about hole 7 or 8. 100' +/- of elevation change.
I'll post up some pics from my phone in a bit.
Nice... I had been looking for an update. I have actually started laying out 9 holes for a backyard course at the house we are renting. It is only about 15 acres... but is still better than driving 1 hour to the closest local course.
As far as the course I am getting in the ground at the local park... really no new news there. Just scouting holes right now and going to lay it out with Johnny Sias here soon.
As far as the course I am getting in the ground at the local park... really no new news there. Just scouting holes right now and going to lay it out with Johnny Sias here soon.
- Joined
- May 4, 2010
- Messages
- 1,648
Pic 1 is the current map. First 5 holes and the last three.(Red dot is the basket, number is the tee.) Still nothing set in stone.
Pic 2 shows the progress on hole #2.(originally planned to throw the opposite direction.) The trees marked with orange paint are coming down. With those down we'll be a good ways into the hole with the remaining 100-150' already cleared of the small stuff.
The wide open picture is just north of the creek. In the picture, the creek would be just past the treeline. I've got a few more pics from some of the hillsides and creek I can post up a bit later.
Pic 2 shows the progress on hole #2.(originally planned to throw the opposite direction.) The trees marked with orange paint are coming down. With those down we'll be a good ways into the hole with the remaining 100-150' already cleared of the small stuff.
The wide open picture is just north of the creek. In the picture, the creek would be just past the treeline. I've got a few more pics from some of the hillsides and creek I can post up a bit later.
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greg_b_4
Birdie Member
Goose where are you now? If Johnny is helping I assume you arent in Lexington. I work in Ashland a lot and would love to poke my head around the park with you. I'm currently working on my 2nd and 3rd courses here in southern wv so needless to say I'm fascinated with all new courses.
I'm actually in Portsmouth, Ohio.... the course will be at Shawnee State Park near the lodge. There is some really great land there... and I can't wait to get started. The park director and staff are super supportive of the course... and they will be helping with some labor. Of course, I will be there to make sure that the wrong stuff doesn't get cut down. Johnny is designing it here soon for us
Hit me up sometime and we can walk the land together. Here is a pic of my backyard.... I am toying around with getting some tone poles so that I can throw in my backyard whenever I like without driving anywhere after work
Here is my update that I started on the backyard course.... trying to change it up a little bit by using trees in front of tee pad areas... and in one case using the barn I really like holes 1,2,3, and 9. Hole 6 might actually be changed a little bit too.
I really like holes 1,2,3, and 9. Hole 6 might actually be changed a little bit too.
greg_b_4
Birdie Member
Here is my update that I started on the backyard course.... trying to change it up a little bit by using trees in front of tee pad areas... and in one case using the barn
how long are those in the yard... 1 for instance. And yeah I was just in Ashland last week so will be another 2 or 3 weeks before I'm back but i'll definitely hit you up to walk that course at shawnee. For the course I designed I did it all then johnny came down and "approved" it for innova. He loved it and didnt suggest any changes
greg_b_4
Birdie Member
Also Goose just a thought but if you are using tone poles for the back yard course you may want to think about 18 of them. Place one at the tee and basket and after you play front 9 you can work backwards. That would make some of those holes right to lefters instead of all left to righters. just a thought
I had already thought about that lmao... :clap:
Not sure when I will start on the tone poles.... hopefully I will be working on the Shawnee course soon when it gets set.
greg_b_4
Birdie Member
Sorry to hijack the thread.... Goose you aren't far from charleston, we are having ice bowl February 7 in St. Albans at a temp course on a ball golf course. I believe Johnny laid it out also, nobody has seen a layout yet, should be fun
I would love to go.... but I already have plans for a geek weekend with the wife at Ravenwood Castle in Hocking Hills area, Ohio that weekend. Otherwise, I would have loved to have gone.
MountainGoat
Bogey Member
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2014
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- 66
I think one thing that people tend to do when building courses is try way too hard to just force some holes so they can rip some discs. When you set out to make a course, remember that it will be a work in progress FOREVER. You have no reason to rush something you cannot complete. Make sure to walk the land good.... really good. To a point of knowing what is out there like the back of your hand. Walk North to South, back again, East to West, back again, Corner to Corner, Along every valley and every ridge, climb a few trees, take a dog, and watch the tracks the animals walk along. It's likely that they take the best routes. No need to do this with a chainsaw, just walk slowly in silence and imagine the holes and all of the variables. If you KNOW you are going to be building a course, you could bring a machete and start cutting out all the underbrush starting with your favorite trails, pretty soon you will know where you want shots to come from, where you want them to end up, obstacles you like, and maybe even a tee pad under your favorite tree. Making a course should be a romantic thing, and getting it perfect is going to take an entire lifetime. Don't rush.
Not quite that way, but my brother and I built a private course 1 hole at a time. Along the way, we put in some temporary, easy-to-build, filler holes so we could play what we'd built. At one time we had a 7-hole course. An 11-hole course. A 13-hole course. A 17-hole course (tantalizingly close!). It took 2 1/2 years to get to a "full" 18, though of course we didn't stop there.
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Another great work day. A damn good friend who is also a trained arborist came and made quick work of the remaining trees on hole 2, and he got the first third of hole 3 cleared out. My bro in law and I spent most of the day trying to keep up with all debris dragging.
First pic is from when we just started back in Oct., second is after today.
First pic is from when we just started back in Oct., second is after today.
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- Joined
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From a friend of mine on FB...
"It's like you were playing Idlewild and thought, "Man this course would be awesome if the fairways were just a bit more narrow."
In my defense, the holes will be for the most part shorter than Idlewild, so the tighter lines won't be as much an issue. Plus, it's always easier to take another tree out....
"It's like you were playing Idlewild and thought, "Man this course would be awesome if the fairways were just a bit more narrow."
In my defense, the holes will be for the most part shorter than Idlewild, so the tighter lines won't be as much an issue. Plus, it's always easier to take another tree out....
Keep up the good work man!
Since we have enough snow on the ground, I've been busy burning a ton of brush in the woods lately. Still have a bunch to burn but things are taking shape nicely.
The 7 holes I have in the thickest part of the woods is gonna take me some time though. There are some really HUGE trees that are leaning on top of other HUGE trees that could fall at any time. It can get a little scary around there with even a light breeze. I'll probably have to recruit some back-up because there's no way I'd be able to take them on by myself. Better safe than sorry. Note to self: Make sure Life Insurance policy is up to date and paid.
Since we have enough snow on the ground, I've been busy burning a ton of brush in the woods lately. Still have a bunch to burn but things are taking shape nicely.
The 7 holes I have in the thickest part of the woods is gonna take me some time though. There are some really HUGE trees that are leaning on top of other HUGE trees that could fall at any time. It can get a little scary around there with even a light breeze. I'll probably have to recruit some back-up because there's no way I'd be able to take them on by myself. Better safe than sorry. Note to self: Make sure Life Insurance policy is up to date and paid.
Check out this super downhill shot at the course I am co-designing.... 400 feet or more in length... probably 100 feet in elevation change... the path is already cut.
looking back up
looking back up
