Help, local officials are worthless in helping to maintain course in public park.

[Disc Dog]

I have been playing for 2.5 years and have watched the slow decay of a local course. It is a popular course in a very popular park that has several other attractions. It also holds several festivals there throughout the year.

The local officials are of little help. They have been talked to several times and they are very adept at blowing smoke in our faces.

The local DG club does most of the work. Except for mowing and equipment repair and replacement.

The basket on 13 is falling apart. Getting them to mow the lawn is nearly impossible unless there is a festival coming up. It is not unusual to have grass up to our knees. It is thick enough to make life difficult on the course but not to prevent you from playing. The chiggers love it!

They lavish attention to the other attractions but dislike the DG players. As far as they are concerned we are nothing but a bunch of potheads and drunks.

We only have 2 local courses. The other is awesome but is a 30 minute trip away. On top of that 6 months of the year it is only open Friday thru Sunday.

Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[BrotherDave]

Hold a tourney to raise money for the Parks dept? If you scratch their back, maybe they'll scratch yours.

 

[Disc Dog]

Hold a tourney to raise money for the Parks dept? If you scratch their back, maybe they'll scratch yours.

That has not been considered. But is well worth the consideration.

 

[TROTTER]

First thing... don't bad mouth your local park district in publc forums.

 

[DSCJNKY]

You need to show them the value of DG. Make sure they understand that 1 in every 6 rounds of golf this year (in the US) will be a DG round. That people can begin playing with only the investment of an $8 disc. And that in these economic times people need cheap forms of recreation. Let them know the statistics for Obesity in your state (I believe it 1 in every 4 kids is considered medically obeses) and that DG is a way to get kids and their families to unplug for an hour or more and go for a hike with a frisbee. Also, let them know that there is research relating to nature deficit disorder in that studies have shown that kids who play outside do better in school, and are less likely to suffer from childhood obesity, ADHD, and a myriad of other issues facing our youth today. Etc... Etc...

This is good practice for me. I actually have a meeting with the local parks department today about putting a new course in the ground here in Asheville. All these things are things I am going to use to back up our case for a new course.
Good Luck.
DSCJNKY

 

[WillACarpenter]

You just need to find level ground with the department heads.

They have some preconceived notion about you guys the same as you do about them.

Make it an open conversation full of respect.

Also I may have more courses nearby, but the CLOSEST one is 34 minutes away.

\/\/

 

[gkeberhart]

First thing... don't bad mouth your local park district in publc forums.

I second that, its not all the officials, a lot of courses the parks department really doesn't do much to keep them clean. I would get more on your local club first because those are the people that probably use it first. I know the guys in Evansville, IN generally raise the money to make updates to the course and run volunteer days to clean it up

 

[skottyb]

A lot of parks officials just want your respect... plain and simple, do you think it matters to them who plays disc golf and who doesn't.. not at all. You need to have a sit down meeting with them to discuss some of your concerns, after that suggest a short walk in the park too point out any key things that can be done.

I must tell you it is a must that you and others do there part to volunteer any help they can. That would include repairing/replacing damaged signs, baskets, etc... Most parks departments have a specific budget they must adhere too every year. Like Brother Dave said, throw a fundraiser together and get some money raised for the course. Gas too run lawn mowers is just the same for them as it is for you..

Lastly as stated before have respect for the local parks department.. if you are kind and gracious of what they have given you already (a course, which most people would be thrilled) then do your part to help maintain it what you can.

At my local course I have been known to mow, weed eat, fix baskets, erosion control, pick up litter, etc.. do your part and turn in your "volunteer" hours to the parks department. They hopefully get your drift then...

 

[mashnut]

Skotty, you make a really good point about turning in your volunteer hours. If you get a bunch of people to let the parks department know how much work is put into the course by the players it might help get them on your side. Especially keep a list at work days if you have them, showing that you can get a big group of people out to the course to make improvements is a big thing to be able to show them.

 

[skottyb]

Skotty, you make a really good point about turning in your volunteer hours. If you get a bunch of people to let the parks department know how much work is put into the course by the players it might help get them on your side. Especially keep a list at work days if you have them, showing that you can get a big group of people out to the course to make improvements is a big thing to be able to show them.

It helps with my local course... they didn't have anyone turn in volunteer hours and then I started too. After a few weeks of putting in probably 30+ hours and them driving by and seeing my car in the parking lot the course hasn't had any problems getting mowed since. I am still always the first one out there after a storm too pick up sticks and any debris in the fairway. You must take a proactive stance on maintaining your course, nice courses don't just exist without local volunteer help.

 

[Matthew boals]

Disc dog; the cutting of grass is almost always a problem. With the price of gas in the summer at $3 to $4 a gallon most parks dept will cut once every 3 or 4 weeks. Ask them to cut only certain areas, make the tall grass a risk/reward. If you land in it it's a penalty stroke. The great thing about that is you can change up,from year to year, the design of each hole. The parks dept cuts the cost of cutting and the course gets changed,not the same ol'. Also work with them on the timing of the cutting; does it grow slower in the spring? Vs. Peak summer, fall? Peak summer it grows faster here so they cut every 10/14 days. Spring/fall cut every 14/28 days? Hope that helps!

 

[Matthew boals]

Also,the club I'm in,thehdgu.com,the prez of the club goes to every monthly parks board meeting. Gives up dates on what the club has done. We also have an agreement with them that we set up a tent and sell discs'. When we have the tent up, all day on Saturdays, we also try and count how many people play and let them know how popular the course is. I believe a percent of everything sold we cut a check to the parks dept at the end of the year. This helps the dept with the cost of cutting the grass.

 

[tmahan]

Logging volunteer hours is an idea I've seen used successfully. The key is getting someone to communicate with management at a peer level, understand their problems first before talking about yours. If the course gets a fair amount of traffic see if they have any interests in selling discs to raise revenue. If they have a pool or snack shop for ball fields, or an office that is manned some of the time this may be an option. I still go into my home course's office an buy some discs at least once a year even though I can get them cheaper on line. Calvert in College Park MD got new baskets and tees after someone was able to point to all the disc sales over a number of years. Be careful with the selective mowing idea, I've seen that become a detriment some places like Patapsco, fortunately the folks there seemed to have turned that situation around.

 

[Disc Dog]

Thank you all for what you have suggested.

As for slamming the local park department on the forums I did not mention their name on purpose.

Second we have tried to work with them. We do volunteer in the park and we dig drainage canals, spread bark (that they provide from wood chipping), hold tournaments, help fix stuff, and so on.

Its the general maintenance and upkeep that is the issue. Very long periods between mowing (we have even bought a nice John Deere for the club that we use on the other course to help), the need for new baskets, and some other things.

 

[biscoe]

you would think that as well maintained as that park is in general they would keep the grass cut since the dg course is right there at the front AND they charge to play.

maybe they're jealous of the other course.

 

[Matthew boals]

It's a pay to play public park!?? And they don't cut the grass enough? If that's true get all club members to go EVERY parks board meeting and complain that the park manager is not doing his job! That's just B.S.!... Maybe work something out,like I said before, certian areas getting cut and how often. Good luck!

 

[Disc Dog]

you would think that as well maintained as that park is in general they would keep the grass cut since the dg course is right there at the front AND they charge to play.

maybe they're jealous of the other course.

I had a hunch you would figure out which course it is.

Come to think of it. When the other course got real popular is when this started to happen.

 

[Ishulebest]

You mentioned that the perception is a bunch of drunks and potheads. A perception that is all to familiar. I personally don't care if people enjoy a few beers, or even toke (yeah I know it's against the law) but if all people see is golfers pounding beers and smoking bowls in the wide open, then it's a battle you may not win. If said behavior is truly the cause and not just an excuse for The Parks and Recreation Dept. , then ask how can both sides work together to crack down on such behavior. Maybe a strict policy of banning those offenders from the course is in order.