Illinois Courses

[CoachQ]

I am originally from Chi-town and I try to go back once a year. Maybe next time I can catch a few rounds with some of you. I would agree that the word needs to get out about DG in northern IL. I didn't pick up my first disc until I moved to Arizona because I had never heard of the sport. This is not our little secret...we need to get greater involvement. I will say that the club interaction that I had while I was there for a tournament in September was superb. I was still a noob then and I was welcomed and treated extremely well. Maybe the club can continue to get on the ball getting things in order to get more quality 18 holers. I would certainly make more trips in the summer. I hope to catch a few rounds in various parts of the state next time I am in. I will be there most of June.

 

[fairweather_fan]

feeling pretty good that 2 of your top 10 (rock springs and woodland) are in the immediate st. louis area, and 2 more of them (foundation & lincoln) are within 90mins or so...

now that i think about it, it seems i may have played a greater percentage of illinois' top courses than i have missouri's!

 

[#19325]

I think our biggest problem is the destruction by the chuckers. every year lippold gets a little easier cause of it. and these stupid school courses (PR excluded) dont help the cause. i think they view that as enough. also, the fact they bust quite a few people each year getting high on the course doesnt help our image.
with pro worlds being so close to home again...i think that using lemon lake as an example and the earning potential for local businesses might help convince local park districts to install higher caliber courses. i wonder if there is a way to use that pro worlds along with the recent am worlds in milwaukee as more of a driving force on chicago to put better courses in. i can think of several parks in chicago that would make great courses. and i also think that proposing pay-to-plays would be more successful, the city would more inclined because they get something in return.
maybe organizing fundraiser tournaments for courses would help to. to be able to come to a park district and say "here are 18 baskets, that the local public paid for, we want a park put in here" would definitly help. take the IOS and say that $5 of every entry fee will go to fund basket to have a championship level course installed would be a great idea.
whatever happened to the supposed 3rd course at anna page?

This is my experience dealing with area park districts and the forest preserve. Many of the courses in the ground have become the perception of what people outside the sport think disc golf is. Many of the courses in my area were installed without tee pads. Those became ruts and unsightly. Pins have not been moved in years. Our courses get mad play and the erosion has taken it's toll. Courses were installed withouth tee signs. The courses that have initially lead the drive to get new courses in the ground are now perceived as negative.

You hit the nail on the head with the players. Park districts don't like seeing garbage, drug use, and illegal alcohol consumption. I had a discussion with a player about drinking at the park. He said he always picks up his cans. When walking around a local course with a park official he checked every garbage can. Every can was filled with beer cans. This is a big negative for disc golf. The most frustrating part is I have contacted every local park district and have offered free advice. I have rarely been contacted. In several cases these park districts have installed new courses by people who have no idea what disc golf is supposed to be. I really wish the basket manufactures would ask who is designing the courses when their baskets are sold. They could refer experienced course designers.

In Lake County there is very limited park land. The forest preserve land is really our only hope and they are not interested at this point. Money is not the issue up here.

I do disagree with some previous posts that there is a lack of promotion of disc golf in the Chicagoland. The clubs below have improved and installed several new courses over the last few years. The player base is HUGE! There are some very large clubs that include DISContinuum (North) www.discontinuum.org , Fox Valley (West) www.foxvalleymetrodiscgolfclub.com, and J-Town (South) www.jtowndiscgolf.com
All are growing year after year and are getting a lot accomplished.

 

[Three Putt]

Sad story...I was working for the park district in Wauconda when I heard Mundelein was going to put in a course. I called over and offered to help. I figured being a recreation guy they might listen to me. I got a huge blow-off. They didn't even want me to come over and look at the site. From what I heard they had a contest amongst their staff to design the course, and no one on that staff had ever played disc golf. They all walked around with Frisbees working on designs. The result was the abysmal Leo Leathers course.

Fast forward a few years. I was working for the Genoa Park District when I heard DeKalb might install a course. Again I called and offered my help. Again I got the blow off. Again the result was a terrible course (Prairie Park.)

The whole experience was fairly frustrating. I'm not sure how much I could have helped as both sites are very small and not very good sites for a course in the first place, but I certainly could not have done worse.

 

[A.Mutt]

I wasn't playing much when I went to Bradley U. but I did get across the street to Bradley park and more memorable for me was a trip I took to Northwoods. I don't remember liking Bradley park much at all. But I did love Northwoods, and hole 18 was quite unique to me ... that is the one that you throw off the cliff of sorts, correct or am I thinking of another course?

 

[Three Putt]

This is my experience dealing with area park districts and the forest preserve. Many of the courses in the ground have become the perception of what people outside the sport think disc golf is. Many of the courses in my area were installed without tee pads. Those became ruts and unsightly. Pins have not been moved in years. Our courses get mad play and the erosion has taken it's toll. Courses were installed withouth tee signs. The courses that have initially lead the drive to get new courses in the ground are now perceived as negative.

I went back to Fairfield for the first time in a long time this summer. I'm really, really surprised that noting has been done there about the tees and the lack of tee signs. That course gets tons of play, I'm not sure what the rational is to leave it in that unfinished state. It's never going to be a great course, but it could stand some upgrades. It certainly get the rounds to justify some attention.

 

[steven2361]

Sad story...I was working for the park district in Wauconda when I heard Mundelein was going to put in a course. I called over and offered to help. I figured being a recreation guy they might listen to me. I got a huge blow-off. They didn't even want me to come over and look at the site. From what I heard they had a contest amongst their staff to design the course, and no one on that staff had ever played disc golf. They all walked around with Frisbees working on designs. The result was the abysmal Leo Leathers course.

Fast forward a few years. I was working for the Genoa Park District when I heard DeKalb might install a course. Again I called and offered my help. Again I got the blow off. Again the result was a terrible course (Prairie Park.)

The whole experience was fairly frustrating. I'm not sure how much I could have helped as both sites are very small and not very good sites for a course in the first place, but I certainly could not have done worse.

So thats how leo leathers was created....

Sigh.....

 

[mashnut]

So thats how leo leathers was created....


Sigh.....

Seriously, it all makes sense now.

 

[#19325]

I too offered help to Mundelein. I find out that a 2nd course is going in the ground. I call and offer help. They said they'd get back to me. Another course pops up.

I still have my hopes for Round Lake. I have a good relationship with the park district. There is supposed to be a lake county forest preserve trail that runs thru the park and a bridge across the creek. I have talked to them. When it happens there is a plan for a redesign, cement tee pads. and new holes in the wooded area across the creek.

 

[steven2361]

I too offered help to Mundelein. I find out that a 2nd course is going in the ground. I call and offer help. They said they'd get back to me. Another course pops up.

I still have my hopes for Round Lake. I have a good relationship with the park district. There is supposed to be a lake county forest preserve trail that runs thru the park and a bridge across the creek. I have talked to them. When it happens there is a plan for a redesign, cement tee pads. and new holes in the wooded area across the creek.

That sounds gooooooooood

 

[815RocSolid]

i would help with input and creating a course around the NW suburbs. im livin in crystal lake these days, and the only courses i play are: lippold(home course), prairie ridge (for a change of pace), and randall oaks. ive been wanting to play fairfield and some others.