Proposing a new course

[hobo]

I live in Roanoke, Va. and want to propose a new course to a town of 350,000 that only has 2 nine hole courses. The 2 courses are pitch and putt with bad layouts, I'm interested in changing these 2 courses into 18 hole and possibly proposing a new course.

Any suggestions on who to talk to, what research needs to be done before, money for baskets, etc.

 

[kenjiac]

Talk to the powers that be and be prepared to jump though a lot of hoops. Don't get discouraged the process can be long. Like a couple of years before you do any physical work.

 

[MacDaddy]

What you are proposing and entering into is a long, winding, difficult and often frustrating process. Find an experienced disc golf course designer nearby to work with you, offer advice and help guide you through this. The most experienced and professional are members of the PDGA's Course Designers Group. Good luck! :hfive:

 

[Terry 44]

Get a petition signed by everyone you can to get the course you want. Contact your local city council member. Contact the person in charge of the area where the course is located. Write a proposal and include signatures, send said proposal to everyone you think will read it who is high up in local government. Follow up with everyone you sent it to. Someone will see the work you put in at this point and get you in touch with the person who will be in charge of upgrades/proposals. Keep up with said person every week and a half to two weeks.

 

[Sadjo]

If you're looking for someone to help design a course by all means go to the Disc Golf Course Designers site. If you're looking for help to sell your community on improving the current courses or building new course, get in front of the council or p&r and do a proposal. Face go face meetings or proposals to the folks that decide where money gets spent is the easiest way.

If you have the passion and can get to the right people, that is the first step.

 

[SmoothSailor]

Does having a petition with signatures make for a stronger case? Would it be a good idea to get people at the parks in question to sign a petition saying it would be a good idea to have the course?

 

[Cgkdisc]

If using a petition, make sure to keep the names of people that live in the community funding it separate from those not from the community. City councils like to know first that there's demand from the community. And second, the Chamber of Commerce or Convention Bureau want to know who they might attract from outside the community.

 

[BogeyNoMore]

If using a petition, make sure to keep the names of people that live in the community funding it separate from those not from the community. City councils like to know first that there's demand from the community. And second, the Chamber of Commerce or Convention Bureau want to know who they might attract from outside the community.

sage advice from one who's "been there, done that."

 

[SmoothSailor]

If using a petition, make sure to keep the names of people that live in the community funding it separate from those not from the community. City councils like to know first that there's demand from the community. And second, the Chamber of Commerce or Convention Bureau want to know who they might attract from outside the community.

After Reading this, I have another question with my reasoning following.
Can you print online petitions? I will be starting a petition to take around local disc golf courses to have disc golfers sign, another for here in town to have people who are visiting the park to sign (one for residents of Liberty and one for other towns) and I would like to start an online petition for people in areas I won't be able to get to, but who are interested in playing new courses. I will be presenting all of these petitions together when I make my presentation to the board of trustees about the course in Churchill Park.

 

[Cgkdisc]

Yes, you can print online petitions one way or another. Usually the online software will have that as a built-in option so it looks nicely formatted.

 

[SmoothSailor]

Yes, you can print online petitions one way or another. Usually the online software will have that as a built-in option so it looks nicely formatted.

Thank you for your time.

 

[Sadjo]

If using a petition, make sure to keep the names of people that live in the community funding it separate from those not from the community. City councils like to know first that there's demand from the community. And second, the Chamber of Commerce or Convention Bureau want to know who they might attract from outside the community.

In my experience it depends on the community. In Seneca SC (I sold a course to them in 2009) they were more interested in attracting people from outside the community. In Clayton GA (I sold them (funded by an Eagle Scout) a course in December 2012) they were interested first in offering local citizens an activity and second in attracting people to the community.

I'm in the process of getting a course in Rabun County GA (Clayton is the county seat, see above) and they're more interested in two things...the additional revenue helping their failing golf course and attracting people from outside the community. Offering citizens that option, while helpful, wouldn't have been the right way to propose a course.

When I sold Chattooga Belle Farm in Spring of 2010 the owner just wanted something to attract more people to his farm than the You Pick Orchard. Disc Golf was an inexpensive way to get folks out to the farm that wouldn't have made the trip for any-other reason.

When I sold Oconee County Parks, Recreation & Tourism (Oconee SC) a course in April of 2012 (course has yet to be installed) their interest was twofold...first was to offer campers another activity in their Chau Ram park and second was to attract more people to that park for camping...their other park properties have a lot more campers than the park where the course is going to be installed. While locals will be more than happy to pay the $3 per car non-camping fee to play the course when it is finally installed, it wasn't a factor in getting the parks and rec to buy the baskets and invest in Disc Golf.

It would be best to learn what the city/county/Parks & Rec/private land owner or whomever is interested in attracting or serving first, then determining the best way to propose a course.

 

[Billipo]

Like Sadjo implies make the proposal about them. It's not what you want it's how the property owner benefits. I once sold a course when the property owner realized it would chase geese away. Entire presentation took 15 minutes.

How will it draw more people to park?
How will it deter vandalism?
How can they make money?
How does it make current park users visit more?
How does it impact maintenance?
...

Also find out their budget schedule. Many times it is just timing. Get there before budget planning (get funds added for following year or sometimes they have funds to use quickly or loose).

 

[Sadjo]

Like Sadjo implies make the proposal about them. It's not what you want it's how the property owner benefits. I once sold a course when the property owner realized it would chase geese away. Entire presentation took 15 minutes.

How will it draw more people to park?
How will it deter vandalism?
How can they make money?
How does it make current park users visit more?
How does it impact maintenance?
...

Also find out their budget schedule. Many times it is just timing. Get there before budget planning (get funds added for following year or sometimes they have funds to use quickly or loose).

If you are dependent on budget discussions, find out when their fiscal year runs and try and do proposal 3 to 4 month before. If it is a bigger community that has excessive funds for recreation or for for tourism related expenses, Disc Golf can easily fit.

 

[SmoothSailor]

Like Sadjo implies make the proposal about them. It's not what you want it's how the property owner benefits. I once sold a course when the property owner realized it would chase geese away. Entire presentation took 15 minutes.

How will it draw more people to park?
How will it deter vandalism?
How can they make money?
How does it make current park users visit more?
How does it impact maintenance?
...

Also find out their budget schedule. Many times it is just timing. Get there before budget planning (get funds added for following year or sometimes they have funds to use quickly or loose).

I need to get you in person sir. We keep missing each other by minutes or hours lol