The next "big" innovation from DG manufactuers?

[Moose33]

After thinking about it, it seems that the next big step needs to be on the courses.

We need more courses in the Pay to Play category, ideally that are privately owned , have great facilities and are maintained up to ball golf or similar standards.

I know many courses that would be just fine to stay more rugged while at the same time upping the aesthetic. Rollin ridge is a great example of this in a course.

The small neighborhood courses are very important but to grow the sport we need to have some top notch venues.

 

[zendragon]

I had the idea of creating an indoor course here in the DFW area a few years ago when we had 20 days in a row over 100. I wanted to make it as natural feeling as possible, not like a putt putt course with ridiculous obstacles, but something with trees and a shallow stream running through it. I was thinking of using an old warehouse or something. When I went out and played though, I asked people on the courses, in the 100 degree weather, if they would pay maybe just 5$ to play an indoor course in the summer here. I received resounding no's. So I asked if they would play if it were free, still no for the most part. (My other idea was to rent out discs so new players didn't have to invest much)

I still think it's a great idea, but we here on the forums seemed to be somewhat different than the average player, who plays with one or two beat up dx discs that they bought used and enjoys smoking/drinking and being out in the woods. I don't know if the culture at large of our sport is ready for the push toward something like this, even if it were outdoor pay to play manicured and more kept up courses as the norm. This is a cheap sport to play, and that's one reason so many people get involved and play it.

Speaking of which, I see the same thing for the gps trackers and other such metals in the discs that the PDGA has approved. Because discs are relatively cheap compared to ball golf equipment, and our courses are free to play for the most part, I don't see most people (again, outside this forum) spending the premium price for the cool gadgets in their discs, even though, again, it's a great idea.


Lastly, what I would love to pay for myself is a disc made of self healing plastic with an embedded GPS tracker. I would spend 50$+ for a disc that would heal and remain consistent that I would never have to replace.

 

[Tfire25]

I had the idea of creating an indoor course here in the DFW area a few years ago when we had 20 days in a row over 100. I wanted to make it as natural feeling as possible, not like a putt putt course with ridiculous obstacles, but something with trees and a shallow stream running through it. I was thinking of using an old warehouse or something. When I went out and played though, I asked people on the courses, in the 100 degree weather, if they would pay maybe just 5$ to play an indoor course in the summer here. I received resounding no's. So I asked if they would play if it were free, still no for the most part. (My other idea was to rent out discs so new players didn't have to invest much)

I would play it twice a month at least depending on the location. I've thought of that as well in a warehouse like the ones the haunted houses rent out. Cutting edge had a really perfect one in that old butcher house off of 35w a couple years back.

You could put cheap nets up for defining fairways. I couldn't imagine the cost to a/c that place though. The only way I see it working is to have a fully working bar as a part of it as well. Maybe even bust out a couple floors and put a pool and sand volleyball courts in. You could have some epic night golf in there with black lights and such.

You should so do it. I'll be waiting on your call because I will have to win the bid on that bad boy.

 

[kevdiv48]

^along those same lines, perhaps there could be a wrist-guard type of device that when worn, forces you into the proper grip and disc/arm alignment for practice purposes?

Get a Comet, it does the same thing, no wrist guard needed.

 

[kevdiv48]

Indestructible and awesome feeling plastic blends, and new wing design with existing rim width to maximize flight distance.

 

[ThomasOrion]

How about smart minis?

The "stamp" on the mini could always display: the remaining footage to the pin, wind velocity, hole map with current player/disc locations marked, the name of the current player's turn, the e-scorecard, a virtual caddy, etc.

:thmbup: Nice, yeah i think the SMART Mini is a great idea. You just need 1, instead of messing with ALL your discs to get them to do something, etc, etc. that would require a whole new bag of discs. I love the idea of a mini that can be a scorecard and also mark who is out....and be able to detect foot faults, etc....would really be cool.....even just the score feature...but whatever

 

[joecoin]

"Smart" courses that adjust to a players skill level. Novice on the teepad? The fairway gets wider, the basket moves closer and the wind dies down.

High rated player on the tee pad? Fairway gets narrower, trees pop up, basket moves away and at an angle. Cue the tornado!

The better your scores get the tougher the courses get.

 

[rakeyohn]

After thinking about it, it seems that the next big step needs to be on the courses.

We need more courses in the Pay to Play category, ideally that are privately owned , have great facilities and are maintained up to ball golf or similar standards.

I know many courses that would be just fine to stay more rugged while at the same time upping the aesthetic. Rollin ridge is a great example of this in a course.

The small neighborhood courses are very important but to grow the sport we need to have some top notch venues.

Best.:thmbup:

 

[zendragon]

I have been tossing the idea around with my wife about trying to kickstart something for it. If we can find a big enough warehouse for the right price, I'd probably build into the kickstarter campaign the cost of installing solar panels on the roof, that way the electric bill is covered for the A/C. We also talked about doing a cafe of some sort inside, along with a small store to sell or rent discs out to players. I also thought about the night golf idea with blacklights and maybe some glow paint on the baskets and on the obstacles and such.

I don't really want to just put nets up for the fairways. I would prefer to put in some obstacles like fake trees even and some elevation changes. I'd also like to install some large fans to create some air flow and wind challenges around the place. I don't know that we could fit a full 18 hole course in a warehouse to have holes long enough to attract some big time tournaments, but it would be fun to put on some minis once a week as well. If we could cram 12 into a warehouse, I would be really happy with that.

 

[Tfire25]

@zen
I really think its a great idea. It would be even better to get a warehouse with multiple levels and rooms. I just don't know if a big open warehouse would work. It could be potentially dangerous unless you had some kind of nets or something.

If you ever decide to do it, pm me and I could probably get 30 or so people from our club to help you test shots and stuff. Hell, pm me anyways and we can meet up and play a round if you want.

 

[tampora]

I have been tossing....

It's too bad you're from Texas. The warehouse idea would fill a nice niche during the snowy months.

 

[ZAMson]

warehouse golf is a blast and a half

 

[Jay Dub]

There is a mostly abandoned mall close to me, I already have a few holes designed in there. Elevation changes also. :thmbup:

 

[FunkyTownNoob]

I would play it twice a month at least depending on the location. I've thought of that as well in a warehouse like the ones the haunted houses rent out. Cutting edge had a really perfect one in that old butcher house off of 35w a couple years back.

You could put cheap nets up for defining fairways. I couldn't imagine the cost to a/c that place though. The only way I see it working is to have a fully working bar as a part of it as well. Maybe even bust out a couple floors and put a pool and sand volleyball courts in. You could have some epic night golf in there with black lights and such.

You should so do it. I'll be waiting on your call because I will have to win the bid on that bad boy.

:thmbup:
I was thinking of the old Cutting Edge warehouse/property as well. Some throwing buddies and I were bouncing ideas around for indoor disc golf. It would be alone the lines of designing a huge indoor skate park. All modular, mobile flooring that you could do all sorts of things with as far as elevation and fairway structure. Use Astro Turf or something similar for the greens...the possibilities are truly endless.

 

[zendragon]

I really like the modular design. The thing you have to figure out is, how big is the warehouse? It needs to be 1000' by 500' at least just to fit some decent length holes for 9. Otherwise you'll get cross traffic and I think running something indoors, that will be an insurance liability. Multiple levels can also alleviate some of that and keep the building a little smaller. I've only been in TX for 6 years, and I don't live that close to FW, so I'm not sure which warehouses you're talking about. If they're big enough, it would be awesome if we can get enough interest into something like this.

 

[Aim For The Chains]

Who will make a simple DG cart...? There seems to be a market! Specially just bag carriers.

 

[Halcón]

IMO, a baby stroller makes a much better cart. Your bag can be placed where the baby sits, and it's much higher than most DG carts, saving your back. And the handles on a good stroller are very comfortable and high, which is also good for your back. Most strollers have cup holders built into the handle section as well, for ultimate drink convenience. You can throw all kinds of junk in the bottom part of a stroller. Even my kids fit down there, so I know it can hold at least 40 pounds. And of course, a stroller folds and unfolds in like 5 seconds.

I've seen some guys rock strollers at the course and have been strongly considering buying one myself.

 

[Aim For The Chains]

its too big though really for most courses I play. I use a luggage cart which holds my bag perfect but is not designed really for off-road kind of use. Something small and compact which rolls a bag and can have add-ons at a lower price point IMO is idea. Really if I added some different wheels to the current set-up it would be just fine.

You can buy golf bag carts for "ball" golf under $40

 

[scotnt73]

I've always thought a great idea would be to invent a device that is some kind of 1 handed disc thrower(think the ball launcher for dogs) imagine how fun a device that you could fit a disc in and with some kind of wrist flick almost anyone could launch a disc 500 feet. I think the popularity of the game would skyrocket.

 

[alex513ninja]

I feel like something this obvious has to exist...a dg backpack or just a backpack with a cooler built in to the bottom. I have a backpack with a bottom pocket easily capable of holding 6 cans laid side by side. I feel like there could be a design with rigid insulated sides that could hold either a sixpack or a sandwich and a couple bottles of water. Definitely could be a hit in a dg backpack but also a daypack for hikers. Hope i didn't give a away a patent opportunity lol.