What are some of the rules of thumb that go into course design?
What are some of the ones you follow to the letter, or ones that you are dead set against?

I am a firm believer that with increasing disc technology and increasing skills, many of the old school rules of thumb need to be challenged or outright tossed.

1) You should be able to drive a truck down the fairway.
You should not be able to drive a truck down the fairway. The disc is 8-9" and can easily be thrown around trees. Trees make it fun, wide open fairways are too easy! The thrill of a fantastic throw "thredding the needle" through some trees is an outstanding feeling! Promoting accuracy over distance is much more fun and manageable for everyone in the sport. Would an ace through a "pinball hole" be more meaningful to you than one down a 30 foot wide hallway? I answer absolutely yes.

2) The green should be free of obstacles within a radius.
The green should not be clear of obstacles within a 30' radius. Why not challenge the ability to putt at angles, through openings, and over or around bushes instead of only being able to slam a putt straight in from 50 feet away. I also agree in placing a pin on the edge of a reasonable hill. This places risk/reward into putting. But I think the number one reason for tight greens is accuracy once again. If you know the green is tight to the left, right, or rear, then you had better take advatage of your accuracy (and 975+ rating) and place your drive or upshot in the approprate location.

3) Don't cross fairways.
You really shouldn't cross fairways, in very few instances will it work. As long as players walking down the fairway are protected, it would be okay though.

4) Don't bactrack down the fairway.
Sure , this is dangerous, and there is always some other way around. I do not like backtracking to the next tee at all or long walks in between holes (why not utilize all the terrain?). But in some cases a backtrack out of the way of the fairway is okay.

What are some of the rules of thumb that go into course design?


1) You should be able to drive a truck down the fairway?
Yes, theoretically. There should be a fairway. By your logic, fairways in ball golf should only be 3 inches wide. I am not trying to clear cut 15ft of fairway through woods. But if you cannot walk down the fairway (of any distance) with your arms strecthed out to your side without constantly hitting trees then it is a poorly designed, luck-based hole. I imagine you envisioned a monster truck when I said "truck" but I was referring to the standard full size pickup, Chevy 1500 series or Ford F-150. Both trucks are 7ft wide. I think most would agree that 7ft wide for 300ft pushes the envelope on being too tight. Trying to throw a disc 250-300ft in a dead straight line with woods on both sides is a well executed highly skilled throw. I do not know many people who can throw 300ft laser straight, most have to have a lot of height and hyzer to make it that far.

2) The green should be free of obstacles within a radius?
Within 10 meters, no. Within 2 meters, yes. A player should have an opportunity to get their disc in the basket. I think that 2 meters clear in all directions but down (obviously) is tight enough yet fair.

3) Don't cross fairways.
NEVER! It is dangerous, change the direction of the course if you can. Anyone that has ever been hit with a disc can attest to this. I have only been hit with an underhand toss with my own putter, and even that hurt, mainly because it hit me in the mouth.

4) Don't bactrack down the fairway.
I would say this would be ok for no more then 1/3 the distance of the fairway. But that 2/3 remaining should be further then the players from the teebox can reasonably throw. Back tracking to a degree, not on the fairway is ok. In my opinion.



These are only my opinions from the last two years of picking the minds of some world famous course designers and top pros.

There needs to be a legitimate path, and this depends largely on the distance of the shot. A 300 foot shot with an 8 foot fairway seems unreasonable. However, for 200 feet, it becomes more reasonable. Also, I feel it is stupid to make people hit an eight-foot gap 80 feet away and then have another tree in the middle of that line another 50 feet back.

Obstacles near the basket are always acceptable IMO and preferred when done well. However, there needs to be at least one reasonable landing area that will give an open line to the basket.

Crossing fairways is always lame and long walks are fine if the next hole is worth it.

The other thing to consider on 2 shot holes is multiple lines, and the comparative difficulty. The easiest upshot should have the toughest drive and vice versa.