I have been working with our city (Paris, TX) to build a new 18 hole disc golf course. Looks like we do have some land that will work for a donation. The problem is the natural land was pretty much destroyed for future development that has not happened. Half of the land is wide open with zero trees other that what surrounds the field. Other part is down a trail deep into trees. The trail is about 20-30 ft wide so throwing a disc is possible. The problem is the trail is very straight. So using this land would allow for very open shots or very close to tree straight shots. If our budget allows we do hope to get a course design consultant, but until then are looking for ideas to use the land and easily and cheaply create more of a challenge and variety of holes. The land also has a nice pond. Below is am image highlighting the areas of interest. The baseball fields may get mirrored one day so the land to the South of them is not available.

(I do not have the amount of land yet as I will be using a GPS this week):
http://austindiscgolf.org/other/land2.jpg

Here are some I have thought of so far:
- Plant fast growing trees in the open areas.
- Build up one basket area with land or rock to give some elevation fun.

Can you thing of other ideas to help the dsign of holes using this type of land?

Its hard to get a good feel for the scale, but I would make use of the peninsula on the northeast side of the pond. If throwing north with the basket there, you should probably have a separate pro and am tee pad making it easy for all levels of players to play safe or reach the green. Or maybe better- put the pro tee pad on the peninsula, throwing south to the basket along the southeastern bank of the pond. Then your am tee pad could be along the same bank and would not require a throw over water.

As far as the boring open areas, you could create sand traps that play as OB like Bowling Green's (KY) Ephram White course. Since that course has the same issue as your open half, you might want to take a look at some of its reviews: http://www.dgcoursereview.com/reviews.php?id=146&mode=rev

Use the pond wisely.
Use the land boundary as much as you can to incur "technical problems".
Mix lengths (a LONGIE followed by a real SHORTIE), trying to prevent the player from "developing a rhythm" to his / her throws.
Use man-made mandos if you have to.
Have a couple of "odd ball" holes in the woods - where the player may HAVE to throw an overhand or a roller (this may facilitate you NOT having to cut a fairway).
But most of all, use the Texas wind to your advantage. Pay careful heed to prevailing wind direction and have your open holes "work" with (or against, or side-ways) it.

Good luck.

Karl

i disagree with karl on using the land boundary- if that is the edge of the park you'll just be creating potential conflict there.

will you be allowed to cut trees down in the woods? (one thing we have been able to do here is offer to plant an equal number in the open areas to the number removed in the woods- that would accomplish 2 things in your case)

try to make a few holes which go from open to wooded or vice versa.

will you be allowed to cut trees down in the woods? (one thing we have been able to do here is offer to plant an equal number in the open areas to the number removed in the woods- that would accomplish 2 things in your case)

try to make a few holes which go from open to wooded or vice versa.

Not sure if we will be allowed to cut trees down in the wooded area. Each year an archery tournmant is held in those woods so we will need to work around there setup tournamnet course when desiging ours. I am hoping to be able to cut down some on the paths that do not interfear with the archery course. Also during the bow and arrow tournamnt we will be pulling the baskets in the woods so no disc golfer gets impailed with a nice sharp arrow, but this is only once a year event.


Keep the good ideas coming. Thanks

i disagree with karl on using the land boundary- if that is the edge of the park you'll just be creating potential conflict there.

will you be allowed to cut trees down in the woods? (one thing we have been able to do here is offer to plant an equal number in the open areas to the number removed in the woods- that would accomplish 2 things in your case)

try to make a few holes which go from open to wooded or vice versa.

Agreed with John here.

Nothing seems more annoying to me than to play a course where a great majority of the course runs along the land boundary, with OB running the entire length of one side of the hole.

When acres and acres of property within the land available, which otherwise looks completely suitable for play, goes unused.

...

Plant a few sections of eight foot high chain link fence next to and in front of the tee that block the hyzer route to the basket and force a right turning shot.

Plant a few sections of eight foot chain link fence right in front of the tee with a nerrow gap forcing a choice between an accurate straight shot or and overhand shot or a sky roller.

Are there actual courses that have fences built just for the hole?

http://austindiscgolf.org/other/windmill.jpg

You mean like the bamboo fence built around hole 7 of the USDGC for many years? And BTW, there is/was a windmill on a hole on the Chili course in Rochester, NY used in the 1999 Pro Worlds.

...

Are there actual courses that have fences built just for the hole?



Lovers Land Bowling Green Kentucky Hole #9(?)
although I think it might be more of a forced mando for safety of a shelter on the right, but still.

John and Jeff,

Well, just trying to give him some ideas about 'how to tuff'n up' a potential course. Sure, one could just have "acres to the left and acres to the right and nothing in the middle but air" but having OB down ONE side at least makes a player think of where NOT to go when throwing. I like open but totally open is worse than 1/2-open.

And I can see John's point IF there were a row of houses (as the boundary)...but, as you can see, that's not the case.

Karl

Ps: And you can't tell me that in VA you've never used a boundary as a 'deterent' (to making a shot) with all that prime land you have there ;) (not exactly what this gentleman has)!

And Jeff,

Your...

"...with OB running the entire length of one side of the hole."

...don't ever play the Bowling Green tournament. 69 of 81 holes I played had OB...and not exactly a little on each hole either!

Karl