Some trivia from my analysis of the geographic distribution of disc golf courses and population. [Data from the PDGA Course directory as of 9/10/2009 and 2000 US Census.]

The place in North America with the highest density of disc golf targets around it is at Trinity Links in Lockport, IL. [This is the place that maximizes the number of targets, divided by the distance to those targets.]

The course with the fewest other targets around is Kapalua Adventures in Lahaina, HI (even if you count Poli Poli).

Taking into account player preferences, the best location would be at Earl W. Brewer Park in Grand Rapids, MI. [Here is an example to illustrate the difference between the best location and highest density: Location A has an 18-hole course next door, a second 18-hole course five miles away, and a third 18-hole course ten miles away. Location B has six 9-hole courses, each five miles away. Both locations have the same Target Density, but most players would prefer to live at Location A.]

However, taking into account player behavior, AND the Availability of the courses, the place with the highest disc golf Service Level is at Mason County Park in Ludington, MI. [Availability reflects how crowded a course is. A player will play a course with an Availability of 50% only half as much as a similar course with an Availability of 100%. Availability is calculated based on the surrounding population, and number of other courses around.]

However-er, when the weather is taken into account, Lovers Lane Park in Bowling Green, KY comes out as the best place for a disc golfer to live. [Player activity decreases when weather is too hot or too cold, or daylight hours are too short. Bowling Green isn't as cold as Ludington, and there aren't that many days when it is too hot.]

The place that produces the lowest Service Levels (while still being next to a course) is Montiel Park DGC in San Marcos, CA. [This is mostly due to the huge population, but also from lack of other courses in the area.]

The place where excess population does the most to reduce Service Levels is around La Mirada Regional Park in La Mirada, CA.

The course where population has the least impact on Service Levels (in the U.S. � I don't have population data for Canada) is at King Salmon Park in King Salmon, AK.

The place with the lowest average Availability of nearby courses is at Kendall Indian Hammocks Park in Kendall, FL. [Players in this area would play more than five times as often if the courses weren't crowded.]

For details: http://stevewestdiscgolf.com/citygraphs.aspx

Being a local at Montiel Park in San Marcos and knowing just enough about geographic analysis to get myself in trouble, I'm curious how you operationalize "Sevice Levels" and come up with the statement that our park produces the lowest service levels.

This is a course that was installed 21 months ago. What do you think the service level was like around here before that?

It doesn't mean your course provides low service levels. It means the area by your course is least served by not having enough other courses in the area for the size of the population.

Compared to Manhattan? Are you sure?

I guess it's good that we're installing two more courses in the next 12 months, with a third likely in the town next door.

I don't think Manhattan has a course. I believe his stat is based on the place with a course but having to service a large population with no other course for quite a distance.

There are places with lower service levels (for example, southeast of you), but the area right around Montiel Park DGC has the lowest service level of anywhere that is adjacent to a course.

In fact, the service levels for Manhattan NY are actually higher than for San Marcos. People living in Manhattan have more opportunity to play more targets than people in San Marcos. Prospect Park in Brooklyn is listed as 20 targets, so that helps a lot. They can also drive an hour or two (in any of three directions) out of the city and find some courses out there that aren't too crowded.

After you play Emerald Isle and Montiel Park DGC, then what do you do? Drive down to San Diego and wait in line at one of the most crowded courses in the country?

It will help to realize that the service level for a place is not reduced by the number of people living AT that place. Service level is reduced by the number of people living near the courses that SERVE that place. So, even though many more people live in Manhattan, there aren't so many people around some of the courses surrounding Manhattan.

Also, remember that a low service level is not exactly the same as a high demand for a new course. Service level represents how many holes a person can reasonably play.

A new course in the middle of Manhattan WOULD draw more players than a new course anywhere else. But that doesn't mean New Yorkers currently have fewer places to play than anyone else in the country.

And yes, it is a good thing you are installing new courses. Isn't it always?

Here are the charts for Manhattan NY and San Marcos. The little dots represent population. Note that I couldn't even fit all of the population for the New York area on the chart.

http://stevewestdiscgolf.com/images/SanMarcosVsManhattan.jpg

Where would Tulsa Oklahoma fall in your figures?

We have a metro poplulation of about 900,000 and we have 216 holes available all within 15 minutes of each other, with most being 10 minutes from each other.
We have ten 18 hole courses and four 9 hole courses.

Where would Tulsa Oklahoma fall in your figures?

We have a metro poplulation of about 900,000 and we have 216 holes available all within 15 minutes of each other, with most being 10 minutes from each other.
We have ten 18 hole courses and four 9 hole courses.

http://stevewestdiscgolf.com/images/ssTulsa.jpg

Would you believe second highest in Oklahoma?

Those people up at The Lodge have two 18-hole courses practically all to themselves, and they can drive down to Tulsa anytime they want, too.

Actually, to come up with a single figure that represents "Tulsa", I would need to compute the service level for each population center in the area, and take a weighted average. That isn't impossible, but it involves some judgment of where the edge of "the Tulsa area" is. So, it would be a lot of work to compare cities or areas to each other. That's why I'm limiting myself to just the points next to existing courses for now.

So, I'll tell you about the single point in Tulsa with the highest service level � which is next to Red Hawk. Its Service Level is in the 82nd percentile compared to all the points which are next a course. In other words, better than most, but not at the top.

There ARE a lot of targets around there. If Tulsa's population were smaller, the Service Level at Red Hawk would be higher than at 97% of other courses. However, those 900,000 people bring the availability of the courses around there down to only 60%.

[Please let me know if this sounds right; the adjustment for population is the newest part of the formula. Would some players be able to play more if the courses weren't as busy? Are there ever any waits at the 1st tee? Does a round ever take longer because you're waiting on the groups ahead? Or, are the courses always empty, even on a warm Saturday afternoon? Is Hunter Park the most crowded?]

Another factor that limits Tulsa's service levels is that once you get out of Tulsa, there aren't many courses in most directions for many more miles. It's a disc golf "island". In most of the places with the highest Service Levels, the "local" courses are connected to a "mainland" of other courses (think Michigan).

tulsa was instamental in the two 18 hole courses in pawhuska as well as the public 9 holes in pawhuska. the tulsa club runs minis on the taylor ranch or lodge.
that area is a short trip to and from tulsa.
then we have a 9 hole in bristow that the tulsa club is inramental in as well only about 30 minuts away.

i believe if a player wanted to play all day and not play the same hole and travel less than 2 hours that player could do that hear.

Kansas City Mo,Nuff said.

KCK is next to KCMO, and we now have close to 18 public places to play within a 40 mile radius of the city, add the 5 private and we are at 23, there are in my head about 4 other places that people would probably prefer I not mention but have at least 6 baskets on.

MO Courses--
Swope-18
Water Works-18
Corrington Park-3 Holes
Blue Valley-18
Blue Valley Executive-9
Cliff Drive-18
Yates Elementary-18
Pleasant Hill-18
Lee's Summit-18
Blue Springs Elemantary-6
Parkville-9

KS Courses--
Rosedale-18
Down Under-18
Olathe-18
California Trail Jr. High-9
WyCo-18
Shawnee Mission Park-18
St. Mary's College Course in Leavenworth-18

Private courses regularly played--
Thornfield-18 (Private)
Teds Dread-18 (Private)
Pony Ranch-15? (Private, it may be 12)
Old Pike COuntry Club-9 (Private, soon to be 18)
Halbaby's-6 (private)

Now you could count Lawrence and their 3 courses within 40 miles of KCMO but I do not. We also have on the books at least 2 courses ready to go that are being worked on, and probably have another 5-8 that shuold be done within the next year or 2. We will soon have over 30 places to play. It may not be at the top of your stats, but it will be one of the best places in the world to play disc golf with varying terrain. The only thing that we lack, are mountains, oceans, or great lakes, but I plan on partnering up with a few of the County Park systems to design some courses within that type of area, and hopefully by the start of the next decade we will have close to 50 places to play within Kansas City.

Suck on that one MI, and CA, and TX!
8^)

Man, with all those course, have y'all even considered hosting a WDGC?

It was discussed once, but it got shot down......

Suck on that one MI, and CA, and TX!
8^)

Well, if you're going to count secret, unlisted, not-available-to-the-public, potential, hoped-for, future, and would-be courses, who knows what numbers MI, CA, and TX could come up with?

Sorry, I can't use anything that is not in the PDGA directory.

But, you're right, I can't calculate where the "best" place to play is, only the place with the most to play.

Interestingly, Lawrence has some higher ratings than either KC, and Manhattan and Emporia stand out even on a national map.



Larger version at http://stevewestdiscgolf.com/citygraphs.aspx