Unique goals/challenges for a hole. (Course Design)

[puaahunter]

I've been tasked to create a "family-friendly" 9-hole disc golf course for a local school. Their grounds has a lot of potential for a good mix of holes: long, short, hyzer, anhyzer, straight, etc.

However, I was considering having 2 holes of the 9 be a "unique disc challenge" type of a situation instead of having yet another drive, layup, putt type hole.


Let me share some examples of what I may be thinking:

Throw your disc THROUGH the 2ft diameter ring that's 75ft away, suspended between two large trees. PAR 2

Shoot your disc like a basketball free throw through the basketball hoop mounted to the tree. PAR1

Shoot your disc through a "Y" in the trees, like a field goal in football.

Hit "the hanging bell" as a target. (basically a unique tone pole option)


Keep in mind, this is a student/family-friendly course, so it won't be a huge draw for all the local disc golf "professionals". They have 2 excellent courses nearby to challenge their arm at.


I'm curious if you've seen any courses with this type of a hole integrated. If so, where? what was your experience? pictures? links?

Any other ideas for creative type target options?

[chris7graham]

well havent seen heard of holes like that but the course in cathlamit has 3 suspended baskets which is cool just a though or idea for you

[Skookum]

Two words for you.... Island Hole.

They don't have to be long, can be really quite short (150ft) but every thing is OB except the island. If you can make it hole 9, thats all the better, nothing like have a great round hinge on your ability finish with what is mostly a psychological shot as appose to skill or distance!

BTW both Kevin and I would be willing to take a look at anything you guys are doing because we love to argue like old women about design concepts, and will take any opportunity to do so.

[Chuck Kennedy]

You can have it both ways. In many cases, rec players will not follow whatever OB and mando rules are posted anyway. We see players throwing from their disc that shanked into a residential road even though they know it's supposed to be OB. So create the special set-ups for those who want to follow them, recognizing that many may not wish to follow the plan.

[REDFIVE]

If someone is out to have fun and learn a new game the new game might be unique enough by itself. You might want to make some signs with shot suggestions on a few tees instead. I have been to a few parks that have little exercise stations with how to signs. It might be cool for new players to come to a tee and see a sign with a picture and desription of a sidearm, a UD, thumber, or roller. This would teach them that there are more options than just a backhand and a sidearm and would make for a unique twist on a recreational course.

Tourney idea in the making.

[Scott]

If someone is out to have fun and learn a new game the new game might be unique enough by itself. You might want to make some signs with shot suggestions on a few tees instead. I have been to a few parks that have little exercise stations with how to signs. It might be cool for new players to come to a tee and see a sign with a picture and desription of a sidearm, a UD, thumber, or roller. This would teach them that there are more options than just a backhand and a sidearm and would make for a unique twist on a recreational course.

Tourney idea in the making.

Mando throwing style for a hole? :chinscratch:

I like it!

[Ol' Bob]

Not having the world's biggest arm, maybe this is only me. Hole 16 on the MR course at Hornings is hugely long, but with it being par 5, well okay. My issue is its ending with that mando-switch-back that is automatically going to require two more strokes. A dogleg is something everyone should learn to deal with, but there isn't a really good way to do a reversal shot. So, it becomes a hole that only someone who can get past the mando in good shape in two or three shots has any chance of a par. It seems okay to make a hole that turns, but one that turns back? Anyone who can't toss every drive 285 can't expect a par, ever. What's left is four 225s and a hundred foot plus field ace.

Par is defined as the number of strokes with which a hole should be made in expert play. After my three longest drives, I'm not left with an expert shot, I'm left with an impossible shot for an approach. Sure, making it an AM par 6 would fix that, but I still don't like the switchback. It just doesn't seem like a golf shot when there basically isn't a golf shot there.

[Adam Schneider]

I personally like that backwards mando. But I also don't really care what "par" is. I'll get there when I get there.

[sillybizz]

You just have to position your up shot better to make that mando, and then know some specialty shots. Rollers, both sidearm and backhand, knife hyzer, etc. There are ways of getting a par on that hole, I throw in the 290-320 range and I can par that hole. I like to be one of the hills in the fairway off the tee, either laying up for the first hill or going for the second, being on one of those hills for a easier second shot is the key to that hole, that and not going too close to the tree line.

[Ol' Bob]

Our 507 foot, par three, tenth hole has a sharp, narrow, dogleg left at about 430 feet out. I only have been parring it about once a year. After a good tee shot, I can make a second shot that turns the corner and maybe even be looking at a 40 foot putt. I'm going to get that one once in a while. I'd just like par to be in the realm of possibilities. Par is only the guideline for expert play. Tiger gets eagles and birdies off his long drives, but the other players are pretty sure of pars if they don't shank 'em. I'm no expert, but occasionally I play a hole expertly and can get my reward of a par. I'd just like to feel a par is possible on any given hole, and any fairway shot is doable with technique.

[jevon]

The only way that hole plays with a "backwards" mando is if you are hugging the treeline. The fairway is wide, use it. From the middle or right side of the fairway it is an easier shot.

[Ol' Bob]

I throw in the 290-320 range and I can par that hole.

Yes, that's what I said. 260s aren't going to get you there. They won't get me there. It's going to take about 285. If you've got that, then you should be happy, as par is completely doable. I don't see the switchback as much different from a windmill. I see it as unnatural and gimmicky. Just my relatively worthless opinion.

[Ol' Bob]

Thanks, Jevon. If and when I'm there again, I'll try that approach. Though, I fear I'm just not going to have the arm to make that way work either. Par looks just a bit out of reach.

[DMajor]

Thanks, Jevon. If and when I'm there again, I'll try that approach. Though, I fear I'm just not going to have the arm to make that way work either. Par looks just a bit out of reach.

What about HGH?

[jevon]

Thanks, Jevon. If and when I'm there again, I'll try that approach. Though, I fear I'm just not going to have the arm to make that way work either. Par looks just a bit out of reach.
I was happy with my 6!

[grant]

I personally like that backwards mando. But I also don't really care what "par" is. I'll get there when I get there.

Here Here, that hole is one bad mamma jamma though. That is a great "take in the scenery kind of hole for me.

[Ol' Bob]

I was there for a 6, but caught a tree going down the hill to force the 7. There was one hole on the Canyon Course that had both a pro par and an am par. Seems like they need something like that on MR 16. I know it's not huge, the diff between +16 and +17 (it was my first time there). I actually did an okay roller on my fourth shot to turn the corner. I would have been hard pressed to have done any better on my first three shots. It's going to take me four pulls to get around that corner under the best of conditions. Someone just leave me a crying towel hanging on that mando tree.

[grant]

I would have been hard pressed to have done any better on my first three shots. It's going to take me four pulls to get around that corner under the best of conditions. Someone just leave me a crying towel hanging on that mando tree.

I here you there man, that is one tough hole and I would love to see some of the cannon arms attack that thing just so I can see exactly what a birdie opportunity rather than a +1 looks like on it.

[Trozzle!!!]

I have parred that hole. my 3rd shot took me fairly close to the mando line, but 60 ft or so out in the field. I did what i thought was a huge mando throw around the mando, and it carried left towards the basket. dropped the putt for the par.

[Scott]

The last time I played that hole my third shot was about a foot past the mando tree - absolutely no wasted energy on that hole. :laughing: From there it was an easy approach to under the basket and a drop in for par. If only it could be that easy every time.

I like the mando on that hole - it adds an element other than just distance. Yeah, not everyone is going to be able to get it in five. I don't expect to very often. But everyone can play the hole to the best of their ability and see how good they can do. That's what golf is about right? Not just some randomly assigned number (par).

[sillybizz]

We all have to remember that Meadow Ridge is a GOLD LEVEL COURSE. It's for PROS. What this means is that for ams you SHOULDN'T expect to par and if you don't you shouldn't be upset about it.

[Ol' Bob]

Troy and Scott, sounds to me like both of you guys got birdies.

That said, Mud's 10 should be a par 4.

[Scott]

Troy and Scott, sounds to me like both of you guys got birdies.

That said, Mud's 10 should be a par 4.

Par 5 rigth? Three to the mando. Four to the basket, and five in.

[grant]

Par 5 rigth? Three to the mando. Four to the basket, and five in.

"Not having the world's biggest arm" quote from Ole Bob, not everyone can go out there and get it down there in 3. Hole 2E at Mciver sure feels like a little longer than 5 for me from the pros and those two holes are close in distance I believe.

[Scott]

"Not having the world's biggest arm" quote from Ole Bob, not everyone can go out there and get it down there in 3. Hole 2E at Mciver sure feels like a little longer than 5 for me from the pros and those two holes are close in distance I believe.

There are more trees in the fairway, so you're probably zig-zagging - at least a bit. At the HH hole, it's easier to go in a straight line.

[Ol' Bob]

My point was, for par, one must be set for a fourth shot that is going back towards the tee. It makes three 285 foot drives the mando. My best drive these days is 275. Like on Saturday, I'm going to come up short and have to toss my fourth shot only a few feet to get a look at the basket. That's my reward for getting my longest drive to go straight down the fairway three times.

[Bruce]

Pretty sure a good portion of the 'pros' I've talked to agree that the hole at Horning's feels forced, and well it is. It isn't a natural golf shot, but it is what it is.

[Ol' Bob]

It be what it be.

[Ol' Bob]

The best team of course designers out there:
http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/03_03/TimeBandits_468x275.jpg
rear: Strutter, Vermin
front: Og, Figit, Randall, Wally

Imagine the options that could open up with some well placed time holes.