Hole one's teepad should be moved

[Ol' Bob]

After learning that the concrete hadn't been poured yet, well ding dangit, move the durn spot. We've recently had a problem with trees getting in the way of heavy snows (and losing the battle). My work is cut out for me for the next few months.

[dan]

Can anyone fill me in on what happened with hole 1? I just talked to Eric, who went out to the work party to help move it into a safer position. It sounds like he had spoken with Steve, and that he gave Eric the go-ahead to move it. When Eric got up to hole 1, there were 2 guys there who refused to let the pad be moved, even after Eric explained why it should, and that Steve had OK'd it. They apparently said something along the lines of: "We" decided it didn't need to be moved. It sounds like they were adamant about it.

I don't know who these two guys were, or who "we" referred to. What I do know is that there was agreement that, for safety reasons, the pad should be moved, that the move had been approved, and that there were people there ready to do the work of moving it. Why was it stopped? I'd love to hear the reason. Especially if you were one of the guys keeping it from happening.

[Bullseye Disc Golf.com]

Not to diss the good intentions and hard work of all who have made Leverich a reality...
But I also agree that the tees for hole 1 and 7 are not right.

I'll list a few reasons why.

1) Having to even slightly consider about potentially slamming your hand into a tree on your tee shot is not a good way to make a hole more challenging. It's just plain bad course design. I believe Hole 1 at Timber is a good example of a proper distance between trees and tees. That's about as close as you want to get.

2) What's the point of wasting concrete and labor there when the corner of the parking lot can play as the tee just fine? Spray paint a 4' x 10' box and it's done. Save money, save labor, hole plays better.

3) From an environmental/botanical standpoint, pouring concrete directly over tree roots is kind of a lame thing to do. Not good for the health of the trees right next to the tee pad.

4) Hole 7 next to the trees and building just doesn't feel right. It feels cramped and awkward throwing from that spot. Let's use the 3 car length rule as an analogy. One is supposed to drive 3 car lengths behind the car in front of you for safety and courtesy for the driver in front of you.

Say the average adult's arm length is 3 feet. Having a tree 4 feet from the tee is not far enough away to inspire confidence they will not hit it with their hand. I would say either a tree or building needs to be at least 6 feet if not 9 feet from all sides of the tee pad. The issue here is that the fear of injury should not be a method for making a hole more challenging.

The hole at Milo East next to the bathroom with the tree right at the back of the pad drives me nuts as well. I think that tee should move up by at least 3 feet even though the tree is not in the way of your arm swing.

[mhalbrook]

Just played the first time today, first time playing on a real course (In my late teens-20s we used to play around the church's neighborhood using sign posts, trees, etc as "holes"). I assume these two tees have been fixed at this time? I'm 6'6 so I've got a substantial "wingspan" and I'd have to try and hit a tree with follow through, or maybe it's just cuz I haven't played in 16 years and use a different technique.

[Wog]

We did move hole 7's tee back about 3 feet. That means you would need about a 6 foot arm to hit a tree on that hole. The tee on hole one was moved at the work party that Eric was at. Instead of moving it forward or back it was moved to the left in order to avoid the tree on the right. The minimal distance, from about three feet prior to the end of the pad and from the far right side of the tee pad is approximately three feet.

I appreciate Steve's suggestion of moving the tee to the parking lot. That will definitely be considered when it comes time to pour concrete. I've seen a few playing hole one from the parking lot, or the alternate long position even farther back in the parking lot. All are good tee locations.

[Eric Olson]

Hole one's teepad is poorly located. You don't see teepads at quality courses that are cramped like this. It needs to be moved if you want Leverich to be a decent disc golf course. I tried to give my input during a work party and was rudely turned away by someone who said he was "in charge" of hole one and refused to entertain other points of view. This left a bitter taste in my mouth, so I'd doubt I'll be volunteering my time at Leverich from now on, but understand that placing teepads inside cramped hazards detracts from a hole. Moving it 6 inches to the left doesn't do anything to alleviate this.

[TreeLove]

Originally Posted by Bullseye Disc Golf.com

One is supposed to drive 3 car lengths behind the car in front of you for safety and courtesy for the driver in front of you.

The hole at Milo East next to the bathroom with the tree right at the back of the pad drives me nuts as well.

Actually, it's one car length for every 10 mph of speed. Or, a two-second gap. I know, because I obey neither.

That "treepad" at Milo East is cool, because it's weird, but it sucks, because it is annoying.

[Sam]

Originally Posted by TreeLove

That "treepad" at Milo East is cool, because it's weird, but it sucks, because it is annoying.

I actually use it to push off and get a faster run-up. Or maybe it is in my mind that it is faster... but I feel that I have more leverich... er... leverage there.

[Wog]

Thanks for your opinion, Eric. I will continue to consider it as we fine tune the course. Of the hundreds of people that have played the course I have only heard a handful of complaints about any of the holes. I know we will never create a course that everyone loves and I'm sorry you don't love Leverich. Maybe, the next course I have an opportunity to help design will be more to your liking.

[mhalbrook]

I don't think 1 is that bad, now 7, my wife and I played one time and she kept hitting one of the trees on her tee, not really sure how she managed to do it 3 times in a row but lol