Downriver Layout

[jshrack]

Have the recent changes to Downriver DGC improved the course?
I may be wasting my breath... sorry if this is the case.

[jshrack]

Recent Changes:
#2, #3, #4, #11, #14, #15,

If you play the course you might know the ones...

[Timber]

Originally Posted by jshrack

Recent Changes:
#2, #3, #4, #11, #14, #15,

If you play the course you might know the ones...

I don't play Downriver anymore. But my understanding is that none of those changes were made to improve how the course plays, and in fact they have not improved it. They were mostly done in response to specific directives from the City as a condition of our ability to continue using the land.

[Yoduh]

Said it for a couple years now. Needs to be redesigned..

[Lyounger]

I guess I really don't understand what all the confusion and fuss is about here...

This is my recollection:

Several years ago the SDGA was responding to evergrowing safety concerns due to the crossing fairways. In addition, the city expressed concerns about erosion and path beat down.

The overwhelming opinion of the club at that time was a complete redesign. However, we were towards the end of the season and didn't want to make major changes without getting as much input as possible.

Some (immediate) minor changes were proposed to address the major safety and environmental concerns and a call went out for redesign ideas that could be implemented early the following spring.

These two agendas got convoluted and confused with one another. A polarity began that I don't believe was founded.

The board was new and had growing pains. The communication and progress stalled. Members were not keeping up with deadlines for input to either design and felt left out when decisions were made. The whole thing turned into a cluster and the only result was some temporary changes to try to address the safety and erosion issues.

It's well expressed that these changes have diluted the course and very few are even remotely happy about them.

Soooooooo....NOW is the perfect time to start gathering input for a total course redesign for DownRiver. The club and Board can set deadlines for proposals in phases so they can be reviewed and narrowed down to the best possible layout to be voted on by the club members and installed early next spring.

This time those of you who felt so left out will have another opportunity to be heard and be able to vote for the features you like best. You will just have to pay attention to the deadlines for input and the dates for voting on layouts.

It is very possible to do this in a democratic manner with consideration going to the city's requirements. The club has worked out some of it's communication difficulties and I believe this project could be very successful. We would end up with a challenging course, endorsed by the majority of clubmembers and compliant with the city's requirements.

Heck, it might even bring the club together in a stronger way with more casual/rec players joining so they could provide input and more mutual respect amongst all the members.

I definitely will do everything I can to make it to the next SDGA meeting and bring this up as a topic for discussion.

[Lothiam]

As a new member to the forum I am a very surprised by the vitriol I have seen expressed in the threads here. While I am still unsure of all the changes I will say this, Downriver is a better course as far as playing goes than it was before the changes. The old 4, 6, 7, 11 crossroads was by far the hardest portion of the course to get through in any decent time and safely. I think for me as a recreational player the thing that surprises me most about the tone in the forums I have been seeing is that a lot of people seem to forget we don't have to pay to play this course and the work that is being put in is all volunteer. I really appreciate this and am willing to put up with things that might not be my favorite in view of the fact that the work being put in is with the goal of making Downriver a better course and one that will be in line with the cities wishes.

Thanks everyone to your hard work.

[Floodj32]

It would depend on what you mean by improved. If you are talking about erosion control and safety due to throws crossing into another holes fairway, then yes, but there are still issues. For instance where the tee for hole 11 was moved to is a spot people including myself land in all the time. Hole 11 also has a problem with landing on hole 1's green. If you are talking about the flow and challenge of the course I would have to say, no.

[jonverbarg]

yes and no.
Is it as good as the 21? No! Is it better in terms of flow and safety? Yes! Is it a crappy course? Not by a long shot! Is it possible that there is somthing that could be better? I should hope so... other wise we would all have to agree that god does in fact exsist, and downriver discgolf is his crowning achievment!
But what the hey... It has been for years, and continues to be my favorite discgolf course. Not just in spokane!

[Burge]

Originally Posted by jonverbarg

other wise we would all have to agree that god does in fact exsist, and downriver discgolf is his crowning achievment!

Great! Now that someone has chosen to espouse their naive assumptions of religious ubiquity, can this ridiculous and moot thread be moved to the controversial topic dustbin?

Because, no--we do not all have to agree.

Like all religions, Downriver was created by a small group of like-minded individuals with the shared love of a singular vision, in the hopes that their creation will benefit and inspire future generations of people that choose to share their love for the same singular vision.

And, like all religions, the original Downriver contained many beautiful ideas, but at the cost of containing many dangerous ones as well--yet, it was still allowed to come into being with the hopes that, over time, the beautiful ideas would outweigh (or at least hide) the dangerous ones.

And, like all religions, over time, the contradictions become more and more obvious such that editing of the original creation becomes necessary--a desperate act to try and save the beautiful ideas.

The end result, however, is that there is more contradictions and controversy than before, some of the beautiful ideas are removed in the process, and the gestalt of the original creation, the one that was so good as to warrant containing the dangerous ideas in the first place, is lost.

Now, I'm sure that someone out there can use their powers of insinuation and religious fervor to latch on to the wrong side of my metaphor and send this useless thread (with its open-ended lead question, pointless poll, and hidden agenda) into an off-topic nose dive.

(Not necessarily you, Jon, because I'm still not sure if you were being profusely religious, or profusely facetious. )

[jonverbarg]

profusely facetious.
I am glad someone got my point. kudos to you burge!

[General Scales]

Is a disc golf atheist a person who doesn't believe disc golf clubs exist?

[Burge]

No, a disc golf atheist is someone who doesn't believe the club is a supreme being.

[psychodwarf]

wait ... there is A supreme being ...?

[Burge]

Well...like all other supreme beings, there is no substantial evidence to prove that such a being exists, so it can only exist within the agreement-reality that rests nebulously atop the blind faith of its followers.

[jonverbarg]

Aw crap!!! I knew i was gonna go completely loopy someday... my nebulous blind faith has me imagining anchors, concrete, tee pads, and a basket for a golf club in my basement. I've even become so deluded as to imagine myself as one of a bunch of guys in a disc golf club.
I think I've been brain washed by a cult! Can somebody recommend a good exit counselor with experience dealing with complex post traumatic stress disorder.

[Burge]

If you listen closely, you can hear Jon mutter as he plays the course...

"...The Club is an awesome club...The Club is in control...The Club is all-knowing...The Club has my soul..."

[Wobbly Bob]

Whoa there fellows, YOU'RE OFF TOPIC

[Gordy #21004]

Since when did anyone ever worry about drifting off topic?

[Gordy #21004]

I always worship in the Chapel of Our Lady of Disc Golf.