Fly pad feedback

[maco capo]

Our club might be needing temporary tee pads in the future. I've talked to Reese at fly18 and got a quote. I was wondering how many golfers out there have purchased fly pads or used them in a tournament setting, and what are your thoughts?
Thanks
Chris, MCDG

[Bullseye]

Originally Posted by maco capo

Our club might be needing temporary tee pads in the future. I've talked to Reese at fly18 and got a quote. I was wondering how many golfers out there have purchased fly pads or used them in a tournament setting, and what are your thoughts?
Thanks
Chris, MCDG

Chris,

I'm not a huge fan of Flypads for use in the Pacific NW. We get so much rain around here, and they're pretty slick in the wet; particularly if they get a little mud on them.

If the issue driving this request is that the Parks Dept in question doesn't want to use concrete quite yet, then I think the best solution is the red pavers like we used at Stub Stewart and the winter layout at Pier Park. They have reasonable traction in the wet, can be easily cleaned and they can be picked up and moved if need be.

Jeff

[Bullseye Disc Golf.com]

Chris,

Jeff is correct, Fly 18 pads are strictly temporary hole pads. It's a lot of money to spend on pads for designing a course.

I bought a fly 18 pad for my backyard and it has never got mud on it yet it is completely clogged and water does not drain through. This is after about 4 years. If I pressure washed it, it would probably drain again but they will eventually clog up unless you pressure wash them regularly.

Once they clog up they become a giant puddle.

These rubber pads really only work for temporary tournament holes during the summer. You see them on courses at Worlds when they need to make a few holes longer etc. Once you track mud and dirt on them they are pretty much useless.

I was in AZ at the 2013 Memorial shooting video and they create a lot of temporary holes to make the standard courses more difficult for the pros. The pros were allowed the option to throw from either the Fly 18 pad or directly to the side of it.

I only saw 2 players throw from the rubber tees during 3 rounds of golf. And this is in AZ where there is no moisture or mud or any chance of slipping.

There is also a video on YouTube from disc golf live of the 2011 Amateur Championships in MI and there is a scene where the lead group is teeing off from a Fly 18 pad in the rain.

Take a look for yourself before you make your decision, go to 13:15:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AA8YfQ0Wqo4

I think the concrete paver method is the best for designing a course and still having the option to move the tee.

Andrew Rich installed astro turf covered tees at Alton Baker park in Eugene. This is a step in the right direction. I am a big believer in astro turf tees. With pavers you usually have a pressure treated lumber box around the pavers and this would allow screwing down a layer of astro turf on top of the pavers.

I have not gone down and checked out the astro turf tees at Alton Baker yet but I have a feeling they are awesome!

[matt]

http://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?t=78533
here is some reading

[WestsoundBT]

Hey Chris,

I'm a little excited about this - that you guys would need temp tee pads is a hint that something cool is happening?

Anyway, when it comes to teeing surfaces: There is an absolute ton of ways to do tees poorly, as we've all learned, but not many extra solutions than the usual for doing it well.

That can go along with the saying that "Ideal is easy. Compromise on a budget is darn near impossible"

But for asking: Are you looking for interim use tee pads? or single day use tee pads? Just for an event? or just for a while, to aid in setting up something more?

IF its for very short, like day use only (because you get allowance for day or period use but not permanence) then the weight and transportation, and trucking the stuff around factors in big time.

If it's for provisional use until later replacement, then thats something else.

I do agree with Bullseye, that astro turf tees are underutilized, and may play a bigger role than they have until now. I've watched enough tourney footage from Europe to see turf tees used extensively on many of their courses, or event courses (some well, and some not)

The best turf setup I've seen for heavy event use only is the set up they use for the European championships in Nokia. I expect they will do the same for this years European Open. It's obvious that they..

Dump a load of crushed rock or gravel on the regular park surface. (maybe they laid down a small tarp first?)
Apply a turf tee on top of the flattened pile.
(maybe framed..I can't tell the undelayment)

I also imagine that they clean up afterwards by shoveling off the piles and re-exposing the regular park surface (grass, pathway, whatever)

However, it should be noted that heavy duty field turf is easy easy to come by likely where they are. Likely the cast offs or remnants of field replacements from all the soccer complexes. I bet they have more of the stuff available to them than they know what to do with. (which is why they are likely using the good heavy expensive grade stuff)

[matt]

for temp course use, picked up daily or after a couple days

[WestsoundBT]

Thanks Matt,

That likely means the heavy and cumbersome options get thinned out. I.e. things like 4x6 horse stall mats. Those things are heavier than you think. self leveling, and they do stay put. Even at 4x6 they are tough to drag solo (which aids in theft deterrence, but makes it super tiresome to haul back up into a truck bed)

If tee materials are to stay out, even for a period of say... Two weeks... Those overnights will make theft potential come into play unless the property is relatively secure. Easy for you, also means easy for others.

A middle ground could be carpet remnants, upside down and staked heavily. You know... Materials that would be destined for landfill otherwise. Of course, because it's an unusual surface if given the option most seasoned players will then tee next to it (not because it couldn't work, but because of the uncertainty vs a known surface like dirt or grass - where the user knows what they'll get). Seasoned players will tee from a lesser surface over something they don't trust..yet.

IF heavy duty can't work, either because of cost, weight, hassle.... And a light duty option becomes too untrustable ...Then it looks like its back to maybe just "tee markings" and dirt.

Welcome to the world of no win!

[WestsoundBT]

Additional thought after thinking about it some more.

Has anyone tried say... 4x10 carpet remnants, upside down, staked. But first... Soaking them in some form of cement slurry first? You know to essentially starch stiffen the crazy out them first?

[maco capo]

I was thinking about upside down carpet. The starching idea is interesting

[maco capo]

I would like to get a hold of some field turf like the soccer field at kitsap fairgrounds. That might be promising

[WestsoundBT]

Originally Posted by maco capo

I would like to get a hold of some field turf like the soccer field at kitsap fairgrounds. That might be promising

Chris,

I think EnigmaSquad snagged some when they had their trimmings and remnants of that turf around waiting to be hauled out.

But I think the fireman may have it now (if it's still around)

Boy that sounds cryptic.

[JR Stengele]

Originally Posted by maco capo

I was thinking about upside down carpet. The starching idea is interesting

The langley course in british columbia uses old carpets and they seem to hold up well for a few years before they need to be replaced. Companies/families are always throwing out old carpet so you could replace them fairly often for free. I have never seen upside down carpet however.

[WestsoundBT]

JR and Maco,

There's a you tube video out there from about two years ago with Avery Jenkins throwing from and mentioning an upside down carpet tee at the Ryan Ranch course in Monterrey, CA.

Having watched it, I went back and was trying to see how it was fixed in place, or to see what kind of ground support there was. I wasn't able to tell on that video what was truly in place.

[WestsoundBT]

Ok found it.

You tube : video. "nothing but chains..... Ace?"
Location: Ryan Ranch
Time: 42 seconds in

Tee is wood frame enclosed, with what appears to be be crushed rock or cinder track material. The carpet was "outdoor carpet" upside down, likely 4x10 or so, with six anchor points of spikes/bolts with washers.

This was likely before course was set with concrete before pro worlds took place there. Other tees in the video are rubber. I expect they were being used provisionally before the final set was poured.

[JR Stengele]

^ SPIKES/BOLTS W/ WASHERS MAKES THE MOST SENSE. Sorry for yelling. lol.

[maco capo]

We will be installing these directly over grass for a 1 day event, possibly 2 days. Gravel underneath is not in the cards.