I don’t care what it’s like …
Every disc golfer has a soft spot for his (or her) home course.
Not everybody lives right down the road from Maple Hill. But as long as there are a few baskets in the ground and space for frisbees to fly, some semblance of disc golf can happen. That is until someone in a position of power decides it’s time to move on from it – and permanently.
Within code, private landowners are free to do with their own properties as they see best fit. The aforementioned Maple Hill is a prime example of this. It’s a Christmas-tree farm that doubles as an elite, world-class disc golf course for as long as Steve Dodge and Tom Southwick want it to.
They’re in control.
For most of us, though, those in a “position of power” are municipality members – small-time government peeps. Frequently, without warning, when a disc golf course is removed, sign all the petitions you like: There’s not much that can be done to save it. Parks expand, city-sponsored projects take precedence and public land is reassigned to meet the needs of the community.
It sucks.
Want to know of another force that might do your course in?
Widespread complaints.
And in theory, from the very people the course is meant to serve …
Local taxpayers.
Disc golf’s counter-culture ties aren’t nearly as strong as they used to be. But for those still holding onto them like grim death, it’s not uncommon for their “extracurricular activities” to cause concern for park-goers. I’m not going to beat a dead horse – this stuff is obvious:
But there’s a more common issue about which a course’s neighbors are quick to complain …
Fence-hopping.
Not every course is entirely fenced-in, but there are often sections of it, at least. I’ve seen fences set up to protect all sorts of things: homes, businesses, construction zones, wildlife preservation areas, etc. If able, disc golfers are quick to bunny-hop said fences, because 1) they’re obsessed with their overpriced, perfectly beaten plastic, and 2) they’ll be in and out – five seconds tops.
The problem with this, of course, is there’s a fence in place for a reason …
To keep people out.
Seeing a grown-butt man with long hair, an unkempt beard and a vape pen in his off-hand leap-frog a wall to retrieve a wayward toy is an understandable cause for concern. It’s easy to look the other way once. Twice is doable, too. Heck, I’ll spot you a three-pack of these things.
But given the sport’s popularity, the log-jam that is course crowdedness and how bad the average disc golfer (me) is at controlling a shot, trespassing can quickly become a daily event. You might be the most wholesome, well-intentioned dude on Earth, but if you’re a full-grown adult who’s wild enough to scale a rusty, chain-link fence for plastic, what’s a person supposed to think?
“Police? Yes, I’d like to report a trespasser.”
Don’t be dumb.
The solution is simple:
- Walk.
- Knock.
- And talk.
Then, grab your disc and bolt.
And if that’s out of the question, start treating tricky fences like water holes: Throw something you don’t mind leaving behind. I know this is annoying; I know I come off as a crotchety dad.
But do you really want to “grow the sport,” by chance?
Respect the non-disc golf community.
Hopefully, we can agree on that much.
The longevity of your home course is counting on it.
Have anything to add? Take to X to let us know – we’ll actually (for real) get back to you.
Editor’s Suggestions:
- Ricky Wysocki owns one of the top disc golf videos on YouTube
- Disc golf: In defense of the phrase, ‘It’ll hold any line you put it on’
- Perk No. 2: Successfully planning (and executing) a shot in disc golf
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Another tip to save your course…. If you see some trash, pick it up and pocket it until you see a trash can.
Keep the course clean is something we can all do.
Amen to that, Fletch!
I’ll tie into this by saying if you organize a course clean up offer to remove trash from the adjacent private properties. You may find a land owner that’s willing to open a spot in the fence for disc retrieval, or they’ll get the disc and leave them in a dedicated lost and found box. Communication and transparency will do wonders!
That’s a GREAT idea, Andy …
Never heard of something like that before.
Makes sense as to why it’d work, though.
Thanks for sharing 🙂
At Pendleton king course in Augusta on hole number 2 I believe it is there is a house directly next to the fairway. I mean right next to it. There are some trees between however every time I play out there there has been at least one disc on that person’s roof. No fence or anything but I always wondered what they did with all of the discs that they retrieved from their roof as obviously no way to retrieve it for the person that lost it. I imagine maybe the owner also plays so it’s not much of an irritant to them getting a bunch of free discs LOL
Sounds like a pretty sweet perk …
“You hit my house, I keep your disc.”
(not great for the roof, though)
Ever played vista del Camino in Scottsdale? There is holes in stucco from fast drivers , still . Ha . I talked to one home owner, that basically said if it crosses the fence, it’s a done deal. Folks have put them thru windows and still demanded them back. It’s really about just being human at that point. Fun course, but ya gotta let em go sometimes. That’s an old course, hate to see it leave. Be good to people,folks😉
Never played there, no …
I’ve seen it on coverage, though.
And I’ve always felt bad for those guys …
Their houses (or apartments) are just getting peppered all the time.
It’s dangerous.
Great example, though – thanks for chiming in …
Mr. Dahmer?!
All it took here in Sactucky was to walk Round to the front door and knock. The homeowner, Rich, was appreciative and kind. He did have some complaints re: night rounds, because the chains ring loudly.
Benefits of the course outweigh the negatives though, cutting down on the homeless overpopulation, littering, drug use, etc. Keep your courses clean. It is a direct representation of the locals.
Couldn’t agree more!
Also, depending on where your at, the disc golf course MIGHT not help with the “drug use” problem …
But thankfully, the sport is distancing itself from that more and more, so that’s the good news.
Thanks for reading (and commenting), man!
I’m lucky enough that to make it into a yard at all but 1 course near me you’d have to be intentionally throwing at it AND get extremely lucky with a line through 200ft of woods. We do have a course where every now and then a boomer cover band will play and there is just people everywhere grilling or whathave you. Or another where a VERY hard par 5 is next to an extremely high use walking path and a far par 4 has a soccer field right next to it, often with games going.
Assuming they aren’t in a fairway or on the basket, just throw a putter or overstable mid that you know cannot make it to where you don’t want it to go. For the soccer field shot its on the right and not fenced or even out of bounds the ideal shot is a straight-stable throw. I throw the most overstable driver I have if there are kids playing soccer.
If you’re really trying to do scores and stuff, if there is an added unintentional factor like that forcing you to severely change your shot. just turn that par 4 into a par 5 or 5 into a par 6 which I think is more than fair if being 100% sure you’re avoiding danger is adding a stroke.
Then on a tournament day screw them people they can get out of the way cause its go time.
Hill, LOVE the idea about changing par …
That should do the trick.
What’s annoying is when disc golfers act like NOBODY else exists when playing …
These are public parks: Respect other people’s right to use them.
Thanks for reading!
(and for the great tip, too)