Willow Brook -- Byron, Michigan

[bruce_brakel]

Where is Byron? Think of a triangle defined by Lansing, Flint and Brighton at the corners. Byron is right in the middle, due north of Howell on Oak Grove Road [jog left, go north, jog right, go north] or due west of Fenton after driving through Linden and Argentine.

The course is on Main street across from the school and water tower.

The course is temporary. If you are coming out for Big D Doubles on Sunday, November 30, feel free to bring a basket and we'll get it out on the course. If we have a big turn out, they will rpobably install a permanent course next summer.

This mapquest map might help you find Byron:

Mapquest: Byron, Michigan (http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?size=big&mapdata=yNJu1Eg45fcQhDF6aJTkwB%2f WNsk1pucbp2K3e70e9ng4BsSap7MEdO5cmfzoqVRxSDpIMIuBY xk2Tr12%2fyX07ZwFm%2b7vYX63d4FJIU%2b9CBqtw5uuFDtmM jwfKCymgO6hLfc%2br1gZeAXEzhiSwxQB7rOxy1jGdZwrn6RSW eoAXP8ly%2fdTg6Axx0dx%2fL777ZlIj0VUOjPgbL0Q%2faQ%2 fxu7LgHd3%2frmGFkgWXRD4egmAlA25QBlmfMb9el8KPLDBB6j pX3P771qyJJuGitFgN5kSaXJbTmlz%2buwz)

Click on the bold text above and a map magically pops up!

[dischick]

hey bruce....if you can start me a new thread...PIE IN THE SKY...i will put all of this there too. i am willing to admit my "moroness" when it comes to computers.
saturday...be there early....reg from 7;45-8;45, players meeting @ 9, then tee off asap, cuz we need to be done by 5. i need some help with this too. phil the basket cut his ties to cass benton, so it looks like i am the chick. i still need to recruit a right hand man to help me with all the club stufff....
i would say it shall be a low key tournament, there have been rumors flyin that its not goin on...but here is the official word from the official person. i dont know why any one would say that, for some reason what i have heard it sounds like it was coming from brown park people. its not gonna be sanctioned. but it will be tons of fun. i dont have that much club plastic, i was just gonna wait and get more stuff for the february tournament. either form discraft or jaybird, or both. i could use your advice for a few things though. if you want im me later and we will talk. i will be leaving shortly to go to wessel pines and watch monday night football. unfortunatly i may not beable to play saturday due to an ankle injury from today. i slipped at golden rod and rolled my ankle. i am in some seriose pain. its pretty swollen, hopefully not broken. i can walk, but it dosent feel normal. if it is i am gonna have to be a trooper cuz i have no health insurance, or i will have to go to work and purposely slip and fall. kidding. i am a trooper and will deal with it. pretty cool corse they got out there though.

[bruce_brakel]

Jen, I'll transfer the info to a Pie/Sky thread. I've got some ideas for you. I'm at work right now but I'll look for you on line this week.

[bruce_brakel]

Temporarily open for play, this weekend, Thursday through Sunday. Click below for a good map showing where Byron is. The course is in Byron on West Main across from the water tower.

Mapquest: Byron (http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?size=big&mapdata=yNJu1Eg45fcQhDF6aJTkwB%2f WNsk1pucbp2K3e70e9ng4BsSap7MEdO5cmfzoqVRxSDpIMIuBY xk2Tr12%2fyX07ZwFm%2b7vYX63d4FJIU%2b9CBqtw5uuFDtmM jwfKCymgO6hLfc%2br1gZeAXEzhiSwxQB7rOxy1jGdZwrn6RSW eoAXP8ly%2fdTg6Axx0dx%2fL777ZlIj0VUOjPgbL0Q%2faQ%2 fxu7LgHd3%2frmGFkgWXRD4egmAlA25QBlmfMb9el8KPLDBB6j pX3P771qyJJuGitFgN5kSaXJbTmlz%2buwz)

Played With Tracy both Sat. and Sun. Had a great time. Really dig the course and it's design! Bruce you and Tracy did a great job. It was nice meeting you and your daughter on Sun. (she's got a smoooth throw) Great food at the turn and good company on the course Thanx Lizard, Joe,Dan,Justin,Tony,and of course Tracy.....Paco needs another new frisbee. Oh yeah GOLF CARTS RULE!!!! Try the chicken alfredo pizza or the cheese burger fries you'll thank me they are awwwwesome!!!!

[bruce_brakel]

Come on back on Sunday. You know about the doubles tournament right? We are borrowing the Am Nationals Chainstars so we are going to have sweet targets for the tournament. The course will be set up each day with light weight temporaries until then so you can practice it Friday and Saturday.

[bruce_brakel]

For the 100 or so golfers who have played this course, I'd love to receive feedback on course design. My own thoughts are that the front nine is well designed but needs to be tweaked to make it about two throws harder. I like the basket positions on holes 1-7.

Shack and Branch and Team Wisconsin just ripped the front nine to shreds in the Final 9 with 14 birdies! Generally, it played easier than the back.

The back nine is just about right, maybe a stroke to hard, but it would be nice to spread out the par threes rather than having them back to back which would involve radically changing at least two holes.

The top pro team shot -10 in their 18 hole best shot round, which seems about right. The true advanced teams were shooting close to par or a little under. The guys who play advanced for reasons other than their proven ratings based ability got worked!

Let's assume this course goes permanent:

Should we have easier amateur and junior tees to make it fun for the whole family?

I really like the par 3, 4, 5 concept and par 72 golf. To me, that is real golf and anything else is a game which wants to be golf. I think there is a reason why there is not a PGA Executive Par 3 Championship, and that's the reason why our game gets no respect.

Given that we have room for par 72 (we have room for par 80!) is there any reason why we would want to shorten what we have?

Call first for the rest of the year. While this warm spell lasts,Tracy might keep setting up the light weight temporaries. If anyone wants to play up there Wednesday afternoon, e-mail me!

[chris]

I don't think you should make the course easier at all, if anything make the course a little harder. That's the reason we came up from Wisconsin, to play a 14,000' course!! On the front 9 I thought 7 holes were great and should stay that way. I didn't like hole 6 it seemed to be a boring hole, just a hyzer shot and an up shot. And hole 9 I didn't like either, I thought there was plenty of room to make that one a good par 4 or even par 5 hole. Me and my partner both thought that was the easiest hole on the course and funny we didn't get it either round :( The back 9 was great too! The only hole I would change would be hole 15, instead of going up a few hundred feet from the cart path, I think that hole would be great as a par 4 from about 300' farther back.

[bruce_brakel]

Matt Lacey tells me he spoke to Tracy and the course will be back up this weekend with lightweight temporaries. $10 for 18. A cart is $5 each.

I'll be at the MDGO meeting, Nutcracker, and other commitments.

[bruce_brakel]

The bar, restaurant and disc golf course will be closed until January 4.

In January Tracy and I are going to redesign the course into a Big D Par 3 for winter play. It will be all par 3 holes in a configuration that is totally incompatible with ball golf. It should still be long and challenging, but challenging to shoot 54 rather than challenging to shoot 72.

At the end of February we're going to run a real Ice Bowl out there using the "short" course. It will be unsanctioned R-tier doubles. You'll have to bring canned goods, but I'll buy your canned goods with funny money. We'll do it unsanctioned and have a cash payout option for most divisions.

[bruce_brakel]

Sometime this week Tracy is setting up the course for the California State Championships of Michigan. If you enjoyed the Big D Doubles ten months ago, you'll like the Cali States even better. The carts will be zippier in the warmer weather, and a couple of holes will be tweaked to make the course more interesting.

This will be a PDGA sanctioned singles event where everyone plays "California," you know, that doubles format for the odd man, one extra throw per hole.

Check out the Waterford Junior Girls club message area near the bottom of the PDGA message board for details or e-mail me at rollerdoos@aol.com.

One last thing, it looks like the main impediment to this course being installed permanently is about to be removed this winter. Good attendance for this tournament could convince the owners to install a permanent course.

[chris]

Is there a website with information about it? I'm actually thinking about going since I got nothing going on that weekend. ( I can't find that flyer you gave me at the Bevier Blast either )

bruce, off topic but curious if you were responsible for bay court in waterford? always enjoyed playing that place whenever i was stuck in the oakland county offices for an afternoon. rumors are going around that it may be pulled or already pulled? would like to play again before i go home if possible.

[pjefferies]

Now that the course is in the gound (or on the ground) is anybody up for a round or two tomorrow?

is byron a permanent course now paul? and if so whats the cost for a round with cart?

[bruce_brakel]

Now that the course is in the gound (or on the ground) is anybody up for a round or two tomorrow?

and
is byron a permanent course now paul? and if so whats the cost for a round with cart?

It is still temporary but it is set up for the rest of the fall. A round is $10. Half a cart is $5. I'd play but I'm working today. :(