Sussex course

[kellerthedog]

anyone know if sussex is in right now? thanks

from what i know i dont think so

[kellerthedog]

it's in, thanks Todd for the info

[msbatka]

Looks like someone is trying to get a leg up on the competition at this year's Wham Bam Thank You Am.

[kellerthedog]

UBETCHYOAZ

[tkieffer]

It looks like the Sussex baskets were poorly handled during the winter storage process. I would guess that they were thrown from the back of the truck during unloading as at least 5 of them show signs of a huge single impact. Very disappointing to see $300 baskets treated like trash cans.

[discglfr]

I wish those were just $300 baskets. More like $412 + nearly $50 in shipping!

Anyway - unfortunately that doesn't surprise me one bit. We (Kozy and I) have offered for the past few years to help with the taking down or setting up of that course but they would rather have their union worker do it at his pace and on his terms.

Please do me a favor and send a sensible but truthful message to these e-mail addresses (commcenter1@wi.rr.com & kevinlauer@wi.rr.com) saying how you and your club helped contribute to this course and you are disappointed to see how they treat the equipment. This isn't the first time they have done something stupid. Remember when they put the baskets on their sides and just locked them down that way?


It looks like the Sussex baskets were poorly handled during the winter storage process. I would guess that they were thrown from the back of the truck during unloading as at least 5 of them show signs of a huge single impact. Very disappointing to see $300 baskets treated like trash cans.

[sleepy]

I saw 2 baskets with new dings and dents in them Hole 4 and Hole 16. Hole 15 was already bent up. Hole 4 was pretty bad. The baskets still look brand new besides the dents. Its a shame to see them beat up so badly. Oh yea I got my first lefty ace on hole 15 woo hoo.

[msbatka]

I played a round at Sussex Village Park today. As I played, I took notes on the condition of the baskets. Afterwards, I visited the Sussex Community Center. I spoke with a couple of people I work with when reserving the course for the Wham Bam Thank You Am. I provided them with the list and voiced my concern about what appears to be the mishandling of the baskets when they are taken out for the winter, stored and reinstalled in the Spring. We discussed what can be done to repair some of the baskets and how to prevent this from happening again. No promises were made. However, our brief meeting was very positive.


Mike

[tkieffer]

Cool, Mike!

Out of curiosity, what did you get for a 'total' on the damages?

[msbatka]

There were about 8 baskets with some type of damage. However, I identified 4 baskets (practice basket, #4, #15 & #16) with major problems. I just got off the phone with Terry Miller. He is contacting DGA to get an estimate on replacement parts. The other baskets might magically finds themselves repaired!!!

[msbatka]

A plan is in the works and I hope to have most of the baskets repaired within the next few weeks. I may need a hand so keep an eye on this thread for additional updates.

Thanks,


Mike

[msbatka]

I spoke with the head park guy this morning. He claims to have fixed most of the baskets except the practice basket within the past couple of days. His position is that disc golfers damaged them. I find this incredibly hard to believe, but there was little sense arguing a point I couldn't prove. My gut feeling is that the baskets will be in better shape, but far from perfect. I'm being generous when I say that the Village of Sussex has been challenging to work with for several years. It has made me appreciate even more what the Milwaukee County Parks Dept. is doing for the local scene.

[tkieffer]

Strange how a course can come out in October with baskets in good shape, and then be put back in early May with the first players noticing the baskets are all beat up, and someone would point at disc golfers as the culprit. It is also strange that the damage done has all the evidence of being from a single blow in a manner that would be nearly impossible to duplicate while the basket is locked in an anchor (unless you were running into them with a truck, and even then you would see bends in the pipe), yet the person involved would point at disc golfers.

The damage could not have been done by people hanging on or beating on the baskets as the damage is always from a specific direction and from one blow (nothing twisted, all damage incurred from the exact same angle). There is no pipe damage, so the damage almost certainly occurred while the baskets were not anchored. Most likely, the baskets were thrown from the back of a truck when unloaded into the storage area.

Giving the benefit of the doubt, it is possible that the person you are working with has no idea of the damage that can be incurred if a basket is mishandled while out of the sleeve, and to his defense would thus claim it had to be golfers. He probably never noticed the damage until someone pointed it out, and is assuming that it couldn't have been due to how they were handled. So, it must have been the golfers ......

Good luck with it, Mike! Like you said, there really isn't anything to be gained by arguing the point with the park guy. But pointing out the issue to the people who you pay the fees to might help. Also, now that the park guy is aware of the situation, he will probably take better care next winter even if he won't acknowledge that there was a problem this past winter.

[msbatka]

I went out there tonight to check out the repairs and was pleasantly surprised. The targets on holes 4, 15 and 16 are much improved. The practice basket is still a mess, but there's something to be said for progress.


Mike