What's the standard on the number of players traveling together on a course? I'm not talking about during a tourney...just a regular day. Is it alright to be in a group of 7 on a busy course? Common sense would seem to be breaking up into groups of 2 or 3? Maybe I'm outta line.

No apologies to the groups of 7 - 8 players at Wellspring today,

pb

It depends. The rank newbies with one disc each in an 8-some will actually play faster than 3 of us with full bags.

When a course is crowded, it's crowded. I know. Morley was my home course for a long time.

Standards are local, eh?

http://home.earthlink.net/~trisim/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/gang_on_5_march_2k4_560w.jpg

7-8 is probably the median size for a doubles round [for 9 holes] here...it's a social thing. But we do it later in the day, and ASK trailing groups if they wish to play through.

But we do it later in the day, and ASK trailing groups if they wish to play through.



If large groups let smaller groups play through, or slower players let faster players through there wouldn't be an issue about large groups. I don't mind large groups of people on our 1 course in town. What I cannot stand is when they are oblivious to me, the only person, waiting for them and they refuse to let me play through. I usually wait until we get to a hole that is over 350ft (way beyond their reach) and I throw a disc over their heads to get their attention. This usually gets them to allow me to play through, but I don't like it to come to that.

we had a group of 9 yesterday, let a number of groups play through including a 5 some. there was a 6 some behind us also. course was pretty crowded, must be a tournament in town or something...

That's it...they paid no mind to me and my friend or the pair that were in front of us...I just skipped ahead of them. I have no patience for that stuff. I understand the social element, but most courses you would see each other along the way anyway, between holes and inevitably running into each other.

My motto...less chatting, more flinging! Talk while you walk beetches!

There is a group of guys that play early sunday doubles at my home course. I was playing solo and caught them on hole five. They are very considerate and let me play through.

They had a group of 15!!!! They asked me if I wanted to join up and make it an even number. :D

My favorite course (ZBoaz) has been getting increasingly crowded lately. The last 4 or 5 times I've played seems like there's always large groups clogging up the course.

Last Thursday duriing the weekly mini, my group was to start on hole 14. We got to the hole and no one was there, but there was a group of casuals teeing off on hole 13. My tee shot hit an early tree and kicked right into some shule. It took me about a minute to locate my disc. My second shot hit a tree on the other side of the creek and kicked back down into the creek. As I'm retrieving my disc and getting ready to throw, the group behind us walked up and starts yelling at us saying that we cut in front of them. I apologized and explained we were playing a tournament and Hole 14 was our starting hole, but there were really mad and kept making smart[*****] remarks as I finally completed the hole.

Should we have waited for the casuals to finish 13 and let them play ahead of us before we teed off on 14 ? Honestly, I didn't even realize there was a group behind us until they started yelling at us. Needless to say, after taking a 5 on a easy birdie hole and getting yelled at, my head was not right for the next few holes. I guess we could have let them play through on the next hole, but they were being such pr!cks that we said screw 'em.

Sure hope we can get a new Ft. Worth course soon.

I was actually playing with a large group (5) showing someone the layout for our next tournament. We played the 24 hole config and ended up getting infront of a 3-some that was only playing 18 holes (you turn at hole 14, play 6 new holes and come back to 15 to play 24). They were putting so we started to tee off. Hole #15 is a 250ft hyzer shot that is down hill and crosses a creek where the pin is on a pennisula, it is a fun little putter shot.

Well I had problems putting that day and I doinked the basket and rolled into the water TWICE! As I was taking my second putt from the creek along came a drive that landed about 6ft from me. These players were not skilled professionals, but 1 disc charlie recreational players. I yelled at them in disgust and as I missed that putt, just to make them mad I took my time to hole out and walk off the green.

We had planned to let them play through after the hole. But once they threw a disc at us, we said forget it and made them wait for the rest of the round. Nothing aggrevates me more then stupidity on the course and a lack of respect of other golfers and rules of the game.

I was actually playing with a large group (5) showing someone the layout for our next tournament. We played the 24 hole config and ended up getting infront of a 3-some that was only playing 18 holes (you turn at hole 14, play 6 new holes and come back to 15 to play 24). They were putting so we started to tee off. Hole #15 is a 250ft hyzer shot that is down hill and crosses a creek where the pin is on a pennisula, it is a fun little putter shot.

Well I had problems putting that day and I doinked the basket and rolled into the water TWICE! As I was taking my second putt from the creek along came a drive that landed about 6ft from me. These players were not skilled professionals, but 1 disc charlie recreational players. I yelled at them in disgust and as I missed that putt, just to make them mad I took my time to hole out and walk off the green.

We had planned to let them play through after the hole. But once they threw a disc at us, we said forget it and made them wait for the rest of the round. Nothing aggrevates me more then stupidity on the course and a lack of respect of other golfers and rules of the game.

That's real mature, Parkntwoputt: a bunch of rec players who may not be cognizant of disc golf ettiquette throw while you're still completing a hole, so instead of taking the time to explain proper ettiquette to them, you say, [*****] 'em and make them wait behind you instead of allowing them to play through. With an attitude like that, it's no wonder rec players don't realize that larger and/or slower groups should allow smaller and/or faster groups to play through.

Generally I would say that casual groups should be limited to 4-5 fast players or 3-4 slow players on any course with, say, over 5-6 groups on it.

The main exception is if there is a ton of shuul or other reasons why there would be a lot of searching, then you should up the number by 1 or 2 to allow for faster searches, spotters, etc.

Busy courses absolutely should not have herds. Many herds mistakenly think everything is fine cuz they'll let anyone play thru. That's like having a farm tractor at rush hour saying it's OK to go 35 on a 55 cuz he'll let anyone pass who wants to. Regardless of his generosity, there's a ton of cars behind him going 35. Herds need to split up, or play alternate shot, or play the odd/even holes, play triples, SOMETHING to keep up the pace. Either that or start playing mornings or nights.

6-somes and 8-somes at Morley Field, probably the most crowded course in the world, generally play much faster than 3-somes of us "skilled golfers" with bags full of discs.

The herds usually all throw at once and move amazingly quickly. It's only when they get to 10+ that they slow down.

I've heard about that at Morley: yes there are exceptions.

Morley is WAY beyond "busy" and pay-to-play to boot, so it's not surprising to see special rules applying there.

[/QUOTE]That's real mature, Parkntwoputt: a bunch of rec players who may not be cognizant of disc golf ettiquette throw while you're still completing a hole, so instead of taking the time to explain proper ettiquette to them, you say, [*****] 'em and make them wait behind you instead of allowing them to play through. With an attitude like that, it's no wonder rec players don't realize that larger and/or slower groups should allow smaller and/or faster groups to play through.

[/QUOTE]

I'm sorry, I failed to mention that the guy who threw it was laughing at the fact that he almost hit me. :mad:That represents the .1% of the time when I am not helping out beginners. Even our course pro agreed with my reaction. Yes it is sad that these people missed the opportunity to learn something about the rules. But the majority of the players on our course do not care about the rules either.

i HATE big groups. that is one of the things that i like so much more about stick golf. you have a tee time, you have a foursome, and you stick to it.

the poor etiquette is when you're already in a five-some and someone takes offense when you tell them "no, you can't play along". i'd rather play by myself than in anything more than a five-some. large groups are a waste of time. discers need to take it upon themselves to stick to groups of under five. anything bigger is nothing but a circle jerk.

fortunately, none of the courses around here are crowded enough to force herds. about once a month a group of cigar chomping ultimate heads comes out on our weekly event (thursday night triples) and plays in a ten-some. looks like such a drag, but they are usually wrapping up as we are getting started.

nothing makes me more disappointed in regular dg'ers than hearingthem blast casual players for being in big groups during the weekly mini.

IF ITS A PUBLIC PARK, THEN EVERYBODY HAS THE SAME RIGHTS TO IT!

just because a group of 40 or 60 shows up every week and organizes into a bunch of foursome or fivesomes does not give them any special consideration. that way of thinking is a quick way to build ill will.

no s hit sandalman.

read what i said again. do i have any issues with people playing during our weekly? no, never have. i always invite them to join, and they usually do. our weekly is geared towards beginners, and without beginners, our weekly wouldn't work (we pair even teams with an easy rating system). if they don't want to play, i explain what is going on so they realize the best shot groups will tend to move quickly. nine of ten newbies play either right then, or come back the next week because they see we have a great thing going.

what i'm saying is that they shouldn't be playing in groups of ten if not necessary. these groups, more often than not, aren't newbies. JUST SPLIT UP! TWO FIVES! WHATEVER!

why is it so important to play in a herd? just don't do it!

we're talking etiquette here. if etiquette doesn't apply to newbies than yes... there is plenty of ill will coming from me. if any player (new or experienced) lacks the common sense/common courtesy to play in a reasonably sized group than the sport/park would be better off without them. it
s simple... don't play in a herd!

Herd golf does have a purpose. But it is usually more of a social event than a golf event. There is nothing wrong with a herd as long as they try to avoid getting in faster players way.

whatever purpose that might be doesn't justify herds on the golf course. split up, play reasonably sized groups, then go herd at a local watering hole or wherever. play golf on the golf course, socialize somewhere else. if the course is empty-- do whatever you please. if the course is busy-- DON'T SEND A HERD OUT! it's just plain common sense.

can't people recognize that playing in a humongous group is discourteous? this burns me to no end. i can't figure out why people would ever want to do that. JUST SPLIT UP!

md, sorry i didnt mean for ya to take it as a direct assualt.

what i mean is that is a group of 100 wants to camp on hole 4's fairway, they have every right to do just that.

you can ask them if you can play thru, but they sure do not have to move. yes, that would make them morons and *****, but its a public park and unless you have it reserved, anything is ok.

social herd golf is every bit as legitimate as fast-playing threesomes.

social herd golf is every bit as legitimate as fast-playing threesomes.



yeah... and it's every bit as discourteous as peeling off a scab and throwing it on someone's pepperoni pizza.

if the course is busy, be conducive. is that too much to ask? geeeeeeeeeeeeesh...

md, i agree with you on that, agree completely. but discourteous people are allowed to use the park. unfortunate but true.

I have never had a group ahead of me refuse my request to play through. Of course, I've never asked when the course is completely packed either. I'm not going to play through 9 groups! :)

Do 7-somes of rec players with one disc each really play slow at your courses? I'm telling you they play amazingly fast around here, if you can get past the "instant bias" at seeing a 7-some and actually watch their speed of play.

Now, 7 of us is always a very very very bad idea. That's because we all think we are good and we play very slowly compared to a rec player with one disc.

At Morley, you'll see a 7-some and groan. But if you pay attention, you'll see that they each throw and then run to their discs, right off the end of the teepad so that the next guy is throwing right at them. The 1st guy has usually thrown his second shot by the time the last guy tees off. If you pay attention while you play the hole, you'll see that the 7-some is actually waiting at the next tee for the slow playing three-some of players with bags that is ahead of them. So don't hate on herd of one-disc rec players. They play fast.

Now what really is irritating is a 7 to 9-some of intermediates, each with a disc golf bag full of discs, clogging up the course playing Wolf on a crowded course. That there is seriously discourteous.

as i mentioned earlier, we're fortunate in these here parts that our dg courses don't often get that crowded. i understand seneca can have issues sometimes, but i rarely have experienced a significant back up at any course except during weekly/tourney play.

i think we're all agreeing here.

TNT tonight at druid hill dgc! draw at 6pm, bring your $3, bring your mini! word has it that we will be acknowledging cinco de mayo with margaritas. t minus 2.75 hrs until i escape the orifice. the baltimore sun will be covering tonight's competition.

PlanB, that's a pretty normal size group for Wellspring this time of year. I probably even know who you are talking about as the guys I'm thinking of are always in groups that size. If it's the ones I know, they'd let you play thru if you'd just politely ask them.

At Wellspring if all they are doing is playing in a big slow group, that's not so bad. The problem is when these big groups decide to trash the course or break stuff. I'd say that's a bigger problem that happens way too often there.

!!!

it's a problem if anyone trashes the course regardless of whatever the group size is :confused:

True, but it usually happens with large groups on Wellspring. One or two guys don't break stuff there because there's usually a group of 4 or more "real golfers" somewhere around that will intimidate a small group into rethinking their actions if they get out of line. A large group thinks they have a numerical advantage over the normal 4 or 5 guys that keep the place up. But even these large groups get surprised sometimes because at the right time of day, there are enough golfers in earshot that all you really have to do is yell and then any size group is quickly outnumbered. At that point we "recommend" that the destructive group leave. And no, we don't go around threatening to beat down idiots, but we also aren't just going to stand by and watch all our hard work get trashed.

sounds very "sharks and jets" :D

Do 7-somes of rec players with one disc each really play slow at your courses?



being a college community the majority of the rec players we get here. have 1 disc or 2 if they find one lying in a fairway, and a cooler or 2 full of beer. so yes they play extremely slow.

: ) :

What I cannot stand is when they are oblivious to me, the only person, waiting for them and they refuse to let me play through. I usually wait until we get to a hole that is over 350ft (way beyond their reach) and I throw a disc over their heads to get their attention. This usually gets them to allow me to play through,,,




As I was taking my second putt from the creek along came a drive that landed about 6ft from me. These players were not skilled professionals, but 1 disc charlie recreational players. I yelled at them in disgust and as I missed that putt, just to make them mad I took my time to hole out and walk off the green.

We had planned to let them play through after the hole. But once they threw a disc at us, we said forget it and made them wait for the rest of the round. Nothing aggrevates me more then stupidity on the course and a lack of respect of other golfers and rules of the game.



Hey buddy, who you crappin'?

Did you read the context of the two DIFFERENT posts?!

The first one I was talking about other players being oblivious on the course when a single player is behind them.

The second part was concerned with etiquette; the people threw at me on a 250ft hole and were laughing.

Plus I have actually never had the cajones to throw at another person even at 350ft, because at the speed I throw it could cause serious injuries.

So please to not misquote me again. I knew I had talked about "throwing over peoples heads", but I believe I also said in that same prior thread that I never do that.

Rhett, I agree that 1-disc 6-7 somes CAN be kinda fast, considering.

But on a "busy" course (6 to 12 groups on course) even a fast rec 6-7some is going to put a crimp timewise on most casual speed rounds.

Maybe an unwritten rule of thumb for herds should be that if they have to have 2 groups play thru, then maybe they need to split. Certainly for 3 groups.

And I agree with some that herd golf can be tons of fun with the right people and circumstances.

To me, a normal, unimpeded, casual 4-some adv/pro round in the NW is about 1:15, +/- 15 minutes.

When I spend :30 more than normal, then I start to think about the time I'm wasting and sighing a bit.

Whe I spend 1:00 more than normal, I definitely get [*****], start thinking things like: should I practice putting for a while on each basket, even though people are ready to drive? why didn't I bring my crossword puzzle? is there ANY joke I haven't told yet? is it possible to start a "RIPT" game in the middle of the round?

Last time someone threw there disc and it landed near me, I picked it up and threw it over there heads, over the chain link fence with barbwire on the top behind them, it didn't happen again. (this happened on #2 at Autobon, we were in sight, not around the corner yet)

it is unfortunate to have wait on a herd, but such is life!
Luckily in Houston there is only one course with this problem. Plenty other choices around, but I know I have been steamed on a large card. I get over it, and try not to frequent that course too often, then it becomes habitual

Not a herd...

http://home.earthlink.net/~trisim/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/gang_on_5_march_2k4_560w.jpg

:cool: ...the lead Pack! ;)


<font size=-4>p.s. note shadows</font>

Do 7-somes of rec players with one disc each really play slow at your courses? I'm telling you they play amazingly fast around here, if you can get past the "instant bias" at seeing a 7-some and actually watch their speed of play.


Now, 7 of us is always a very very very bad idea. That's because we all think we are good and we play very slowly compared to a rec player with one disc.

At Morley, you'll see a 7-some and groan. But if you pay attention, you'll see that they each throw and then run to their discs, right off the end of the teepad so that the next guy is throwing right at them. The 1st guy has usually thrown his second shot by the time the last guy tees off. If you pay attention while you play the hole, you'll see that the 7-some is actually waiting at the next tee for the slow playing three-some of players with bags that is ahead of them. So don't hate on herd of one-disc rec players. They play fast.

Now what really is irritating is a 7 to 9-some of intermediates, each with a disc golf bag full of discs, clogging up the course playing Wolf on a crowded course. That there is seriously discourteous.



That is because Morley you can drink beer. Most courses that I have seen with herds of people have one disc and a cooler full of beer but not Morley. They are to busy drinking beer and not throwing.

Played in a 10 some. We were actually faster than the 2 some in front of us the whole round. No one was drinking Beers during play either.

Bottles of any kind are Outlawed because the glass will find it's way to rocks and concrete ,creating a mess.

What about cigarette ?

I can usually rake between 20-30 away from benches and tee pads. Should there be ashtrays attached to the tee sign poles ?

Not really a problem though. Most are cool about where they throw out there .

Broken glass is my pet peave..... I have seen people cut.

i agree. glass is not a good idea at the course. anyone who has a problem with that rule needs to buck up and move to the cans while at any park. i know some guys who just do not like to drink beer out of cans. BEERS BEER! just drink it :D

bottle drinkers on the course are wussies!

though i have one sitting in front of me at the moment...DRINK ON :cool:

Bottles are better !!!!!! Beer is colder and fresher , to me anyway. Super Ice cold sometimes , can't be beat.

It's really hard though , to tell someone , when they are beyond hammered. :eek: They just don't give a F......

Seen glass in the trash cans , O.K. , as long as they don't make it back out , onto the course.

Your right though. Some just Will not drink from a can. Period.

At least we can try and encourage them to use the trash cans.

How about Kegs ? Saw these guys , have 6 Kegs in a trash dumpster full of Ice !!!!!!!! PARTY !!!!!!!!! :eek: :cool:

Perhaps placing the broken glass from previous bottles under their tires would effectively get the message across not to bring them in the park. Etiquetit for etiquetat.

beer out of the bottle is better...the colder the better....no doubt.

some people are hard headed and there is nothing you can do. but think about it. if you bring glass on the course you may not break it, but leave it sitting next to a tee box or on the ground somewhere. then some middle school kid, just like me years ago, will come along and experience great pleasure in finding a way to break that glass causing possible injury to people or animals who cross through....so think ahead and stick to the cans...UNLESS ITS THE FAT TIRE! :D

Yea , or worse yet , throw it at cars or out into the street !!

kids are tricky. i took out some windows in my day. unluckily i was caught by the cops after a 30 minute getaway attempt through the trees behind my neighborhood. worked for a couple months to pay that one off and it had everything to do with broken glass :D

We had a small problem with broken glass. One of the neighborhood kids would take all the glass out of the trash cans, and break the bottles on the closest tee pad. Wish more people who choose to drink on the course would buy cans.

Canned beer is not terrible, but it is second rate compared to beer in the bottle. Not that I drink heavily or everytime I play, but if I have the urge to have a beer or two during my round at a course, I would carry bottles and make sure the empty bottles go back home with my in my car or cooler, even if the course has trash cans provided on the course.

Canned beer is not terrible, but it is second rate compared to beer in the bottle.


Bottled beer IS better...with the exception of Miller Lite, which I prefer from a can...it just tastes great AND is less filling! Now, whether this cold refreshing beverage is actually beer or not is for another thread...!

Regardless of glass or can, if you bring it in, at a minimum put it in a trash can. It would be best to carry it out if you bring it in!! I push a cart and will often carry trash out that I did not pack in, becasue I have the room. It would be best if you took your own trash out!

This goes back to a previous post, but here goes. Can people not go a few hours in a day without drinking a beer or smot poking, in public no less. Drinking on public property is illegal, so is littering, as well as smot poking (although it should be legal, another thread, another time). We will never be able to break stereotypes with these careless people be a large part of our sport and recreation of disc golf. Sooner or later enough people will complain about the trash and the danger of being cut by the busted glass, that the parks departments will stop allowing the courses to go in or shut them down. I enjoy beer as much as the next guy, but in my 4 years of playing I have never needed to turn one up while on the course.

Drinking on public property is illegal...



Just a small quibble and the other side of the littering coin, if I may:

I don't drink. It's a choice thing. But here in Oregon, many of our disc golf courses are in State Parks. The majority of these state parks allow drinking within their boundaries.

As for the city parks shutting down disc golf courses due to littering, we have a situation at Pier Park in Portland OR, that is a surprising deviation from that pattern. Pier Park used to be a haven for drugs and prostitution, until the disc golf course was put in almost three years ago. Now, with all of the constant foot traffic that the course generates, those activities have moved on. I think the City is beginning to see the value of disc golf in this kind of situation. This sort of model may not work as well in rural areas, or areas with less instances of crime to begin with, but it sure is a point to consider when proposing a course in a metro area.

...we have a situation at Pier Park in Portland OR, that is a surprising deviation from that pattern. Pier Park used to be a haven for drugs and prostitution, until the disc golf course was put in almost three years ago.


Not really a deviation, Erik. Many disc golf courses got put in for that exact reason. Oak Grove in Pasedena and Morley Field in San Diego are fer sure in that club, as are many others.

I understand the Kilborne course in Charlotte was specifically requested by the neighbors to help clean up unsavory (that's the PC word you use at park meetings) activities in their park.

ever watch The Wire on HBO?

ever hear of druid hill park in baltimore?

if it weren't for druid hill dgc, that portion of the park would be a no man's land (no man's land was a good movie btw, check it out).

Same with Bartholomew in Austin. I guess some deviants are preferable to others. ;)

Living in San Diego we have 2 Disc Courses with Beer Cart Girls, sure is nice to have a cold one while playing, just like regular golfers do. The amount of beer and liquor consumed by ball golfers is huge, why do you think they have beer cart girls.
And on the whole bottled beer vs can beer, go for the growler from your local brewery, fresh beer is best and a 1/2 gallon is a nice amount of beer for a round of golf ;)

Well, I guess all I can be is happy to be proved that the positive impacts of disc golf are not the deviation to the norm. Color me pleased with our hobbyist community. :D

And pat yourselves on the back for not contributing to the "unsavory" activities (well, at least not the prostitution). :D

Living in San Diego we have 2 Disc Courses with Beer Cart s, sure is nice to have a cold one while playing, just like regular golfers do. The amount of beer and liquor consumed by ball golfers is huge, why do you think they have beer cart s.
And on the whole bottled beer vs can beer, go for the growler from your local brewery, fresh beer is best and a 1/2 gallon is a nice amount of beer for a round of golf ;)



:cool:1/2 gallon is a nice amount of beer for a round of golf .

Sweet !!!!!! /msgboard/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Didn't they have a club at one time , in Mission Valley , where the Gal came up , in a two piece bathing suit , armed to the teeth with Tequilla bottles and a gun holtster full of shot glasses ? :eek:

Hooters?

Almost..............

She had a Cowboy hat and Thigh high leather boots !!!!!