I play in Texas were generally the tee area is the worst place to throw from on every hole. Has the PDGA thought about standardizing the shape and material used for tee boxes. I think for A-tier and above, the tees should have to be concrete. I also think that the shape should be 4' wide in front, tapering to 6' wide in back, and having a length of 15'. We have standardized the discs and targets we use so why have we not standardized the tee area as it is also very important.

I realize that in some areas due to erosion or evironmental sensitivity, concrete will not be allowed. Fly pads attached to a wooden frame with some sort of compacted gravel underneath seems like a good alternative to concrete.

I am personally tired of playing on loose, dangerous tee surfaces at tournaments that I have paid to play.

The standardization of baskets is not as good as you think. Yes, there are some baskets that are not allowed in PDGA competition. However, there are no standards of basket heighth and until there is the same kind of basket on every course, there will not be techincally standards for them either.

When it comes to teeing areas, all I ask is that it's flat and I have enough room.

Standardization with hard surface pads was attempted for NTs this year but failed when, ironically, it was Texas (among others) that couldn't comply. I think it's certainly a goal but it's hard to force the issue when there are several other issues that go into hosting a good A-tier or NT. Pro Worlds this year will be all cement tees.

You know, sometimes you just have to take a hard stance. To provide a consistent level of professionalism, I totally support a "hard-surface" initiative for tee boxes during NT's. These tournaments more than any others are about the golf and not about a player's party or some other consolation to make up for lackluster courses. As I said previously, there should be an alternative when concrete is not an option that provides an excellent tee surface. Pro Worlds in Pennsylvania did not have concrete everywhere but did use a compact gravel type base with a mat overlay that provided a firm, stable tee area as well as quick drainage through the mat.

If you want to host the best events, then have the best kept courses!

As Chuck said, attempts are being made to standardize events at least at the NT level. In the 2007 NT Sanctioning Agreement, it will be a recommendation (not a requirement) that: "All courses are recommended to have non-earthen tee pads located at or above ground level".

Chris,

I think it would good to have an acceptable standard so that when we go to the City park and rec departments we can show a published standard. Width, legth per tee to pin length minimums would be great. However, if we next say that they must comply to a set standard before an A-Tier or NT event can be played, this will significantly reduce the number of courses that can be played. I am not sure that any of the World's events met your criteria.


I play in Texas were generally the tee area is the worst place to throw from on every hole. Has the PDGA thought about standardizing the shape and material used for tee boxes. I think for A-tier and above, the tees should have to be concrete. I also think that the shape should be 4' wide in front, tapering to 6' wide in back, and having a length of 15'. We have standardized the discs and targets we use so why have we not standardized the tee area as it is also very important.

I realize that in some areas due to erosion or evironmental sensitivity, concrete will not be allowed. Fly pads attached to a wooden frame with some sort of compacted gravel underneath seems like a good alternative to concrete.

I am personally tired of playing on loose, dangerous tee surfaces at tournaments that I have paid to play.

For a concept such as this to work, the PDGA would have to provide financial assistance to the courses where the NT's and A-tiers are regularly played . Logistically this could never happen, for the simple fact that the PDGA budget would not allow it. Unless you desired to pay an additional 50 dolars a year to be a member.
What needs to happen " did " happen in Tulsa this year. One course working to benefit the next...... i.e. - the basket exchange program.
If you took course funds from local courses, and combined the monies saved , it could happen. I would love nothing more than to see the same tee signs, tee pads and benches on every course here in the metroplex. It would provide a sense of continuity in the local scene. It would also let the non-local disc golfer know the we here in _________ city , we all work together. NEVER GONNA HAPPEN!

SAD BUT TRUE!

Ok, let me respond to a couple of these points. First, we should be trying to constantly improve our premier events. By creating a set of standards, players can expect a consistent level of professionalism at tour events. Again these standards should be for NT's and majors. Older courses could be grandfathered in for a period of say 3 years to update to the new standards. Using money raised at the NT event, a course should be able to install compliant tee-boxes within a 3 year window. This keeps the PDGA from reducing the available courses used at these events during the transition from the current situation of minimal standards to a very attainable short-term goal of consistent and well defined standards.

Secondly, I am looking forward to improve the sport, not at previous events. If we do not impose higher standards year after year at our premiere events, then how do we improve the quality of our courses and events?

While I am ranting about standards, what about a minimum par for NT's and majors. Let's say 60, that atleast puts 6 par 4's on a course. Our sport is moving away from par 54 courses and the top events should reflect that.

That's enough for now. :D

There is a recommended minimum of 49 SSA for courses used at A-tier and higher events for Open level. I've been checking and it seems to be on track with only a few courses at 49 last year.

www.pdga.com/documents/2004/PDGAGuides2004.pdf (http://www.pdga.com/documents/2004/PDGAGuides2004.pdf)

per a prior post:

"Using money raised at the NT event, a course should be able to install compliant tee-boxes within a 3 year window"..

great fantasy but not a reality.

as the TD of an NT event the past 2 years (Skylands Classic at Warwick) our reality (and I suspect it is similar for other NT TD's) is that after tourney expenses are handled, and a minimal amount of money can be retained by the host club, all monies remaining go into the pockets of the players. Host clubs of NT events may retain $750, which is a very small percentage of the income (sponsor dollars plus entry fees).

If a course has 2 sets of tees, at a cost of a minimum of $100 per tee, the host club needs to take the maximum event fee of $750 for 5 years in order to pay for those 36 tee pads. And of course over those 5 years you have other course and club costs that most likely eat away at that fund.

It's up to an NT TD / host club to decide if they want to "pay the price" literally and figuratively in order to meet PDGA NT standards. NT events aren't for every course and/or every club. No one is forced to run an NT event, but these 11 or 12 events are the showcase events and standardization is important.

What is the Specific Standard for Teeboxs ?

See the guidelines in this document: Disc Golf Course Design Standards - PDGA at this link: www.pdga.com/makecrse.php (http://www.pdga.com/makecrse.php)

Thanks for helping me find the link.


" Hard surface tee pads of textured cement or asphalt are preferred.
Preferred size is 5 ft wide by at least 12 ft long (1.8x3m).

Maximum size is 6 ft wide by 20 ft long with the back end flaring out to 10 feet wide.

If you need to conserve materials, make tee pads shorter on short or downhill holes and longer on long holes.

For example, a hard surfaced tee pad at the top of a hill on a short hole might only need to be 8 ft long because players will just stand at the front edge of the tee to make their throws."

:D

The key word: "preferred"

These are NOT requirements. To say that a NT event cannot be held at a tradtionally involved course because the teepad isn't the right size, or doesn't flare enough, or it's not a "solid material" pad, is bull. Courses heavily wooded, as in completely through woods, probably shouldn't have cement pads, as they are totally unnatural. There is, properly, such importance placed on environmental concerns in so much of the PDGA propoganda--to counter it with stupidity about pads MUST be hard material, MUST be a certain size, MUST be anything is bogus. Even a limited time grandfathering is a bad idea--the expense to redo all the pads at several courses in any city is outlandish, and not really necessary.

Bad idea. BAAAAD idea. Very bad.

Kind of like how NBA baskets can be any size, ball golf holes can be any size or depth, hockey sticks can be any shape, home plate any size?

I thought that the concrete was an environmental issue as well, but the engineers here at work that govern all that stuff for the County said that 35 rectangles of concrete spread out over 40 acres was not going to be a problem. So I was able to persuade Parks that concrete was the way to go.

I have to ask, why would you want to create a separate class of holes, called wooded holes, that cannot have concrete pads? If any area of the property precludes the use of concrete, then the whole course should have tees consistent with that tenet.

Ok, I've reviewed both the PDGA rules and PDGA course design standards in regard to teebox size, and have come to the conclusion that there actually are no standards. Am I correct, or is the definitive answer hidden in a deep dark corner of this website like the PDGA financials and constitution, accessable only to those deemed worthy by the dark hand of the BOD majority?

At our course, we have widened our earthen teeboxes to about 10 feet to prevent erosion. I see nothing in the rulebook that prevents this. What sayeth the "great" course designers of the PDGA? I paid a ton of money to ask this question, so don't skimp on the answer there Chuckie.

I think the proper term to use is "guidelines" for what is written regarding course design. That's pretty much the case for several PDGA documents. They are guidelines not requirements or standards since in most cases, the PDGA can't enforce them. However, for specific PDGA events, there may be actual requirements or standards that are specified that must be met.

At our course, we have widened our earthen teeboxes to about 10 feet to prevent erosion. I see nothing in the rulebook that prevents this. What sayeth the "great" course designers of the PDGA? I paid a ton of money to ask this question, so don't skimp on the answer there Chuckie.



I really like that idea. My competitive side thinks that you should probably limit use to one side or the other on a rotating basis. Maybe use one side for one month, the middle for a month, then the other side for a month and then start over. This is because there is ususlly a sweet spot on most tee boxes and most players will tend to use the same spot and still wear it out even if they have a wider choice.

haven't seen any lopsided wear and tear yet, however, the traffic here is much lighter than TX.