What would you do to Mesker?

If we can get the city to do some improvements what would you do.

Here are some of the things I have thought of and heard from others

1) Bridge/walkway over #2 Ditch area
2) Bridge from #5 Basket to #6 Tee Pad
3) Stairs leading up to #8 Tee Pad
4) Stairs leading out of Nine's basket
5)???

One other thing I think would be nice is a "warm up/throwing" net similar to What is out at USI. Maybe along the woods by the practice green.

One nice thing to have would be more sleves in the ground to offer an alternate pin positions. That would also require a need for updated hole signs as well. It would be neat to have a B location for several holes. This would also allow more challenge for multiple round tournaments where you could essentially play a different course at a two round tournament. Also I would suggest having score cards available with yardage for players to pickup before the round. Maybe have some kind a lock box by the sign with score cards you could pull out. Its a great course thanks for all the hard work so many people have put in to make it a great course!!!

What do you think is better.....

multiple pin placements or multiple tee pads

my vote is tee pads. the reason being, if you have pro and recs playing the same course at the same time it is much better to have short and long tee pads to accomodate both. plus you don't have to move baskets in between rds.

I have played courses with multiple pin placements and it is fun, but i still like two tee pads better...just my opinion

My home course has 3 pin placements and I think that that is much better. The novice players that play the shorter tees eventually move to the longer tees...I think it is better to play the longer ones and get better at them. Shorter tees allow people to play shorter holes at the same par, but why not make a higher par for novice and have them strive to make par 3s?

There are positives and negatives to alternate pin positions. Negatives being that you would have to move them between tournament rounds, players arguing over i want the pin in position A this time where the other would want position b, A couple of positives would be: One time it could be a hyzer shot, next it could be an anhyzer shot, At most courses it's cheaper and easier to have alternate pin positions than alternate tee pads. If it was any course other than Mesker my vote would be on holes that don't have long and short pads you could have alternate pin positions, then it could be like 2 or 3 courses in 1. Just my opinion. Mesker is great the way it is though.

Great comments on the course....
I like hearing people talk about their thoughts, and I will offer the thoughts behind my comment as well. I said alternate pin positions because there are many holes with alternate tee pads. I don't know if there is a need for alternate tee pads for every hole, or alternate pin positions for every whole. But when you combine the two.... alternate pins and pads on a variety of holes you produce a completly different course. Sure it maybe a hassle to move baskets but play a round and move them as you play. Its not that big of deal to move a basket. In mind is #9, Imagen the alternate location on that hole. longer////shorter???? I think longer and little more up the hill would add a lot of challenge. However if you go shorter...perhaps on this side of the bridge maybe up the hill, you add another ace-able hole to the course. Its a great course the way it is, but does that mean it cant be better? We are talking about little tweaks but its those tweaks that separate the good courses from the great courses. My opinion... its needs both pin and pad alternates. Its has pads so it makes sense to now add the alternate pins. I live over an hour away from Mesker Park, but I consider it my home course sense there is no course closer. If you add the sleeves Ill come move the baskets when needed.... so that argument is taken out of the discussion. ITS A GREAT COURSE I AM SO GLAD ITS HERE FOR US TO ENJOY!!!!!! Thank you so much to the many of you who have put time into building such a fun course!!!!! Your work is not often noticed, but its because of you disc golf will explode in our area! If I can help in any way let me know!

New pin placements are a great idea. I've felt for a long time that hole 8 needs a new one. I think that putting a pin placement further down the gap and cutting out some trees would make that alternate hole pretty sweet. We would then probably have to put a small bridge over the creek though. Just somehting to throw out there. I dont know the overall opinion on that hole but I personnally think it would be a much better hole throwing from the alternate tee pad to a different pin placement versus from on top of the hill. All good though. Who are ya rkay24?

New pin placements are on the horizon

I say we have sissy pads on all the holes that need one so alt. Pins would be super sweet I think we should keep the look going an make a stone bridge on two.also think some steps going to sixes tee an also steps up to eights pad would put a nice touch to the course other then that we have a great course thanks to alot of hard work from a.e.d.g.c thanks guys

John, you're in charge of building the stone bridge.

john short wrote:I say we have sissy pads on all the holes that need one so alt. Pins would be super sweet I think we should keep the look going an make a stone bridge on two.also think some steps going to sixes tee an also steps up to eights pad would put a nice touch to the course other then that we have a great course thanks to alot of hard work from a.e.d.g.c thanks guys

All of those would be nice, but are unlikely; I wanted to do something down near two but the parks department wouldn't be able to take their mowers through there then (even though they only mow like twice a summer). Same with the addition of steps...too many things for them to mow around. Many of those ideas would have to be petitioned to the parks department.

Stop trying to fix Mesker Park.The adopt a hole program was a great idea but, people started cutting every limb or tree near the fairway. Now we want to change the layout. I would be pissed if I drove a couple of hours to play just to get there and see that my favorite shots have been changed because the locals wanted something different. Go play somewhere else. Ask yourself when is the last time I've been to USI. Most courses with multiple pin placements were designed like that originally. When I go to these courses they are usually in the same spot because that is the best layout. We already have this at Mesker. Its pretty selfish to have something this nice and its still not good enough.Happy New Year.

Matt, I agree with you that alternate pin placements is not good for Mesker. We have a sweet layout, and people travel long distances to play Mesker. Though I do not think that there was to much trimming to the course personally. The course was looking pretty overgrown, I believe with the trimming that the course's appearance has improved. Matt is right, why change something that is so good?

I don't think Mesker is going to randomly not be cool with alternate pin placements. You both are on crack. I understand the "don't fix what ain't broken" mentality, but we aren't making a new course, just adjusting things. I don't think any of the baskets are in completely different spots, just a few feet back from the original, or tucked in slightly differently. It's gonna kick ass

i understand both sides here. but for me, when i make a trip up there to play. i wanna play what i have come to love. i dont play it more then 4 or 5 times a year. i want it to stay the same. i truly do love it the way it is.

Charlie Aubrey wrote:You both are on crack.

HA!

I would fix the water fountain.

jgiesman wrote:I would fix the water fountain.

Jeff's right. I'd rather have a working water fountain than alternate pins!

The water fountain isn't fixable. No water going to it, from what I understand.

I wouldnt change Mesker lets just keep getting new courses built!!!

Kern is right...lets just build new courses. Lets be the Mecca for Indiana disc golf.

running a water line would be a lot less expensive than a new course. Besides, we have USI, Hendo, and Owensboro. That is 5 within 45 minutes. But, this is just my opinion.

I would rather have a new course than a water fountain.

This is how I rank the discussed options.

1. New course.
2. Water fountain.
3. Alternate pin placements.

Talking about getting new courses won't get them in the ground. You guys need a good strategy for approaching local parks departments and someone/or some group who can deal with the local government. I know Nick and a select few others have taken this upon themselves, but let's face it, they can't do it themselves. They have lives away from disc golf just like each one of you. It's hard work, it really is!! I know a lot of people say they want more courses, but when it comes down to it they aren't willing to invest the time it takes to get a new course. I guess my point is, if you want something you're going to have to work for it. Kudos to Nick, Ben, and very few others who have stepped up too progress the sport in the area.

There is tons of documentation online on how to approach a local government on getting a new course, don't get discouraged as most courses take years not months. Check out the PDGA's website if you are serious on taking on this daunting task.