Pay to Play

Hudson Mills this year has started making players pay to play. It costs $2 a round, or you can purchase a bag tag for $50 annualy. This cost is in addition to parking passes that cost $4 dollars for a day or $20 annualy. Was wondering if any other parks are also starting to charge just to play Disc Golf. Also I am pretty torn on the issue. I think that it is good and inevitable for the image of the sport. But also Disc Golf is gaining more and more popularity in part due to its affordability.

[Disc Player Sports]

Now have to pay to shoot hoops at the local gym facility.
$3 a pop.

With money tight everywhere, this is the future.
Talked with a co-worker from Hungary. They pay 45% of their paycheck in taxes to get things FREE.

Hmmm, $2-$3 does not sound so bad.

[discgolfdady]

I agree with no pay to play @ city parks. State parks are different. Your local taxes are used in the city park not state, so in a way you already Pay. Keep the pay to play out of Idaho please we have one of the nations best kept secrets Ann Morrison park. This park is mowed twice a week beautiful green grass everywhere. 20 cement tee pads creeks and ponds on every other hole AND ITS FREE.

[Jay Dub]

County and city parks here like the disc golf courses. Gives people something to do and keeps the unwanted out of the park. One city park here let us put a course in the location they did because it had been a non violent crime area, the crime stopped.
I doubt there will ever come a time when all courses will be pay to play.

[rob bax]

• Just to clarify (Bruce Brakel did mention this earlier), this thread was started last year when the $50 annual pass was for Hudson Mills only. This year, that same bag tag gets you in to Hudson Mills, Kensington, and Stony Creek. I’ve heard the course at Willow does not require a day or season pass.

• It is too bad that so many courses in Southern California are pay-to-play. That would require real decision making on my part because I would not be able to justify season passes for all of them. However, it doesn’t surprise me. Real estate values (and generally, the cost of living), even in a down market, are going to be higher in SoCal than most other places. The more that is true, the more you’ll see pressure to make even public real estate ‘productive’, or at least pressure to mitigate costs.

• Finally, I was furious about pay-to-play when I first heard about it coming to Hudson Mills and I complained to the park system a lot. Now, I’m a reluctant believer. It’s easy to nit-pick about course maintenance and other issues, but overall, I have found the courses better kept up and less crowded with casuals. Whether that’s due to actual effort from the staff, or the fee has kept more out that are likely to litter/vandalize, I don’t know.

[jd]

The Michigan Metro parks have definitely put money into Hudson Mills & Kensington over the last year. Two bucks/day or 50/year, for me personally, I can't see complaining about that but I know people who don't like it at all. Play is definitely down at Hudson Mills which I believe is a combination of the fee and several new free courses opening up in the last year in the area. Many of us have played 100s of rounds at Hudson Mills, it's only natural to want to play some different courses.

[Ken Long]

Fort Custer Recreation Area (Augusta, Mi) is $6.00 per car to enter. Since its inception, Fort Custer disc golf has been going through changes, which make it hard for players... coming out... to follow around a direct 18 or 24 holes. I should apologize for that. But my schtick on this discussion would be... if you are going to a pay to play course...the course better be in excellent shape. Hudson Mills IMO is in very good shape and I do not mid paying $6.00 for my round.
Isn't Hudson Mills in the Metro Park chain? So as long as one has there payment braclet affixed...can't they play at the other Metro Parks (free of charge) by showing that bracelet? Sounds like a deal to me.
But as long as there are excellent free courses around...I will play them as well. (smiling)
K.

[Disc Player Sports]

Does anyone watch the news here?

California is out of money, the US Gov't is running out, Banks are not giving it away either.

Does your park system have any money?

$2 ouch! Well can that $2 buy a gallon of gas, milk, juice, soft drink, cigarette? NO

A disc golf course, too funny?

Send us your impoverished disc golfers.

[John Sturtevant]

I would prefer that pay to play courses be destination courses. All the free courses are like the slip and slide you use in your back yard. They can be fun, but it's in you back yard, though it's free to use when you want. Courses like Fort Custer, Robert Morris, and others for me are places that I would pay money to go to, like a Disney Land or Cedar Point. I wouldn't pay the bucks to use a friends slip and slide in his back yard like I would to go to Cedar Point.

Pay to play isn't evil, as long as I have some free courses to. I am a fan of season passes, they make great gift ideas.

No I haven't been drinking yet.

[Joe Meldrum]

Stoney Creek, in Macomb County, charges the $2 fee

[Terry "the Pirate" Calhoun]

That's one of the Huron-Clinton Metroparks, like Kensington and Hudson Mills. An annual pass at one works at all three. I am not sure if a day pass at one works at all three, though. Anyone know?

[Gary Burdick]

It is amazing that you disc golf players don't think anything of it, when you go the urnial and pizz away those 3 and 4 dollar beers, or spend $6.00 or so for your cigaretts. But to give someone 2 or 3 bucks to play a game that you are supposed to like enough to help support where you play. I can remember back in 1996 and the World's was in South Bend, Indiana. A player there took me to Niles, Michigan. There was a charge to get into Bertran Park, and a charge to play, and they rented discs and sold discs, and charged for league play. That was 13 years ago. Did the players there quit playing, I think not. Going to a ball golf course that has disc golf, they charge to play and to rent the cart. Most players chose to even pay extra, to use the golf cart instead of walking. Instead of whining about the money, why not find out how you can get involved to make things better where you do play. Quit leaving your ciggy butts, and those empty beer cans and what ever else that some disc golfers leave on the course. Instead of crying about things, take some effert and make things better yourself or with your group. Keep em flying.

[Jay Dub]

I do know this also goes on and always has. Not saying it's the case here from anyone because I don't know people here and their characters. But too often the loudest complainers are the ones who do the least, if anything, to help out.
Please be sure to do any little thing you can do to help make the experience better for every one. Sometimes all that takes is picking up trash you see as you play the course. Of course volunteering with the local club or course is even better. ;)