Calling out people who break down trees.

Hole #15 at Cottonwood seems to be a favorite for those tree breakers. I played yesterday and noticed a rather tall and skinny tree broken down to the ground from the hillside (elm tree). I mentioned it to someone and said how stupid it was, that they were probably laughing when they did it but most disc golfers wouldn't find it funny at all.

So today I am into a second round when I hear a tree snapping crash sound. Sure enough there is a kid yanking down yet another tree. So I am with one other guy and we start to watch these guys. At this point I see him hanging on yet another tree so I yell at him to stop breaking down trees. There are three kids maybe 18 years old and they don't take it serious. I call them morons and walk away when one kid starts acting like he wants to cause trouble. I just walk away.

Now if there are a few disc golfers in a group we generally will get the message across but since I was only with one other guy who wasn't too much of a threat I decided to just call the cops. I realized that we would be lucky if they even showed up but I just figure it can't hurt to call them. While I am waiting I just start looping out into the course and talking with other disc golfers that I know. Finally I circle back up to hole 18 where the kids are kind of hanging out. I finally get to talk with one of the kids and he doesn't really seem to get it. He answers that it is OK to break trees down because it is a public course. Then he says that he did it because his disc was stuck in this tree. The tree is so small that you could just shake the tree and any disc would fall out. It just sounds like a bunch of excuses.

Anyway, the word will get out. We don't live in a vacuum. We are a community of disc golfers and if someone thinks that they can just go around busting down trees they won't last long out there. I won't be the only one calling them out and I can't guarantee that someone else might not bust one of those kids in the chops. I hope that doesn't happen but those kids need to learn one way or another.

I shook the one kid's hand and just told him to respect the course. He was being halfway cool even though I didn't buy his excuses. Diplomacy often works best. I was just trying to let him know that if you don't do stupid things people will treat you with respect.

And the cops finally showed up, about one hour later. I knew they wouldn't be of much use. I just called them as a way of saying that what those kids were doing was not OK. Seeing the cops out there from time to time tends to keep the riff raff down as well.

[All day Corey]

Yes

[Jim Coonradt]

They were morons. I didn't actually call them that until they started to mock me about what I said about not breaking down trees. But they 100% deserved it. They didn't like it but who cares?

Anyway, they are suspects in more than one tree breaking incident it appears. So I am hoping that they "get it" and decide that it's not worth the hassle. We'll have to wait and see. If I see them again I will do my best to remain diplomatic. But if they get caught breaking shit down again all bets are off. If that were to happen in league it wouldn't be just me yelling at them. It has happened before and usually results in a foursome confronting the offenders.

[All day Corey]

My bad I didn't mean to ruffle your feathers but if the problem is that bad then maybe extreme measures are the course of action. If they are true disc golfers then the tree issue would not have been an issue. Does any else know about this or just a select few. When in Doubt tell every one that might actually care. I do remember that Widefield had its problems also. Other than that not much else to be said. I was not actually there so who knows what happened. I rarly if ever take any one at face value or believe what they say including my friends so don't take ofence. If this tree thing is an issue you can either start a war and suffer possible random acts of vandalism or turn the other cheek. Good luck.

[Jim Coonradt]

Yeah, that is the plan. Let as many people as possible know who those guys are and keep an eye on them. Not trying to start a war or anything, just trying to keep things under control. This is Cottonwood and the only way to keep things under control is to stay vigilante. In the summer we get kids who just show up to smoke pot on the tees and don't even play. Sometimes the cops get called just to let those kids know that this is still a disc golf course and not a hangout place.

Appreciate your input.

[harold king]

if you didnt install the course dont fuck with it!..even if you think you are the course pro..i understand cleaning and pruning for new pin positions,,or storm clean up..but if you aint the head guys or club prez,,DONT TOUCH JACK.

[Disc Player Sports]

We need to put what you wrote on a sign!

If you didnt install the course dont fuck with it!

but if you aint the head guys or club prez,,DONT TOUCH JACK.

[All day Corey]

Disc player sports, I love your hats. Used to own the sage green flex fit. Loved it. Just saying.

[Disc Player Sports]

See the black one is on sale.

Pukka Top of the Line quality!

http://www.discplayersports.com/dpsgolfcap.html

[Jim Coonradt]

If you really want to understand the stupidity of these kids one of them actually said that there were no signs saying that you couldn't break stuff on the course. In fact, there is a sign right next to the first tee with rules including "Don't break trees or branches". A pretty dim bulb for sure.

You can't fix stupid.

[Disc Player Sports]

Having been a 'high school' teacher, realize that the kid that said that is using whatever excuse to avoid responsibility for his action.

In other words, a lazy minded future idiot.