Course Setup

I would like to ask the question of whether any of the courses that you play can be set up to be played anywhere from easy to difficult. While the main course that I play may not be one of those "must play" courses out there, we do have the ability to lengthen some holes or add in some "ace run" holes to completely change the way the course plays. At one point this year doubles league was won by a guy playing Cali who shot 18 under. Last night doubles was won with a score of 8 down which was three clear of three other groups. So obviously the course is set up a bit harder right now and I like it that way because it is a good test of ability. Today I will go out and move one or two holes longer, one hole shorter and one hole to a location that is about the same length. So the course should play about the same overall.

 

Just wondering if the course that you play a lot gets different setups. Can it go from easy to hard?

[Greg D'OHogne]

Totally a good call on most DG courses.  Just throwing an extra sleeve in doesn't always mean anything special.  Fortunately, the land at JB provides just enough space to make it work...and I have a key, which always makes it special. 

[Jim Coonradt]

I attempted to put our number 16 pin position in "Super Deep" yesterday only to discover that the sleeve is messed up and I couldn't get the basket in far enough. So I had to put the basket in the regular deep position. Number 16 at Cottonwood Creek has the most pin positions and can be the most difficult hole of all. Somebody told me that the super deep position is only 525 or so, but the second half is uphill through the trees and you can't even see the basket from the tee. The deep position is probably sixty feet shorter but you still can not see the basket from the tee. Hole 16 has the most positions of any hole on the course with four positions on the bottom and four on the top. So that hole can go from ace run to hoping to just get a four. The rest of the holes probably average about three to four positions each, but there are also some "alternate" positions" which can be shared between two holes and some positions that generally get used for league only. Those "league only" positions get put in for two hours during league and then get moved back after play completes. Generally they are positions that can be quite difficult but might just be confusing for the average player.

 

In the end I may not have played the same course twice in the past five years.

[Rescue]

After some time Golden Gate Park is now set up like this. It still had multiple basket options on every hole, but as of late they added a few new spots that make some holes very tough. The only down side in doing this. Some holes (2 that I've played recently) now cross over walking paths, but with limited space it had to be done.

Oh, and if  you ever get a chance. This is a MUST play course!

[Dave Engle]

Three of my friends and I go out occasionally to a horse park and set up portable baskets.  We only have 6 between us, but the goal is to set up the course so that we don't move the baskets but move the tee pads instead.  We try to find locations so that we circle through 3 times for 18 holes but are forced to throw different types of shots each of the three times played. Shorter, then longer; anny's then hyzers, on top of the hill then behind it or around it, etc, etc...

 

This works pretty well for us, mainly because there's only our one group to go around so we stay consistent with all throwing from the same area.  Also, the horse park is full every type of obstacle dedicated golfers could every want.  On the one area of an open field we use we set up imaginary OB lines and mandatory obstacles.  

Works great for us!  Those baskets we're the best investments we ever made!  Nothing beats the feeling of having a well designed course layout all to ourselves for the entire day!