Re: UMass Amhert course in close to installation!
Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2016 9:39 am
Jason, I don't know you and can't tell if your comments are good natured teasing or a snarky cheap shot on Brian. I'm friends with Brian and I can at least tell you:
Brian's company Explore Disc Golf has designed or co-designed at least eight or nine permanent courses that I know of that "still exist", and all of them meet a standard of quality. As a professional designer Brian has to work with what the client gives him to work with, and he has pulled some amazing layouts out of some sketchy property. All of his courses stress safe design and meet the level of play the client asks for. Not all are 18 hole "Gold Level" monsters, but that's not always what his clients are looking for.
If you're implying the UMASS Orchard Hill Course "isn't good", it certainly has more to do with how the school chooses to maintain the property and lack of funding for any course improvements. The design is solid and when the course is mowed and cleaned up it's a fun "White Course" from the back tees and a "Red Level" course from the front, and its exposed the sport of Disc Golf to hundreds of students over the years.
Brian built the GREAT Pineland Farms course just outside of Portland, Maine, its quickly getting the reputation for being one of the best courses in New England.
My favorite design of Brian's is Scouting Woods in Peabody, where he took what's basically big water retention area and carved out the first course in the Boston metro area worth taking seriously.
I'm not sure if your "still exists" comments references the many temporary 3 hole courses Brian puts in at major music festivals around the country, that have exposed hundreds of first time players to the game and routinely get RAVE reviews from players and music promoters.
Brian's company Explore Disc Golf has designed or co-designed at least eight or nine permanent courses that I know of that "still exist", and all of them meet a standard of quality. As a professional designer Brian has to work with what the client gives him to work with, and he has pulled some amazing layouts out of some sketchy property. All of his courses stress safe design and meet the level of play the client asks for. Not all are 18 hole "Gold Level" monsters, but that's not always what his clients are looking for.
If you're implying the UMASS Orchard Hill Course "isn't good", it certainly has more to do with how the school chooses to maintain the property and lack of funding for any course improvements. The design is solid and when the course is mowed and cleaned up it's a fun "White Course" from the back tees and a "Red Level" course from the front, and its exposed the sport of Disc Golf to hundreds of students over the years.
Brian built the GREAT Pineland Farms course just outside of Portland, Maine, its quickly getting the reputation for being one of the best courses in New England.
My favorite design of Brian's is Scouting Woods in Peabody, where he took what's basically big water retention area and carved out the first course in the Boston metro area worth taking seriously.
I'm not sure if your "still exists" comments references the many temporary 3 hole courses Brian puts in at major music festivals around the country, that have exposed hundreds of first time players to the game and routinely get RAVE reviews from players and music promoters.
