Crane Hill Hill Evolves!

[Bill Stewart]

I think I need to take "Roller 101" Karl. Is it offered as an elective course at the University of NEFA?

The approach from the far edge of the field is a fair one Dan. I got one through on a Firebird anny flick that made a nice S turn to about 15' from the basket--too bad it took me two shots to get into the opening....

Thanks for all you've done Crane-Hillers, I would definitely encourage anyone who hasn't been there to check it out.

[Dan Hale]

Getting out to do some work with a small crew today.....who's in?

I figure I can sweat off about 7 lbs of my beer gut today....I think I may even wear a tyvek suit...

[Tyler_Bernier]

Hey Dan,

I think I'll have some time today to help out at Crane.

[Dan Hale]

Shooting for noonish...

[Tyler_Bernier]

Noon sounds good to me!

[Davis Johnson]

Workday was short but productive in the 95 degree heat. A couple of storm bent birches were cut along the fairway of Hole 2, so the flight path is a little more open now. Stuff along the left fairway of 15 was also cut and dragged. A tree in the bottleneck area of 16 was also cut to open things up a little, though it's still pretty tight.

Last but not least, the new fairway for the extension of 15 was substantially cleared and bucked. This will be a challenging, par 4+ alternative to look forward to.

Thanks to PJ Dan for organizing this, and to the half dozen or so hard workers who showed up to provide some sweat equity!

[Dan Hale]

Going to do another mini workday tomorrow to get one step closer to the installation of the new sleeves...hope to see some locals out there...
Thanks in advance to all who can help...

[Dan Hale]

Weather permitting we will be out there tomorrow continuing work on the extension of hole 15...hopefully we can wrap that up and move on to the completion of hole 4...I am hoping to have some new sleeves cemented in the ground by the end of next week...let's do it!!!


I want to say thanks to the crew that has helped out the last couple workdays....Steve M., Mike K., Jeff L., Charlie, Mike F., Tyler the Prospect, and Davis...and big thanks to Ken W. for all he does....I hope I didn't miss anyone...I am sorry if I did....

FURTHUR!!!

[Dan Hale]

More progress was made Friday and Saturday....the extension of hole 15 is coming along quite nicely....hole 4s extension is also coming together...work was also completed on 12's alternate location...we'll keep chipping away at it...it looks like we can knock out the final touches on 4 and 15 with one more solid workday with a good crew...


Thanks to all who were there Friday and Saturday...Mike K., Steve M., Charlie, Jeff L., Josh B., Tyler B., Dan M....you guys rock...


Shooting for a semi early start on monday....9:00ish....hopefully work until 1 or 2....let's rage it this week so we can cement the new sleeves in before league on thursday...

[Steve Marcil]

I just want to say great job on the course. Keep up the good work!

[Dan Hale]

Thanks for the kind words....


The crew will be out there this morning continuing preparation for the hole extensions....


cmon out and help....

[Dan Hale]

Well, I have to say the Crane crew rocks!! I am very impressed at the amount of work we hammered out today. We definitely set a record for an early week workday. Thanks to all who came out! Dan M., Steve M., Mike K., Eric K., Chris, Pete C., Charlie, Jeff L., and last but not least Tyler B.

We are almost ready to go with the alternate greens on holes 3 and 12. The new 4 and 15 are ready for sleeves and if all goes well I plan on putting them in tomorrow evening. We are going to try to meet again for another power session tomorrow at 930ish....

[Dan Hale]

Hahaha what a one two punch!!!! ! Crane crew crushing back to back days...lots of clearing knocked out today.....alt 1, alt 16, alt 17, and alt 18 greens all carved out today...


and then....we cemented the alt sleeves in for holes 1, 3, 4, 12, 15, 16, 17, & 18s.....

BOOM!!!! back at it tomorrow in the morning.....same Bat time and same Bat channel....

big thanks to the usually suspects Mike, Steve, Charlie, Tyler , Matt, Gary , john, Kretchy, Freaky, and jeff...and some new faces Taylor and Robin...I hope didnt miss anyone...

[Dan Hale]

Awesome work day again yesterday....we cemented another 4 alternate sleeves into the ground and cleared three more alternate greens....

I will be moving some baskets today before league....Come on out and check out the new holes and alternate locations....


Thanks to everyone who helped yesterday....Steve M, Jake, John, John, Ben....I hope I didnt forget anyone.....

[Pete Charron]

Wow.. Crane looks SICKKKK!!!

Unbelievable how much can get done when you have such a dedicated crew of people.. It's obvious that everyone who plays Crane really appreciates it, as so many of us show up to work.

Kudos on a really amazing job Dan and everyone.. We played alternate 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 15 and 16 at league yesterday and it was awesome.. So much fun having new looks on your home course..

CHEERS!!!

[Andy Neal]

Crane Hill is amazing now. Just goes to show what can happen when like
minded people go to work with a common goal. YEEAAHHH.

[Andrew Ross]

I just played some of the new holes this weekend, and the course looks great, especially #4 and #15. On behalf of all of us who have mostly just been playing the course, and not working much on it, I'd like to say a big thank you to everybody who put all the effort in. I wish I could have been around to help out. What's the official word on the new par? Has par on 16 changed for the alt pin placement?

[David Cook]

Has par changed on any holes?

[Dan Hale]

Thanks to the donation from Pure Flight two new baskets have been added to the course. They have been put in place on hole 1 and hole 16. Keep an eye out here for work day info. I would love to see another work day or two before snow falls.

[Justin White]

I really like most of the changes to the course. Some not so much. Keep up the great work

[Pete Charron]

Thanks for the shout out Dan, great work on the course, Ken was doing some killer work opening up 16 the other day.. Good stuff!

[Karl Molitoris]

opening up 16

What? Opening it up ? I want that gap to CLOSE up !

[Pete Charron]

not all of us throw epics 450 feet Karl... With the new long 16 and some bending birches in that opening alley it made sense to open that up just a wee bit. (The new long 16 is about 150feet from the "short" up the path to hole 17, to give some context)

Most of the work was done making the approach gap a little more fair. There was a line of trees roughly 100 feet from the basket that were very difficult to penetrate and made it a tweenerish par 4/5 but with the work it's probably playing more like an appropriate 4 now!

[MATTHEW VALERI]

Lost a white Buzzz SS on hole 15 awhile ago if anyone finds it. It's to the left where the path to hole 16 is at the bend.

Lots of changes from the last time I played. Some good, some I question. Hopefully it is a work in progress and will continue to only get better. The one bit of advice I can give from a "recreational" player is to remember that not everyone wants a bunch of 450 ft holes. A few courses (cough... Buff... cough..) seem to be lengthening their holes just for the sake of making them longer. I don't subscribe to the mentality of longer = better. Good design trumps good distance any day. Not to say a nice long hole can't be great but something like the new 4 (?) seems odd where it looks like the basket was just thrown up higher into the woods for the sheer hell of it.

Please keep in mind I say this with great respect of all the players that make this and every other disc golf course possible. Without your hard work the sport wouldn't be growing like it is today. I just hope care is taken to keep courses friendly to the beginners and recreational players that enjoy the sport also.

[Jeff Wiechowski]

Really, REALLY like the changes !!!

Played here today with a couple DisCappers on the way home from the CW/NEFA event.

[Davis Johnson]

As to Crane Hill changes, I sympathize with newbies/recreational players who find some of these a bit too much. I know at least one player who is skipping over 4 and 15 "'cause they're just not fun."

That said, the plan is to have two polehole positions on just about all of the holes which should be win/win for all. I know most experienced players are really enjoying the challenges of the new longer positions as an added tonic to the Crane Hill experience. Hopefully soon, there will be the option of playing your favorite version of Crane Hill, be you novice or experienced.

[Eric Kretschmar]

...the plan is to have two polehole positions on just about all of the holes which should be win/win for all.

In theory, I agree with this completely. The more players the course caters too, the better. However, there are a few instances at crane (at least where there are currently 2 sleeves) that the short basket would greatly interfere with the long fairway. I just hope this is considered. One option may be to move some of the short sleeves (4, 13, 15) out of the fairway for the long. I don't mind avoiding trees/other natural obstacles, but to avoid a basket for a layout you aren't playing on a good shot, that would be an unfortunate step in the wrong direction at crane.

[Roy Doar]

played C.H. yesterday AM adjacent to the team challenge ( thanks to the GMs, Mike & Mike, for the fun round) ...much to like about this course... tee pads, baskets, kiosk, parking, lack of litter, good design w/ decent balance and few "forced" holes ... but glaringly absent : SIGNS ! ... for about the cost of two baskets, 18 tee signs and a full set of "next tee" signs and a big course map on the back of the kiosk could move the course from good to nearly great ... scorecards w/map and benches on every tee would make it rate fully Great ... the regulars might not appreciate the upgrade enuf to justify the cost, but the visiting player, rec or exp, will miss them, if not struggle, w/o them, yes? ... still, great work to create nice layout in great park ... oh, and I've added a Crane Hill sweatshirt to my Xmas wish list - really nice !

[Davis Johnson]

The reason for no signs, Roy, is the local orienteering club is practicing there. Unfortunately, they haven't figured out the layout either! Just kidding, but yes, this is our glaring omission and one that will hopefully be rectified soon).

On the plus side, Ken Wagner, myself, and a very intrepid Venture Crew scout named Abbey who was working with the handicap of 28 stitches due to a knife cut across the fingers of one of her hands; together we put in a walkway along the left side of the ravine on Hole 14. Players are encouraged to use this route to avoid causing erosion elsewhere.

[Steven Dakai]

Wow! It has been 3 or 4 years since I last played Crane Hill and I am very impressed with the rapid maturity of the course. The amount of work that has gone into the upgrades there is impressive.
Tee signs will be a great addition. Let me know when the fundraiser starts, I will gladly kick in for a bag tag or something.

What is the par on hole 15? is it a 15? If so I got a birdie. Not sure about that one,lol.

We added in a new hole, down the road to the practice basket from 18's basket, to bring us back to the car.

All in all, a fun course that mixes open and wooded holes and makes great use of elevation.