I take it all back!

[the_lung]

jtkustomizer took me up to Thomas Park in Salina and then to Camp Hawk last Sunday. I take back everything I ever said about Kansas courses being too wide open - these courses KICKED MY ASS!!!! Salina especially was tight woods out the wazoo and looked liked something straight out of the Mid-Atlantic states.

Central Kansas disc golf rocks!

[Schoen-hopper]

Ted's Dread (private course near KC, KS) was the toughest and most treed course I've played. Brilliant design with lots of elevation & trees and some water & OB. From the longest settings the SSA was in the 66 neighborhood. Couldn't believe we had a jewel like that here in KS. They had the "last Redbud Open" for 3 years in a row. Ted finally sold his baskets.

[disclizard]

josh should take him out to colwich

[Mace Man]

jtkustomizer took me up to Thomas Park in Salina and then to Camp Hawk last Sunday. I take back everything I ever said about Kansas courses being too wide open - these courses KICKED MY ASS!!!! Salina especially was tight woods out the wazoo and looked liked something straight out of the Mid-Atlantic states.

Central Kansas disc golf rocks!

So what are your thoughts about Thomas Park?

[Leo D.]

Played this course for the first time. I played a singles round solo in the am just to see how hard it was going to be to find your way around. Only problem i had was finding #4's tee. (and of course 5's basket )
The park is super sweet, i remember this park from years ago, Salina use to host a Fastest Kansas Streetcar car show and drag race. The car show part was at Thomas park, (long before i started disc'n) My only complaints would be #'s 7,8,9. I like the holes, but i can see major congestion happening there. I really liked #'s 2,11,13,15,17 and 18. Good job salina crew, i enjoyed it.

[the_lung]

So what are your thoughts about Thomas Park?

Of all the courses I played in the state, Thomas Park is perhaps the best test of disc golfing skills. It features true woods holes and gauntlet shots that really punish errant drives instead of just holes with scattered mature trees. You learn pretty quickly on to focus on hitting the fairway, accuracy and fairway placement instead of going for the polehole on every hole. It's got a perfect balance of wooded and open holes that make for a complete and well rounded golfer instead of just one who can throw far.

The 2nd hole really gets your attention and gives you a good idea of what you're in store for - it's a 400-ft. shot down a tunnel with man-eating rough for any shot that goes left. Errant shots to the right can sneak through into an open area, but they are more than likely to get batted down. Hole#4 plays between the levee and heavy woods right - landing up on the levee allows a better angle to attack the pin because it's tucked into the woods on the right hand side. Hole#5 and #6 are currently under heavy construction and seem to be in the up in the air right now. Holes #7-12 play through the tightest fairways in Kansas and are all eminently deuceable but also easily bogeys if you're not careful. After whacking a lot of trees, coming out of the woods to hole#13 is a like a breath of fresh air. This hole plays some 450 feet, but over a very large drainage canal. The drive is a lot trickier on this hole than it first appears - a shot that turns over right leaves a poor angle to approach the pin, but it's all to easy to throw a drive left that hyzers off and into the ditch, which serves as an inverted bunker and really only leaves an overhand or thumber escape shot. Hole#14 is a stunning lefty hyzer or righty anhzyer / RHBH roller that is very picturesque. Hole#17 is another long tunnel shot that is a borderline pro par four, although it doesn't take two heroic shots to score the birdie three - two accurate mid-range shots and a putt can accomplish the task.

There are some areas for improvement. As Leo alluded to, there is indeed some congestion on holes 7,8,9 where errant shots may stray for one hole into the other's fairway. It's probably not much of an issue for causal play but could cause a safety hazard and backups during tournaments. Also, the tee pad for hole#15 is located right in the middle of a horseshoe pit. And finally, hole#18 plays much too close to children's playground equipment - errant drives from recreational / novice players will hyzer off right into the playground.

It would also be nice to have some true pro par four holes on the course other than #17. There are a lot of tough 3s on this course but very few holes for which the scoring average for Blue level (~ 950-rated) golfers would average 4, or require two full shots to the green.

Leo, it was nice meeting you last Saturday. That was a really sweet deuce you banged on hole#16.

[Austin]

As Leo alluded to, there is indeed some congestion on holes 7,8,9 where errant shots may stray for one hole into the other's fairway.

In the summer the undergrwoth and smaller trees will knock down some stray shots, but probably not all of them. I don't know what we can do about this. I think the problem will mostly be between 8 and 9.

Also, the tee pad for hole#15 is located right in the middle of a horseshoe pit.

The horse shoe pits are as good as gone. The city agreed to let us move them. And if they change their mind we can just move the tee pad up 30 ft.

And finally, hole#18 plays much too close to children's playground equipment - errant drives from recreational / novice players will hyzer off right into the playground.

If going on the playground becomes an issue we can cut the pine tree on the right side down and move the teebox over enough to make the difference.

[smitty]

The three holes that you had to squeeze into an area big enough for two, may be a problem. I thought that the first time that I played the course.

The good news, with the exception of the flick shot, not very many people are going to be throwing drives. They are both putter or midrange holes for most people.

They are going to cause some serious back-ups when we have a tourney there. People are going to be waiting on other people the entire time, on the drive, when the other holes are putting. I think that we are going to have 2 or 3 groups waiting on the flick holes tee (they better be watching behind them because people are going to be attacking the basket with very high shots). I really think it is going to flow very well, then you are going to limp, then you will take off and flow again.

[Leo D.]

It was nice meeting you too, hope you enjoy kansas golf.

I know what you mean Austin, not much you can do in that section. Its not that bad, pretty SMALL complaint if you ask me. Course is cool with alot of variety. The only problem will be at tourny time, like Smitty said, it will flow, backup, then flow again.

[the_lung]

josh should take him out to colwich

What's that course like?

The course directory says: "Cow pasture with many mature hedge trees (thorns). Creeks and draws to cross with tight fairways. Trouble off the fairway. Multiple tees - often utilizing different fairways. Best play in winter."

Maybe it's just me, but I don't imagine a cow pasture having tight fairways or trouble off the fairway.

[smitty]

It is pretty cool. Reminds me of Texas golf when you are in the pasture portion.

[mrsenortyler]

I don't think you can get the true feeling of Colwich, without playing in 25mph+ winds..

[Schoen-hopper]

Colwich is quite the course. Insane hedge trees will stop anything. Lots of holes with character. It was many years before anyone broke par 54 in a tourney. There are long pins designed and even on the tee signs that could go in if we could organize a work effort to cut trees and plant sleeves. We also want to do some bridge work and design a set of short pins so the course could be played in the summer without having to cross the creek too much.

[the_lung]

Sounds like a tough course.

How is Woods Park in Wellington? jtkustomizer kept trying to get me down there for glow golf (which I *love*) but I always had something going on.

[STEW]

How is Woods Park in Wellington?

It's no cow pasture... It's pretty flat with a variation of distances and water hazards.