I don't mean bigger, as in number of courses in a given range. Obviously KC is one of the top disc golf areas by that measure. I'm talking about bigger as in challenge........We have nothing like Maple Hill, Renny, Twin Parks, Winthrop. We are caught in a pre high-speed driver era when the longest throwing disc on the market was the Roc. We need more 4's and 5's, period.
I disagree, and you are proving the point as well. You indicate 1 course in each location for the places mentioned. I also think that many of the "beginner" courses you listed can be made into "not beginner friendly" as well..Swope (gold or Non-gold, just tipped out its plenty hard), Rosey, WW, even SMP...DU can be made tough, and I don't think that it is a "newbie" friendly course.
The idea that a course needs to be made only to match the high speed driver is a complete fallacy. Courses can be made with precision to many other factors, some which may include distance....
I do however agree that to have a shorter course and a tougher course available is a good thing. I just wish that Smithville wasn't the same tract of land (same terrain essentially) over and over. I think that they are fun courses out there, but they don't offer as large of a variety for the simple fact the land doesn't give it. Not a fault in the design, just a personal opine of the entire property.
Hence some of what I am trying to look at I think agrees with your argument:
Cliff Drive West (Current)-
I am hopeful to get an additional 6 holes in there over the next 6 months. I think that you will enjoy the challenge that they will bring. I know that I am excited about it, and hope to continue to work towards a stronger course that isn't really a "newbie" one. I never had a desire to make this an easy one, and always envisioned expansion as we continue to enjoy this very unique piece of property.
Cliff Drive East-
I want to have a much shorter course across the street from #5 pad up and through and around the museum.
Blue Valley-
I want to remove the Executive 9, and incorporate 2 additional 18 hole courses within much of the same area as the existing "Monster" and then be able to hold events with 3 courses, of which you wouldn't play the same course once. Many designs and holes that were used prior to the installation are still in my head, and there was approval to do so in the past by P&R and money allocated, and I am working towards that again.
Also I would like to gain permission and approval to put in another course out there in the woods to the South/Southeast of #6 long pin and #7 pad. It would be all wooded.
Hodge Park-
Just gained approval to start to work on the design there, and it will be HEAVILY wooded, with minimal shots in the open, but it won't be long, it will be technical. You don't need to have distance to make a course challenging, and that is my hope.
Raytown-
This could be the course that you are looking for. The land will be ripe for usage, and the belief is that we can make this course a premier one in the area. Conversations are slow, but it will happen. Just like here at SMP (initial conversations and approval for the course was in 1999.....) sometimes you need to ensure that everyone is on the same page to make it all work.
Now if we could look at additional areas out there, then we should.
....I think it would be great to look at holding tournaments at different courses around the area, outside of the usual suspects...... I want to spend as much time at the course rather than traveling to a different course. I still will make an effort to get out ... to try out a new course but I have enough challenges being a beginner play on my "Home course".....I am probably not alone in this but if a tournament was held at more of the outlier courses around the metro you may get more new/beginner players out to play in these. If it weren't for the RAC, I'm not sure when my first tournament play would've been..... P.S. Has a tournament ever been held at Legacy, and while talking about land and potential additional courses, Legacy has it as well.
There has been some events at Legacy, but maybe not this year. This is another issue, with all the courses how do you hold an event at every course every year? As it stands now though there are events at most of the courses within town (or those that we consider courses local) so it's a matter of timing for every individual. I think that we move forward and DD is trying to get events everywhere it is only a matter of time.