Larry LaBond  › Air Zoo   July 9, 2013 at 6:36pm

Honestly something needs to be done. Saying "**** 'em" won't work. Close the Airzoo, then the same people will go elsewhere and keep up their ****ty behavior. If you care anything about the sport and not just the Airzoo course, then please step up when you see someone acting like an ****. This is the exact reason that we didn't get anymore holes at Oshtemo when they did all the work out there. It is the same reason there are no other courses in Portage. It is the same reason there are no other courses in other county parks. It is a good part of why there is no WMU course. It is the problem I run into when trying to get more courses in. Closing the Airzoo course will surely lead to the questions of why it closed when I look for a new place to put the baskets. I will have to tell them that people come out there break rules, liter, and can't behave. Want that in your park?? I have enough meetings with park officials over the years and this is always their concern. It always gets brought up. This is part of the bad reputation of our sport. We need to change this!

Brian- I'm really disappointed that this is your attitude, especially for someone who runs a league at the Airzoo. I had a meeting with the Airzoo last week to discuss a few things. I'm planning on using the Airzoo course for the 2015 Am Worlds and discussed with the Airzoo the course's future. Right now it truly is up in the air (no pun intended). They are not expecting a complete turn around in 30 days, but for things to improve. They did tell me that the two worst days for garbage out there are after the two league nights. Why can't the organized players out there can't clean up after themselves?? The Director of the Airzoo told me a story of watching some girl (on a Fight Club League night) speed into the parking lot and then get out and start yelling obscenities and giving the finger to people as they pulled into the lot for league. Does this sound like a good thing to do in a place that is supposed to be family friendly? Why is this such a hard thing to try and change? As someone who is running a league out there, you should be helping fix this, not saying "**** 'em", otherwise the course is as good as gone and maybe I should just go and get the baskets now. BTW where is this place where we can go and put in a "real disc golf course?" It isn't easy to find a place that is willing to put a course in and loosing a course like this won't make that any easier! For that matter, why should I put those baskets anywhere else if the attitude of the people using them is "**** 'em," they will just put them somewhere else for us to use. I spent a lot of time, energy, and money into getting the Airzoo course installed. Maybe "**** 'em" should be what I start doing as well. I bet I could make a few dollars selling those basket off! It would be a lot easier than building another course for people to disrespect!

If you see someone out there breaking rules, please confront them!! Do it calmly. Don't yell at them. Explain to them that it is hurting the sport!! I've done this a lot over the years. I have never had anyone get ****ty with me when I explain to them what they are doing is hurting what they enjoy! At a minimum, everyone that reads this should make sure that they are not part of this problem. Don't drink or smoke! Don't liter! Don't speed in the parking lot! Don't yell obscenities! It really isn't that hard to do and I don't understand any reluctance to change this!! There are plans to make improvements to the Airzoo course, including cement tees! This won't happen and we will loose the course if we can't change how people are acting!

Steve Blink   July 9, 2013 at 12:10pm

Brian doesnt run the league. He doesnt even play it half the time.

Larry LaBond   July 9, 2013 at 12:30pm

My mistake. Got Brians mixed up. Apologies :)

Steve Blink   July 9, 2013 at 12:32pm

Im more than happy to pay to play at ANY course. id pay 25 for a pass to airzoo. Makes them feel better about working on the course and keep alot of bull**** off the course.

Wade TF   July 9, 2013 at 4:08pm

I know Brian Vanderwell is always drinking during his league and league sign up. I have no compassion for anyone who gets caught on the course breaking the rules. If you are the one drinking or smoking you accept the consequences of your actions. Sometimes that means law trouble sometimes that means no more disc golf course. Please make your fellow golfers aware that this is a serious issue!

Joel Cook   July 10, 2013 at 12:56am

The course looked good this morning. KUDOs to those who helped clean it up. ( I did find beer can on one of the holes, not 100' from a trash can ) Also, maybe we need to have a membership sticker on the vehicles with a yearly fee. I would be more than happy to do this. I would also be willing to help with the costs of cement tees.

Brian Vanderwell   July 10, 2013 at 6:19am

Well I suppose it's time to put my 2 cents in here. First off I will start with Wade's comments about me drinking during my league. I stoped drinking at the Air Zoo over 3 Months ago to set a better example for my league and my players. I agree that this is a serious issue that needs to be ... more

Curtis Skeels   July 12, 2013 at 3:20pm

Casual player here - I can honestly say that it is not just us. My friends and I pick up what we find as we're playing quite often. Always? No...not all the time. Generally, the reason for not is the lack of a place to put it. As others have stated, if you carry it in, carry it out - but it ma ... more

Curtis Skeels   July 12, 2013 at 3:25pm

Another thing too - coming from a casual player - I would be willing to throw $1-2 in a donation box every time I play (I buy the annual pass at Cold Brook, I usually play Robert Morris a few times a year, etc.) if that would help - however, specifically with the AirZoo, I'm not sure if that wo ... more

Larry LaBond   July 12, 2013 at 6:23pm

Sorry Brian V. I just had you guys mixed up when I read Brian D's post. The Director did tell me that the garbage in the parking lot is worse the mornings following the leagues at the Airzoo. I would bring this up to your players. The big thing is getting players to patrol the course themse ... more

Joel Cook   July 13, 2013 at 7:49am

The tee on #6 seems to be one of the worst as far as picking up bottles, etc. Maybe a trash container there ???