Elevated baskets: How tall is too tall?

Elevated baskets.

Some disc golfers love ‘em.

Some disc golfers hate ‘em.

I’m somewhere in-between, though I’m certainly more for them than against them. The argument against them is that they’re gimmicky – that they’re more clown’s mouth than Augusta National.

In other words, if you have to rely on elevated baskets to make a course more challenging, the thing probably sucked to begin with. And because of this truth, there’s simply no saving it.

I don’t agree.

For starters, disc golf isn’t in a place to be picky, especially at the amateur, more recreational level. If an individual or parks department is willing to permanently plant 18 baskets in the ground, you make the best out of what you’ve got and don’t think about complaining.

Beggars can’t be choosers.

Elevated baskets help.

But even on the Pro Tour, where most courses are of the world-class variety, I welcome them. They make putts more challenging for the ultra-thin slice of the disc golf community that needs them. This means better, more drama-packed entertainment for someone like myself on Sundays.

Also, I find it hard to use the “gimmicky” label when sand traps are a massive part of big-brother ball golf. By that logic, the aforementioned Augusta National is a poor piece of property …

Spoiler Alert: It’s not.

So if I’m an “in-betweener” on the elevated-baskets front, where’s the beef?

Easy …

Some are too tall.

Not many of them, but some of them.

How tall is too tall, you ask?

It’s hard to put a number on it, but if the basket’s tall enough that tapping out a park-job is a tough task, it’s too tall. In a sport like disc golf where the main objective is to get a frisbee into a basket in as few throws as possible, it’d be insane to penalize someone for a shot that’s too close.

That makes no sense.

• Stairs
• Kwik-Stiks
• Turbo putts

NONE of these should be required from point-blank range.

For short men (5′8″) and women (5′2″), at least.

Junior disc golfers, though?

Grow.

In the interim, you’ll survive.

Have anything to add? Take to X to let us know – we’ll actually (for real) get back to you.

Editor’s Suggestions:

• Gripe No. 68: Dried mud on golf discs
• There’s no such thing as a ‘jersey’ in disc golf
• Gripe No. 67: Bag-induced back sweat in disc golf

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