Last stretch in sight for Carson City’s new Disc Golf Course

The long awaited Disc Golf course for Carson City has its end in sight, and should be finished by the end of the year if all goes well.

Though there were many locations being considered around town for the course to call home, the acreage beside the Carson City Rifle Range won over the other 10 locations that were being considered.

To start, there will be 27 holes total: an 18 hole championship course, and a 9 hole short course, for beginners to learn to play, or for veteran players to hone their short game.

Disc Golf is a mix between ball golf and Frisbee. Like golf, players attempt to get to the hole (or in the case of disc golf, the basket) in as short of plays as possible. But instead of clubs and balls, players use different sized and shaped Frisbees, or discs, to reach the basket.

The location beside the rifle range was the perfect option, because the terrain is varied and gently sloping, with beautiful views of the western mountains, and there is room to add in another 18 hole championship course, which is the end goal.

The entire course was a true grassroots effort. Gregg Swift, member of the Eagle Valley Disc Golf Association took the idea to the Parks and Recreation Department of Carson City, and partnered with the Foundation for Carson City Parks and Recreation to bring the idea to fruition.

The BLM actually turned over the piece of land to the city.

“Disc golf takes up a lot of land,” said Swift. “It was a great fit, because there wasn’t much being done with the land, and it was exactly what we needed to turn into a recreational space.”

“The board of supervisors put aside 100 acres for them and city staff to develop for disc golf,” said Vern Krahn of the Parks and Recreation Department. “They’ve been very thoughtful in the way they’ve approached the site from an environmental stand point, and to make the holes more playable. There’s a lot more land we can use in the future.”

The beginning of the course’s history began in 2009, when disc golf enthusiasts Kyle Horvath and Mike Polanski brought the idea to Parks and Recreation.

Since then, it has grown and attracted more support, until receiving a grant from Nevada State Parks allowed it to be fully realized.

“We want to thank the Nevada State Parks through their land and water conservation fund grant,” said Krahn. “They awarded a $118,000 grant to build the parking lot and supply the materials we needed to build the course. We wouldn’t be here without that grant.”

Another reason the course is finally going to be completed is due to the volunteer participation from the community. Over 2000 volunteer hours have been logged so far in the creation of the course.

There is a small core group of five members from the Eagle Valley Disc Golf Association that spend their weekdays, weekends, and all times in-between working hard to build the course.

“We owe a lot to the volunteers,” said Krahn. “It is truly a labor of love for them.”

The need for disc golf, and outside recreation in general, is near and dear to Swift’s heart. In addition the help build the disc golf course, he also spends his time building trails around the city.

“I’m always outside, so I’m invested in all kinds of recreation,” said Swift. “Disc golf is one of the two fastest sports in the United States. It’s an obvious choice for people. It’s inexpensive, and you can play it on your own time. In addition, thanks to the city, it’s free to play. It’s just a great way to get some exercise, and get kids out from behind screens and into nature. t I think a lot of people will get addicted once they try it. I think it’ll be a great addition to the recreational activities that are available here in the area.”

The course almost didn’t happen due to budget constraints by the city.

“The Disc Golf Association's commitment to maintain the course after it is completed is what really set it in motion,” said Krahn. “We don’t have the man power with trying to keep up with everything else we have on our plates. The partnership between the city and the association is the reason it is going forward.”

The course will be open all year, which is great considering we have an average of 300 sunny days per year.

It’s an all natural environment, which means there is a low cost to the environment and maintaining the course won’t be a huge undertaking.

Sponsorships are still being accepted by the association for the holes. For $1,000, a hole will be dedicated to the company or person who is funding it, and a plaque with their name will be installed, similarly to ball golf holes.

There is also an upcoming work day approaching, which will be Saturday, Sept. 29, beginning at 8 a.m. All people need to bring is proper shoes and work attire, work gloves, water, and anything else they’d like to bring to help work.

So far, 21 of the 27 holes have been framed and built up. The next step will be installing the baskets and creating the anchoring pads.

If you are interested in becoming a sponsor or learning more, visit the Association’s facebook page here.