The Town of Snowflake now boasts another fun, all-ages attraction with the installation of a new 18-“hole” disc golf course alongside the west nine of the Snowflake Community Golf Course.
Thanks to the growing popularity of disc golf, the potential for hosting tournaments in town could also mean a boost for the local economy.
“The great thing about disc golf is it doesn’t matter what level you’re at, we can all play together and it’s relatively cheap to get started,” said project manager Steve Johnston.
Johnston and his friends have been promoting, designing and building disc golf courses for more than 37 years. For 20 years he has been the mastermind behind the annual Windwalker Fine Footwear High Desert Open, which draws 140-plus amateur and professional players, which will move to the new course this year. He also hopes to add a round or two to the Pioneer Days lineup and potentially host some of the other professional tournaments there.
Funding for the project came from the town, and a number of people volunteered their time and assistance to complete the project.
“I really have to thank Bruce Mighton, former mayor Tom Poscharsky, Brian Richards and Terry Cooper at the city for making it possible, and also Dan Gimmelly. He’s one of the first touring pros to play for a living, who co-designed the course,” said Johnston.
Although a name hasn’t been finalized, the course is officially open to the public now. It’s free to play until the beginning of the New Year, when a fee will be established. By that time, they will also have a section within the pro shop for equipment sales and rentals.
Typically, a round of disc golf should take about an hour and a half to two hours. For safety, everyone must check in at the clubhouse prior to entering the course, and players will start out at the same tee times as traditional golfers to avoid conflicts.
“We tried to design the course with safety in mind so that if a (golf) ball goes out of bounds, it won’t hit anybody in the head. If anything, it should roll to our feet. We also try to preach that disc golfers should yield to everyone. Just let them play through; it’s just safer that way,” he said.
Johnston is excited about getting the local schools, Scouts and church groups involved. He created the Snowflake Disc Golf page on Facebook to post information on upcoming clinics he will host to teach the sport, as well as future events.
