At the regular Council meeting on May 23, Local resident Drew Johnson spoke to Council and asked that the Town look at creating a disc golf course or practice area since the nearest courses are in Brighton and north of Port Hope at Haute Goat Farms. At the June 5 CoW meeting, Director Brian Geerts reported to Council on what he was doing to address this request. The basic idea of disc golf is to throw a frisbee in multiple throws until it lands in a basket. The distance between baskets is comparable to regular golf and courses are typically 18 or 9 baskets. I find it hard to imagine what it’s like but the videos below give some idea.
Some key things to know:
- Like regular golf, a lot of space is required
- Most courses (~80%) are free
- Most disc golf courses are built in more natural and less manicured environments than golf
- Maintenance is minimal
- There are currently no disc golf facilities in Cobourg
So what is the Director thinking?
Report from Staff
In his memo to Council, Brian said:
- Several members of the public have approached Community Services with ideas and suggestions of how to grow disc golf locally. These included:
- Several requests for a whole course
- Practice baskets in local parks
- A small beginner course to help introduce new players to the sport
- Any disc golf improvements, as the Town currently has none
- Considerations for disc golf course
- Availability of land and who owns it
- Is terrain suitable?
- Is the land area big enough
- A typical disc golf hole requires a minimum of 200-300 feet in length
- Does the location have ample parking and good transportation links.
- Environmental factors: wildlife habitats, and other sensitive areas should be avoided
- Some areas may require more extensive work (cost).
The suggested locations were James Cockburn Park and the area around the Legion Baseball fields adjacent to the CCC.
In concluding his “update” report to Council, Brian wrote:
Due to Cobourg’s urban density, there are not many locations that could host a full-size disc golf course on municipal land. An 18-basket course can easily use 30-40 acres of land. Creative design and reuse of areas can reduce the land requirement.
However, practice baskets placed in municipal parks or a mini 3-hole course could certainly improve the service in the short-term and meet some community need.
The Parks Master Plan, due for an update in 2023, will include thorough community engagement and will capture current community desires and modern recreation trends.
So it looks like there’ll be no decision until after the review of the Parks Master Plan. But I have to wonder: how does Council (and maybe staff) decide what sports to support? Hockey is a given (and Lacrosse); pickle ball is partially supported, baseball, soccer and rugby can use the available fields, and there are others – notably sailing. But how is it decided what facilities to provide and support? Why not cricket or croquet or darts? Why not a Town supported golf course? Does it just need a group to ask Brian or make a delegation?
Resources
- List of clubs in Cobourg (not just sports clubs)
Information on Disc Golf
Wikipedia – See the Wikipedia pages for more information including lists of courses.
And here are some videos – the first has no female participation so the second one is to show that women do participate.
Insanely Good Disc Golf Drives Compilation
A look at some good players and the courses they play on.
U.S. Women’s Disc Golf Championships
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I’ve played disc golf in both Ontario and BC – never on a dedicated “course” – they’re just in parks with nets set up in out of the way places. Rotary Park would be an ideal and easy place to put a few holes.
With all the acerage it needs isn’t feasible. Not suitable for parks here, needs too much space around it. Recall they had it around Ward’s Island years ago in Toronto, there was a club, needed a permit, couldn’t just show up. Busy sometimes other times not at all.
Like usual, most people on this blog have no idea what the needs of youth are in this town. The fact that the Draper report had no idea what this activity was speaks to the ignorance of most of you regarding disc golf.
…and the 24 thumbs down proves my point.
Really, Frustrated? Do you seriously think that wasting money on a disc golf playground is a reasonable use of our tax dollars? And, yes, I’m over 50.
Frustrated, your ‘handle’ is insulting in of itself, and I am under 50!
Frustrated with the over 50– your “Like usual” comment, and assuming you are under 50, is interesting for 3 reasons:
1. I have never seen you post on here before.
2. Perhaps it would be helpful to have the genZ and Millennials out voting, as part of their civic duty. The majority of voters and survey participants in this town are over 50.
3. The fact that Mr. Draper made this post about disc golf, is a positive—for now; “…the ignorance of most of us…” is no longer.
I have seen several of these “golf” courses around the province, and have come to the conclusion that after the initial “excitement” wears off there is very little use made of them.
One of the best recreational sports to support is swimming. It supports all people of all ages, also disabilities, 4 season use, improves health, encourages safety for those who live near water, etc. Upgrade Cenntenial Pool instead of wanting to close it down,perhaps add a retractable roof and you will have that. Would like be used more than the CCC currently is.
Brenda, I am with you all the way on this.
BrendaZ, I agree. Swimming is beneficial, in so many ways. Unfortunately, the YMCA charges over $700 for a yearly pass…for one person! I bought one last year, and used the pool regularly…too expensive. Whitby used to charge $350 annually a couple years ago.
Families, seniors, teens all can enjoy this fun LOW COST activity. I have played this in lovely wooded areas. Even with less than capable players! It’s still enjoyable activity. You do not have to be a skilled athlete to play.
Good fitness recreation facility without heavy investment, aside from use of town land.
Baskets, chains, poles = structural start up cost is minimal. No need for an 18 hole course in town but a 9 hole one would be ideal.
This is the sort of idea that can move the town forward, especially with a growing population we need additional recreational facilities.
To wait until there is more interest is a wrong headed approach – if you build it they will come. For example, 6 or 7 years ago no one wanted to talk about pickleball courts, and now we have a club with more than 100 members.
Disc golf, really!? I am sure there are a few disc golf players in the community but…if the town wanted to get behind a very popular outdoor sport they should invest in community pickle ball courts. More importantly, the town should focus on other more important matters for running this community and not get distracted on lame ideas such as disc golf investments.
Surely the Town Of Cobourg has got bigger fish to fry than Disc Golf …. give me a break !
Port Hope has put in an outdoor Pickleball court already and built a new rec center,, what is holding Cobourg back we were promised an outdoor court when will that come CCC don’t have any pickleball Friday Saturday, or Sunday and difficult to get time through the week so I travel to Port hope to play
A few years ago my daughter, 10 at the time, made up a game using a hula hoop and a disc. She would hold the hoop as I tired to toss the disc through it. A very simple idea is to use a hoop on the ground as the basket for disc golf. If some players are really serious they could make a portable basket with what looks like a post and some chain. Why not use school yards during the summer, weekends or evenings if space is needed to practice? There is no need for the town to do anything at this time. Maybe if there becomes enough interest we could consider something. I do not have an answer to JD’s question on what sport facilities to provide. Hopefully the amount of interest in the sport is one factor. We cannot spend money on facilities at the suggestion of several members of the community who may lose interest or move.
If an 18 hole disc golf course takes up 30 to 40 acres, what would Cobourg residents have to give up in current or proposed activities on that land to accommodate a disc glof course? This could be a hornet’s nest. Aside from the incremental capital and operating costs.
How many disc golf players are there in Cobourg? My guess a handful. They should raise their own funds as other groups have been told to do. Also disc golf is incompatible with other uses occurring simultaneously as a disc striking a human will cause serious injury. Once again a perceived need in a town of 20000 people that taxpayers can not afford to support. Council and staff should give this a hard NO. I don’t think this is Brian Geerts first odd report to council. Who hires these people?
Cobourg must get spending under control and repair our infrastructure prior to even discussing spending more on the whims of a handful of residents. How many more 14+% tax increases can we afford?
Exactly! Why even entertain such a request!
Nobody hires the citizens making the requests. Brian Geerts is responding to the requests. Should Brian be the person who decides which requests to act on? How would he make the decisions? This is similar to JD’s questions on how does the town decide on what sports to support.
Those guys/girls are amazing…who knew it was such a competitive sport. I wonder if a local golf course would open itself up to having a disc-golf morning/afternoon/evening. Perhaps the courses aren’t “rugged” enough….