Helping Rotary throw
Yorkton disc golfers were busy teaching the sport they enjoy on Monday, June 13.
The local throwers were at Patrick Park Disc Golf Course giving some basic instruction to members of the Yorkton Branch of the Rotary Club.
“I had made a presentation to the Rotary a couple of months ago, and that must have set the seed,” said PADG interim chair Calvin Daniels. “They contacted me some time after to see if some disc golfers would show the club some hands on techniques, and we jumped at the chance.”
The night was part of a full evening for the Rotary, which included a club BBQ.
As for disc golf, players were given a driver, and a putter and some basic instruction into backhand and forehand grips, and then taken to the #1 tee and the tossing began.
“Like a lot of first time players they were a tad surprised by how difficult it was to get some distance on throws, but after a few tosses you could see they were starting to understand the need to keep the disc level as it leaves your hand, at least as you are learning,” said Daniels.
“It was great to introduce new people to the sport,” said PADG Yorkton Director Doug Kerr. “We are always willing to give some basic lessons on the sport to groups.
“We just hope some of those who came out with the Rotary continue to come throw discs and we see them out of the courses across the region.”
A group interested in having a session on disc golf can contact the at padg.yorkton@gmail.com
Bredenbury gets course
Last Tuesday (June 14), Calvin Daniels and Trevor Lyons were in Bredenbury designing a new disc golf course in that community.
“We made a presentation to Bredenbury Council several weeks on the potential of disc golf, in particular the opportunity to utilize the town’s old school grounds,” said Daniels. “Apparently after we left Council Chambers it didn’t take them long to approve a course.”
The Town then took a few weeks to gather the materials for the course.
“It was great to get out and finally design the course,” said Lyons. “We had walked the area before, so we had a basic idea of what we could do, but the Town actually opened up some additional area south of the school yard which gave up some additional options.”
Town staff were on-hand the day of the design, laying out posts and tonal tanks to facilitate the install. That install should be completed soon, and with a bit of grass cutting along some fairways the course will be ready for play. The final tonal painting and numbering will follow.
“The course has a lot of neat features,” said Lyons. “It starts off the #1 tee which is a tunnel shot that stretches straight down nearly 200-feet with trees arching over the fairway from both sides from tee-to-tonal.”
The additional area helped too.
“There is an old raised roadway running the length of the course and we used that feature on a number of ‘holes’,” said Daniels. “We throw over it to a hidden tonal, use it as a raised tee on another. Add in that the area will be impacted by any wind, it should make some challenging shots.”
“And we have asked the Town to just cut the grass on fairways about 100-feet wide. Tall grass will be out-of-bounds, add a stroke, and throw from where it lands,” added Lyons.
Another tee has players throwing over a couple of trees with their first shot.
“That one is pretty unique in the area,” said Lyon.
The course has been designed as a 12, the longest two being #11 and #12.
“Eleven is a long, sharp dog leg that should be fun,” said Daniels. “And a fenced basketball court comes into play on #12.”
If players want an 18, it is a short walk from the #12 tonal, the course uses repurposed 20-pound propane tanks, to the #1 tee to of #7 to play six more to finish a round.
“It’s a nice option to be able to pick doing 12, and if you want a longer round which six you add complete your circuit,” said Daniels.
It is expected a ‘learn-to-play’ session will be held at the new course in the next few weeks.
You can follow happens at the Bredenbury course and others in the region by searching Parkland Association of Disc Golf on Facebook and joining the page.
Stockholm course ready
Stockholm has long been known for its excellent ball diamond facilities.
The area will soon also be known as home to another sport — disc golf.
“Our Council had a presentation on disc golf late last fall, and we like that it was an outdoor sport/recreation that was something all ages could participate in,” said Mayor Fran Herperger.
“We turned over the idea to the Ball Diamond Committee, and they were interested too.”
Ron Banga said a course was a good fit.
“We have a great area we are already maintaining, but it doesn’t get used for ball for a long a season as it could,” he said. “When the idea of incorporating a disc golf course in the same area, we thought it was great as it gives our community another recreation opportunity, one that should be available from spring thaw to after the early snows.”
This spring Calvin Daniels, who made the initial presentation last fall to Stockholm Council, returned to the community along with Trevor Lyons, one of his disc golf buddies, and they undertook design of the new course.
“It’s a great space,” said Daniels, who is also interim chair of the recently formed Parkland Association of Disc Golf (PADG). “Lots of trees to throw threw and around, which is great, and we even managed to incorporate the diamonds, which are considered out-of-bounds, so an errand toss will cost players a stroke.”
While there are still some numbers to be placed, the course is playable, so give it a try.
Grand opening
Saturday, (June 25), disc golfers in the area will want to head to Birtle, MB., for the grand opening of the North Ridge Disc Golf Course.
The course, installed as an 18 tonal, but with plans already shaping up to upgrade to baskets as soon as possible, winds through trees and hills on the slope of the valley overlooking the town, and the Birdtail River.
The course, just on the border of the PADG will host a tournament later this summer.
Canada Day event
The Asessippi National Disc Golf Course Tournament - Dynamic Disc 2-Disc Challenge will be held Friday, July 1.
The course is located at the Asessippi Beach & Campground.
Players can register the day of the event for $30, which includes two Dynamic Discs which they get to keep, so it’s ideal for beginners who then have discs to play the sport moving forward. Contact padg.yorkton@gmail.com, or goraluk@mymts.net
The campground and course is located; from Russell: 12 miles north on Highway #83. Turn right just before the Shell River bridge. Go 1/4 of a mile turn left.
From Roblin: 18 miles south of Roblin on Highway #83. Turn left just after the Shell River Bridge. Go 1/4 of a mile turn left.
PADG Tournaments
• June 26 - Rocanville Doubles Tournament
• July 1 - Asessippi National Disc Golf Course Tournament - Dynamic Disc 2-Disc Challenge
• July 23 - Birtle Tournament (Tentative)
• July 30 - Sandy Beach Open (details to be released soon)
• July 31 - Carlton Trail - Tentative
• Aug 28 - Yorkton 2nd Annual Trilogy Challenge
• Sep 3 - Fort Qu’appelle - MVP Circuit - Tentative
• Sept 10 - Moosomin Tourney - Tentative
For details contact padg.yorkton@gmail.com
