Disc golf has found a permanent home in Te Puke’s Donovan Park.
Tauranga Disc Golf Association has created a nine-hole disc golf course in the park, thanks in a large part to funding from Te Puke Community Board.
The entry-level course has been designed to be family-friendly and to attract newcomers to the sport.
It contrasts significantly with the club’s course at McLaren Falls Park which has a lot of elevation changes and “there are plenty of places discs can get lost”, says committee member Jordan Kemen.
“We needed something that’s user-friendly, accessible and pretty flat because McLaren Fall is a bit like climbing the Mount.”
That’s not to say there aren’t a few challenges in the Donovan Park course.
“There are some places where it’s pretty open and some where it’s wooded, but there’s plenty of freedom to throw without getting smacked around by the environment.”
Kemen said it was worth getting professional course designer Haydn Shore involved in creating the Donovan Park course.
“I had a few designs myself, but when we got the professional in, it was, ‘how did we miss that?’, so it was totally the right decision.
“It’s quite a small space and we didn’t want to take it over, want to integrate and make it super safe and share the space.”
So far, only the first phase of the project has been completed, with permanent tees still to be installed.
“The course designer said we could do this in two stages – get the baskets functional this summer, then we can do stage two, put the tee pads in. At the moment we’ve got some markers there, but eventually we’ll concert or pave [the tees] or do something nice.”
The goal is to try to achieve that before the end of the summer, said Kemen.
“But we’ve got a functional course and can see people out there using it.”
Te Puke’s Jiang Yu has been playing for about two years and now has a course on her doorstep.
Disc golf player Jiang Yu at the start of the nine-hold disc golf course that is now open at Donovan Park. Photo / Stuart Whitaker
She was introduced to disc golf by her partner Taylor Kemen, Jordan’s brother.
Her first taste of the game was at the pop-up courses set up by the disc golf association at various places, including Donovan Park.
She said she finds the sport quite addictive.
“I feel the more you play, the more you learn how to throw a frisbee and it’s quite a nice time to just do something besides work and home stuff.”
She said it’s also easy and relatively cheap.
Discs can be picked up second hand and little else is required.
“It’s a nice community; they are really supportive.”
Yu played her first tournament a year ago and has moved up from a grade FA3 to FA2 player.
“With disc golf, you can improve fairly quickly.
“I’m quite invested in the sport. It brings me a lot of enjoyment, and I feel I’m getting fit throwing and walking.
“And you can easily take your friends with no experience to have some throws at the course – it really is something fun to do.”
Kemen said a game takes roughly half the time of a ball golf game and it’s very easy to have a game before or after work.
The association is planning a low-key launch of the new course on Sunday between 10am and 2pm.
There will also be club nights at the course over the summer, with details posted on its Facebook page.
“We have heaps of loan discs at the club so people of all ages can come down, we can put them out on the course and if they get to the end of it and like it, they might be in line for a free frisbee.”
Kemen has a few tips for anyone trying disc golf for the first time.
“If you’re starting out, just treat it like you are playing catch. Treat the basket as the person you are throwing to and don‘t over complicate it.
“It’s a really cool learning curve at the start. You can’t throw it as far as you want to but over time you’ll add the distance.
“You get this power band as things unlock, although they don’t unlock on day one usually.”
The club is hosting a major competition, the Xtreme, at McLaren Falls Park on October 4 and 5.
“If you want to see what the pros do, go there and watch – seeing how the professionals throw in that environment it fascinating.”
The club secured funding from Te Puke Community Board last year.
At the time, chairwoman Kassie Ellis said the board was supporting the project as it felt it would be a great asset for the community, another activity for people to enjoy and would be in a great location.
