BRUNSWICK, Ohio — Expect to see a few more Frisbees in the air around Brunswick next year, as plans for a nine-hole disc golf course at Pumpkin Ridge Park, 3062 Grafton Road continue to develop.
The sport, as the name implies, disc golf has players throwing discs at a metal basket target and attempting to complete the nine-or-18-hole course in the fewest throws. PK Deanery, a Parma resident and competition director for the Northeast Ohio Disc Golf Alliance, wants to both bring the sport to Brunswick and honor a former Brunswick resident, the late Manfred Boewe in the process.
Deanery presented a proposal for the new course to city council Dec. 8, noting that he has been involved in the sport of disc golf since the 1990s, and has helped bring three 18-hole and two nine-hole courses to Parma.
“I’ve helped design and maintain the courses and Manfred Boewe also helped with the projects,” Deanery said, pointing specifically to the distinctively ornate basket bases designed and built by Boewe. “We wanted to honor him and [name a course after him] in Brunswick.”
Deanery said he learned city officials had already been discussing a disc golf course somewhere in town after speaking with Councilman at large Tim Smith.
At the council meeting, Smith said he has long advocated for an “18-hole championship course” at either North or Rolling Hills parks. He said in addition to serving residents of Brunswick and surrounding communities, such a course could also be an economic boon to the city by hosting disc golf tournaments.
Smith said he is in favor of Deanery’s proposal, provided it does not take a future 18-hole course –which he estimated to cost $25,000 to design and build – off the table.
“This is great; people could learn about [disc golf],” Smith said of the proposed nine-hole course. “As long as we don’t say ‘OK, we got a disc golf course, now we’re done.’ I’m all on board for putting one [18-hole course] in Rolling Hills.”
Deanery said he would help with such a plan if there was support for it, but Council President Nick Hanek (Ward 2) reminded council members that the topic at hand was the nine-hole course at Pumpkin Ridge. He said the administration could move forward with the project without city council approval, unless a land lease or similar situation comes into play.
Councilwoman at large and parks and recreation committee chair Kristy Piper said both the parks committee and the parks and recreation department are supportive of Deanery’s proposal. She added that the disc golf course would be designed and installed by Deanery and his group, at no cost to the city.
Deanery said Pumpkin Ridge is “conducive for a short, fun course,” and Hanek noted the layout of a disc golf course could inherently help with parking complaints at the park from adjacent neighbors.
Ward 1 Councilman Michael Abella Jr. asked Deanery the peak times of the day or week for disc golf play and how long it takes to complete a nine-hole course. Deanery said disc golf courses are typically busiest on weekends in the summer months, with play taking place throughout the day.
“A group will go about 15 minutes after another group, so I wouldn’t say it’s as popular as regular golf where you have people getting tee times,” Deanery said. “But there are people throughout the day playing on the course.”
He added that the course would not interrupt other activities at the park since it is designed around the main area of the park, and the basket bases and tee boxes can be mowed around or over during and after the disc golf season. Deanery said he hopes to have the Pumpkin Ridge course installed by spring 2026.
Read more news from the Brunswick Sun.
