Warm reception by Cape County parks board for disc golf course proposal

An initial proposal by representatives of the Frisbee Golf Citizens Group, county residents and Cape Girardeau County Commissioner Jay Purcell for a disc golf course at County Park North was positively received by members of the park board Thursday afternoon.

Commissioner Jay Purcell shared detailed maps of an 18-hole and a 13-hole version of the professional-level course. Both have been extensively researched in an effort to make them safe, challenging and visually pleasing while conforming to standards of the Professional Disc Golf Association and minimally affecting the park.

In Frisbee golf, officially called disc golf, hard rubber discs or regular Frisbees are thrown into series of metal baskets. Similar to traditional golf, play starts at a concrete platform "tee" and the distance to the basket varies for each "hole." The player to complete the course with the fewest number of throws wins the game.

There are nearly 3,000 courses in the United States registered with the Professional Disc Golf Association. According to the PDGA website, it is a game that is suitable for a wide age range and can be played by individuals with disabilities. The association also highlights low maintenance costs as a plus to owners.

Purcell said that a major motivation to create the proposed course has been the positive response to the 10-hole course at Capaha Park, which opened in May through a funding partnership between the city of Cape Girardeau and Southeast Missouri State University.

Brock Davis, the city's parks division manager, said that the Capaha course is always busy with college students and parents with children.

"Seems like there is always someone playing," Davis said.

Before the park opened, Davis anticipated safety issues or complaints from the busy park but said that none has been reported to the parks department. Instead he has been told that players are polite, careful and respectful of other activities in the park.

Purcell said the county project is intended to increase opportunities for residents to engage in the sport, not to compete with Capaha. The county course is designed to be suitable for professional tournaments and is expected to create a draw to the area.

More than 1,000 hours of play were logged over the last four months at a test course at Cape County Park North by hundreds of residents interested in supporting course development. Their feedback resulted in 64 modifications, with attention given to creating a wide buffer around each hole to decrease play across playgrounds, near shelters or toward traffic.

Theo Wenger, John Dodd and Sam Davis were in attendance at Thursday's meeting representing the Frisbee Golf Citizens Group, which has about 30 local members.

"When Capaha opened," Wenger said, "people from as far as St. Louis and Carbondale came to play."

An avid disc golfer for 16 years, Wenger has been heavily involved in course design and expects that people would regularly travel to the park. If it were to contain a 18-hole professional-level course, it would be the only one for more than 50 miles in any direction.

The course is to be built at no expense to residents, Purcell said. Sponsorships of individual tees are planned to foot the bill, at an estimated cost of $1,000 to $1,500 each. Brian Sander, assistant park superintendent, has been working with Purcell to minimize upkeep expenses, designing areas specifically to reduce the need for mowing and manicuring. Additional trash cans and benches are part of the proposal to address visitor needs.

Parks board chairman Joe Sherinski and board member Dave Niswonger asked general questions about the sport and were interested in ensuring that the course conforms to professional standards, were it to go forward. They also were concerned about protecting the existing walking trails and the potential need for tree removal to expand the course from 13 to 18 holes. They were assured by Wenger and Purcell that few trees would be removed, old growth would be preserved and the course would not use the trails for play.

"People on trails will still have a peaceful, quiet experience," Wenger said.

"I think it's a swell idea, just swell," Sherinski said. "If we are going to do this, let's do it really well."

As only two board members were in attendance, a quorum was not present, so a vote could not be taken.

Purcell said he was "tickled" by the board's initial response. Another board meeting was tentatively scheduled for next Thursday to vote on the matter.

"I am really, really proud of these guys," Purcell said of the many individuals who contributed to the plan. "This is going to be a big thing for the park and a big thing for the community."

salderman@semissourian.com

388-3648

Pertinent address:

2400 County Park Drive, Cape Girardeau MO