Disc Golf

The fun-filled intersection of frisbee and golf

In James White Park, interspersed between overarching cottonwood trees and slithering pathways, sits an 18 hole disc golf course.

Similar to traditional golf, disc golf is played on a nine or 18 hole course, with baskets used to catch flying frisbees. The holes generally range from par threes to par fives, with rules similar to that of regular golf, such as four players per card and tee boxes to mark starting lines. The East Kootenay’s first 9-hole basket course, the Ricky Glenn Disc Golf Course, was built in the mid 90s. Since then, disc golf has been climbing in popularity as a favourite summer day past time in the Elk Valley. Fernie’s own disc golf course was established in 2004 by local disc golf professional Serge Gosselin. It stands at 4800 feet long, and contains Mach 3 baskets in the front nine holes, and DISCatcher Pros for the back nine. For those still fine tuning their skills, the course offers 13 holes under 300 ft long, and the rest between 300 and 400 feet for more of a challenge. Other disc golf courses in the area include the Cranbrook Disc Golf Course, the Sparwood Disc Golf Course, the Deerborne Disc Golf Course in Elkford, as well as a course in Wycliffe Regional Park. In terms of discs, there are many different types used for shots of varying technique. Types of discs include fairway drivers, distance drivers, and utility mid-range discs and putters. Fairways differ as well, with some offering challenging features, and others accommodating the various flight patterns and distances of discs. When starting out, experts recommend practicing throws in an open field before throwing in parks or wooded areas full of obstacles such as trees and pedestrians. For those keen on showing off their skills in competition, there are many disc golf tournaments that occur throughout the summertime. The East Kootenay Disc Golf Club runs many Professional Disc Golf Association tournaments such as the Gunshot PDGA C-Tier event in Elkford, or the Lizard Range/Fernie Tourney PDGA C-Tier event in Fernie.

Any questions regarding information on discs or other technicalities can be addressed to your local disc golf club, as disc golfers are notoriously keen to share their expertise.