Citizens will finally be able to play disc golf in Apex
This Saturday, March 29, 2014 the Apex Nature Park will have a Grand Opening, including disc golf lessons. But it almost didn’t happen. The park’s Master Plan did not have disc golf anywhere on it. In fact, no one had even considered it. Until I educated them.
In October 2004, I went in front of the Town of Apex Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission and asked them if any of them had ever heard of disc golf. 100% said “no”. So I proceeded to teach them by presenting a 27-slide educational deck which included the following:
The Need
Disc golfers in Apex had to go to Raleigh or Harris Lake in order to play disc golf. Apex offered nothing (nor did Cary, in fact). And disc golf adoption was growing exponentially across the country.
The Education
The disc, the correct term, is similar to a Frisbee®, made by Wham-O, except it has a sharp edge so it can fly great distances. The tee box is a concrete pad that serves as the starting point. The basket is a metal wire receptacle on a pole, with a chain above, and serves as the destination. The game is played like golf — the player throws a long-flying disc (driver), then walks to the place it landed, throws a mid-range flying disc (approach) and eventually tosses the final disc (putter) into the basket. Counting the throws as strokes, the golfer keeps score just as in “ball golf.” Groups play together in twosomes, threesomes and foursomes, they “play through” when the group behind has faster play, and an ace is rare but achievable on some shorter holes. Etiquette is much the same when it comes to avoiding noise during another player’s throw, not crossing between a player and their destination and touching other people’s discs that in are play.
The Appeal
For players, the game is easier to master and much less expensive than ball golf. A wide ranges of ages can participate and the game can be as casual or as serious as one wishes. It encourages walking among the trees, which act as natural obstacles. For recreation departments, it is less expensive to install and maintain than traditional sports, it leaves more of nature undisturbed by leaving medium and large trees in place. It can theoretically support 72 (4×18) simultaneous citizens (players) maximizing the utilization of the infrastructure.
The Town of Apex Nature Park is located at 2600 Evans Rd, near the intersection of Apex Barbecue Rd. The Grand Opening is Saturday, March 29, 2014 at 10:00 AM and will include disc golf demonstrations.
Here is the site map:
Apex Nature Park Site Map
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