A new disc golf course arises above Lake Tahoe brought to you by the community for the community. Local Kevin McDermott had a dream, and that dream was to create a World Class Disc Golf Course in the North Tahoe Regional Park, located off National Avenue in Tahoe Vista. Dreams usually don’t come true without a lot of hard work. Kevin has worked hard and his dream inspired others to chip in as well; now we all have a new disc course in the Tahoe basin.
Inspiration was a plenty but to get started, funding was needed. The Truckee Tahoe Community Foundation became the main charter sponsor with a $6,000 donation; the community needed to come up with the rest. Kevin spearheaded a fundraising event in October 2006 with a BBQ and music by local bluegrass stars, The Rusty Strings. The event raked in close to $9,000!
‘It was an easy sell for the community, this course will be with us for a long time,’ Kevin said.
Friend and fellow disc-golfer Doug Greenwood and disc-golf pro Craig Getty combined their ideas and talents with Kevin to design an amazing course with spectacular views. This course is not only breathtaking for its views; it offers challenging holes that would put even the pros to the test. (And they will come to be tested.) On hole 17, you’re shooting downhill through a narrow corridor that nosedives into a grove of pines – did I mention you’re staring directly at Lake Tahoe? Along with a majority of the usual par-three holes, the course has a few par-four holes.
Kevin, Doug and Craig have poured their hearts into this course and it shows. ‘The motto for building this course is that everything stays green,’ meaning that nothing is to be removed, altered, or encroached upon, Doug said. Building the Tahoe Vista course would not have been possible without the help of many volunteers. One of those volunteers is Bryan Griffith, who moved to the area after hearing that Tahoe had exceptional disc golf courses. He has been instrumental in the work efforts and has even taken on a job with the North Tahoe Public Utility District, which manages the Regional Park.
The team hopes to one day soon expand the 18-hole course into a 36-hole powerhouse. ‘The space and the design is ready; all that stands in the way is permission from the Forest Service,’ Kevin said. Snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and hiking are already allowed on the land, disc golf just needs to be added to the list of ‘Dispersed Recreation’ and it’s a done deal. If you would like to encourage the Forest Service to approve this action contact the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, at 530-543-2600.
In a day and age where money talks and fewer people walk, disc golf offers a relatively risk-free environment that allows you to spend time in the woods with friends and family, unwind your mind, and practice using your body.
Throwing a disc is similar to chucking a regular Frisbee, but it requires more focus and challenges you to properly incorporate your body from head to toe. The technique to throw a disc can be related to Tai Chi, of cultivating energy from your feet through your body and releasing the force into the disc. Or you can just go out and wing it.
Out on disc golf courses, I have seen families with young children, high school kids after school, and people of all backgrounds coming together after work to fit in a round. I have even witnessed a couple in their 80s out with their children playing 18 holes, and it wasn’t the offspring who were carrying the discs.
Disc Golf, or Frolf, has been gaining popularity over the years. It has spread all over the country and is nationally recognized – the Professional Disc Golf Association hosts many events across the country year-round. Their online national course directory has 2,464 courses listed, with 118 courses in California alone. Courses in the immediate area include Truckee Regional Park, Bijou and Zephyr Cove in South Lake, Kirkwood, and the new course in Tahoe Vista. The Tahoe basin only needs one more course to qualify as a host for the World Championships. It may be on its way; there are rumors circulating of a possible Tahoe Donner Course.
Lake of the Sky Disc Golf Tournament
The first inaugural Lake of the Sky Disc Golf Tournament will be held October 27 and 28 at the new Tahoe Vista course. The Tournament will accommodate all ability levels with entry fees ranging from $25 for the intermediate class to $60 for the Pro Division. A grand opening BBQ will be held on Sunday, October 28. Entry fee includes food from the barbecue and a t-shirt. tahoemountainsports.com
Come to a Work Party!
Oct. 20, at 10 a.m.,
at the Tahoe Vista course
