Disc Golf Continues To Grow

If you're in the Sidney and Fairview area, don't be surprised to see flying saucers down by the Yellowstone River this summer. Little green men? No! Disc golf!

Both Sundheim Park, located 4 miles east of Fairview, and Richland Park, about 5 miles north of Sidney, are home to disc golf courses that are open to everyone at no cost.

In fact, disc golf is one of the most budget-friendly, family-friendly sports around. Starting from scratch, the equipment investment is $12 - $17 for a mid-range driving disc and a few coaster size disc markers; however, it's possible to have as many as 15-20 different discs specifically designed for the type of throwing and distance of the toss. The same rules apply as with traditional golf, except golfers are throwing discs at tones or baskets.

Judd Burman has been involved with disc golf since his college days in Billings.

"My buddies and I used to go to Pioneer Park before they had a course in and just use the garbage surrounds as targets," he remembers. "I wanted a place to play when I came back to Fairview, so I designed and installed the course at Sundheim in 2001."

He initially had a Fairview High School welding class make the first tones. Later he went door to door asking businesses for their support and raised enough funds to install nine rubber T-pads and nine baskets at $350 apiece. The course is set up to play from both sides, making it an 18 "hole" course.

It is a sport that lends itself to everyone at every age, and a sport that my own family recently started playing. With kids at 10, 7, and 2 1/2, it's something that we can all do together on a sunny summer afternoon, or anytime really. Burman notes that the courses are open year round, but suggests that if you're going to disc golf during the winter, you should tie a ribbon to the disc so you can see where it lands in the snow.

He is working with the Waterhole to arrange a tournament in September; Burman has organized four Disc Golf Tournaments at Sundheim Park over the years to include both professional disc golfers playing for cash and amateurs playing for prizes. The Sundheim course is challenging enough for professionals while still being suitable for novice players. For anyone interested in learning to play, discs can be purchased at Horizon Resources at 605 Ellery Ave, in Fairview. Enjoying everything that our local outdoors has to offer is a great way to spend the summer!