Current Issue PDFDisc Golf courses and natural play area being developed
By Danielle Harrison
Smoke Signals staff writer
By this summer, Tribal members and others will have their own 18-basket, professional-level disc golf course located east of uyxat Powwow Grounds next to Fort Yamhill State Park.
Having a course in an area that both Tribal and community members can access has long been an idea of Natural Resources Department Parks and Recreation Coordinator Jerry Bailey.
“Volker Mell (former Tribal employee) sent me the maps for the original disc golf course that had been talked about before,” Bailey says. “I looked at them to see if we had any equipment that had been purchased and there was none.”
The plans were relegated to one of Bailey’s computer files until Tribal members and employees seeking new outdoor recreation opportunities began reaching out after the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020. Disc golf was a favorite.
“We looked at the Tribal campus first because it is within walking distance for employees, and those in Tribal and Elder housing, but there were too many issues so we settled on this site, close to the powwow grounds,” Bailey says.
Bailey says he hopes to host a youth disc golf tournament in the future, perhaps on Contest Powwow weekend in August when the youth basketball tournament takes place.
“This would be for kids who aren’t interested in basketball but still want to participate in something,” he says. “I know there are lots of Tribal members I’ve seen on social media who are also interested in disc golf.”
The course, which will be called Spirit Mountain Disc Golf, is expected to open this summer. So far, 10 of the 18 baskets have been installed. Concrete pads will be installed next.
When it opens, there will be a welcome kiosk and a course map. Baskets will be numbered with arrows pointing the direction to the next one. The distance between baskets will range from approximately 200 feet to 500 feet.
A professional-level disc golf course is being built next to the uyxat Powwow Grounds. The 18-hole course should be finished this summer while a smaller nine-hole course on the Tribal governmental campus will be completed in roughly the same time frame. (Photos by Timothy J. Gonzalez)
What is disc golf?
Just as the name suggests, disc golf is similar to conventional golf in terms of rules, scoring (the lower the better) and etiquette. Disc golf differs from traditional golf as it is much more affordable, with each disc costing approximately $15. There are also a number of free courses to play. Players throw a disc at each basket on the course and the winner is the person with the lowest number of total throws in getting their disc into the basket.
According to the Professional Disc Golf Association, the sport provides upper and lower body conditioning, aerobic exercise and mental stimulation. Additionally, those with limited fitness levels and people of all ages can participate.
Bailey has been working with Tiger Discs of Salem on the course’s creation, as well as professional disc golfer Scott Withers of Albany.
Thus far, Bailey estimates total costs have been approximately $10,000. He also has the advantage of utilizing the summer youth crew as well as fire/siviculture employees to assist with clearing the land. Those employees also used trees damaged by the February 2021 ice storm to construct two sturdy bridges for creek crossings.
“This will be a professional-level course so the degree of difficulty will be high,” Bailey says.
Withers notes that professional-grade courses require a multitude of elements.
“To have a professional-grade course, there needs to be a variety of challenging shots that include distance as well as elevation and tight lines,” Withers says. “Here, you have to weave the disc in and out of the trees. There is also elevation, which is a good thing because so many of the courses in the Willamette Valley are flat.”
In addition to Spirit Mountain Disc Golf, a second, nine-basket course will be installed at the Tribal campus. The course will start at the old powwow grounds in front of the Governance Center and wind behind the baseball field, down the dirt road and end near the Clothes Closet close to the community park.
“I wanted it to be close to the buildings so employees could go out and play, and also accessible to the Grand Ronde community,” Bailey says.
Another new outdoor element will be one for the youngest in the Tribal community: A natural play area. Unlike traditional playgrounds, these areas draw on the land for inspiration and can include features such as water, gravel, rocks, sandpits, logs and boulder piles.
The site is being designed by Portland-based Learning Landscapes. Construction is expected to begin in 2023 and the site will be located at the two-acre wooded area across the street from the Elders Activity Center. The location will be advantageous to children with grandparents in Elder housing as well as the Tribe’s Youth Education program
“Studies have shown having a natural play area available for kids helps with their development as well as fine motor skills,” Bailey says.
Call Bailey at 503-879-2337 or e-mail him at jerry.bailey@grandronde.org for more information on the projects.