Panther Disc Golf Course on high school grounds open to the public
There is aplenty of greenspace surrounding the Tracy Area High School building, and the campus is loaded with evergreens. But it’s not nearly enough for something like, say, a golf course.
It is, however, just right for another outdoor activity that includes nine holes, and that would be frisbee golf (sometimes known as “frolf” or disc golf).
Frolf? It’s like golf — only without clubs and a ball — in that there are nine holes and nine “tee boxes.” The course, which opened last week, is the brainchild of Billy Dean, a teacher at Tracy Area Elementary School and head varsity cross country coach, who took it upon himself to open the course.
“Ever since I started mowing at the school, I have noticed how much room there is,” said Dean. “We had a frisbee golf course at my high school and loved it; we were out all the time during summer playing.”
Dean approached the school board with his idea and got the go-ahead to pursue it and use school property. Then he went on the hunt for sponsors.
BILLY DEAN stands by one of the frisbee golf baskets that is part of the disc golf course northwest of the high school building in Tracy. The course is now open to the public. Pictured at left is one of the sponsored tee box signs that describe the hole. Photos / Per Peterson
Each of the holes is sponsored and are featured on the hole markers. Returning Our Youth Outdoors and the Tracy Eagles are the main sponsors of the frisbee golf course. ROYO sponsored four holes, and the Eagles three. The Gambler in Marshall and Premium Plant Services also each sponsor a hole. The sponsorships paid for the hole signs, posts, baskets and cement to anchor the signs.
Once the finances were secured, Dean went to high school teacher Karl Campbell, who teaches a construction/ trades class at TAHS.
“I got the materials ordered and Karl and his construction class build the course,” Dean said. “I am extremely grateful for Karl and his students for setting it up. We still have a little bit (of money) to spare, so we want to get nice big signs on top of all the holes. And I want to get a couple signs made to direct people where to go for the next hole — there’s a couple spots that it gets a little tricky as to where to go next.”
The course is situated to the northwest of the high school campus. It is mostly wide open, but does extend to the other side of a row of evergreens, closer to the varsity baseball field.
“The hope is that this gets enough traction to potentially put in another nine (holes) on the east side of school,” Dean said.
Frisbee golf involves players throwing a disc at a target, or basket. Players throw a disc from a tee area toward the target, and follow their disc, much like a traditional golfer would his golf ball. The discs are not your ordinary frisbees; they are made with varying characteristics that allow for different flight patterns. Different throwing styles can also affect a disc’s flight.
Dean said while the frisbee golf course was his idea, it wouldn’t have happened without the support of the school board, Campbell and the sponsors who pitched in financially.
The fisbee golf course is already being well-used. TAHS PE classes have been breaking it in this week.
