Ballarat council to consider disc golf for city

BALLARAT City Council will tonight consider a proposal to promote disc golf, a niche sporting activity which combines frisbee and the rules of golf. Designed to utilise parkland and encourage physical activity, the proposal is being lead by Councillor Cheryl Bromfield who requested city officers prepare a briefing paper on the sport’s introduction after seeing players compete in Tasmania.Created in the 1970s, the object of the game is to complete each hole in the fewest number of “strokes” using a frisbee instead of a ball and club. The sport’s peak body Disc Golf Australia approached the City of Ballarat in July 2000, with an interest in utilising Victoria Park or Black Hill Reserve for the game. Cr Bromfield said disc golf had been successfully introduced into schools in Tasmania, and would be a good addition to Ballarat’s sporting competitions. “It is a healthy and inexpensive sporting activity which could be used to activate the community. From what I saw in Hobart, the game ticked a lot of boxes and I certainly would be eager for Ballarat to get involved in it,” she said. The council report says equipment for a nine-hole “course” including baskets and frisbees would cost about $5000. Melbourne and Geelong have permanent disc golf courses while Whittlesea is the nearest official course to Ballarat. The report proposes Victoria Park, Wendouree West Recreation Reserve and Black Hill Reserve as possible locations. It recommended a community group, such as the existing Ballarat University Ultimate Frisbee Club, be engaged to develop the sport in the local community. Disc golf expert Harvey Yarnall said activity at the Poimena Reserve course in Glenorchy, Tasmania was booming.“It is a game that really covers all age groups, from primary school to senior citizens and it has an inexpensive entry cost to play. You get the advantage of being outside in the natural environment and it is great fun,” Mr Yarnall said.How to playRequirements: Frisbees for each player, hole baskets and open playing area.• The object of the game is to throw a golf disc frisbee into the target hole for ‘par’ or better. • The targets are typically steel baskets or ‘holes’, marked with a number. • The player begins by throwing or ‘driving’ from a designated tee area and continues toward the target, taking each consecutive shot from where the previous throw has landed. • Finally, a successful ‘putt’ sends your disc into the target, and the hole is completed. • Natural challenges such as distance, accuracy, wind, trees, shrubbery and terrain changes offer disc golfers plenty of action and excitement during the course of the game.What do you think? Let us know below