From: Benjamin Smith
Hello to you all.
My name is Benjamin Smith. I am sending this email as a follow up from earlier conversations I have had with councillor Berry.
I would like to introduce all of you to the best game you have never heard of and present you with the opportunity to add something that is beautiful and positive that will last for generations in your community. That something is disc golf.
Disc Golf is played much like traditional golf except we throw discs into specially made targets called 'baskets'. The cost is usually free to play and there are over 12,000 courses worldwide including 26 in the maritimes. In fact the Yarmouth region is one of only two regions in all of the Maritimes without a course. We have several people from your area that regularly drive to Bridgewater to play and I would like to help change that.
Since 2007 I have built 21 courses in our area plus one in Maine and Newfoundland. I have hosted the Canadian National Disc Golf Championship in 2018 and 2019. These events generated over $150,000 each for the local economy in a 7-day span. This summer I was recently featured in a documentary about some of my, and my teams, efforts in bringing this game to our region. You can watch it here if it interests you: Throw Canada
I am a Maritimer first and a disc golfer second. I could give you lots of stats on why disc golf is a great return on investment from a municipal standpoint but the most convincing argument I can make is that if you build it people will use it and love it. A disc golf course can change peoples lives and help create the kind of communities we all want to build.
This game is my passion. When I moved home in 2007 there were 0 courses and only 2 players. Since then I have been fortunate enough to help create a culture here of over 3000 regular players, an internationally respected association, and an industry leader when it comes to design and event creation.
I would love to have a chance to present to council and to give you all a project that is a win for everyone involved. Thank you for taking the time to read this.
Attached is the full course proposal. It outlines what the game is, some of its history and how it can be incorporated locally in Yarmouth. The budget is near the end of the document. If you have any questions I would be happy to answer them, by phone, email, or ideally when I present to you at your next town council meeting.
Thank you for your time. I look forward to making this a reality. Proposal for a Permanent Disc Golf Course 1
Project Summary
Flickline Disc Golf would like to share with you the details associated with the installation of a 9 or 18 hole Disc Golf course located in any suitable space you might have that is 8 acres or more. Total cost of the project is estimated to be between $12,000 - $25,000 for a 9 hole course and $22,000 and up for an 18 hole course. A solid quote can be given once a specific piece of land has been identified and a final layout and details have been agreed upon.
Rationale: A disc golf course is one of the best investments you can make.
Why? The simple answer is: because people will use it!
The more complex answer speaks to many of the positive objectives for an engaged community:
● A disc golf course brings a sense of community for people who regularly use it ● It encourages outdoor exercise 12 months a year ● It offers a creative outlet for players and organizers ● The majority of those players will choose to play recreationally but some can and will choose to pursue disc golf professionally ● It can breathe life in an underused green space, park, or woodlot ● It can be played while practicing social distancing guidelines ● The cost to play is not prohibitive.
Disc Golf Around the World
As of November 2020 there are now more than 8000 disc golf courses in North America. The majority of these courses are installed or purchased by city and municipal parks and recreation departments. Studies have found that few recreational activities offer the high benefit-to-cost ratio of disc golf. Disc golf has relatively low capital and maintenance costs compared with other recreational installations.
The majority of courses located in the Maritimes are located in public access parks. Areas such as Lakeburn Park in Dieppe, Beech Hill Park in Sackville, and the M.A.R.C. park in Bridgewater just to name a few. These courses are free to play and most average over 180 players per week from April - Oct and roughly 50 per week through the winter months.
Private or pay to play courses are located in each province and have been growing steadily, especially on Prince Edward Island. The State of Maine is all pay to play courses and in 2019 was voted the top place in the world to play disc golf.
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Three schools in the region have disc golf courses on site, Bible Hill Jr, New Germany High School, and Dr John Hugh Gillis High School. At least a dozen other high schools have discs and baskets as a part of their recreation equipment.
All of these entities have found that there are few recreational activities that offer the high benefit-to-cost ratio of Disc Golf.
Disc golf has relatively low capital and maintenance costs compared with other recreational installations, it is environmentally sound, is played year-round in all climates, and is enjoyed immediately, even by beginners of all ages.
The installation of a disc golf course to a woodlot, greenspace, or any underused piece of land would be a great addition to the property . It can generate interest year round and appeals to a wide audience. It also fits well for the overall long term strategy for the municipality. Disc golf courses can thrive in heavily wooded areas, especially where the trees are matured and well spaced. These courses do not need to be manicured anywhere near the amount that traditional golf courses do.
A disc golf course could also provide opportunities for local school groups, day camps, youth groups and other community organizations looking for a new or different activity to partake in and become more engaged with the land and community in general.
What is Disc Golf?
Disc golf is played much like traditional golf. Instead of hitting a ball into a hole, you throw a more ® streamlined l Frisbee d isc into a supported metal basket. The goal is the same: to complete ooking the course in the fewest number of shots. A golf disc is thrown from a tee area to each basket, which is still referred to as the “hole”. As players progress down the fairway, they must make each consecutive shot from the spot where the previous throw has landed. The trees, shrubs, and changes in terrain on and around the fairways provide challenging obstacles for the golfer. Finally, when the “putt” comes to rest in the basket the hole is completed. (See video links for ‘This is Disc Golf’ in additional content below).
Who Can Play?
The simple answer is that everyone can. In studies measuring participation in recreational activities, “throwing a Frisbee” has consistently been a top-ten activity.
A disc golf course serves a broader community than many narrow interest activities with higher cost, skill, or fitness levels required to even begin to play. Men and women, young and old, families with small children -- all can play disc golf. Disc golf is so easy to understand and enjoy, no one is excluded. Players merely match their pace to their capabilities and proceed from there.
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Disc golf in O’dell park, Fredericton, NB How Much Does It Cost to Play?
Many courses are located on campus or in city/regional parks where the cost to play is free. The equipment itself is quite inexpensive - discs designed for golf sell for $15-$25 each and you only need 1 or 2 to get started. High end or private courses charge daily fees of roughly $10 and offer discs to rent for new players. Special events have entry fees between $20-$200 with payouts that can exceed $10,000 for first place.
Disc Golf in the Maritimes
As of Sept 2020 the Maritime region has 26 permanent disc golf courses with more on the way. Almost all the areas with courses have established clubs and/or associations who promote, teach, and play the game. The Maritime Disc Golf Association (which oversees much of the formal play) has been awarded the Canadian National Championship for 4 consecutive years (2018-2021). This (Canadian) record-breaking event directly generates roughly $200,000 to the local economy during the 7 days of competition and showcases the region to more than 300 players from all over the world (during non-covid years).
During ‘normal’ years the MDGA would host or co-host close to 40 different events including the Flickline Tour Series which sees one and two-day events held at 14 different locations throughout Atlantic Canada. Players travel from all around the maritime region to compete for cash and prizes.
Schedule of events for 2020 prior to season interruption:
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Disc Golf Around the World
As mentioned above there are over 8000 courses in North America alone and well over 12,000 courses worldwide. These numbers are growing annually at a rate of roughly 5%. The Disc Golf Pro Tour runs a series of professional events which showcase the top players in the world. Several European countries have invested heavily in disc golf. Sweden and Finland built nearly 500 courses in a 2 year span. As with many other ‘distancing friendly’ activities, disc golf everywhere is seeing a new influx of new players.
Disc golf media content is at an all-time high (and growing). Each major event is broadcast live to 10,000+ people. Filmed events draw well over 100,000 views on YouTube. Most recently, ESPN aired coverage from a disc golf pro tour event in Nov.
What kind of Construction Would be Planned for a course at a selected woodlot?
The installation of a 9 or 18-hole disc golf course (plus one practice basket) on any suitable piece of land would include the installation of signs, baskets, and optional construction of tee pads. Since disc golf courses do well in all terrain there is a large emphasis placed on the existing natural features of each piece of land. Branches near eye level around every basket must be trimmed and areas when the forest is densely populated trees would be removed. Before any design is finalized trees that need to be cut will be marked with flagging tape for approval from all involved parties. A healthy ecosystem is the first priority so only areas that would benefit from cutting would be considered. Beautiful trees make a good disc golf course great. No clearcutting is needed or
Proposal for a Permanent Disc Golf Course 5 wanted for quality disc golf courses. Depending on the site some fairways are not much wider than a walking trail.
See before and after photos below for moderate cleaning:
Before
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After
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Example: Hole 14 - Hillcrest Farms Disc Golf Course
Equipment / Infrastructure Requirements:
Tee Pads:
Our plan is to have one tee pad per hole, with the future option of each hole have two tees, a short one for novice/recreational players, and a longer one for advanced players
Each tee pad is equipped with a number sign indicating which hole it is as well as how many meters and any potential hazards. The attached budget calls for natural tee pads with mulch marked by a sign and a log at the front and sides.
Option #1: We would recommend tee pads be made of paver blocks but this is not mandatory. Championship level courses all have permanent tee pads but this increases the costs of the project by $6000 - $10,000.
Option #2 : Wooden tee pads or rubber mats are a cheaper option and, if grit paint is used to preserve them, they will be very suitable. This is a less expensive option than concrete but will still need to be maintained. This is not always an ideal option.
Option #3: Mulch or natural tee pads are an option, they require some effort to be maintained but are substantially less expensive to install.
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Natural tee pad example - Temp course Fredericton
Baskets:
Each playable hole would have a basket mounted on a pole that slides inside an anchor pipe. The base has been cemented into a hole measuring approximately 8” in diameter and 18-24” deep (technical specifications for the installation of tees and baskets can be provided). If desired each hole could have 1 or 2 additional anchors installed so that the basket could be moved to different anchor locations periodically to reduce soil compaction and erosion, plus add some variety for players (similar to moving holes around on a golf green).
Each basket would be an asset with an estimated lifetime of 15-20 years.
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Signs:
Tee signs are very important to help first-time users find their way through the course. Each hole would have a sign indicating the number, length, recommended flight path, and par.
In addition, a rules sign and information board should be installed before the first hole. The signs can be constructed with a variety of materials, although we believe it is preferable to construct signs that have a natural appearance which fits in with the surrounding area. Commercial signs designed for Disc Golf are also available from several sources.
All courses are also listed online on several prominent sites. The most important of these sites is ‘Udisc’. Udisc lists each course along with a digital map of each hole and allows users to keep score electronically on their phones or other devices.
What Maintenance Is Required For a Disc Golf Course?
After installation, the maintenance needs for a disc golf course are primarily grass mowing. Unlike weekly that is usually required for ball fields, mowing for disc golf courses can be stretched to every three weeks. However if the course is in mostly wooded areas no mowing is required. The targets are made of welded steel anchored in concrete and need no regular maintenance. As mentioned above baskets typically last 15-20 years in Canadian Climates. If mulch tee pads are in fact used they may be required to be ‘topped up’ once a year.
How Much Land is Needed?
A significant advantage of disc golf is its ability to utilize areas that are not very desirable or usable for other activities such as dense woods, rocky areas, and slopes. In addition, a disc golf course doesn’t have to be an exclusive use area -- it can/will coexist amicably with other active and passive recreation uses such as hiking, dog-walking, golf, etc. The key is quality design. The relative portability of baskets and signs allows recreation departments to inexpensively relocate the course to another site as needs dictate.
A nine hole course typically uses betten 6-10 acres while an 18 hole course would use close to 20. The rough rule of thumb for a total space needed is about one acre per hole. Co-use parks in the Maritimes include the M.A.R.C. in Bridgewater; Lockhard Ryan in New Minas; Hillsborough Golf Club in Hillsborough, and Beech Hill Park in Sackville NB as well as several others.
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Benefits of a course to the greater community?
The installation of a disc golf course would benefit the surrounding community in at least three ways:
- Increasing and enhancing recreation opportunities for the all users, - Increased tourism and income, - Promoting healthy active lifestyles.
Most courses in the Maritimes generate at least $8,000 revenue for the local economy in the first year after installation (not including any course fees) and can exceed that number if events are scheduled there. Many of the pay-to-play courses generate well over $10,000 in course fees per year. Currently the average disc golf course in the Maritimes sees over 150 players per week in the spring through fall season, and about 50 players per week during the winter months. Players will play in snow shoes if the snow is deep and put ribbons on their discs.
Recreation Opportunities:
A Disc Golf course would provide an inexpensive form of recreation for people of all ages and skill levels and be a wonderful addition to any healthy forest.
A Disc Golf course would give anyone in the neighborhood a healthy and challenging outlet for their energies and would allow the Maritime Disc Golf Association to organize clinics, leagues, and special events as desired. Flickline and the MDGA would plan to run at least one tournament at your course in the first year. This would be put on for all skill levels and would provide all participants a selection of discs to help them get started..
Flickline would also feature an opening day at the course as well. This would be a great way to introduce new players and staff to the rules, etiquette, and techniques involved in the game of disc golf.
Conservation:
Disc golf is an environmentally friendly sport. There is much less regular maintenance than traditional golf. Most courses are being designed to fit into the existing flora of a city park or any available greenspace. The impact of a disc golf course of the surrounding area is minimal. If each hole has multiple pin placements, that would help to ensure that no one area gets constant foot traffic (this has the added benefit of providing new challenges to players as well). In addition, disc golfers overall tend to take great pride in where they play, helping reduce potential litter on the course. In the long-term, a disc golf course can help in the preservation of any piece of land by giving the local players a stake in its upkeep and protection.
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Economics:
A deluxe 18-hole Disc Golf course with two sets of tees, professional signs, and baskets can be purchased and installed for approx $35,000, less than the cost of a single tennis or basketball court. An 18-hole course can serve more than 80 people at any time, compared with a tennis court (4 maximum) or basketball court (10 maximum). The cumulative square footage of all combined hard surface tee pads is also less than either a basketball or tennis court.
A Disc Golf course will also bring many players from around the Maritimes to the area and give the people who live here another lifetime recreational opportunity. As the saying goes “If you build it, they will come”. This influx of traffic to the region can help to support the financial bottom line and bring new people to the area. This can show off some of the things that make this part of the world so beautiful. A disc golf course can pay for itself in approx.
Professional Support:
We have full support from Duncan Dixon, President of the Maritime Disc Golf Association and we have enclosed a letter of endorsement created for the town of Hampton but is applicable to all courses in the region.
We have letters from Matt Pryde, Manager of Recreation Programs & Events in Sackville, NB as well as a letter from John Ansara, Recreation Director from New Minas, NS, detailing how the installation of a Disc Golf course in their towns has benefited the community.
Brian Hoeniger, PDGA International Director/Canada Manager, has given a letter of endorsement for a proposal also in Hampton but has extended this support for any and all proposed courses in the region as well.
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Budget:
Course Installation:
This budget acts as a general guideline for a well-designed 9 or 18-hole course with reasonable amount of cutting or machine work done on site. A basic course gets you baskets and natural tee pads. It can be worked into any existing space the municipality has access to. The vast majority of courses in the maritimes are basic courses and they fit perfectly in their communities. A DIscGolfPark course gets you listed on the DiscGolfPark website DiscGolfPark and comes with its own specific signage and standards. There are over 400 of these courses worldwide. As a certified designer Flickline is in a great position to have any project we do gain international attention. A Flcikline Signature course comes with all the benefits of a Disc Golf Park course but with added tee pads and multileveled design work. All quoted machine work is based on the individual needs of each site. We are more than happy to have an onsite visit where more detailed options can be explored.
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Basic 9 / 18 Hole Course Mulch Tee Pads with wood frame $500 $250 Numbered Tee Signs / Interpretive Signs $850 $1,400 Welcome Board $250 $250 10 / 19 Baskets $5,000 $9,500 Design Fee $1,500 $3,000 Course Package (discs) $1,000 $2,000 Gravel $300 $500 Installation (including all deliveries) $1,250 $2,000 Concrete (bases for baskets) $100 $200 Machine work ** (must be quoted after site visit) $3,000 $6,000
Total (plus taxes) $14,000 $25,100
DiscGolfPark Entry Level
Wood Framed Paver Stone Tee Pads (4’ x 8’) $6,500 Custom Signage Including Welcome sign $3,500 19 Baskets $9,500 Design Fee $3,000 Course Package (Custom discs) $1,400 Opening day event $500 Gravel $600 Concrete (bases for baskets) $200 Installation (including all deliveries) $2,500 Machine Work ** (if needed) $4,000 Misc (Grass seed, additional planting etc.) $750
Total (plus taxes) $32,450
Flickline Signature Course
Stone Framed Paver Tee Pads (5 x 10) x 2 $14,500 Custom Signage Including Welcome Sign $3,500 20 Bakets $10,000 Design Fee $5,000 Course Package (Custom Discs) $1,500 Opening Day Event Including Media $1,000 Gravel $800 Installation (Including all delivery) $3,500 Machine Work **(if needed) $10,000 Benches / Garbage Cans $2,000 Total (Plus taxes) $51,800
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Grand Opening
This portion of the budget acts as a general guideline for the promotion and coordination of a one-day, two-round “Starter Pack” event. At this event, each participant receives a starter pack of 3 beginner-friendly discs (1 putter, 1 midrange driver, 1 fairway driver). Participants compete with discs that are suitable for their skillset.
Promotion of the event would include: - Traditional advertising, - Online advertising - Targeted advertising to local sports teams and organizations - Day of public demonstrations
Event Budget
Revenue: Registration - ( 50 players @ $25)
Promotion - Radio, social media $200 - Starter pack discs $1000 - Prize packs ($400 retail) $200
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Additional Content:
What is Disc Golf Video (You Tube): This is Disc Golf
A players perspective for the first national championship hosted in the Maritimes: 2018 Canadian Nationals Experience
Documentary of Flickline owner, Benjamin Smith: Throw Canada
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Letters of support:
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About the Course Designer:
Benjamin Smith is the owner of Greensmith Contracting and Flickline Disc Golf. He is one of the co-founders of the Maritime Disc Golf Association and Tournament Director for the 2018-2019 Canadian National Championships. Ever since he threw his first disc golf disc in 2001 he has spent a significant portion of his life throwing more and exploring new ways of growing the game he loves.
Benjamin has been the primary builder of over 22 courses in Atlantic Canada including the first ever course in Newfoundland (and 1 in Maine). He has worked tirelessly on helping to establish disc golf as a National Sporting Organization in Canada. Recently he was featured in the documentary ‘Throw Canada’ (see link above) which showcased the efforts and successes of the last 2 national championships.
For more information please email : [email protected] Or call 902 669 0764