Course in Canfield gives disc golf a fling
CANFIELD — Weeks of warm to cool weather remain this season to enjoy the new disc golf course in Canfield.
The MetroParks Farm Disc Golf Course at the MetroParks Farm, 7574 Columbiana-Canfield Road in Canfield, is open and ready for amateurs and professionals alike.
There is a simple nine-basket course for “newbies” to learn the game, which has grown in popularity over the past decade, said Justin Rogers, planning manager for Mill Creek MetroParks. But for more-experienced players, or less-serious players who want to enjoy a hike through the wooded areas at the farm, the 18-basket “championship course” offers twists and turns through wooded areas and meadows, featuring ponds and fresh air, Rogers said.
The $25,000 course was 10 years in the making and partially funded with an Ohio Department of Natural Resources grant.
After finding a location and getting a grant, it took about a year to design and construct the course, Rogers said.
Rogers said he believes the course will attract clubs and teams of people who play the sport competitively and low-key recreators alike.
“Playing disc golf can be a very personalized experience. It can bring in people who are experienced and competitive, and bring people who are novices interested in it who haven’t played. Plus, the equipment isn’t expensive, and the course is free,” Rogers said. “It is good for children and families, too.”
Roger’s son, 6, made a “birdie” on the course, and it made the boy’s week, Rogers said.
The site was selected because restrooms already exist, along with parking areas and water fountains at the farm. And the course is diversifying the types of activities and people who will be tempted to visit the park, Rogers said. There are also animals, pond fishing, a rain garden and a hall for rent.
The bike way runs through the area. There is a natural playground, an archery range, special events and agricultural programs offered already at the farm, Roger said.
“We felt the area was void of this type of activity, and it is directly in line with our mission to provide recreational opportunities and educational ones,” Rogers said.
The park is open from sunrise to sunset.
rfox@tribtoday.com