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Disc golf has officially arrived in Rangiora following the official opening of a nine-hole course at the weekend.
The free-to-use 620m long course is in the grounds surrounding the MainPower Cricket Oval, MainPower Stadium and the MainPower Hockey Turf on Coldstream Road.
Waimakariri District Councillors and Rangiora/Ashley Community Board members gathered on Sunday morning to try their hand at one of the fastest-growing sports in the world today.
The Marketing Manager for North Canterbury Sport, Tony Kean, opened the course and helped coach several visitors, sponsors and council representatives on the fine art of spinning Frisbee’s in disc golf.
“It’s a bit different from Ultimate Frisbee, but the goal is the same as golf. Get your Frisbee into the basket on the vertical hole/pin in the shortest number of throws.
“With the nine-holes varying in length from 97m down to 45m for the pins in among the trees, it requires a bit of concentration and planning to successfully navigate your way around the course.
“Each hole is a par 3, but don’t let that fool you as they all can be very tricky to reach”.
The course has been built with the ability to change layouts if and when we need to,” Tony says.
Keen player Kirwan Franke, director of Active Health, says it’s a lot like golf.
“It's a low-cost, accessible activity that offers profound benefits for individuals and communities alike.
"The NZ Heart Foundation praise it as "the perfect gentle exercise for people.
“To get close to the holes, you have to use drivers that turn this way or that depending on how you throw them and their shape.
"Then to get closer, you use mid-range Frisbee. Finally you use a putter to get your frisbee into the chain link enclosed basket."
Each Frisbee has special characteristics built into it. Some are hard, some soft and flexible, others sharper or flatter.
"You are not limited on how many you can carry, as you are with golf clubs, but each disc has a special purpose, and it’s not unusual to see top players carrying 30, 40 or more discs as they walk around the course.
“The pros even tow little carts full of discs behind them in the same way golfers have golf bags or carts.”
The nine-hole course was built completely without council funding,” Tony said.
“Our kind sponsors all came on board very quickly following an appeal by local disc golfers, and thanks to them, we have a quality asset for the community here at the stadium.”
It’s free to use, discs can be hired from the MainPower Stadium reception, and already a large number of children have attended disc golf schools during the school holidays.