(4/14) At its April 12 meeting, the Town Council granted permission to replace the tee pads at the town disc golf course. Disc golf enthusiast Steve Minnick and Tracy Jones petitioned the Town Council for permission to replace the tee pads. Installation of the new tee pads will be done at no cost to the town.
Tee pads are the designated starting points for the game. The new pads are designed to allow a mower to drive over them without issues. The course is maintained by a bevy of volunteers using a mower purchased through donations from those who play on the course.
Minnick said he is out nearly every day, including holidays, to care and maintain the course. Jones says he gets an even bigger kick out of maintaining the disc golf course than he does playing disc golf, "And I really love to play," he said.
The Woodsboro course is the second most popular course in the state of Maryland and people come from all over to play. The course regularly hosts tournaments and leagues to raise money for food banks and local charity benefits. Events consistently bring out dozens of players each time, and enormous tournaments bring in players from all over the east coast, Minnick said.
Both Minnick and Jones are members of Fredrock Disc Golf, which was formed to promote the development of Disc Golf through competition and community involvement. Raising money through tournaments and events and giving back to the community through charitable activities, is an essential aspect of the game said Minnick.
"The great thing about it is it is a year-round sport," Jones said, noting players can still hold tournaments in the winter or in inclement weather.
Woodsboro’s disc golf started as a nine-hole course, but with the dedication of volunteers like Minnick and Jones, it has expanded to a complete 18-hole course. Everything is paid for through community support and the volunteers have not asked the council for anything except for their approval.
Asking for nothing but permission, the disc golf enthusiasts are regularly out on the course maintaining the area including removal of invasive trees, new benches, clearing underbrush and more. "It’s a great stress reliever and great way to unwind," Minnick said.
Everyone is welcome to bring their own discs to the free-to-play course and get involved with an amazing sport for all ages and athletic types.
Minnick and Jones continually strive to create courses as unbelievable as humanly possible and encourage anyone to not only check out the course, but support efforts to create the best possible course for everyone. "One day this place will be unbelievable and that is what keeps us going," Minnick said.
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