Disc Golf Courses on Government Land

[mndiscg]

My definition of Government Land for the purpose of this thread- US Forest Service or BLM Land.

Has anybody ever tried getting a disc golf course put up on land like this? As far as I can tell, none exist.

It can't be any more invasive than mountain biking or downhill skiing like the Forest Service land in my area is used for. There are hundreds of square miles of land available. Most have some trails or roads running through them but there are enough remote pieces of land that a disc golf course could be put into and never even noticed by anybody except those that want to find it.

 

[Steve West]

There are many on Forest Service Land, on ski areas.

 

[jblough]

Ward Recreation Area in Ely, NV is on BLM land.

Here's the course.

Here's the proposal that created the course. Perhaps it can serve as a precedent for future BLM courses. (Obviously each BLM area has its own biodiversity, habitat, topography, etc.)

 

[sansho]

There are many on Forest Service Land, on ski areas.

These courses are the only thing I can think of on Forest Service Land.

I know Kirkwood (ski area) is in national forest on national forest land.

But you're right. There is a crazy amount of Forest Service land around here (Tahoe area) that would make for some awesome courses. But I can't complain too much. The courses we have are pretty awesome, but more would better!!

 

[mndiscg]

These courses are the only thing I can think of on Forest Service Land.

I know Kirkwood (ski area) is in national forest on national forest land.

But you're right. There is a crazy amount of Forest Service land around here (Tahoe area) that would make for some awesome courses. But I can't complain too much. The courses we have are pretty awesome, but more would better!!

There is a crazy amount of underutilized land here (SE WY) and we don't have any nice courses. The land outside of the Forest Service land is treeless, windy, flat, etc.

 

[ohtobediscing]

I work with the BLM all the time while firefighting, as a private contractor. We used to sing a bastardized version of "This Land is Your Land", as if a Forest Ranger was singing it:

"This land is my land, this land is my land, this land is my land, this land is my land...".

Good luck. Then again, gays are legally wed and pot's soon to be sold by Marlboro, so what do I know?

 

[nickrew1]

Black Butte Lake in Orland, CA was installed with the help of the Army Corps of Engineers and it's on federal land of course. The corps helped us raise money for the course and allowed us tons of design-freedom and fundraising tournaments. Not positive, but I think New Hogan reservoir courses may also be on BLM.

 

[Discette]

There are several courses in Iowa that are built on land managed by the US Army Corps of Engineers: Sugarbottom, Turkey Creek, Walnut Ridge and Big Creek all come to mind.

If you do Google search for US Army Corps of Engineers Disc Golf, you will get results from many different states. While the lands may be in state or city parks, the Corps manages the land use in these watersheds. As such, government red tape comes along with the deal.

Out West there are many disc golf courses on lands managed by the US Forest Service and BLM.

 

[mndiscg]

There are several courses in Iowa that are built on land managed by the US Army Corps of Engineers: Sugarbottom, Turkey Creek, Walnut Ridge and Big Creek all come to mind.

If you do Google search for US Army Corps of Engineers Disc Golf, you will get results from many different states. While the lands may be in state or city parks, the Corps manages the land use in these watersheds. As such, government red tape comes along with the deal.

Out West there are many disc golf courses on lands managed by the US Forest Service and BLM.

Are there any examples that aren't at Ski Resorts?

 

[SteezeOG]

US Army Corp of Engineers around here. Both courses at Pomona and one of my favorites at Eisenhower Lake

http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=3428
http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=703
http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=3993

 

[mashnut]

There are several courses in Iowa that are built on land managed by the US Army Corps of Engineers: Sugarbottom, Turkey Creek, Walnut Ridge and Big Creek all come to mind.

If you do Google search for US Army Corps of Engineers Disc Golf, you will get results from many different states. While the lands may be in state or city parks, the Corps manages the land use in these watersheds. As such, government red tape comes along with the deal.

Out West there are many disc golf courses on lands managed by the US Forest Service and BLM.

There are several Army Corps of Engineers properties with courses in California too, mostly near lakes with dams maintained by the Corps.

 

[Discette]

Are there any examples that aren't at Ski Resorts?

Most of the US Forest Service courses are on leased land. That is, the ski resorts, or camp or private business have a lease with the US Forest Service.


I am now challenged to find a course on federal land that is not on leased property.

 

[mashnut]

Most of the US Forest Service courses are on leased land. That is, the ski resorts, or camp or private business have a lease with the US Forest Service.


I am now challenged to find a course on federal land that is not on leased property.

Does the Army Engineer Corps lease the land? If not, Monument Ridge, Hensley Lake and both courses at Hogan Dam might fit that criterion.

 

[mndiscg]

Most of the US Forest Service courses are on leased land. That is, the ski resorts, or camp or private business have a lease with the US Forest Service.


I am now challenged to find a course on federal land that is not on leased property.

That is what I was wondering.

I am looking for a US Forest Service sponsored course. I don't know if I could see them putting any money into one based on what their building looks like in town and the level of maintenance they have on their land.

 

[blackcatsmith]

I believe that Thumb Butte, Skyline, and School House Gulch(all located in Prescott Az) are on federal forest land, and I believe that is why we(local disc golfing community) aren't allowed to build any permanent structures(i.e.: tee pads, baskets) there. Which is a shame, because that is all those courses are missing to become 4 star courses in my view.

 

[mndiscg]

I believe that Thumb Butte, Skyline, and School House Gulch(all located in Prescott Az) are on federal forest land, and I believe that is why we(local disc golfing community) aren't allowed to build any permanent structures(i.e.: tee pads, baskets) there. Which is a shame, because that is all those courses are missing to become 4 star courses in my view.

Those courses look great. I am hoping that if my efforts to get a course on USFS land prevail that I will have a little more freedom. I would like baskets and some form of signage. I don't expect more than natural tees and those wouldn't be a problem with the soil here.

 

[blackcatsmith]

I'm a blacksmith by trade and I've toyed with the idea of making some "wrought iron" baskets that look to be made of twigs,sticks and such so as to blend in with the native surroundings. Fear of destruction and or removal of said baskets by the powers that be is all that keeps me from making and installing them. There is also the obvious problem of baskets that blend in so well as to be hidden from being able to locate them from the tee pad.

 

[mndiscg]

I e-mailed a couple of people in charge of the local USFS Rec Areas. I wasn't expecting any answers but I found two of them this morning. They both said that they are presently struggling to maintain their present recreation infrastructure due to budget cuts and can't see much more money in the near future. Another one cited the lack of water and soil and how fragile the plant life is there. One of them is familiar with disc golf and said that as far as he knows, the USFS hasn't put in or maintained any courses. All courses are on land leased from the USFS.

I am going to talk to the local ski resort and see if they would be interested but I can't see it happening. There aren't enough people or disc golfers for it to be profitable IMO.

 

[humchris85]

Up here in Humboldt we have a few un-official courses that are on government land, both BLM and Forest Service land. You just have to be willing to take a cut in ammenities, as in all of them.

 

[mndiscg]

Up here in Humboldt we have a few un-official courses that are on government land, both BLM and Forest Service land. You just have to be willing to take a cut in ammenities, as in all of them.

There are a few around here too but it would be so awesome to be throwing at baskets!