Something I never imagined is happening: Disc golf is getting popular enough to merit ski-resort style complaining about crowds.
I swear, it's true.
I saw maybe 100 people at Johnny Robert's the other night, lined up at every hole. Half of them were milling around in the fairway and generally disregarding the sacred code. (1. Throw your glorified Frisbee, 2. Get out of the way.) I even saw a drunk guy intentionally throw four discs into the water, because nihilism.
Anyway, all you elite dolfers now have a new way to get away from it all: a reservations-only course that costs $12 to play. You can even rent a golf cart.
The new course, called Dragon's Breath, is on the grounds of the Foothills Golf Course Complex at the southwestern edge of Denver.
Here's what you need to know:
- The grand opening is Oct. 22
- Reservations are required, since the course is usually used for ball golf. Tee times will vary from week to week. Call 303-409-2405. You're encouraged to play in a foursome.
- It's $12 if you're walking the course. Cart rentals are another $8.
It's a full 18-hole course designed around some fun terrain, according to designer Mike Hanson.
"The nice thing about that area of land ... is there are three separate bodies of water that come into play in the course. We also have some elevation changes -- up to 300 feet up and 300 feet down," said Hanson, who works for Foothills Park & Recreation District.
The course is heavy on native grasses and tree cover. "It's not just a big, throw-it-as-far-as-you-can, bomber course. There are some bomber holes, but it’s more technical," he said. "You’re going to have to use every shot in your bag."
Dragon's Breath is managed by the Foothills Park & Recreation District, which opened up the gorgeous Fehringer Ranch course a couple years ago. Fehringer now sees a few hundred visitors per weekend, Hanson said.
If you're looking for an introductory course before you start paying to play, I'd recommend joining the rest of us dummies at Johnny Roberts, which is just outside Olde Town Arvada.
It's free, it's beautiful and it's short. Alternatively, you can play the Dry Dock course in Aurora while drinking a comically large can of apricot beer. That's the true meaning of sports, folks.
