Cape County park board approves disc golf course

The Cape Girardeau County Park Board has approved an 18-hole disc golf course for Cape County Park North.

Thursday's meeting was held primarily to take a vote on the course. Last week, only two board members attended a proposal for the course presented by Commissioner Jay Purcell, the Frisbee Golf Citizens Group and county residents, so a vote could not be taken.

Enthusiasm for building a disc golf course, unofficially called Frisbee golf, at Cape County Park North was sparked by the popularity of the 10-hole course installed in Capaha Park by the city of Cape Girardeau and Southeast Missouri State University last May.

Similar to traditional golf, players of disc golf throw hard rubber discs or regular Frisbees into a series of metal baskets. Play starts at a concrete platform "tee" and the distance to the basket varies for each "hole."

All board members attended Thursday, and board member Melvin Gateley moved that the issue be put to a vote shortly after calling the meeting to order.

Board chairman Joe Sherinski asked for the condition that walkers on all paths be given the right of way ahead of disc golf players. Purcell said consideration for all users of the park was a priority.

Members of the community, including Theo Wenger and John Dodd of the Frisbee Golf Citizens Group who attended the meeting last week, returned to show their support. They were commended by the board and Purcell for their participation and dedication to careful planning.

Purcell said volunteers like Wenger and Dodd spent "hundreds and hundreds of hours" walking the park, playing the course and suggesting modifications.

The course is designed to meet the standards set forth by the Professional Disc Golf Association while preserving the park and protecting other visitors.

"On behalf of the park board, I thank you," Sherinski said to the volunteers. "I'm looking forward to this. I think it is going to be dandy."

Purcell said he hopes to start building within a few weeks. The next step will be fundraising through tournaments and sponsorships to raise money for construction. Purcell suggested last week that businesses may sponsor individual tees for $1,000 to $1,500 each and said this week that some have already expressed interest.

salderman@semissourian.com

388-3648

Pertinent address:

2400 County Park Drive, Cape Girardeau MO