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JAN07PR PGS.rev 12/27/06 6:30 PM Page 36 <br />Disc golf has become more popular since its initial conception in the 1970s, <br />cement tee pad and sign for each hole. <br />For existing courses, one effective <br />way to beautify and maintain holes is to <br />develop an "Adopt -a -hole" program. <br />Usually private parties will adopt a hole <br />and work to upkeep landscaping, add <br />benches and perform periodic clean up. <br />The local disc golf club can be an <br />excellent source for course help. At a <br />minimum, many of the higher level <br />players in the area are known to occa- <br />sionally carry plastic bags for course <br />cleanup in their recreational rounds, If <br />you don't yet have a disc golf club and <br />you have avid disc golf players, it may <br />be to your benefit to advocate for the <br />formation of one. <br />Creative Income Sources <br />Perhaps it is time to consider ways to <br />generate some income from the disc <br />golfers to help defray general mainte- <br />nance expenses. Charging a fee for each <br />round is not the only way. Another way <br />is to sell discs and other items at a park <br />location where you already have <br />staffing. For example, an indoor swim- <br />ming facility near a course outside of <br />Washington, D.C., has annually sold <br />about $12,000 in discs for several years. <br />Not very many sites have established <br />infrastructure onsite from which to <br />generate income. But if you can, it can <br />pay off handsomely- The Three Rivers <br />Park District that manages the Hyland <br />Ski & Snowboard Area (HSSA) in <br />Bloomington, Minn., has been sur- <br />prised and pleased with the income <br />they've generated from greens fees <br />and discs sales by using their ski areas <br />as disc golf courses in [lie off-season. <br />Despite a short first season, the money <br />they made was substantial. The district <br />managed a golf driving range on the <br />ski hill in the summer- so their infra- <br />structure and staffing were actively in <br />place. Placing disc golf courses on ski <br />hills for alternate season use is a fast <br />growing and surprisingly successful <br />phenomenon. <br />Contract Services <br />If the community facilities don't have a <br />place to sell discs or the headquarters <br />location is too far away for players to <br />stop by casually, park and recreation <br />departments can consider opening a <br />contract for bid to local disc entrepre- <br />neurs. This model continues to work <br />well in central Texas. A local vendor <br />pulls a trailer by truck into the park <br />each day, selling discs and snacks under <br />contract with the city, resulting in a <br />financially viable business. <br />The largest disc golf contract opera- <br />tion is currently the Morley Field <br />course in San Diego, Calif. Snapper <br />Pierson has had a contract with the city <br />36 PARK%&R ECRE AT i0h. JANUARY 2007 <br />to build, manage and run the disc golf <br />course since the late 1980x. Considering <br />this course has almost had monopoly <br />standing since then, let alone year- <br />round great weather, it should be no <br />surprise how well Pierson and the city <br />are doing. The city receives a substantial <br />cut of the six -figure income the course <br />generates. Morley Field generates rev- <br />enues from greens fees, disc, apparel <br />Resources for <br />Disc Golf Course <br />Developers <br />