Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Innova Monarch now available in star plastic.

new course at Bunker Hills next year

Here is the reply on an email that I sent to the director of
Anoka county parks.

Steve:

Thank you for your e-mail. We really appreciate hearing from the
public and our customers.

Currently, Anoka County is planning to install a disc golf area at
Bunker Hills Regional Park next year. The facility will be located just
east of the picnic area, and will be designed to accommodate up to 18
holes. The area is in an attractive location for disc golf, with
rolling hills, trees, and wetlands. The park is also centrally located
to the county, so it will be as accessible as possible to the most
people. We have been considering disc golf at the park since the master
plan was updated in the late 90's, and so are anxious to finally see it
going in.

With regard to Rum River Central, I think your idea is an intriguing
one. At this point, we have financing to install a Mountain Bike Trail
in 2009 in the north half of the park. That is the only pending
development at this time. However, we would be happy to consider your
idea in future development phases. If you could, I would be interested
learning more about where you might see the course being installed.
Please let me know and I will discuss it with our park planner for
future consideration.

John

John VonDeLinde
Director of Parks and Recreation
Anoka County Parks and Recreation
550 Bunker Lake Boulevard


I sent a response, We will see what comes of that.
The Bunker course is good news.

Monday, December 8, 2008

You might be addicted to disc golf if

You flip plates over and take practice swings with them when you clear the table
when every piece of land you drive by would make the ultimate disc golf course.
when you think everyone should know what "hyzer" means.
....You have ever talked to your discs while they are in flight
When it's X-Mas time and you decorate your basket instead of a tree & place it on display in your living room!
When you start giving your best friends nicknames having to do with disc golf jargon.
You have to put more toys in your kids lap to balance the stroller because your disc bag hanging on the back keeps making it do wheelies.
when you use mini's for coasters.
You play at lunch time all the time ussually 2 or more times a week
You might be addicted to disc golf is your disc collection costs more than your car!
if you choose a location to BUILD YOUR HOUSE based on its proximity to a course!
have a couple hundred extra discs just in case
anytime you put anything in your hands you guess its stability
your two year old can throw both backhanded and forehanded
your dog is named Hyzer.
you sit in front of the tv and fondle your disc.
you have 260,000 miles on your ten year old car and you only live a mile from where you work...
You might be addicted if you use discs as home defense weapons.
if you know which of your ball caps is the least stable.
You wake up at 5am on a Saturday and don't even consider going back to sleep because TODAY YOU'RE GOING TO PLAY and you're wayyyy too excited about it!!!!
Your opinion changes from "It's great I don't have a yard with a lawn I have to mow." to "I sure wish I had a yard big enough to putt in."
You get upset at Christmas when no wrapped gifts appear to be round
if you have memorized the flight ratings of every discraft and innova disc on the market
Keep a spreadsheet of current inventory
Obtain two (at least) in same color and weight of each disc you regularly throw
if you have ever taken a road trip just to disc golf.
If your boss calls to tell you that you are going on a business trip, and the first thing you do when you get home is pull up the pdga website and see where the nearest course is to your destination.
you want to cry after losing a disc
Your disc bag is your carry-on. you oughta see the looks from the screeners

Blaine council approves Loch ness dgc

Residents are one step closer to enjoying the sport of disc golf at Lochness Park in Blaine.

Park Board commissioners voted to move forward with a disc golf course designer at their Nov. 25 meeting.

In October, commissioners directed staff to send out a request for proposals (RFP) for the design and installation of a nine-hole disc golf course at Lochness Park, 11121 Lexington Ave. N.E.

After taking into consideration the Park Board's recommendations and that course design was a primary concern, staff revised the RFP and in its place sent out a Request for Design Qualifications (RDQ).

On Nov. 25, Jim Kappelhoff, Blaine Director of Parks and Recreation, explained that the goal of the RDQ was to find a qualified disc golf course designer to assist city staff with the design process.

City staff distributed RDQs to four vendors on Nov. 9, asking for the following information: individuals who would be assigned to the project, experience and work qualifications, details of three completed disc golf course design projects, and design fees.

Three disc golf course vendors responded by Nov. 19, including Fairway Flyerz Discs, Inc., based in St. Paul, Gotta Go Gotta Throw Inc. based in Golden Valley, and Par 72 Disc Golf based in Richfield.

Fairway Flyerz proposed a $920 design fee, Par 72 proposed a $1,125 design fee and Gotta Go Gotta Throw waived the fee for the opportunity to work with the City of Blaine on the disc golf course project.

Commissioner Tom Newland said he preferred to move forward with Fairway Flyerz because of owner Mike Snelson's résumé and his previous experience with the Park Board. In September 2007 Snelson presented feasibility studies for disc golf courses at four Blaine parks at no cost to the city.

Newland added that Gotta Go Gotta Throw doesn't have the "depth of design background" and Par 72 proposed the most expensive bid.

"I would like to see it go his way," said Commissioner Suzanne Anderson of Snelson, "because he already invested a reasonable amount of time that we didn't compensate him for. It seems like a good choice."

The board unanimously approved Fairway Flyerz as the designer for the disc golf course at Lochness Park.

Kappelhoff said Fairway Flyerz will design the course and assist the City in purchasing equipment, such as the baskets. He said when speaking to the references the vendors provided, most of the communities said it was beneficial to work with a designer and that cities can complete some aspects of basket and tee pad installation.

"We need someone familiar with design and installation and who can recommend the best equipment," said Kappelhoff. "Mr. Snelson from Fairway Flyerz would fit that need.

"He is a very energetic person and is the go-to person that a lot of folks have business with as far as these other communities that put in disc golf courses."

According to the bid information Snelson submitted, he has served as the lead designer for nine disc golf courses, co-designer for four courses and design adviser for 14 courses in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Construction of the disc golf course at Lochness Park is expected to begin next spring.