Disc Golf Comes To Incline Village

By Mitch Wiseman
INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. – There is a growing sport sweeping the nation and it is making its way to Incline Village. Disc golf will be the newest addition to the abundance of recreational activities in the Incline area. With courses already in nearby Truckee, Kings Beach, and South Lake, Incline Village will be the newest course to grace the presence of these already popular courses.
“We get out to the course in Kings Beach at least twice a week, the new course in Incline makes it convenient to play all the time.” A Sierra Nevada College student said when asked about the new course.

North Lake Tahoe Lions Club Disc Golf Course is the name of the course installed and maintained by the Incline Village General Improvement District. The course was installed in October and will join the skate park, middle school ball fields, IVGID tennis center, and the recreation center in Incline Park.
It’s an 18-hole course with every hole containing a 5-feet by 10-feet tee pad made of pervious materials, a disc golf basket, and a tee sign with information regarding hole location, distance, and hazards, similar to what one would find at a traditional golf course. According to the website the course cost the district and taxpayers nothing, the entire project is funded completely by donations, and was installed by volunteers with help from IVGID.
Disc golf is a rapidly growing sport, according to the Professional Disc Golf Association, it has grown at an annual rate of 15-18 percent for the past decade. With more than 3000 courses nationwide the game has began to catch on. Disc golf is played much like traditional golf. Instead of a hitting a ball into a hole, one must throw a disc into a supported metal basket. The goal like traditional golf is to throw the disc into the basket in the fewest amount of strokes, starting at the tee pad and ending in the basket. As players progress down the “fairway,” they must make each consecutive shot from the spot where the previous throw has landed. The trees, shrubs and terrain changes in and around the fairways provide challenging obstacles for the golfer. Finally, the “putt” lands in the basket and the hole is completed.
The sport’s popularity is partly due to the fact that it is quite inexpensive compared to other sports. The special discs are relatively cheap usually costing between 10 – 20 dollars, and most courses cost nothing to enjoy. The closest place to purchase discs near Incline Village is Tahoe Mountain Sports in Kings Beach, or online from several retailers.