Being an Atlanta native I have always enjoyed visiting Blue Ridge, Ga. because of its close proximity to the city. Within an hour and a half I can be in the mountains breathing the fresh air and miles away from the stress and traffic of the city. Another reason why I, and so many others enjoy visiting (and living) in Blue Ridge, is because of the many outdoor activities so close to Blue Ridge. Hiking, whitewater rafting, hunting, fishing, boating and the list goes on and on. Although there are many activities in mountains of North Georgia, one activity (or sport) that is not in Blue Ridge….Disc Golf. I believe that Blue Ridge would be a great location for a Disc Golf course!
One might ask themselves, “What is disc golf”. In my own words, disc golf is a game played just like ball golf and has very similar rules. The object of the game is to play 18 “holes” with the fewest amounts of “throws” or “strokes”. A hole is made up of a (start) tee box; where your initial throw is made from, and a metal basket with chains hanging down from the top; where you want your disc to land inside of, once the disc lands safely in the basket, or “hole” this completes the hole. In between the tee boxes and baskets, there are usually many obstacles that can get in the way of a players throw and cause much frustration or reward. The equipment a disc golfer uses is comprised of three main types of discs. A disc is smaller than a Frisbee but weighs a bit more. Discs typically weigh between 155 and 175 grams. Most disc golfers have a driver, mid-range and putter disc in their golf bag. A driver can be thrown the furthest from the tee, a mid-range disc can provide more control but does not travel as far as a driver, and a putter travels the least amount of distance but has the greatest accuracy of the three. Any type of disc can be thrown at anytime during a round. A round of golf usually has a par score of 54. This means all 18 holes have a par of 3.
Now that you know a little bit about the Disc Golf, why does Blue Ridge, GA need a course to call its own? Being an avid disc golfer that competes in tournaments all over the Southeast, I have played many different types of courses and know that the terrain Blue Ridge offers would fit perfectly for a mountain course. Atlanta has 6 disc golf courses within an hour or so of one another. I have played all of these courses and they all offer the same type of terrain and obstacles. One of the best things about all of these Disc golf courses is that they are typically in a state sponsored recreational park. This means that in almost every case, it is free to play disc golf; besides parking fees where applicable. Disc Golf courses are also relatively inexpensive to build and do not need any additional maintenance after they are built. Blue Ridge offers a beautiful mountain terrain that a recreational disc golfer can appreciate and can challenge the advanced disc golfers shot making abilities. The Blue Ridge course would offer a “close by” course for the locals to play and a destination for the thousands of disc golfers across Georgia, and the tens of thousands of registered PDGA (Professional Disc Golf Association) members to visit. Currently the two courses closest to Blue Ridge are: Meeks Park Blairsville, GA and Sequoyah Park Canton, GA..
In my best assessment the under utilized Blue Ridge Day Use Park on the Lake would be ideal for a scenic and challenging disc Golf course minutes from the Highway and Downtown Blue Ridge.
Derek is an avid disc golfer that competes in south eastern tournaments. He is dedicated to bringing disc golf to Blue Ridge Ga.