New course planned for Walled Lake, MI

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Aug 18, 2009
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found this article in the spinal column
lakes area news
Disc golf course planned in Wolverine Lake


Leslie Shepard-OwsleySeptember 16, 2009 - The village of Wolverine Lake is chipping away at plans to install a new 9-hole disc golf course by next spring.

Parks and Recreation Committee Member Armand Archambault championed the concept and plotted the tentative one-and-a-half mile course that begins on the Vita Trail south of Glengary Road. The course weaves through the Vita Trail, crosses Terry Street, and then traverses across Wakito.

The first tee will be placed on Glengary Road to increase visibility, according to Archambault.

Seven of the nine holes are set up along the Vita Trail, and two adjoin the lots west of Terry Street. One hole is north and another is south of Wakito.

On Aug. 26, Village Council members and Archambault conducted a walk-through along the proposed course.

"We were all enthusiastic about it," Archambault said. "It's a fantastic sport and great exercise, all in a local park setting. Plus, there is no fee to play and people of all ages can participate."

Disc golf is similar to regular golf; however, instead of using golf clubs and balls, disc golf players throw flying discs at a disc pole hole, a pole extending up from the ground with chains and a basket where the disc must land. The object of the game is to complete each hole in the fewest number of throws, starting from a tee area and finishing at the disc pole hole. Generally, a course is 9 or 18 disc pole holes long. Players start at hole No. 1 and complete the course in order, playing through to the last hole. The player with the lowest total cumulative score wins the round.

Disc golf differs from regular golf in other important ways. Disc golf courses can use a wide variety of terrain. Oftentimes, land not suitable for other park activities or development is perfect terrain for a disc golf course. In addition, there is no need for irrigation for upkeep.

Costs to plot the course and furnish the necessary equipment, such as baskets, poles, and tee boxes, are estimated at between $1,000 and $4,000.

"Costs are up in the air. It depends on what type of basket or tee box we purchase," Archambault said. "The baskets are expensive, and must be (set in the ground), but the Department of Public Works can facilitate it. Right now, we're looking into what type of tee boxes should be built. They are more affordable if not made from poured cement. We could use a couple of markers secured down instead to cut down on costs."

Village Councilwoman Linda Champagne said the parks committee would like to fund the project itself with help from the community.

"We'd like to seek out business donations so the taxpayers don't have to foot the bill," she said. "Otherwise, we'd like the Village Council to front the money, with the committee to reimburse it as we receive donations."

One other concept being mulled over is for local businesses or residents to purchase a bench or tree along the course, and the money being used toward the total project expenditure.

Depending on resident response, the course may expand to 18 holes in the future.

Archambault said at this time the parks committee is waiting for the Village Council's final approval.

link--- http://www.spinalcolumnonline.com/A...sc_golf_course_planned_in_Wolverine_Lake.html
 
That should reduce the traffic at Kensington a bit. Nice to hear that projects like this are still going on given the economy.
 
yeah its sweet! its walking distance from me. and with only 9 holes it wont be crowded, but i am worried about vandalism.
 
sounds like fun.

9 holes isnt small if you know how to use it
forwards, backwards, alt tees.
 
I would advise to not have benches sponsored with advertisements. One time I saw a disc golfer drawing on a bench with a marker.
 
Sweet i cant wait for this course, im in walled lake all of the time. Grew up there waiting for a course and had to play at kensington and as soon as i move they build one, just my luck
 
Same thing over in Marine City

The proposed course in East China Twp Park is dragging it's feet too. I've been checking the township meeting minutes for 2 yrs now.

Whoever is running the show on the course seems to be taking their sweet time.:wall:

Though it's still a 45 minute drive from me, I still would like to see a course put in.
 
Dang, that Walled Lake course would be a 10 minute drive from when I'm visiting my parents, maybe I should get some friends from the city to show up and bug 'em about the course until they say yes.
 
I gotta check into this - this course would be less than 2.5 miles from my house!
 
Public support is often key to getting any project up and running. If the taxpayers seem to be indifferent, why would a town spend any money that wasn't absolutely necessary, especially now, and double especially in Michigan.
 
Was riding my bike through this park and took a more serious lookm trying to visualize playing here. I can't imagine it, because while this could set up to be a halfway decent niner, it'd essentially monopolize the entire park to do so. I don't see how it'd could be used for much else as you wouldn't want peolpe running through fairways and such.
 
Anyone know about a new course in development here in Michigan thats on or by a regular golf course?

The guy who told me this also stated they are putting 40,000 dollars into it lol.... Im wondering if this is an over exaggeration.
 
A public course inside the township boundaries of Walled Lake or Wolverine Lake would be a recipe for trouble. No park in the area is sufficient for even a decent 9 holer. There are a few areas you could shoehorn a "meh" course into, but all of them already have a significant amount of well-established pedestrian traffic.


East China and Ira were fairly recently established in the Marine City area.
 
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