ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – It’s a sport that has grown in popularity over the past few years and is fairly easy to get into as long as you have a few Frisbees and a disc golf course to play with. In the latest effort to expand the sport, city officials are bringing more courses to Albuquerque.
“I think it’s great,” said Patrick Harrington, a freshman disc golfer.
“It’s a big draw now,” added another disc golfer, Ian Jaramillo.
It comes after the New Mexico Outdoor Recreation Division announced funding for several projects across the state, making Albuquerque’s list. The city is expected to receive about $130,000 from the state, which will go toward building two new courses in Albuquerque and improving one other. “We’re definitely excited for more courses,” Harrington said.
One of those courses is expected to be built at Westgate Park in the South Valley and will feature 12 holes. City officials are also looking into adding a new 20-hole championship course to the Puerto del Sol Golf Course. The city says it hopes to host regional and national tournaments there.
The championship course requires a fee, like other city parks, to help maintain the course. The city wants to improve parks like the Brent Baca Memorial Disc Golf Course. Those familiar with the sport say it gained a lot of traction during COVID-19 and has been growing steadily ever since.
“Because there were all these restrictions, people found more ways to get out and enjoy themselves during Covid and that contributed to the explosion of disc golf here,” said Sam Kent, president of the Albuquerque Disc Golf Association.
Enthusiasts and city officials also say the sport is easy to pick up and relatively cheap. “It’s an outdoor exercise,” explained Kent. “I don’t care if you’re two years old or 80 years old, anybody can get out here and enjoy disc golf.”
The Westgate Park course is expected to be free to the public. It is unclear at this time how much the championship course will charge. However, the city expects to generate about $8,000 to $10,000 per year from the course.
“We use the courses we’ve got for championships and tournaments, but it would be great to have an actual championship course,” Jaramillo added. “I think it will be a big draw for the city.”
“We look forward to the growth of disc golf in our community and are grateful for the state’s support,” Albuquerque’s Parks and Recreation Department said Friday.
