Putting nerves about the early wildfire season aside, a group of disc golf enthusiasts decided to go ahead and set up their equipment at the Yellowknife Ski Club on Saturday and get ready for the upcoming season.
“I think we’re still kind of just hoping that people come out to use it as much as possible, and we’re still kind of getting the word out that disc golf is here in Yellowknife,” said Francis Tessier-Burns, a board members with the Yellowknife Ultimate Club.
He said the course was first established in September 2022, but it was only up for about a month. The plan is to keep the course open until October this year.
Tessier-Burns said disc golf is similar to golf, with holes, drivers, mid-ranges and putters. However, instead of a club and ball, the player uses a single disc. The goal is to get the disc through a basketball net instead of a hole in a green with the fewest throws possible.
Tessier-Burns believes it’s important to use outdoor space in Yellowknife, and the ski club has been great in letting them use their facility over the summer.
He added that the sport is easy to start up, doesn’t require a lot of equipment, and is a great way to get out in nature. The course is open to all and is not monitored but organizers ask people to keep the trails and course in good condition.
The course has nine baskets, making it a nine-hole course. Organizers hope to put together a tournament this summer, which would be the first time ever. However, this is dependent on whether we will have a smoky summer. Last year, the smoke, and the wildfire evacuation disrupted the season.
Looking to this summer, with the wildfires already flaring up south of Great Slave Lake, Tessier-Burns said the only thing he can do is keep his fingers crossed and hope for the best.