By: Jacob Kessler
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
A new Disc Golf course is now open to the public in Fayette. The new course is called the Grove Golf Course and has been made possible by the Fayette Community Development Corporation.
The story begins back in 2021 when the Fayette CDC began working with the Fulton County Health Department’s HC3 on a Tobacco Cessation program.
“During the first year of meetings, Beth Thomas, FCHD/HC3/DEE explained the program to the CDC members, along with them brainstorming about ways to reach the community to provide help for those who wished to quit tobacco usage,” says CDC’s Karen King. (Ohio Tobacco Program Quit Line 1-800-784-8669/My Life-My Quit 1-855-891-9989)
Some of the ideas that came from the brainstorming were to have available facilities for sports and other physical activities.
“At that time, I knew disc golf was one of the fastest growing sports and that some Fayette residents were saying the Normal Grove Park wasn’t being used enough. I thought that a 9-hole golf course would be a nice fit.”
Rev. King explained that she herself had never played the sport. So, she went out to Harrison Lake and West Unity’s courses to see what a course was like.
“After seeing and walking West Unity’s course, I called and talked with West Unity’s Administrator, who in turn gave me Stan Tipton’s number. Stan has assisted West Unity with their course.”
King went on to explain that Stan is a retired dentist who had worked in Bryan, OH, but moved to Fort Wayne, IN. Stan volunteered to come to Fayette to help lay out the course.
Stan was later assisted by John Ryan of Archbold. Together the two tweaked the layout, which later received approval from the Fayette Village Council and the Department of Public Works.
John Ryan then voluntarily listed the course online at UDisc and had a friend, Bryce Conklin, who volunteered to design the tee signs.
King then explained that she received a call earlier in the year from Jon Nystrum, Manager of McCarthy Building Company, asking if his company could help with a project for Fayette.
“I asked him if they could put in a disc golf course for us. He said they could, and they did. They purchased the baskets, all the tee materials, furnished the installation equipment, and had at least 25 volunteers from the McCarthy employees install it, Saturday, June 24th, 2023.”
At this time, the signs are yet to be finished or installed. These signs will complete the course.
Otherwise, the course is fully operation and ready for players. The Fayette CDC also has a few words for those who helped with the project.
“It is exciting to have this dream come true and to see that people are already playing the course! The Fayette CDC offers a big “THANK YOU” to McCarthy’s, Stan, John, Bryce, Fayette Council, and the Department of Public Works for making this possible! The Grove Golf Course is open to the public.”
Jacob can be reached at jacob@thevillagereporter.com