Samuell-Grand Park may be on its way to a third golf course — this time, disc golf. Little Forest Hills resident Dirk Snow is an avid participant and proponent of the obscure sport, which employs Frisbees and baskets instead of clubs and balls, and he says the Dallas Disc Golf Association has believed for some time that Samuell-Grand’s 78 acres would be a prime spot for the game. “It’s great to have lots of trees and elevation changes — a flat piece of land is pretty boring,” Snow says, adding that Samuell-Grand also is “scenic and has some fairly nice manicured shrubbery.” It wouldn’t be the first time a city park has welcomed a disc golf course; B.B. Owen Park at Walnut Hill and Plano Road underwent this process in the mid-’90s, with Snow and other members of the association instrumental in the change. Disc golf tournaments have been held at Samuell-Grand since the late ’80s, so in Snow’s view, it’s just a matter of taking a temporary course and making it permanent. At a minimum, this would mean installing 18 metal baskets around the park and anchoring them into the ground, plus the tee signage, all of which would cost roughly $10,000. The association is trying to raise this money through disc golf tournaments, including one at Samuell-Grand this month. James Page, the Dallas park maintenance manager who oversees Samuell-Grand, says the city is “exploring the option of a partnership agreement” with the association, but nothing will be final until the city determines factors such as potential demand for disc golf at Samuell-Grand, as well as costs to create the course and maintain it over the long run. If it receives a green light, the course could be a reality within a year, Page says. “It’s definitely in the works right now, and hopefully we’ll get a result before too long,” he says.
Dallas Disc Golf Association tournaments
When/ Sunday, Aug. 2, White Rock Lake Stone Tables and B.B. Owen Park; Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 22-23, Samuell-Grand and B.B. Owen parks
Time/ Registration begins at 7:30 a.m.; play begins at 9:15 a.m.
Cost/ $27 for Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) members, $37 for non-members; a portion of the fee will support fundraising efforts for a Samuell-Grand disc golf course
For more information/ lsdga.com/dncct
