Volunteer looks to expand disc golf course to 18 holes

MAT-SU — Those who enjoy disc golf note its relaxing pace and worry-free style.

The Alcantra disc golf course located behind the Alcantra softball complex at Larson Elementary has been accommodating disc golfers for nine years, and hopes to expand into an 18-hole course by next May, 2013.

“Everybody in Alaska likes walking around in the woods already,” said Lance Swick. Swick has taken upon himself the project of expanding the Alcantra course to 18 holes after he volunteered to help construct the course nine years ago. Original plans called for 18 holes, but it was never finished. Now Swick sets out to finish what he was a part of starting nearly a decade ago and bring the first — and only — 18-hole disc golf course to the Valley.

Alcantra is maintained by the Mat-Su Borough Parks and Recreation Department and there are no fees to play. Disc golfers from around the Valley make the trip to Alcantra regularly to get in nine holes and a relaxing walk through the woods on the Valley’s only maintained disc course.

Disc golf, commonly referred to as ‘folf’ or ‘frolf’ (short for “Frisbee golf), is played by throwing flying discs from a tee pad into a basket, or “hole.” The object, like traditional golf, is to get there with the fewest throws possible. However, disc golf is much more relaxed on penalties and regulations.

It’s also very inexpensive. Most courses do not charge a fee to play. Flying discs like a Frisbee are the only required equipment and run fairly cheap. An entire round of disc golf can be played with one disc. Though challenging, a disc golf score is not nearly as affected by using only one disc as a golf score would be affected by a player using only one club.

“I used to lock the gate out there around 10 or 11 p.m. and find a lot of young families having a great time with little kids. They work their butts off and bring the kids out there as their form of recreation,” said Warren Tempelin, a recreation specialist with the borough.

The Alcantra course has been a community project from the beginning. Swick was part of a group of volunteers that cleared trees behind the softball fields to place the tee pads and baskets. Since then, Alcantra has been the benefactor of volunteer service from Scouting groups and youth in detention who come to pick up trash.

At the beginning of each hole is a tee pad, a small area roughly 10 feet by 3 feet filled with gravel or wood chips. Disc golfers start the hole by throwing from the tee pad. Each hole at Alcantra is a par 3. Like traditional duffers, retrieving an errant disc may require trudging through deep woods. After throwing the length of the hole, the player must make his or her disc into the basket, above which are hanging chains.

While the disc golf played at Alcantra is laid-back and recreational for the most part, there are those who take their ‘frolf’ seriously. Professional disc golf is sanctioned under the Professional Disc Golf Association. The Alaska Disc Golf Association holds tournaments each weekend throughout the state, finishing with a league championship held in Anchorage. The ADGA usually tries to host one tournament a year at Alcantra, Tempelin said.

Swick is searching for volunteers and supporters to help expand the Alcantra site. For information on how to help, contact Swick at cabbieinak@hotmail.com.

Contact Tim Rockey at 352-2252 or at tim.rockey@frontiersman.com. Follow @trockeynews on Twitter.