Whanganui’s Bason Botanic Gardens has a new nine-basket disc golf course

Darren Stephenson hit the course over Labour weekend.

After nearly five years of consultation, the new disc golf course at Bason Botanic Gardens is ready to go.

Whanganui Disc Golf’s Darren Stephenson said nine baskets had been installed by Disc Shop New Zealand, replacing the three ‘pretty ancient” ones that stood at the bottom of the park for years.

He said there had been a couple of back-up locations, but the aim was always to have the course at the Bason.

“Since the baskets have been installed, more and more people are coming out. Some came over from Palmerston North as well.

“Hopefully, we can raise more money and get it up to 18 [baskets].

“It would be great to grow the game in Whanganui. Unlike normal golf clubs, there are no fees. You just rock up and play.”

Support for the project came from the Whanganui District Council, Sport Whanganui, Bason Botanic Gardens, Eastown BuildLink, New Zealand Disc Golf and Y Central.

All the holes but one are par threes, ranging from 45 to 110 metres.

The game itself followed the rules of traditional golf, Stephenson said.

Like clubs, it paid to have a few different frisbees in your bag.

“You have a distance driver, a mid-range fairway driver, a putter. They are all made slightly differently.

“If you’re just starting out, I’d probably just start with the mid-range disc and practice with that.

“It‘s pretty much the same rules as normal golf, you’re just throwing frisbees at a basket.”

Discs are smaller and more streamlined than traditional frisbees and fly further.

According to the New Zealand Disc Golf Association, the sport started in California in 1975.

Innovations in plastic disc design followed in the 1980s and 1990s and since 2000, the game has grown rapidly worldwide.

There are approximately 46 courses in New Zealand.

The National Disc Golf Championships will be held in February at the Bella Rakha Retreat Centre in Auckland.

Stephenson said there were tournaments across the country throughout the year, including one with 100 players in Taupō over Labour weekend.

“The sport is pretty huge in the USA, but it’s popular all over the world.

“There’s is a competition every weekend here in New Zealand as well. Last weekend it was Hawke’s Bay, then it’s Wellington, then it‘s on to Taranaki for two big tournaments.”

While the new Whanganui course wasn’t the full 18 baskets, there was still potential to host competitions locally, Stephenson said.

“I’ll be starting up a Whanganui club very soon.

“Hopefully, we can get disc golf into schools and get the kids into it as well.”

Mike Tweed is an assistant news director and multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present his focus is local government, primarily the Whanganui District Council.