Taihape gets new disc golf course as demand for free activities grows

The Disc Shop Disc Golf team (from left) Haydn Shore, Phill Macleod and Zac Armour installed an 18-tee disc golf course at Taihape's Memorial Park. Photo / Disc Shop Disc Golf

Taihape’s new disc golf course is providing free entertainment for residents and players.

The course, near the Ngā Awa Block at Memorial Park, was completed on February 28.

The 18-tee course features nine baskets, with options for beginner or experienced players.

Haydn Shore, Phill Macleod and Zac Armour, of Disc Ship Disc Golf, were responsible for the six-day installation.

Shore, the course designer, said the idea to provide Taihape with a course progressed last October.

He had been in contact with the Rangitīkei District Council, which wanted to provide free community activities, such as disc golf.

“You get out and about, it’s good for co-ordination and it’s good for getting out in nature,” Shore said.

The council secured money for the project through the Government’s Better Off Fund and provided signs for the course.

The Better Off Fund aims to support councils in enhancing community wellbeing through local infrastructure and facility projects.

The council was unable to answer the Chronicle’s question about how much money was received and spent on the project.

A council spokesperson said the council was thrilled to see the project open to the public.

“It is a fantastic community initiative driven by local Taihape youth who wanted more to do in town.”

Shore said it was incredibly rewarding to install the course, given the efficiency and endorsement from the council.

“Before we had even left, we heard ‘ching’ on the chains; there were people playing when it wasn’t even officially open,” Shore said.

“One particular family had driven all the way from Palmerston North ... because they were that excited about it. For us, that is what it is all about - participation and getting people out there.

“It’s one of the most rewarding jobs that I have ever been involved in. It’s really cool to see it happening.”

Haydn Shore hopes by making the course easy and short, it will attract more people to play. Photo / Disc Shop Disc Golf

Shore helped design the disc golf course at Whanganui’s Bason Botanic Gardens in 2023.

He said facilities such as those in Whanganui, Invercargill, Christchurch and Napier offered easier, shorter courses that attracted more players.

“In the past, some of the courses have been a bit hard for the community so the interest wasn’t as much,” he said.

“It’s a proven model now, nationwide. If the course is short and easy, then the disc golf grows dramatically.

“If it’s hard, you lose a disc, you can’t work it out and your mate is really good at it, then it doesn’t work as well. So make it easy, make it fun, make it rewarding, then you make people come back.”

Council strategic youth adviser Kayla Hyland said it was “really special” to see the course come to reality.

She said having an active, inclusive and free-to-access activity in Taihape would “make a real difference”.

“We’ve already had great feedback from local kura about using the course during class,” Hyland said.

“Seeing it built ... shows we’re investing in healthy, engaging spaces for our young people and, with free discs available for our kura, it helps remove cost barriers and makes the sport even more accessible.”

Nearby schools have been provided with disc sets to make use of the course and Taihape Library has disc hire for $5.

Shore said the installation was stage one of potentially three stages, based on the community’s response.

The other stages would include allocating more land to upgrade the course.

Fin Ocheduszko Brown is a multimedia journalist based in Whanganui.