LAMORINDA WEEKLY | Moraga's disc golf course slated for a facelift


Moraga's disc golf course is scheduled for an upgrade. Photo courtesy Moraga Parks and Recreation Department

One may assume that disc golf is a relatively new sport, but it was "invented" nearly 50 years ago by Ed Headrick, inventor of the Frisbee. The concept is much like that of traditional golf, except that a flying disc or Frisbee is used in place of a ball and clubs; and instead of a hole the disc is thrown into an elevated metal basket. The same goal of completing the course with the fewest number of throws is the object of the sport.

The disc golf course at Moraga Commons Park (1450 St. Mary's Rd), was established/donated in 1982, by the Women's Society. It has 9 holes with a course length of 2,610 ft, and an alternate length of 3,175 ft. It is described as located "on a gently rolling hill, with cut grass and well-trimmed trees. Paver/Rubber mat tees on easy to moderately difficult holes."? Currently, the Moraga Disc Golf Club has approximately 100 members.

According to the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA), "Disc golf shares the same joys and frustrations of golf, whether it's sinking a long putt or hitting a tree halfway down the fairway. There are a few differences though: Disc golf is often free to play in public parks, although pay-to-play courses are trending upward; you probably won't need to rent a cart, but converted golf course layouts are also on the rise; and your 'tee time' will usually come during tournament competition, not casual play."

Disc golf can be enjoyed by people of all ages, and PDGA boasts of having over 200,000 lifetime members in 54 countries totaling more than 9,800 disc golf courses worldwide and counting. An additional upside to the sport is that there's less likelihood of losing the disc as opposed to a golf ball. The $15 cost of a professional quality disc will probably be the most a player will spend on the sport.

According to a Jan. 11 staff report by Parks and Recreation Director Mackenzie Brady, staff was approached by resident Mark D. Robeson, who with his son, frequents the town's disc golf course. Feeling that the course needed an upgrade, he recommended that the town apply for a $15,000 grant from the Burton D. Morgan Foundation (of which Robeson is a trustee). A grant application was submitted on Dec. 5, 2022, and approved by the Foundation, which is "committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in all of its grant-making activities."? The funds were received by the town later that month.

Some of the site improvements will include updated tee pads, signage, benches, and trees. Any design fees will be donated by frequent course user and premier disc golf course designer Leonard Muise. Labor costs will be kept to a minimum through community work days organized by staff.