Disc Golf Finds Winter Following at Brookview
Traditional golf may be out of season.
But in Golden Valley, the Brookview Golf Course doesn’t sit idle all winter.
In fact, it’s quite the opposite.
“We’ve been very, very busy,” said Ben Disch, the golf operations manager at Brookview. “People are enjoying the outdoor recreation.”
In this case, outdoor recreation means disc golf.
In November, the staff transforms Brookview into two, 18-hole courses for disc golf.
“Disc golf presents a challenge for everybody that likes a challenge, but also a lot of variation for those that are just looking to get out here and play,” Disch said.
It’s a course that attracts people from all around the Twin Cities metro area. People have to bring their own gear, and some come equipped with their own eclectic styles.
“It’s called ‘the Apes of Wrath’ and I dyed it myself, it was a white disc,” said Dan Ristrom, a disc golfer from Brooklyn Center, as he held up a disc.
Some of the players at Brookview on a recent Wednesday have gone so far as to call disc golf an addiction.
“It’s my most addictive thing I have on my plate right now, aside from dyeing the discs,” Ristrom said.
Dan Ristrom shows off his collection of dyed discs.
Unlike regular golf, disc golf at Brookview doesn’t cost a cent. People can just stop by and enjoy some time outside, even if that means throwing the discs around on a chilly day.
“Bring some mitts, of course,” said Jake Schmidt, a disc golf player. “To keep the hands warm and everything, so you can keep throwing.”
A winter recreation destination
The emphasis on winter recreation has been good for business. Add in the popularity of the indoor play area, along with a restaurant that has good food and plenty of drink specials, and it underscores how the city’s decision to renovate this building in 2015 seems to have paid off.
“Yeah we have a lot of drive coming this way,” said Wendy Maanum, the manager of Brookview’s Three One Six Bar + Grill.
Meanwhile, if you’ve never given disc golf a try, the mind-set among the folks gathered in Golden Valley is, what are you waiting for?
“It’s a great sport for anyone to get involved, regardless of age,” Schmidt said.
Aside from disc golf, other forms of winter recreation at Brookview include fat tire biking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and outdoor pub curling, which requires reservations.
Related: One More Round: Brookview Golf Course Reopens as Fall Warms Up
