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About The Bulletin. (Bend, OR) 1963-current | View Entire Issue (June 4, 2021)
B10 THE BULLETIN • FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2021 Disc golf Continued from B1 For the uninitiated, disc golf is a growing sport that’s been around for decades. Its antecedents date back nearly a century, but the first tourna- ments and golf course came about in the 1970s. It’s played a heck of a lot like regular golf, albeit without clubs, carts or crazy pants. There are no cold beverages awaiting you back at the club- house, but there are also no greens fees. Of course, there’s not as much to maintain at a disc golf course, many of which use the natural forest and meadow settings — no irrigation or lawn required. There are bas- kets, or pins, in lieu of actual holes. All you need to play disc golf is some discs and an abil- ity to huck them a couple or a few hundred yards per hole to make par. Central Oregon is home to disc golf courses from Madras to Bend. And according to Carey Dod, a longtime player and the former president of Central Oregon Disc Golf Club, disc golf is still thriving here. Our round at Hyzer Pines started well, given how rusty I was. I even parred one or two holes. Our skills were such that we did not bother to keep score. Bogeys and double bo- geys were the order of the day. Before long, I was barking mad at how the trees in the forest seemed to serve as magnets for my discs: “I couldn’t have hit that tree if I was aiming at it!” I said more than once as I enter- tained fantasies of buzz-sawing half the trees between the tees and holes (looking at you, 15th hole). Dod, however, notes that trees definitely ramp up the playability of a course. “Flat, wide-open shots with the target directly in front of you become tiresome and bor- ing quickly,” he told this re- porter. “Elevation, obstacles such as trees, targets that force you to think about how you’ll play the hole, that type of thing make for fun and interesting play.” Also important, he said, is the overall flow of a course. Holes that cross other fair- ways, for example, would be problematic. And walk outs between holes should be short and sensible, so it’s easy to find the next tee box if you’ve never played a course before, he said. The best courses, Dod added, offer something for players of all skill levels. “Something that kind of meets you in the middle: has a few holes that challenge a be- ginner, and has a few holes that challenge even a pro,” he said. “A 100% beginner-friendly course won’t be fun or of much interest to a pro-caliber player, and vise-versa.” Dod also said that safety should be a consideration in course design: Sound, solid tee pads help prevent twisted an- kles, and fairways should be spaced far enough apart so that all groups and players can play safely without the fear of get- ting hit by an errantly thrown disc. Though some players carry an array of discs for different situations they may find them- selves in, most beginners can get by with just a few: a fairway driver, a mid-range disc and a putter, Dod said. “Each of these throws quite differently but are known to be beginner friendly,” Dod said. 70% Central Oregon reservoir levels Some disc outlets sell beginner packs that include all three of these types of discs. Area retail- ers of discs include Mountain Supply of Oregon, Big 5 Sport- ing Goods and Blazin Saddles in Sisters. David Jasper: 541-383-0349, djasper@bendbulletin.com Madras 22% 83% Haystack Redmond Sisters 87% Prineville Ochoco Bend 53% 32% Sunriver TOP PICK OF THE WEEK Crane Prairie Prineville Ponderosa Park 28% Wickiup La Pine BY DAVID JASPER The Bulletin Ponderosa Park is a little slice of good times located just north of Wilson Avenue and 15th Street on Bend’s east side. The 1.1-mile Coyner Trail runs through Ponderosa Park, connecting Ponderosa Park with Juniper Park, located to the northwest, and Larkspur Park, located just southeast of Ponderosa Park. Larkspur, of course, is home to the newly opened Larkspur Community Center, with all its shiny amenities. But don’t sleep on Ponderosa Park: It has green spaces, covered picnic tables, a dog park, playground, pickleball (bring your own net) and basketball courts, soccer and baseball fields, and not one but two skateparks. The older skatepark at its north end was built in the late 1990s. Its design is a little dated and its concrete surface some- what chipped, but it still serves its purpose, especially for the scooter and BMX communi- ties. It was followed by a more up-to-date, street-oriented skatepark, which opened in 2014 at the south end of the park. Pro-tip: Local skaters af- fectionately refer to the skate- park as “Pondy.” Ponderosa Park is open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. and is at 225 SE 15th St., in Bend. Contact: bendparksandrec. org/park/ponderosa-park. David Jasper: 541-383-0349, djasper@bendbulletin.com Crescent Crescent Lake Source: Bureau of Reclamation Clarinda Simpson/Bulletin graphic David Jasper/The Bulletin The newer iteration of Ponderosa Skatepark, which opened in 2014, is located near the corner of Wilson Avenue and 15th Street in Bend. Located in Downtown Bend is Central Oregon’s foremost wine bar/shop. It features: Wine by the glass, Premium selection of wine, Champagne, Ports and sake, Bottles to go, On-line ordering & shipping, Public wine tastings, Three wine clubs, & more! Tues-Thurs 11-6:30 Fri/Sat 12-8 Sun/Mon Closed 141 NW Minnesota Ave 541.410.1470 LES NEWMAN’S QUALITY OUTDOOR WEAR On NE Franklin Avenue across from Les Schwab 541-318-4868 Lake Street Dive Enjoy their unique blend of soul, R&B, and indie-pop streaming from Beak & Skiff Orchards in NY! June 5th • 5 PM Streaming Tickets and info at TowerTheatre.org • 541-317-0700
