Pickwick Plantation - A Gathering Place

Charting a New Course--

Pickwick has a new golf course with a twist
Hardin County has long been a regional favorite for golfers. With more than a half dozen courses in and bordering the county and many more just a short drive, golf is a sport of choice for many.

A new golf course has opened a Pickwick Plantation, on Tenn. 57 South in Pickwick. Pickwick Plantation has launched the first Disc Golf course in the county.

"Disc Golf? What is that, " one may ask. Well according to the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) website, "Disc golf is played much like traditional golf. Instead of a ball and clubs, however, players use a flying disc.

"The sport was formalized in the 1970's and shares with 'ball golf' the object of completing each hole in the fewest number of strokes (or, in the case disc golf, fewest number of throws). A golf disc is thrown from a tee area to a target which is the 'hole'. The hole can be one of a number of disc golf targets; the most common is called a Pole Hole, an elevated metal basket. As a player progresses down the fairway, he or she must make each consecutive shot from the spot where the previous throw has landed. The trees, shrubs, and terrain changes located in and around the fairways provide challenging obstacles for the golfer. Finally, the 'putt' lands in the basket and the hole is completed. Disc golf shares the same joys and frustrations of traditional golf, whether it's sinking a long putt or hitting a tree halfway down the fairway. It is designed to be enjoyed by people of all ages, male and female, regardless of economic status.

Pickwick Plantation owner Jim Speth discovered the sport in a conversation with a friend. After investigation the sport, he decided the acreage around the historic Pickwick house would be a great place for such a course. Play has already begun on the course, and Speth said green fees would be "more than reasonable" to make the sport a viable, affordable option for young people and as a family outing.

The facility has a proshop complete with discs for rent or sale and refreshment for the parched or famished disc golfer.

Speth said he makes a very good Philly Cheese Steak sandwich and a wonderful hot dog as an indication of the types of food that is available for golfers on the course. For those more interested in a full meal, one of the holes on the course runs right by Speth's restaurant Jon's Pier.

The course was designed by a professional disc golfer and Speth hopes to attract tournaments to the course in the future. For now he hopes the sport will be to the liking of locals who will take to the greens with a bag full of discs the same way they do with clubs.

2006 PDGA Points Leader Chris Sprague

Disc Golf Rates--

Click to view Disc Golf Rates

What is disc golf?
"It's golf … with discs. It's drives and approaches and putts. It is a great sport that is fun to play and easy to learn. Like the ancient game played with clubs and balls, disc golf provides recreation, challenge, and competition for athletes who love the outdoors. Both golf games share the same structure and thrills - players striving to complete the course in the fewest strokes, but needing only one great shot to bring them back another day. The only real difference is the equipment.

While disc golf can be played with any flying disc, most players prefer discs designed specifically for disc golf. In 1983 Innova created the first true golf disc. By replacing the plastic park toy of old, Innova transformed disc golf into a dynamic sport of distance with accuracy. Innova continues to lower the scores of thousands of disc golfers around the world. There are different discs for different disc golf shots, but you only need one disc to get started.

People have enjoyed disc golf for over thirty years. Today, its unique combination of challenge, fun, and affordability has made it one of the fastest growing sports in the world. Read on to see why you should give disc golf a try." http://www.innovadiscs.com/coursedesign/course2.htm

A Guide to Disc Golf from the PDGA
What, who, where, and why… http://www.pdga.com/information.php

Disc Golf is One of the World's Fastest Growing Sports
"Every year more than 100 new courses are installed, and thousands of new players take up the game. Disc golf is easy, fun, and affordable for people of all ages and skill levels. It's easy to see why the game has become so popular. There are now more than 1,300 disc golf courses in the U.S., and there are over 300 more courses around the world. Large metropolitan areas and small towns alike are now installing additional courses because of public demand and the initial positive experience of disc golf. " http://www.innovadiscs.com/coursedesign/index.htm