Teen wants to bring disc golf to town

COLUMBUS - Andrew Eckart has a dream.

The 19-year-old Columbus man wants to open a disc golf course somewhere in the city so he and other enthusiasts of the game don't have to drive long distances to play in Lincoln, Grand Island or the handful of other courses in the eastern part of the state.

Eckart said there is a dedicated group of about 20-30 people in Columbus who travel to play disc golf, which involves throwing a Frisbee-like disc over a course similar to a golf course and eventually landing it in a basket.

He said he also knows of people from areas around Columbus who like to play.

"A lot of people are getting into it," Eckart said.

Eckart's plan is in its infancy. He currently has a petition in about a half dozen locations around Columbus asking people to support a disc golf course.

He said he has collected about 100 signatures and plans to approach the City Council once 300 people have signed it.

He also has gotten some interest from businesses, he said, about stocking equipment that players would need and sponsoring holes on the course.

"Every person I've talked to seems really excited," Eckart said.

Eckart would like to start with a nine-hole course and wants it to be in a city park. He also would like it to be free because courses that charge to play don't do very well, he said.

If a location can be found, Eckart thinks a nine-hole course can get started for around $2,000, which would mainly be for the special baskets and for signs to mark the holes.

He is hoping to raise money through sponsorships and fund-raisers.

While a disc golf course would be new to Columbus, it wouldn't be new to the area. There is a nine-hole course at Camp Luther, about 15 miles northeast of Columbus.

The camp's executive director, Hank Rausch, said the course, which has been there for about 20 years, was one of the first in Nebraska.

Rausch said the camp's course is not used very much, but he believes that's because not a lot of people know about it.

The camp doesn't publicize the course, he said, and while technically there is not a fee to play, he does ask for donations.

Despite the lack of play at the Camp Luther course, Rausch said he doesn't doubt that there's local interest in disc golf.

"There seems to be a resurgence" in interest, he said.

Eckhart, who has visited the Camp Luther course and talked to Rausch, admits some of his reasons for wanting a course in Columbus are selfish, but he also thinks it would benefit the community by giving youths another activity to do.

And, he said, it might just catch on with others, too.

"It's not just for a younger crowd," he said.