The grand public opening of the new Disc Golf Course at Alton Baker Park has been set for Monday, April 1, following the finale of the Willamette Valley Winter Series of disc golf tournaments to be held on the course Saturday, March 30.

“When Eugene’s only disc golf course was installed in Westmoreland Park in 1988, there were less than 250 disc golf courses in the world,” says organizer Andrew Rich, who will be the concessionaire for the course. “Today, there are over 4,000 disc golf courses in the U.S., but still just one in Eugene. That will change on April 1 when the new disc golf course in Alton Baker Park is officially opened to the public.”

Rich says he’s been working on the Alton Baker Park course for four years, along with Tournament Director Matt Benotsch and many others involved in the Eugene Disc Golf Club. The group has held numerous events, such as the Ice Bowl and the Food Toss, which raise money and also support FOOD for Lane County. Benotsch says the Ice Bowl is held by disc golf organizations around the country to raise money for food banks around the time of the Super Bowl.

“During the public planning process for the disc golf course, the city of Eugene required that the course not come at any expense to the budget for Parks and Open Space,” says Rich. “The decision was made to contract a concessionaire for the course who would be responsible for construction and maintenance of the facility.” Rich was the successful bidder for the disc golf course operations, under the business name Pure Disc Golf, LLC. Players at Alton Baker Park will pay a daily fee of $3 to use the course and yearly passes are available. The course will have an onsite pro shop with equipment and refreshments.

Rich says that unlike the operation of Laurelwood Golf Course, which receives a subsidy from the city, the Alton Baker disc golf course will be required to make payments to the city of Eugene of $400 per month and an annual 1 percent of gross revenue. The revenue percentage will go to 2 percent in the second year and 3 percent for the third, fourth and fifth years. More information about the course (including a map and video) can be found at www.eugenediscgolf.com or email purediscgolf@yahoo.com