Disc Golf is Returning to Oceanside

That’s right – you heard it right, disc golf is on its way back to Oceanside, and to a ball

Jeff Nichols tees off at Goat Hill as Todd Wickersham watches (Photo by Bill Wechter - North County Times staff photographer)

golf course at that.  Oceanside’s Center City Golf Course, known affectionately as “Goat Hill”, will be the new home of 18 holes of disc golf sometime soon, possibly as soon as March 1st.  That would be 11 months after the removal of baskets from Emerald Isle.  They say nature abhors a vacuum – I guess that’s also true for disc golf.

The Goat Hill Golf Course property is well suited for disc golf – rolling hilly terrain framed by large eucalyptus trees, and close-cropped grass perfect for skip shots and rollers.  And disc golfers who played Emerald Isle will remember the steady winds from the west that kicked up every afternoon, which will add to the challenge of this new course.  Local disc golfer and avid ball golfer Todd Wickersham is credited with selling the Center City management on the idea off adding disc golf – he has been playing ball golf on the course for many years.  Todd has also done the initial design work on the Goat Hill disc golf layout, and his knowledge of the property shows.  Aces Board members Jeff Nichols and Allen Risley recently toured Goat Hill with Wickersham and City of Oceanside staffers and left with good vibes and high hopes for what will soon be the newest course in town.

Details for disc golf at Center City are still being worked out, but a few things are already known.  Greens fees to play the course will be around $4-$5 per round, with carts available for an additional fee.  There is no water on the course, but the layout will be long – bring your Bosses, Nukes and Katanas.  The plan is to schedule specific times for disc golf play – there will not be disc golfers and ball golfers playing simultaneously.  Center City has a modest pro shop stocking beverages and sandwiches, and may soon have golf discs as well.  There are plans to hold a “grand opening” PDGA-sanctioned tournament soon after the initial soft opening, but the specifics of this event have yet to be determined. 

So just be patient for a few weeks as the final preparations for this new course are being completed.  Watch this space for announcements on the opening of the course and registration for the upcoming tournament.  Use the time to work on your long-distance rollers and flex air shots – you’ll need them.  You’ll also need pinpoint accuracy around the baskets, because there are several SVO-style “pin of death” opportunities out on the course.  This goat will have a mean kick.

Related story at the North County Times: http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/oceanside/article_da593966-ce4f-5d15-8913-77b5221c3eb0.html?mode=story