In a blockbuster deal I'm working on with the Sillwater Forest Manager it appears I'll be able to start development on a new course his summer.
While I have not formed a local club yet (50+ hours of work a week, tough to find time) I'm gonna start the process from my own wallet. Here is the deal:
1. The initial lease will be for $250/yr and one course. After the first year if the state feels the course is well managed it can become $500/yr for 3 courses. I'm looking at using about 790 acres right now, all in one general location by Beaver and Murray lakes about 4 miles north of Whitefish. I will also need proof of insurance for the course which will be about $500/yr. In this first year I am buying the insurance, the lease, and 9 baskets out of my own pocket. I have 5 businesses interested in sponsoring a hole. I plan on selling off the baskets over time, allowing local businesses to advertise on teh basket and t-pad. I'm also gonna order a few hundred custom discs and start a club, and sell the discs back to get some of my money back. I have the option of actually making it private but don't want to go that way.
2. As long as baskets can be removed (will bury 5 gallon conrete buckets) I can put baskets on course, and dig up much better t-pads than the current course.
3. The land is rolling, partially thinned with thicker trees along perimeter, while I haven't layed out the course the potential is huge.
4. A local cross country skiing lodge is right there as well and owned by teh nine time world telemark champion. He is meeting with me this week to discuss having the course possibly cruise right by his lodge. He is really cool and into competitions and wanted to hear more about tournaments and the possibility of his lodge being a prime place for people to stay during such events.
All and all it is moving forward, hope to report more soon. If all goes well in 2 years we'll have out of one parking lot 2 tournament courses and 1 recreational course.
Wow, what an undertaking. Way to step up!!!!!!!!! Can't wait to see the new area!
I haven't heard back by they've accepted my check and application. It will have to go through a review period. There are deeper places to use if people show up and fight the course for some reason (most are for it in this area since it is the new trail head of a trail system that connects it to Whitefish through the forest. I'm hoping to get out this week and start mapping some holes and proposals, warm weather is making me want to throw.
Just off the phone with the state, things keep moving in right direction. I hopefully have a first meeting at the proposed site in 3 weeks to just discuss the physical boundaries of the area I can use for the course. There will then be many walks by me out there to lay out the course. Then there will be a second walk through about the pin and t-box locations. If that passes it's green light time!
Well I pretty much got the OK for the area. Unfortunately a rich "dude ranch" type place for tourists wants to use the same area for horse trails and the forest service main man Brian loves horses. But with all the space I would hope a routing issue could be resolved. I'm calling it one of the top 3 courses in MT. If any of you saw what they just handed me, with full permission for baskets and t-pads, you'd be in as much disbelief as me. Similar terrain to Blue Mountain with way more little knolls, valleys, and mini-hills, and about 1000 acres of usable terrain. It is really a beautiful place and one of my favorite lakes for swimming is a minute away for after a hot round. If all goes well in about two months I'll get the full green light. It does get the public review process now where any neighbors can try and stop it, but most play.
Congrats and keep up the good work!! That's too bad that you have to deal with the FS, but maybe they have a little less pressure on them up there so hopefully - and it sounds like they are - they will be a little easier to work with than the Missoula Ranger District. 
FS is being very cool, full permission to remove trees 3.5 inches or less in diamater, build raised t-boxes, put in real baskets, duel t-pads and 4 pin positions per hole, 27 holes ok, can clear all debry in fairways. Really hope it happens.
Let us all know how and when we can help. Really exciting!
Just got word I passed phase one, horse trails won't be an issue. The area for the first course really makes the imagination run wild, many cool alleys, hills, peninsulas, gaps, trees, ob lines, and all the things that add up to really cool disc golf terrain (minus water). If all goes well mid-July things will get moving on building it, but I'm being realistic and expecting mid-August. If the gods are on my side I'll have the first Tamarack Open late this September when 70% of the tamarack trees on the course turn that beautiful golden yellow.
K
This sounds great. What a great disc golf destination.
Is that you, Deeds, taking care of this?
Stimp
Let me know when you plan on doing some work maybe I can make a trip up!