"36 Holes In San Francisco!"

[daveoh]

Congratulations to the city by the Bay -
This just in -

Not only will the temp. 9-hole course in Golden Gate Park become permanent, it will be expanded to 18!

Thats not all folks! - McLaren Park will also be getting an 18-hole course!

Guess all the hard work payed off.

See email below form Greg Q:



"36 Holes In San Francisco!"

Howdy,

The San Francisco Parks and Recreation Department voted unanimously
today to
expand the existing course in Golden Gate Park to an 18-hole, permanent
facility; AND to install an 18-hole, permanent disc golf course in
McLaren
Park. Re-read that a few times, and give it a chance to sink in.

When I first heard it I was, for maybe the second time in my life,
stunned
speechless. I think if you could have polled every disc golfer in the
room
before the meeting began exactly 0.00% of them would have predicted an
outcome so heavily in our favor!

Thanks to everyone who came out to support the course today, your
presence
was crucial. Thanks to everyone who has worked to make this crazy dream
become reality. There are far too many people to thank: over 1,400
postcards, 900 emails, and hundreds of phone calls, not to mention all
of
the hours that have gone in to installing and maintaining the course.

Of everyone, though, Ross Hammond deserves special recognition. His
constant
contact with the Parks Department, and his ability to network the
politicos
helped keep our momentum through the down years between 1999 and 2003.
His
work in the past few months got Commissioners out to see the course, and
won
over even the staunchest of opponents. Today's vote was, once again,
UNANIMOUS. In political terms, that's a mandate.

Things that will now become reality: Concrete Tee Pads, Tee Signs,
Course
Signs, and Permanent Tree Protections. Bask in the glory of this victory
because it is well-deserved and extra-satisfyingly-sweet. Two courses.
Two
Courses! TWO COURSES!!

And, of course, that means we have to pay for two courses. As of this
writing, all disc golf club memberships have expired, and *everyone* has
to
re-up their dues. Please put me down for the first $25.00, and let's
start
brainstorming ways to raise the money we're going to need.

Still pretty **** speechless,

Greg - Q -
Founder, SFDGC

[ck34]

Congrats!!! That's great news. I know how hard you folks have struggled just to get the 9 you have. This is just excellent.

[slo]

That's super. Way too go all whom helped. :)

[ross]

We are all pretty speechless right now - a strange and wonderful ending to 8 years of struggle. Of course now the next phase of the work begins (raising the money and installing the courses). Thanks to all the PDGA members who have been encouraging over the years and have called and sent letters.

We'll keep you posted on the next steps just as soon as we catch our breath.

golden gate park is my home course. i can't even begin to explain how much it means to be a disc golfer here and know that we've finally got 18 instead of 9... and to know there's even 18 more in addition to it. our nine hole has been good to us... but it was so clear our disc golfers deserved more. our games will improve, the crowds will spread out, disc golf will become a bigger part of san francisco, a town that is so meant for a sport like disc golf.
it's strange to think of what our disc golfing lives will be like a year or so down the road... where we can say "hey, which course do you wanna play today?". it's really the way it should be!!
thanks to Q, ross, patrick knight, rob byers... man there's way too many people to thank (SOO MANY!!). the club has been so gung ho since day one about sincerely introducing people to a great sport... i was just one of many to be blessed by the good ol' folks. i discovered our sport by seeing the a basket out of the bus window one day then walking over to see what was going on... and BAM!! i was hooked as soon as i got a roc, valkryie, and pro rhyno from the sf club one sunday morning.
yeeeeeeeaaaaaaahhh!!!
-kim

[rhett]

Man that's great news! Looks like I might try and plan a future vacation for The City now.

Would you like a pretty rabbit? ANSWER ME!

[ross]

Dear Friend: On Oct. 20th the San Francisco Parks Commission voted unanimously to expand the existing course in Golden Gate Park to an 18-hole, permanent facility; AND to install an 18-hole, permanent disc golf course in McLaren Park. This result was beyond our wildest dreams and could not have been possible without all of your support. Whether you sent an e-mail, signed a postcard or even made it to one of the hearings, the Commission heard the disc golf community loud and clear. So, from the bottom of our collective hearts, THANK YOU to everyone who has helped make the dream of a permanent disc golf course in San Francisco a near-reality. I say "near" because we still have a lot of work to do before we're playing on permanent courses. Part of the agreement with the Parks Dept. is that the Club will have to pay for and install the new courses so we'll be needing your financial (and physical) help. To join the SF Disc Golf Club and/or make a tax deductible contribution, click here: http://www.sfdiscgolf.org/clubinfo/join.html

To celebrate this huge victory we are having a club meeting at the course on Sunday, November 20th, from 10am - 11am, followed by a BBQ and random-draw doubles to be played on the entire 18-hole course. We're bringing out temporary baskets to set up the new back 9 to give everyone a taste of the flavor the course is going to have.

Sunday: November 20, 2005
Meeting: 10am - 11am
BBQ & Random Draw Doubles to Follow

ATTENDANCE AT THE MEETING IS MANDATORY TO PLAY DOUBLES ON THE NEW COURSE

This day is to celebrate what we've accomplished, and get more people involved. The next six months are going to require lots of work: raising money, planning the new course, and *installing* the new course. After the random draw doubles on Sunday, November 20th, the ENTIRE course is coming out of the ground until the renovations/expansion are completed. The agreement we have with the city is for a permanent 18-hole course, with concrete tee pads, tee signs, course signs, permanent tree protections and a formalized trail system. That is, obviously, not the course in the ground right now. When this began, we all had a vision of what a permanent course would look like in Golden Gate Park. Now, we finally have the opportunity to realize that vision. While the course is closed for five to six months, we'll be able to revitalize areas, reduce the number of trails, make out of bounds areas to protect erosion-prone areas (think #5, for starters) and sculpt the course for once and for all.

Come out and celebrate with us on Sunday, November 20th, and play this course while you can!

If you would like to get involved ahead of time on either fundraising or course planning/installation, contact Ross Hammond (margross@igc.org) or Greg Quiroga (greg@qbedo.com) and we'll hook you up.

Thanks again for your support!

Ross Hammond, SF Disc Golf Club

To stay informed about disc golf in San Francisco please sign up for one of our mailing lists at:
http://www.sfdiscgolf.org/clubinfo/mailinglist.html

[quickdisc]

Dear Friend: On Oct. 20th the San Francisco Parks Commission voted unanimously to expand the existing course in Golden Gate Park to an 18-hole, permanent facility; AND to install an 18-hole, permanent disc golf course in McLaren Park. This result was beyond our wildest dreams and could not have been possible without all of your support. Whether you sent an e-mail, signed a postcard or even made it to one of the hearings, the Commission heard the disc golf community loud and clear. So, from the bottom of our collective hearts, THANK YOU to everyone who has helped make the dream of a permanent disc golf course in San Francisco a near-reality. I say "near" because we still have a lot of work to do before we're playing on permanent courses. Part of the agreement with the Parks Dept. is that the Club will have to pay for and install the new courses so we'll be needing your financial (and physical) help. To join the SF Disc Golf Club and/or make a tax deductible contribution, click here: http://www.sfdiscgolf.org/clubinfo/join.html

To celebrate this huge victory we are having a club meeting at the course on Sunday, November 20th, from 10am - 11am, followed by a BBQ and random-draw doubles to be played on the entire 18-hole course. We're bringing out temporary baskets to set up the new back 9 to give everyone a taste of the flavor the course is going to have.

Sunday: November 20, 2005
Meeting: 10am - 11am
BBQ & Random Draw Doubles to Follow

ATTENDANCE AT THE MEETING IS MANDATORY TO PLAY DOUBLES ON THE NEW COURSE

This day is to celebrate what we've accomplished, and get more people involved. The next six months are going to require lots of work: raising money, planning the new course, and *installing* the new course. After the random draw doubles on Sunday, November 20th, the ENTIRE course is coming out of the ground until the renovations/expansion are completed. The agreement we have with the city is for a permanent 18-hole course, with concrete tee pads, tee signs, course signs, permanent tree protections and a formalized trail system. That is, obviously, not the course in the ground right now. When this began, we all had a vision of what a permanent course would look like in Golden Gate Park. Now, we finally have the opportunity to realize that vision. While the course is closed for five to six months, we'll be able to revitalize areas, reduce the number of trails, make out of bounds areas to protect erosion-prone areas (think #5, for starters) and sculpt the course for once and for all.

Come out and celebrate with us on Sunday, November 20th, and play this course while you can!

If you would like to get involved ahead of time on either fundraising or course planning/installation, contact Ross Hammond (margross@igc.org) or Greg Quiroga (greg@qbedo.com) and we'll hook you up.

Thanks again for your support!

Ross Hammond, SF Disc Golf Club

To stay informed about disc golf in San Francisco please sign up for one of our mailing lists at:
http://www.sfdiscgolf.org/clubinfo/mailinglist.html



Very Cool !!!!! Thanks !!!!!