Hot Springs, Arkansas is putting in a beautiful new disc golf course at Cedar Glades Park. It's a Garland County Park. Don George is the man in charge, and Thor Holoch is the disc golfer who made the original pitch to the county.

I just finished the design Monday, and clearing will start soon. Anyone who wants to pitch in can call Don at his office #: 501-622-3655. Maybe the Little Rock guys can get together and come down on a weekend.

The course is entirely in the woods, but there were lots of natural openings and a few old logging roads I was able to use, so the clearing won't be as extensive as at some other woods courses. The course has great variety, elevation changes everywhere, and a beautiful creek on one hole.

The course will feature four par fours and one par five. The signature hole will be the par five #11, which throws across a valley, doglegs right up onto a "legde" on a hillside, and right again across a small ravine... with big beautiful trees lining the fairway (and carefully left in the middle) all along the way. #18 will also be a beautiful hole, with two routes that throw down the valley and then up to a small green on the highest point of the course.

There will be two sets of tees: one that will challenge experienced players, and one for all the new local players. My guess is that this will be one of the top 50 courses in the country, maybe even the top 30. The terrain really reminded me of the South course at the NDGC, without the omnipresent creek. Don is hoping for a May 2005 opening.

I also recently completed the design of a course in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma. Dr. Matt Brown is the one making it all happen.

This will be a fairly short and mostly open course, but I think experienced players will find most of the holes challenging and enjoyable. It's built next to the city airport, which used to be the site of their ball golf course.

Matt is working on raising the money now from local sponsors and is hoping to get things going soon -- he has accepted a job in Missouri.

I hope lots of players will get to enjoy both of these courses.

What's the latest new's on this course? I've been hearing about it for a while but no one knows anything about it.

The Oklahoma course is up and running.

I haven't heard anything about Hot Springs -- as far as I know, it's still scheduled to open in May.

good afternoon to you john

That's the one that's just off I-35, right? That may be a player in 62 days.

That's the one, SK.

A vist with Don George this Sunday (2-21-05) by some of the little rock golfers and Thor was a great day getting to see Johns lay out of the new course. Several hours were spent fallowing the map John made and finding his markings. Looks like some really good Disc Golfing is in hand. A little early warning to all who come to play. "Pack a Lunch". There will be AM and PRO tees. There's a par 5 on the pro course with a finishing par of 60.
Things are still under construction around the course (Bath rooms, Parking, R.V. Park, B.M.X. Track, R.C. Car Track) Theres already a long Bike and walking trail and a R.C. Aircraft field with a paved runway.
The clearing on the course will begin at the first of March and the goal is to have all baskets and tee pads ready to play in May. :cool:

Any new news on this course? Directions to the park by chance?? We can probably pull together a group from NWA to come and help clear out.

Several hours were spent fallowing the map John made and finding his markings.




Wow -- I bet that was fun. I hope the flagging I left between holes was still there. If not, and all you had was a map, it must have been brutal to find the holes.

And it may have been even tougher to imagine what the holes are going to look like when they're cleared. Seeing holes in the woods like that takes a lot of imagination, and it's a skill I've really had to work hard to develop. Of course, I still make mistakes, and I'm sure we'll need to take out a few more trees after the first round of clearing.

But I think you'll all be amazed at how different it looks once the fairways have been cleared. That is a great park, and I think that course is going to be a real treasure. The support from the parks department will be a big key to its success -- Don is behind it all the way.

Anyone who wants to help out should give Don George a call at 501-622-3655.

Yes. It was fun and we did find most all of your markings, with your map. There were a few that were harder to find then others but all were found.. Clearing started right at the first of march and it did make a big differance seeing holes after being cleared. (Theres still work to be done).
I have not been since the first weekend in March when we went out to clearly mark your boundries and items marked to be removed and what stays. We marked 6 through 11.
Several People have been going out to do this. Holes 1 through 5 were marked before the first wave of workers arrived at the begining of the month.
What a great guy Don is. He's done a lot of work and research.
Anyone wanting to go should call Don first, there is a R/C Air Field at the same park and if no one is flying, the gate will be locked and you will not get in. Don will be glad to help get you in, but you need to be courteous and call him before you head out.
When you get to Hot Spring's, drive up Central through Bath House Row and to the Alington Hotel and drive past it. About 1/4 of a mile past, there's a turnabout around a Fountain (This is almost in front of the Majastic Hotel). When you turn left from Central at the fountain, go straight about 100 feet and you will see Cedar St. on the right, thats where you turn. Drive up Cedar until you get to Cedar Glades road. Turn onto Cedar Glades and fallow it until you see sign's for the R/C Airfield and fallow them. It would be best to call Don (501-622-3655
M-F, 8A.M.-4P.M.)To get better directions. :cool: