If a Frisbee falls in the Poudre River and no one is around to hear you curse, does it still count as an expletive?
These and other philosophical questions can soon be worked out one flick of the wrist at a time, as Windsor prepares to finish construction on one of the area’s nicest disc golf courses.
Depending on the weather, the Oxbow area, west of Eastman Park, may be just weeks away from becoming the most serene little flying disc eater on the northern Front Range.
The disc golf project, which began with just a few baskets at Chimney Park, has seen its share of pitfalls.
Windsor resident and Northern Colorado Disc Golf Club (NCDGC) member Shawn Aschliman had written a proposal just before the May 2008 tornado laying out some plans for a proper course here in town at another location.
Those plans were shelved while the town recovered from the storm and attended to more important issues.
Last summer, Aschliman read a series of articles in the Windsor Beacon and worked with the NCDGC to run a fundraiser tournament in late fall.
The club agreed to match the donation of any individual or business to sponsor a new basket. In just two days, the club raised over $3,000, enough to purchase 12 baskets for the course.
As a disc-golf enthusiast, I’m pretty stoked to know that those baskets are sitting in storage until the ground is warm enough to sink an auger.
I was also pretty amused to learn that, while nearly all of the courses in Colorado have gray baskets, ours will be orange and blue.
Now, whether that’s the Denver Broncos or the University of Florida variety will have to be settled in a discussion throughout the summer.
Regardless of who wins that debate, Evan Brummet, NCDGC President, thinks it’s the town of Windsor that’s getting the ultimate victory with the opening of the Oxbow course.
“We need more courses, and there’s nothing we’d rather spend our money on than putting more baskets in the ground,” said Brummet, who added the financing is not as big a struggle for the club than finding the space.
“We’ve tried to get another course in Fort Collins, but the powers that be are pretty protective of the space,” Brummet said.
Many of the courses along the Front Range (north of Denver) are nine-hole courses that are makeshift at best. Brummet thinks the draw for Oxbow will be its solitude and seclusion, along with the extra three holes to play.
“As far as the northern Front Range goes, I think it’ll be second only to Edora in Fort Collins.”
The Oxbow area spreads through mature cottonwoods in the curve of the Poudre River, with a few small hills here and there.
Town of Windsor Manager of Parks & Open Space Wade Willis will be leading the installation effort when the winter weather finally subsides, but in the meantime, the NCDGC has already planned a Windsor tournament.
The club has scheduled the third round of its St. Patty’s Day Meltdown to be held at Oxbow on Mar. 21.
Apparently, nothing assuages the red-faced frustration of trying to hit orange and blue baskets quite like a green beer.
Only 100 participants will be allowed to register, so contact the club at www.nocodiscgolf.com if you’re interested in playing.
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