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Sports

Local Resident Vying to Make Disc Golf Course a Reality in Lacey

Michael Keim leading efforts for a disc golf course at Bamber Park

For outdoor sports buffs, a pastime continuing to gain popularity around the world is disc golf — a game where players aim to sail a flying disc into a stationed basket, much as golfers use clubs to get their golf ball in the hole, in traditional golf.

For two years now, Lacey resident Michael Keim has been working with local officials and fellow disc golf enthusiasts to bring this unique form of recreation to Lacey, specifically in Bamber Park.

“I learned about the game about two and a half years ago while visiting family in Wisconsin, and fell in love with it. Really, I became addicted to it. It’s been around since the 1970s,” an enthusiastic Keim said.

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Wanting to bring his passion back to where he resided in New Jersey, Keim was surprised to learn that there were barely any active disc golf courses in the state.

“I spoke with people from the state about having one built in nearby Double Trouble State Park. They were interested in the concept, but preferred it be located in a different facility, since Double Trouble was only designated for passive recreation,” said Keim.

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At one point, Keim produced flyers advocating for a course in Lacey Township, and posted them around town and at other disc golf courses he knew of.

From there, Keim set up a mock nine-hole course in Hebrew Park, and took his idea to Lacey Recreation Director Jim Wioland — who suggested he perhaps look into the idea of building a course at Bamber Park, and to share his thoughts on the concept with Mayor Mark Dykoff.

“He’s talking to his people, and I think he sounded interested. Bamber Park makes for a good course,” Keim explained, though budget constraints prevented the town from being able to financially contribute to his idea.

Undaunted, Keim decided to set about planning to fundraise to cover the cost of the course, which Keim estimated at roughly $3,000. Keim explained that the baskets for each hole on the nine-hole course would cost $300, and seeks to fundraise and solicit local businesses to see if any of them would be interesting in donating to have the course built.

Other ideas the resident had were to see if businesses would also want to sponsor individual holes on the course, or if local Eagle Scouts would use the course-building as their featured scout project.

“On the course, I plan to hold tournaments, fundraising events, etc. There’s just so much you can do,” Keim said. “In Bucks County, Pennsylvania, they have an amazing, world-class course where they’ve supported food drives, toy drives at Christmas and their local Multiple Sclerosis Society.”

Keim said that many towns install basketball courts in their recreation areas, which his research priced at between $50,000 and $100,000, but the cost of a disc golf course is but a mere fraction of that charge.

“Cost-wise, it makes sense. A basketball court could have, maybe 10 people at most on one court? A disc golf course can have four people to a hole, and with nine holes, that’s 36 people right there,” said Keim. “It’s much more affordable than traditional golf, which people spend thousands of dollars to play every year.”

Keim also stressed the multi-generational appeal of the game, since it’s able to be played by everyone from young children to senior citizens, as well as the increased number of courses in the United States.

“In the year 2000, there were 1,000 disc golf courses around the country. From the year 2000 to 2010, there were an additional 2,000 courses built,” he said. “This is something I want for our town.”

Keim expressed hope that Mayor Dykoff’s discussions with other town officials regarding the concept proceed well. “I’m eagerly awaiting their call,” he said.

If anyone would like to know more about the concept of a disc golf course in Lacey, Keim requested that he be contacted by phone at 609-709-5160, or by e-mail at mpkeim@gmail.com.

More information on the sport of disc golf can also be found at the Ocean County Disc Golf Facebook page, and in these promotional and demonstration videos provided by Keim through video-sharing site YouTube.  

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