Disc golf course at Hanns Park in Vallejo now officially open – Times-Herald

admin 0 Comments March 3, 2022

After a lot of hard work and a few test runs, the disc golf course at Hanns Park is now officially open to the public.

Just prior to the start of the pandemic, Jon Riley and a few friends began playing disc golf and soon after, Riley began the process of getting a course in Vallejo. Hanns Park, located at 198 Skyline Drive, was picked as the perfect venue. In 2019 Riley, one of the co-designers of the course and executive director at Napa Solano Central Labor Council, contacted Greater Vallejo Recreation District General Manager Gabe Lanusse to inquire about what steps could bring a course to Vallejo.

Riley’s July presentation to members of the Greater Vallejo Recreation District took on the questions of what it would take to get a disc golf course up and running at Hanns Park. That same week, Lanusse confirmed that money to build the park could come from Measure K, saying in an email to the Times-Herald that “We are thankful for Measure K because it allows us to make improvements like this to our parks for Vallejoans.”

Lanusse was impressed with Riley’s presentation, and although he couldn’t estimate a time frame when the course could possibly open if approved, said “hopefully within this calendar year.” Lanusse was correct.

People play on the new disc golf course set through the woods at Hanns Park in Vallejo on Saturday. (Chris Riley/Times-Herald)

On Saturday the park held a “Knock The New Off The Chains” Tournament. The first-ever 18 hole round at the course was a fundraiser for the GVRD Foundation, raising $1,400.

On Sunday, the park became open to the general public.

“This is almost like a little Golden Gate Park, only with some more hills,” said Vallejoan Shane Carver, who played in the tournament on Saturday. “It’s one of the most difficult courses n the area because of its height. Everything is up or down.”

Jared Hayes, who helped build the course, played in Saturday’s tournament.

“The course has great tees, great holes,” Hayes said. “To me, it’s a mixed course with hard holes and easier holes to play.”

Vallejoan Chris Owens was also on hand to play Saturday after previously helping build the course.

“The hardest part about making the course was digging into the hilly atmosphere,” Owens said. “But GVRD has wonderful equipment we were able to use, so it wasn’t that bad.”

Owens, who said his favorite hole is the third hole — “Riley’s Reach” — said disc golf has become one of his favorite hobbies.

“I love it because it’s much more forgiving than regular golf,” Owens said. “If you make a horrible shot or in this case throw, you can still completely recover.”

Meanwhile, Riley himself was in Saturday’s tournament, giving him the chance to enjoy the finished product he helped bring to Vallejo.

“I just love that it’s here,” Riley said. “All the community pitched in. Whether it was the carpenters, ironworkers, labor council or the GVRD, everyone helped put this together and in my opinion, did it in record time. I mean, it was only seven months ago we approached GVRD with this and look at it now. We had 55 people play today (Saturday) and it’s gone very smoothly. We’ve helped bring a brand new sport to Vallejo.”

Tournament winners on Saturday included: