Julie Davis, CherryRoad Media

Nebraska has 99 18-hole disc golf courses, and one 9-hole course, which is located right here in Nebraska City.

The Nebraska City Rotary Club got to hear how the Nebraska City course developed from one of its designers, Mitch Chapin, during the club’s May 11 meeting.

Chapin said 1 million disc golfers play daily, and three courses are being built each month. The sport, in fact, benefited from the COVID-19 pandemic because it offered golfers a chance to get outside and exercise while still maintaining social distance from other players.

He called disc golf “super accessible” because startup costs are fairly low for new players. Each disc costs $10 to $20, and new golfers typically start with three or four discs: a distance driver, a mid-range, a putter, and a mini disc.

Chapin said he has been trying to set up a course in town for years, and he was able to meet with Nebraska City Parks and Recreation Commissioner Patrick Wehling and Nebraska City Parks and Recreation Director Scooter Edmisten after some Facebook interactions that made the course in Wildwood Park possible.

Some disc golf enthusiasts created courses at Arbor Lodge and at Wildwood Park, said Chapin, before the new course was permanently installed in the park.

Chapin said a disc golf course takes about $10,000 to $15,000 in investment for concrete work, baskets for the holes, and signage. A new disc golf course typically utilizes an already maintained space in a city or county park, he said.

“As Patrick Wehling says, ‘we can all share the park,’” said Chapin.

Chapin said Nebraska City High School will be adding disc golf to the curriculum after he was able to arrange for 100 discs to be donated to the school for student use during the…