tahlequah trails association

A handful of area residents and a Tahlequah city councilor agree there is a need for an elite-level disc golf course.

The Tahlequah Sports League is requesting to share acreage with the Tahlequah Trails Association to install the course.

According to the Professional Disc Golf Association, the ideal course has a range of hold lengths, pars and a mixture of holes requiring controlled left, right and straight throws.

Ward 4 Councilor Trae Ratliff said the city-owned property where the Tahlequah Trails is being constructed would be the ideal place for the course.

“There’s the one at the middle school and there’s one at NSU now, and initially, the conversation started with utilizing the trail system in front of my office,” he said. “They didn’t like the idea of having to cross traffic, and that wasn’t ideal.”

Ratliff got in contact with professional disc golf athlete Matt House, from the Cherokee County Disc Golf Association, and a group went out to the property to take a look.

“What we are trying to incorporate at the Tahlequah Trails property was something that would be a draw. To my understanding, the tougher the course –the more trees and obstacles and the tighter the fairways – the bigger the draw,” said Ratliff.

Ratliff said the idea of having the course co-exist with Tahlequah Trials would be to bring in more tourism and hold two professional tournaments a year.

The group presented the idea to the TTA during a forum, and Ratliff said it was a gracious request.

“We feel like the two are very similar as far as their goals: be outside, be active, do something with the family and enjoy nature,” he said. “Our intent is to do it right and to do something that’s good for the community, good for tourism.”

The intent was to apply for a grant through the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners for American Rescue Plan Act funds.

“I personally have a difficult time trying to find the downside. If there are negatives, do the negatives outweigh the positives and I have a hard time finding a lot of negatives,” said Ratliff.

The city partnered with the commissioners to create the park on 200 acres.

In 2018, city councilors accepted a lease bid from Tahlequah Trails Oklahoma Earthbike Fellowship to spearhead work on a trail system on 65 acres of surplus land owned by the city, adjacent to Diedrick Lane. The council also voted to purchase an additional 40 acres west of the proposed bike trail acreage.

However, during a City Council meeting in 2019, the board unanimously agreed to settle three lawsuits filed against the city regarding bike trails and the purchase of property. The acreage is between South 550 Road and South 540 Road, and is landlocked.

The trailhead –- the parking lot and entryway – are owned by the Tahlequah Trails Association. That one acre was donated by City Administrator Alan Chapman.

Ratliff asked if the request is turned down, whether that means it dies – and he hopes it doesn’t.

“The intention is not to be simple, and this is 18 holes, whereas the other are nine holes. The intention of this one is to hold PDGA tournaments, to be a professional disc golf association-sanctioned location, and that’s where the tourism piece comes in,” said Ratliff.