GENOA – River Run Disc Golf, a new, nine-hole course is ready for action at David Carroll Memorial Citizens Park in Genoa thanks to efforts by the Kishwaukee Valley Wonderers and the Genoa Public Works Department.

The course is only four weeks old, but a hole-in-one has already been recorded on the second hole. Kevin Schweitzer, who picked up disc golf less than a year ago, was playing the course with his son when he managed the feat. Humbly, he claimed no skill was involved: “It was all luck,” he said.

“I threw it with my son, and he threw a perfect throw,” said Schweitzer. “And as any father would try to do, try to out do your son, and I threw a terrible throw but it hit a tree, banked off and went into the basket, which was super satisfying.”

After the hole-in-one, Schweitzer said he ended up with the worst round he’s ever had at the new course.

“But I did get a hole-in-one that day,” said Schweitzer. “And he [Schweitzer’s son] hasn’t gotten one yet. And I never will again.”

Janice Melton, Genoa’s director of public works, said she was approached by Brian Wallace, vice president of the Kishwaukee Valley Wanderers – a family-friendly group that promotes making fitness fun – about the concept of installing a disc golf course last year.

“I’ve never played disc golf myself but I did like the idea of bringing something like that to Genoa,” said Melton. “I had no idea it was so popular. But Brian told me, ‘You do it and they will come.’ And they did.”

Wallace said Melton told him last year the Public Works Department agreed to clear out space for the disc golf course because the public works crews had already planned to clean the forest area because it was filled with dead trees. Wallace and the Kishwaukee Valley Wanderers just needed to find sponsors to pay for the nine baskets. The baskets are what a disc golfer aims to throw their frisbee into – in as few attempts as possible, throughout the course.

“At Volks Fest last year we floated the idea,” Wallace said. “I had nine takers from town saying ‘Yes, I want to buy a hole’ and we went out and bought the baskets over the winter.”

Wallace, however, said the city of Genoa’s Public Works Department is the real…