Washougal plans disc golf course

Disc golf is coming to Washougal.

The city of Washougal is outfitting Hartwood Park off 49th Street with an 18-hole disc golf course, scheduled to open on April 1.

“We have had so many calls and requests for disc golf,” said Michelle Wright, the city’s assistant public works director. “People have been cooped up because of COVID, and they want to be able to get out and do things and stay active. The nice thing about disc golf is it definitely gives you that (space) that you need to stay safe, and people will be able to go out and do it basically year-round, even in the rain if they want to. It’s going to be a great addition to our parks, and we’re super excited about it.”

Washougal resident Bill Marshall told the Post-Record earlier this year that a disc golf course is “badly needed” in East Clark County.

“This is great news. I got goosebumps (when I heard about it),” said Marshall, a member of the Professional Disc Golf Association.

Marshall said he was impressed by Hartwood Park.

“I’m sure this is going to be fun. They are utilizing the space very well,” Marshall said. “I’m taking April 1 off from work to enjoy the opening day, and I’m hoping for my first ace there.”

Washougal’s parks officials have been working with representatives from several local disc golf groups to design the course.

“It will be a very professional disc golf course,” Wright said. “We’re still working on the logistics of some of the different areas because we do have blackberry bushes in some areas on the site, so we have to figure out if it’s feasible to go in some of the different directions. We’re still working on our plans for two of the baskets, but everything else is set very nicely and has been (approved by) the disc golf community in terms of what they’re looking for when they play.”

The par-54, 4,067-foot course will feature “holes” ranging from 150 feet to 337 feet in length.

“It was kind of unanimous that (Hartwood) was the best place … because it is a 40-acre park,” Wright said. “We had talked about putting in a small track at Hathaway Park, but it seems like the disc golf community is looking for a full 18-hole course, and Hartwood is the place that it seemed to fit the very best. It is a beautiful park, too. It will be nice to get more people up there to take a look at the Hartwood area.”