The City of Hartford City and the Blackford County Community Foundation have partnered to award $30,000 to the Hartford City Parks Department for the installation of a new disc golf course. The Blackford Disc Golf Club is volunteering to provide the manpower to implement the planning and installation of the course.
The new course will be located at the park currently known as the Lions Club Park in Hartford City.
Disc golf is one of the fastest growing additions to community parks. Nearly 2 million Americans already play.
Disc golf is similar to golf except that it is played with frisbee-like discs rather than with a ball and golf clubs. The sport is easy to learn and easy to play for people of all ages and fitness levels.
The disc golf course will provide low impact exercise as players walk the 18-hole course, an approximate distance of 3 miles. Recent studies show a correlation between playing disc golf and improved mental health.
The $15,000 in funding from the Foundation largely comes from the GIFT VII monies given to the Foundation by Lilly Endowent Inc. in 2020. The funds are to be used to encourage youth and family programming in the community’s parks and greenspaces. The disc golf park will be a new addition to the county that will add additional recreational opportunities for families.
For more information on the Blackford Disc Golf Club, contact Tyler Hunt at thunt@blackfordcounty.com.
