What started as a grassroots project by disc golf enthusiast Cody Buhler has now grown into a decade-long success story in Portage la Prairie.
"This year marks the 10th anniversary since we installed the course at Island Park," said Buhler, chairperson of the Portage la Prairie Disc Golf Club.
"We had our ribbon cutting back in spring 2015, and it's amazing to see how far we've come."
Disc golf, which Buhler describes as "like regular golf, but with discs and baskets," has gained considerable traction in Manitoba, especially during the pandemic when outdoor and socially distanced activities were in high demand.
"You could barely find discs for sale at one point," he recalled.
The sport's growing popularity is reflected in rising membership in the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA), which now has over 300,000 members globally, a significant jump from the 100,000 when Buhler joined in 2015.
Locally, Buhler and a small but dedicated group formed an official disc golf club a few years ago.
"We've got a Facebook page, and our members are happy to show newcomers how to play. Stride Place even has 50 to 100 discs you can borrow for free with a deposit."
Buhler, originally from MacGregor, Manitoba, has since brought the sport to his hometown.
"We installed a course in MacGregor using an existing park. It's a great way to bring more value to public spaces," he said, noting that the MacGregor and Portage courses are both listed on UDisc. Which is a global app used by disc golfers to find courses and keep score.
The local disc golf scene is also attracting visitors.
"We've had players from the United States and across Canada stop in because they spotted our courses on UDisc."
As for competition, Buhler has a few tournament wins under his belt and recently celebrated a hole-in-one at the MacGregor course, on his first round of the season.
Plans are underway for Portage's 10th annual tournament set for this August.
"We've expanded the course with temporary baskets for the event and typically draw top players from around Manitoba."
For those curious but unsure, his advice is simple: "Just try it. It's free, it's fun, and we're here to help."
Interested players can connect with the club on Facebook by searching Portage la Prairie Disc Golf.