Disc Golfing in New Zealand

January 24^th, 2020

While waiting for the second weekend of car fairs, one day during the week I drove about 30km out of the city to Woodhill mountain bike park where there was a disc golf course.  I used to play a lot in the late 90s back on Vancouver Island and I’ve gotten back into it a bit on this trip.  My first round in New Zealand was in Queenstown where I bought a disc, and I’m glad I did as I definitely got my money’s worth as I have played eight different courses:  Queenstown, Nelson and 2 courses at these places: Wanaka, Timaru, Auckland.

Woodhill actually has 3 different courses, some sharing the same tee offs or baskets.  Like a number of times that I’ve played in this country, I had the place to myself.  Sometimes it can be a challenge figuring out the course, where the tees and baskets are, where’s the next hole, what hazards do I need to worry about, etc…  This one started off with some difficulty but the signage got better and better.  I didn’t realize that the main section of the courses was off one side of the parking lot and I had started on the other side, in a heavily forested area on the black course (which you may know from downhill skiing means “most difficult”). 

If you can believe it, there's a basket somewhere over there...

Thread the needle:

Well the first half of the course didn’t mess around but there were definitely some fun holes, especially #6 which was up on a ridge with a little astro-turfed launch pad that jutted out from the hill.  I went back up and played that one a few times.  The second half of the black course joined the red and blue courses on the other side which was more open, and bloody hot as the sun was baking down.  They were long courses so I played the black once and then redid the front 9 before heading off.

The ramp tee off of hole #6.  The basket is pretty much straight ahead, down the hill.

I liked this tee off...nice fake grass.

Interesting basket for short people.  Actually it was up on a hill...

And my tee off shot on that hole:

Three different holes for three different courses start at this tee.

I’ll be taking my new disc back to Canada with me as I quite like it and it was actually made in New Zealand.  I will have to get back into this sport as it’s relaxing, good exercise and a lot of fun!