The sport has been on a rapid rise in the region over the past six years, starting with a nine-basket course in Victoria Park, followed by a 2000m 18-basket course at Knottingley Park that opened at the end of 2022.
The sport operates much the same as standard golf, but instead of getting a ball in a hole, players get a plastic disc into a standing metal basket in the fewest throws.
Waimate Disc Golf Club treasurer Peter Vendetti said the sport was introduced to the region by popular demand.
"Waimate 2gether was a group formed and set up six years ago by the Department of Internal Affairs to work in small communities and sound out what the community wanted.
"We started by doing a comprehensive survey of the top 10 things people wanted and one of the things on the list was a disc golf course.
"We applied for funding and we built a nine-hole course in Victoria Park and the idea was we would wait and see if it worked.
"It was pretty well used and successful so we thought based on that we would see if we could build an 18-hole course."
He said after once again applying for funding and getting all the correct permissions to use Knottingley Park they contracted Wanaka-based Vortica Disc Golf to construct the new course.
"Since its completion it has been used over 10,000 times.
"Clearly, it’s really taken off here in Waimate and right across the South Island — we get visitors from all over."
"It’s an incredibly fast-growing sport across the world and there is amazing coverage of professional tournaments.
"There’s lots of courses now popping up all around the South Island.
"Oamaru is getting one soon and I guess part of the appeal is it is so easy to play in a new place.
"We are open here 24/7 and it’s free and you don’t have to spend a lot of money on expensive specialised equipment like you would for regular golf clubs. You can even just hire a disc if you just want to go round.
"We’re all time poor as well and I can get around the 18 holes with my dog in an hour.
"It also appeals to a wide range of ages — our youngest member is 7 and our oldest is 72."
Since the opening of the Knottingley Park course, Waimate has hosted two major tournaments.
Called the Knottingley Giants tournament, both events attracted more than 100 competitors from around the country, and this year’s tournament attracted a number of professional players.
Mr Vendetti said a number of those players believed it was the best course in the country.
"The Giants tournament is now on everyone’s calendar — it’s a ‘must-be-at’ event.
"We’re looking to hopefully have a national event here at some stage down the track — we’re not resting on our laurels.
"We like to think we are providing a facility that tests even the best players."
He said he never foresaw the sport in the region growing as big as it had.
"When I first heard we were developing the small course in Victoria Park I thought ‘oh Christ, what are they doing this for?’ but when I saw the numbers I was proved totally wrong.
"When we canvassed opinion on building the bigger course it was just overwhelmingly in favour.
"The sport is now bringing an economic benefit to the town with those travelling for the tournaments and it is a sign that Waimate is a vibrant country town."
In October, Knottingley Park will play host to the disc golf competition section of the South Island Masters Games.
The club also planned to apply for funding to put in better launch pads at Victoria Park and look at adding another nine holes at Knottingley Park to fully cement its status as the South Island disc golf centre.
Club days are held every Sunday at 1pm at Knottingley, and anyone is welcome to attend and have a go at the sport.
