Abilene Christian University will celebrate the grand opening of the Wildcat Disc Golf Course, Tuesday, April 28, with a ribbon cutting and free clinic taught by world champion disc golf professionals, Jay and Des Reading.
"My vision for the course is for it to serve both the ACU and Abilene community," said Deonna Shake, instructor of exercise science and health at ACU, as well as project director and manager in charge of the creation of the course. "I want the Wildcat Disc Golf Course to bless thousands of people each year."
With the grand opening, ACU will become one of only a handful of Texas universities to include an on-campus disc golf course. The nine-hole course, on the Sherrod Park property by the Smith-Adams Residence Hall at the intersection of Ave. D and Cedar Crest, is free to use and open to the public.
"We are fortunate to have a professional course designer in Jay Reading," said Shake. "Aside from the prestige in having world champions’ names on the course and grand opening, it is assured that the design and location are best suited for the space in regard to flow, difficulty, safety, low lands and potential for expansion."
Since May 2008, Shake has been working to make the Wildcat Disc Golf Course a reality, with the help of ACU and Abilene community sponsors including: The ACU Campus Store, ACU Campus Activities Board, the Mayor’s Council on Physical Fitness, Hendrick Health Club, Ever Fit and Bike Town.
"With the more than 40 sponsors who wanted to see this through, I can’t say enough about the kindness and heart of this city," said Shake. "I wouldn’t have been able to complete this project without the generosity of so many."
Schedule of the day's events
• 11:30 a.m.-noon, disc golf demo by Jay and Des Reading outside of Moody Coliseum
• 3 p.m., ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Wildcat Disc Golf Course
• 3:30 p.m., disc golf clinic by Jay and Des Reading at the course
• 4-7 p.m., students and the public are welcome to play the course with contests, like longest drive, closest to the pin, longest putt and ring of fire. Prizes will be awarded for contest winners.
The ACU Campus Store will be onsite selling discs, and Cajun Cones will be at the course from 3-4 p.m. The first 50 people get free snow cones.
If you are a member of the media who would like more information about this release, please contact ACU's Public Relations Office or call (325) 674-2696.
