By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
GREAT BEND — Great Bend has strong ties to some of the biggest names in disc golf. Jeremy Rusco, a standout athlete at Great Bend High School, went on to college at Emporia State where he started Dynamic Discs, one of the biggest retailers in the sport. He befriended professional disc golfer Eric McCabe, who helped redesign the Great Bend course in 2018.
A small group of area players is keeping the sport alive with its weekly league competitions. Each Monday or Tuesday, the group meets at Vets or other area courses, paying a minimal fee and competing for prize money.
Numbers have been down so far this summer, with only eight players showing up last Tuesday. Former Voice of the Panthers Randy Goering caught the disc golf bug several years ago when his daughter attended Emporia State and even worked part-time at Dynamic Discs. Goering has seen the league go from 16-20 players on a given night, to the dozen or so on a good night this summer.
"Several of our key guys have youth that are playing baseball and softball, so they've been good dads and have been going to those activities first," Goering said. "Hopefully with that season coming to an end, they may become a little more active."
Shane Sandberg usually heads up the local league and updates players on times and locations on the Great Bend Disc Golf Facebook page. Players then show up and compete for cash prizes. The players are grouped into flights based on skill level. Players in each flight have the opportunity to win.
"To have a chance to win your money back, we ask $5," Goering said. "However, anybody is welcome to come play casual, which means you don't pay to get in but you're not going to share any of the winnings. Any novice who has never thrown before, or is intimidated by the big throwers, they're welcome to come out and play casual at any time."
Among area courses, McCabe's design at Vets does make for a longer course with plenty of trees on the front nine, and plenty of water on the back nine. The league has come up with variations on the holes to provide for shorter tees and less exposure to water.
For the latest updates on the golf league, check out the Great Bend Disc Golf Facebook page by CLICKING HERE.