Manistee disc golf event planned for the weekend

First Street Beach Family Disc Golf Course in Manistee affords golfers a view of Lake Michigan.

MANISTEE — While Manistee's First Street Beach Family Disc Golf Course technically opened in the fall, the official grand opening is taking place this weekend.

The event is scheduled for noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, and Tim O'Connor, Manistee Parks Commission member, said he can't wait.

"We're praying for good weather and good attendance," O'Connor said. "It's going to be exciting to see everybody out there."

Work on the course began on May 26, 2022. The Manistee County Community Foundation awarded $22,500 to the city of Manistee for the course in 2021. Manistee City Council approved the disc golf course in February 2021. The department of public works donated roughly $20,000 in labor and materials to develop the course.

"This is a true collaboration between the Manistee Parks Commission, city council, DPW, and a Minger grant from the Manistee County Community Foundation," O'Connor said. "We all basically worked together to make sure this happened."

O'Connor said Tom Oele also played a big part in making the course a reality.

"He did a lot of effort in basically spearheading this whole thing," O'Connor said. "Tom is a former member of the parks commission and he's still actively involved in getting this set up and established."

The disc golf course features shorter holes, making it suitable for youngsters and families. O'Connor said the ribbon cutting will be no less family friendly.

"Innova Disc Golf — which supplied the baskets for the disc golf course — and the Manistee Parks Commission have donated over 100 discs to give away — those are basically for kids under 16," he said. "... Pizza Hut's giving out some coupons, too, which is kind of nice. We also have Grip N Rip, which is a disc golf store out of Ludington, that will be selling discs while they're there. And some free lessons are going to be offered from some of the top golfers in the Manistee Disc Golf Club.

"... It's going to be a pretty festive event."

The free lessons could come in handy, O'Connor said.

"I tried it myself. Holy cow, it's a lot of work," he said. "It's not just like throwing a disc: There are certain techniques, certain discs that you have to get — the drivers, the mid-range the putters. It's quite extensive."

The ribbon cutting will take place at noon at the first hole, located at Lighthouse Park.