FRANKFORT, Ky. – The Kentucky Department of Parks announced today that it is opening a new disc golf course at Lake Cumberland State Resort Park near Jamestown. It will replace the 9-hole golf course.
The park system opened a disc golf course at Jenny Wiley State Resort Park near Prestonsburg in 2005. Disc golf courses, which have lower maintenance costs compared to conventional golf courses, may be played for free by guests.
H.B. Clark, a disc golf course designer from Bowling Green who is working on the project, noted that the game can be played by families without expensive equipment and a minimal level of skill. The disc course is expected to be ready for play later this spring.
“Disc golf offers a lot of opportunities to park visitors, especially families,” said Parks Commissioner J.T. Miller. “We’re looking forward to this new game for Lake Cumberland and its guests.”
Fewer rounds were being played on the course despite a major investment in the facility in 2004. For example, in 1998 there were 6,221 rounds played; in 2006, there were only 2,781 rounds.
Miller noted that there are many excellent golf options in the Lake Cumberland area, including a nationally recognized 18-hole course at Dale Hollow Lake State Resort Park. Dale Hollow was listed as the 6th best new affordable public course in the U.S. by Golf Digest in 2004. It was ranked 8th best course in Kentucky in 2005 by the magazine.
Other state park golf courses in the area include 18-hole courses at Barren River State Resort Park near Glasgow and General Burnside Island State Park near Somerset (which is closed in 2007 while undergoing renovation and redesign work). There is also a public course in Jamestown, The Links.
Only one employee is affected by the closure and that staff member will be moved to another department at the park.
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The Kentucky State Park System is composed of 53 state parks plus an interstate park shared with Virginia. The Department of Parks, an agency of the Commerce Cabinet, operates 17 resort parks with lodges -- more than any other state. Each year, Kentucky parks draw 7 million visitors and contribute $317 million to the economy. For more information on Kentucky parks, visit our Web site at http://www.parks.ky.gov