LONG BEACH — It all starts just beyond the arch, and ends with a panoramic view of the Pacific.
On Monday, June 23, the Long Beach Dunes Disc Golf Course next to Bolstad Avenue officially opened for the season, the second course in the county and the first to offer free play for the growing outdoor sport.

Bringing disc golf to the beach

The 10-hole free disc golf course has been a couple years in the making for volunteers Noah Remillard and Segen Gates, both of whom grew up playing disc golf on home courses in Colorado and Minnesota and hope to introduce the growing sport to a new generation.
“I started in 2023 with seven holes,” Remillard said as he used an electric drill to secure a new laminated map on a post next to the first hole last week.
“Last year we expanded it to 10 holes. This year we’re going to put more holes in and hopefully get to 18.”
Both Remillard and Gates envision a day when the new course and burgeoning sport could one day perhaps host international tournaments, with fans filling adjacent hotels drawn to experience a unique dune course with panoramic views of the Pacific.
For today, the duo are content to offer a new free, family-friendly outdoor activity while making productive use of a previously neglected piece of city land.
“We wanted to provide a place where people could play for free,” Remillard said.

Lots of work done, yet to do

Last offseason they added concrete tee pads to the first two holes, while also contracting with local companies including Trails End Recovery and the Carolina Company to provide some preliminary mowing. A majority of the time was spent clearing debris left from winter and spring storms and restoring the course to playable condition.
“This spring we’ve just been mowing and getting it back to the condition it was last fall. There were a ton of fallen trees, so there was a lot that had to be cleared,” Remillard said.
“It’s just been slow since it’s just been us two consistently working on it.”
Both Remillard and Gates agree that the 10th and currently the final hole, which runs parallel to Bolstad Avenue and offers sweeping views of the ocean, is a favorite on the course.
“Up on that last dune you can see the entire ocean, then you turn around and you’re playing disc golf, it’s just really unique,” Gates said.
“I’ve done some research and I haven’t found one other disc golf course that actually plays in the dunes within 1,500 miles. You have to go to Mexico to find another course that actually plays in the sand dunes.”
Course signature holes include unique natural obstacles and guardian trees, or trees that obstruct the path to the basket requiring some strategy from players regarding their approach.
The 4th hole, featuring a narrow fairway and tree-lined approach, is considered among the hardest on the course. Balancing and adjusting the difficulty of the holes for experienced disc golfers and beginners has been a focus from the start.
“We want it to be playable for people of all skill levels,” Remillard said.

Affordable and accessible

Disc golf is a relatively new sport, but he experienced significant growth in recent years.
“Steady” Ed Headrick is considered the ‘father’ of Disc Golf, credited with patenting the Frisbee in 1966 and the Disc Golf Pole Hole in 1975, two essentials for the sport today.
Disc golf has grown in popularity as more courses have arisen across the county, giving more awareness and accessibility. Currently there are more than 8,000 disc golf courses across the U.S., according to the PDGA (Professional Disc Golf Association) with the top professional player Ricky Wysocki approaching $1 million in career earnings.
The first disc golf course opened in Pacific County in 2022, with the 18-hole Peninsula Disc Golf Course at 9406 Pacific Way in Long Beach.
Still, the sport is seen as relatively unknown for many in the area.
“Every time I tell people I’m building a disc golf course, they always say ‘what’s that?’ Remillard said. “They have no idea what disc golf is because it isn’t as popular out here yet. A lot of it is just getting the word out.”
To help introduce the sport, Remillard has considered to start selling ‘starter packs’ of discs for beginners, adding that the sport is affordable and accessible for kids and families, with a startup cost of only about $20 for a beginner disc golf set (currently available at Dick’s Sporting Goods in Warrenton).

Inspiration for the course

Remillard, of Seaview, grew up near the Rocky Mountains playing disc golf on the Colorado front range.
“I’ve always played disc golf,” Remillards said.
“In Colorado there are free courses everywhere, so I’m used to just being surrounded by disc golf. When I moved out here there weren’t many courses, so I’ve always wanted to build a course. The city (of Long Beach), back when the Mayor was Jerry (Phillips), told me that the city had 20 acres here set for recreational use. The city supported us by purchasing the baskets and concrete for the tee pads, so we got to work. Right now we’re only using about 12 acres (of the 20), but eventually we’re going to try to use all the land as we expand.”

Future goals for the course

The seasonal course is anticipated to be open June through the end of October.
Remillard and Gates intend to add more signage, tee pads and eventually add more holes, but first they need to secure some dedicated volunteers.
“We want to expand to 18 holes, have concrete tee pads and signage at each hole. Right now we’re just trying to build up a crew of volunteers to maintain the course, a lot of the work is just weed wacking. If we want to expand, we need to develop some more volunteers,” Remillard said.
“We hope to find some more people who are motivated and can come help us.” To volunteer or for more information, visit the Peninsula Disc Golf Club on Facebook.