21-03-2025
Vigo Co. to open Indiana's first championship disc golf course
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — Indiana's first championship-level disc golf course is coming to Fowler Park in Terre Haute.
The Vigo County announced the groundbreaking addition to Indiana's sports tourism landscape in a press release Friday. The project is going to be completed thanks to a $50,000 matching grant from the Indiana Destination Development Corporation (IDDC).
The grant was written and secured by RJL Solutions and was part of a highly competitive statewide matching program designed to fund high-impact tourism initiatives. Vigo County was only one of five recipients in this funding cycle, according to a press release.
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Vigo County Commissioner Chris Switzer said, this project will help establish Vigo County as a premier destination for outdoor recreation and competitive disc golf.
'This is a first for Indiana, and it's happening right here in Vigo County,' said Switzer. 'We're excited to offer a world-class recreation experience that will bring visitors from across the country, support local businesses, and strengthen our economy through sports tourism.'
The course, designed by nationally renowned Houck Design, will be a 27-hole gold-level course. It will also include 54 concrete tees, championship-baskets, improved trails for spectators and more.
'Indiana already gets a lot of tourism and about 81,000,000 tourists came from all over in 2023,' said Dee Leekha-Houck, founder and CEO of Houck Design. 'Out of those, if only 5% have played or tried disc golf, that's a lot of disc golfers already coming to the state (approx. 4,000,000) and when they find out there is a world-class destination course here, they will want to extend their trip and play it. Disc golfers are like golfers. They take vacations for disc golf and go to new places to play on new courses. The expectation is the economic impact from daily and overnight weekend tourism will be one of the highest from this course in Vigo County. 20,000,000 people in the USA, as estimated by AI, either play disc golf regularly or have played it. These courses should bring in many players from all over the state, region, country, and even the world.'
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Switzer said the project is also made possible through strong regional collaboration. The Wabash Valley Community Foundation provided initial design funding, and the Terre Haute Convention and Visitors Bureau is playing a key role in tournament planning. Duke Energy, the Brett Family, the Crossroads Disc Golf Club, the West Central Indiana Partnership and the Vigo Park Department are also helping support and assist the project.
Construction is underway, with a soft launch expected in Fall 2025. A grand opening celebration, featuring a Professional Disc Golf Association-sanctioned tournament, vendors, live music, and professional disc golfers, is planned for Spring 2026.
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