Diamond Jubilee Disc Golf course launches at Essex

A spectacular new disc golf course has been officially opened at the University of Essex as part of a celebration of its 60th anniversary.

The Diamond Jubilee Course features 18 breath-taking holes set in the iconic and award-winning Wivenhoe Park. Students got their first taste of the newly designed course on Monday when taking part in a tournament to mark the official opening.

Chancellor Dr Sarah Perry was on hand to mark the special occasion by cutting a ribbon, before joining the students and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Anthony Forster, for their very first round of disc golf.

The new course, which has been designed by Disc Golf UK, caters for both experienced disc golfers and novices wanting to try a new sport.

It replaces the old course which first opened in 1983 and hosted the World Team Disc Golf Championship in 2017.

A number of its iconic holes, such as one which sees players throw over the lake, have been retained, with modifications made to others to improve safety and the overall experience.

This means players can choose different starting points depending on their ability.

Professor Forster said: "Essex is the proud custodian of the UK’s oldest disc golf course and we hope this redesign will both preserve and enhance its status. The aim of our new course is to offer a world-class experience to disc golfers; maximizing all the advantages of a course set in this absolutely beautiful and historic English parkland setting.

"What I think is equally as exciting is this wonderful course has also been designed for disc golf novices such as myself. So whether it’s students or staff taking in a quick round during a lunch break, or members of the local community enjoying a game during some free time, we hope everyone will take advantage of this superb new course.”

Kieran Phillips, President of Essex’s Students' Union, said: “It was great to get out and try disc golf.

“I hope the students at Essex will enjoy playing the refurbished course and give disc golf a try during their time here, because it was a lot of fun despite the multiple times I hit the tree.

"The course looked amazing and I know I will be challenging the rest of the SU team to a round soon."

Along with the redesign, other upgrades include the addition of tee mats, extra signage, and a new-look website providing a breakdown of the course.

Both staff and students will be able to enjoy a round of disc golf at Wivenhoe Park free of charge throughout the academic year, and will also be able to purchase equipment from Essex Sport.

This forms part of Essex’s commitment to ensuring the Diamond Jubilee course is accessible to all.

Richard Hatton, Company Director of Disc Golf UK, said: “We have thoroughly enjoyed supporting the University of Essex with this project and hope that players are as excited as we are about the new design.

“The new course now features one of the most memorable finishing stretches in the UK and is championship ready, meaning it can continue to play host to some of the biggest tournaments in disc golf.

“The player experience has been significantly improved without compromising the Essex signature, and we hope the fresh look will also entice new people, both young and old, to the game.”

More information about the Diamond Jubilee Disc Golf Course is available here.