Disc golf course officially opens - Llano, TX - News Article Locations on Waymarking.com

Bob Cunningham, one of those who spearheaded the project, said LADI was interested in started something that would connect with the youth and decided disc golf was the appropriate activity. The sport is “growing by leaps and bounds,” he said.

“There’s over 5,000 disc golf courses around the country,” Cunningham said. “There’s almost, I think, almost 400 in Texas alone. There’s about 100 disc golf courses in the San Antonio, Austin, Hill Country area.”

The group contacted the prestigious Austin-area course designer John Houck, who designed Llano’s 9-hole course. Houck has his own 27-hole course on a private ranch in San Saba, Cunningham said.

“We were very fortunate to be able to attract him up here,” Cunningham said.

The group first went before city council in March 2014 and gained its approval in December 2015. Construction began the following month, and was recently finished.

“I can’t say enough about Eugene Long and the people on his public works department through the City of Llano to have helped construct this course. They’ve done a phenomenal job,” Cunningham said.

During that time, Cunningham and Brad Ballard began teaching the sport to students at the high school and junior high.

Sarah Smith, LADI president, said Saturday was an emotional day for her due to everyone who has helped with the project.

“Pray with us that this will be something that the youth of our community can do and have an activity that’s healthy and out in fresh air and promotes competition, as well as adults,” she said.

The aim of LADI, which started a decade ago from the missions committee of First Baptist Church, is to help people get off drugs, Smith said.

The organization helped by bringing a counseling center, furnishes home drug testing kits, helps with Red Ribbon Week in the schools, and publishes pamphlets and provides other materials.