Newton disc golfer thanks city for expanding Woodland Park course – Newton Daily News

Jim Knudson, the disc golfer who was instrumental in convincing the city of Newton to put baskets on the disc golf course in Woodland Park, thanked council members and staff on Aug. 5 for giving his story a happy ending and for his drive to host tournaments that draw hundreds of people to the city each year.

Knudson appeared at council meetings last month to demand the completion of the course at Woodland Park. Council members put the matter to a vote on July 15 and approved the installation of six baskets, with the caveat that the official teeing areas would not be fully installed until later.

“Every story has a beginning,” he said. “Thank you, Mayor George, for being willing to listen to me. Any self-respecting salesman knows how to deal with rejection. Even though you initially rejected my proposal, I knew I hadn’t given you the right information, so I tried again.”

Nothing happens when people give up, Knudson added. The disc golfer turned his attention to Councilman Randy Ervin, whom he thanked for devoting two hours of his time to explain his proposal in detail. Knudson also praised Ervin’s willingness to walk through Woodland Park.

“I am sorry that your concerns were not addressed last fall when the proposal was originally brought up,” Knudson said before thanking Council Member Melissa Dalton for responding to his emails. “I appreciate that the person who represents my district was aware of the process moving forward.”

Knudson added that he contacted disc golf tournament organizers about hosting a “Welcome to Woodland” tournament in October. Although the announcement was made on short notice, the organizer didn’t say no. Knudson said disc golfers in online groups have responded well to the updates at Woodland Park.

In his final round of thanks, Knudson praised two employees, park manager Nick Cummins and assistant park manager Jamie Murphy, for their work ethic. When he sees Murphy, he knows, for example, that the Christmas lights are going to be on and the pool is being repaired.

“When she called me last Tuesday, I knew the project was history because she was going to finish it,” Knudson said during public participation. “It took her crew less than three hours to complete the entire extension. Mayor and council, thank you for the happy ending.”

Before the council’s decision, the disc golf course at Woodland Park was a 12-hole course. In a proposal submitted by Knudson, he noted that nothing would need to be changed on holes 1-12. The new holes would be designed as a loop around the nearby baseball fields. The new baskets will make it an 18-hole course ready for tournaments.

Maytag Park also has a disc golf course and has hosted the Iowa Masters Championship, a Professional Disc Golf Association-sanctioned event, for the past 13 years. Professional and amateur players compete in various age groups in the championships.

Knudson said this year’s tournament sold out in 17 hours.

The disc golf courses at Maytag Park and Woodland Park have received high ratings on UDisc, an app developed by two Iowa State University graduates that allows disc golfers to find nearby courses. Out of 823 reviews, Maytag Park has an average score of 4.4 and Woodland Park has an average score of 4.1 out of 223 reviews.