Newton disc golfer thanks city for course expansion at Woodland Park

Jim Knudson, the disc golfer pivotal in convincing the City of Newton to install baskets at the Woodland Park disc golf course, thanked council members and staff on Aug. 5 for ensuring a happy ending to his story and his pursuits to grow tournaments that attract hundreds of people to town every year.

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

“Every story has a beginning,” he said. “To the honorable Mayor George, thank you for being willing to listen. Every salesman that’s worth a darn knows how to deal with rejection. Even though you initially rejected my proposal, I knew I hadn’t provided you with correct information. So I tried again.”

Nothing happens when people give up, Knudson added. The disc golfer turned his attention to council member Randy Ervin, who he thanked for giving him two hours of his time to explain his proposal in-depth. Knudson also commended Ervin’s willingness to walk through Woodland Park.

“I’m sorry your concerns were not addressed last fall when the proposal originally came up,” Knudson said before thanking council member Melissa Dalton for returning his emails. “Appreciate it knowing the person representing my ward was aware of how the process was proceeding.”

Knudson added that he contacted organizers of disc golf tournaments about hosting a “Welcome to Woodland” tournament in October. Although it was late notice, the organizer has not said no. Knudson said disc golfers in online groups have responded well to the updates over at Woodland Park.

In his final round of thanks, Knudson gave kudos to two staff members, park operations superintendent Nick Cummins and parks operations assistant superintendent Jamie Murphy, for their work ethic. He knows when he sees Murphy, for instance, that the holiday lights go on and the pool gets repaired.

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

Prior to council’s decision, the disc golf course at Woodland Park was a 12-hole course. In a proposal presented by Knudson, he noted nothing needs to change on holes 1-12. The new holes would play as a loop, around the nearby baseball fields. The new baskets make it an 18-hole course ready for tournament play.

Maytag Park is also home to a disc golf course, and it has hosted the Iowa Masters Championship — a Professional Disc Golf Association-sanctioned event — for the past 13 years. Professional-class players and amateurs compete in the championships in different age divisions.

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

The disc golf courses at Maytag Park and Woodland Park have received high ratings on UDisc, an app founded 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 averages 4.1 from its 223 reviews.