Open fires are prohibited throughout the park from midnight to 4 p.m. through April 30 per the 4 p.m. Burning Law. This includes wood and charcoal. Gas is permissible. Campground fires are allowed during the restricted time if a camp host is on duty and signage to that effect is posted in the campground. Failure to observe the 4 p.m. Burning Law can result in a fine. Contact the Park Office for additional information.

Home > Blog > Disc Golf Course Opening at Staunton River State Park

Disc Golf Course Opening at Staunton River State Park

By Amy AtwoodPosted September 26, 2017

We are excited to announce that Virginia State Parks will open its first disc golf course at Staunton River State Park in Scottsburg, Virginia on Sunday, October 1, 2017.

The nine hole disc course is part of a pilot project at Virginia State Parks.

Trade your golf clubs for a flying disk

Traditionally, local and regional parks are the "go to" places for recreational sports - tennis courses, basketball courts, and baseball and soccer fields.

But, as we listened to our park users, we learned that disc golf courses actually fit into natural surroundings and don't require special areas or facilities uncommon for a state park. So, we decided to give it a whirl and pilot a course to see if it is a good fit for our mission and parks.

The disc golf basket blends in so well, we had to manipulate the photo of this hole
at Staunton River State Park so you could see it

I confess I had to "Google" what disc golf actually was, and learned that it is played with rules similar to regular golf but instead of clubs and balls, players use a disc (also known as a Frisbee(R)). Wikipedia says it best:

Players complete a hole by throwing a disc from a tee area toward a target, throwing again from the landing position of the disc until the target is reached. Players seek to complete a course in the lowest number of total throws.

So, you take regular golf, get rid of the clubs, balls, golf carts and manicured courses, add an elevated hole/target/basket and set the course in natural surroundings featuring terrain changes, trees and shrubs.

Players can move along at their own pace making this a great game for both families and more competitive folks.

In Disc Golf, a disc or Frisbee™ replaces the ball
and an elevated basket serves as the hole

The game is played in more than 40 countries and boasts more than 35,000 members of the Professional Disc Golf Association.

Be sure to watch the video at the end of this article from the PDGA that shows how much fun this sport is: all the fun but none of the costs associated with traditional golf.

The disc golf course is a good way to get out in nature.
(Photo courtesy Steve Ganz via Creative Commons)

There will be a brief ribbon cutting ceremony at 8:30 a.m. on October 1, followed by a tournament: Staunton River State Park Open Presented By Dynamic Discs and is hosted by the Southside Virginia Disc Golf Association.

The tournament is open to the public; to register click here.

Cabins and camping are available at the park. Check for availability and/or make reservations here or call 800-933-7275 during regular business hours.

Directions and more information about Staunton River State Park can be found here.