Professional Disc Golfers Association

Submitted by: Darryl Russell

Hike reference: 9.0 km Osaca area loop

The PDGA – professional Disc Golf Association offers divisions of play from under 8 to over 80 at the annual disc golf World Championships.

Disc Golf arguably started in the 1960’s with the invention of the frisbee. It is played much like golf, but with a plastic frisbee-type disc. Regular golfers use three different types of discs, with a beginner set costing about $40.

A disc golf hole begins from a tee area and ends at a target – mostly an elevated metal basket (with chains). As a player progresses down the fairway, they must make each consecutive throw from where the previous throw landed. In group play, the farthest-away player throws first. Disc golf sometimes free in public parks and takes about half as long as golf to complete a round.

The PDGA sanctions over 3,500 events. The US alone has over 7,000 courses and the game is played in at least 47 countries. Ontario has about 206 courses. There is a mobile phone app called UDISC that lets you see course maps, photos, reviews, etc. 

As well as the Haute Goat property which has an 18-hole course, there is at least one 9-hole course in Cobourg located near the Cobourg Community Centre on D’Arcy Street.

More on Haute Goat

Submitted by: Shelley Irving, June 2025

• Founded in 2009 by Debbie Nightingale and Shain Jaffe in Campbellford as a retirement project with just four Nigerian dwarf goats.

Anyone up for some goat yoga?

• In 2015, they relocated to a larger 200-acre property in Newtonville and expanded the farm’s footprint, welcoming alpacas, Icelandic horses, exotic chickens, Tornjak guardian dogs and a mule named Lucy.  

• They coined a signature experience called the ‘Smurgle’ alpaca walks and have goat yoga and glamping in a ‘yome’, yurt or bunk.

• The Screaming Goat Cafe offers farm-to-table food. 

• The disc golf course, built with minimal impact on land, was inspired by Debbie’s son.

• Seasonal events such as Goatchella, comedy shows, and festivals draw diverse crowds

• Debbie and Shain’s retirement vision grew into a vibrant innovative agri-culture hub that weaves personal passion with education, fun, and community.