Sherae Honeycutt

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Original Post

It’s the end of an era for Disc Golfers in The Metro.

The Swope Park Course is set to close, making way for a no-kill animal shelter. FOX4’s Sherae Honeycutt went out to the course today for one last round.

It’s been a tradition in the park for about thirty years.

“This is where I started playing, so I always gravitate back to this course,” said competitive disc golfer Laron Harris.

However, this will be the last tournament on the course.

“The oldest course in Kansas City, that’s how we have had three world champions, countless national championships. Some of the greatest players of all time have walked these grounds,” said Rick Rothstein with the Kansas City Flying Disc Club.

The 2018 ‘Ice Bowl’ gave people a chance to say goodbye as the city gets ready to put a no-kill animal shelter on the land.

“It’s very sad because obviously nobody is against not killing dogs, but the question is, why was a functioning, active, recreational area used in a park that is as big as Swope? Couldn’t they have found some acreage somewhere else for their noble cause?” Rothstein said.

The KC Flying Disc Club rented the land from the city since the early 80s, which brought years of memories, friendships, at least one wedding, and an engagement.

“We realized, we weren’t going to be able to get married here. So, I said, ‘you know, it would be really nice if we could just get engaged here,’” said Elisabeth Borg-Bowman.

Her fiancé Michael Krueger proposed to her with a special disc he snuck in her bag emblazoned with a picture of their cat, and the words ‘will you marry me?’

“It’s just heartbreaking. We love animals and pets. There are so many places in this property that they could have put it, so it’s heartbreaking,” Borg-Bowman said.

However, there will be a new disc golf course to replace the old.

“It will take a couple years for us to get it, the land cleared, set up, and everything. Whether it will be as magnificent as this piece of land, I haven’t seen it so I can’t tell you that,” Rothstein said.

“I’m excited to see what we come up with as a community. We love a challenge. If you take something away, or make something more difficult, we’re going to find a way to replace it and make it better,” Harris said.

The money raised at the 2018 Ice Bowl will go to a local food bank. Their goal was $10,000.

If you are looking for a place to play disc golf, there are still plenty in the metro.

Check out The KC Flying Disc Club’s website for a full list.