Construction for the new disc golf course at Bancroft Park is underway, and the course looks like it will play tough.

The fresh 18 holes were put in place as part of ShineFest with the help of Jim Troe, Dan DeBor, Glen Stevens and others. Troe, DeBor and Stevens worked together on the course design more than a month ago and are excited about getting the course ready. The course will be finished next Saturday.

The front nine is characterized by its tight fairways and short distances while the back nine opens up, but is much longer in distance.

“I like the variety,” Troe said. “There are some difficult short holes that require accuracy. There are long holes that require hard, straight throws. There’s a little bit of everything.”

The group believes the new course will attract players from outside the area.

“I think it’s going to be really attractive to the community and also to people from Owatonna, Austin, Mason City, different locations to come to play,” DeBor said.

The closest location with 27 holes to offer is in Austin at Todd Park. That course already holds disc golf tournaments, and the course designers would like to host tournaments at the Bancroft Park site in the future.

Troe, DeBor and Stevens are all avid disc golf players and will certainly be the first to play the course.

“Can’t wait,” DeBor said. “As soon as it gets up, we’re out.”

Each hole is sponsored by a business for $500 and the city cleared out the area for the fairways and dug holes for the targets to be placed.

Troe and a group of nine people worked on installing the timbers for tee boxes and pouring cement into the holes for the targets as well as the hole markers. The actual targets will be added next weekend.

“I think it’s the kind of course that will draw people from all over, even from the cities,” Troe said.

“It’s a sport that’s really catching on.”

Troe, DeBor and Stevens started playing a five years ago and have noticed that the sport is expanding among the older generations.

“It started it out with the youth,” Troe said. “Adults are starting to enjoy it more and more, even families. I’ve seen quite a few families out here, too.”