Local recreational disc golfer Tip Lyons loves the convenience of being able to get out by himself during the week and play some holes on various disc golf courses around the Memphis area.

Lyons was among the attendees recently for the official opening of the latest addition, the new 18-hole S.Y. Wilson Disc Golf Course at the Arlington Sports Complex on Memphis-Arlington Road.

“It’s definitely a great activity or hobby,” Lyons said. “It’s fun to play solo or in a group. On cool mornings, it’s great getting out there by myself.”

Local pro disc golfer and Lakeland resident Tray Desnoyer helped design the course.

“I love the sport,” he said. “I just love competing, and it gives me something at my age, at 38, to keep doing.”

Desnoyer also helped design the Libertyland course in Memphis, the course at Memphis Athletic Ministries off Airways Road and most recently the new Sea Isle Park course.

“The first priority when going into a disc golf course is going to be the park itself. The walkers and kids playing on playgrounds has precedent over everything” Desnoyer said. “So when I’m going in, I’m looking at what’s the safest way, yet most challenging way, I can put together a course.

"I feel like here we were very limited – it was very raw when we started – but the town of Arlington has been great with their workers coming in and the equipment they already had.”

The property, which at one time was leased to the town from the state, is now owned by Arlington. The majority of work in building the course involved clearing out trees and brush and laying concrete tee pads.

“A lot of people put a lot of work into this – fairway cleaning, tree trimming, and we got rid of a lot of much of invasive privet that’s made it actually a safer park to be involved in,” Arlington Parks and Recreation Director Daniel Carson said. “We’ve eliminated blind spots so people can feel safe being out here at all times.”

He estimates the cost of developing the course at about $10,000, with the town donating its labor and resources to keep costs down.

The best thing about the new course in Arlington, according to Town Administrator Cathy Durant, is that it is serving an underserved demographic in the community – young people.

“We have a senior citizens center, we have a library, we have youth leagues, but we didn’t really have anything for what’s in between. So this fills that gap somewhat,” she said.

The average distance for the holes on the new course is 315 yards, and Desnoyer describes it as beginner-friendly with some challenging holes for people who play advanced to professional level.

“As a parent of a 4-year-old, I know how addicted our children are to iPads and TV’s, and we want them to get outside,” Carson said. “This gives them another way. Maybe they’re not a football player or a soccer player, but maybe this is something they can do outside with their family.”

Desnoyer hopes to see more courses in the town, as well as in Bartlett and Lakeland. Lakeland is pursuing a $10,000 grant for its first disc golf course at IH Park.

“I think this area needed something like this,” Desnoyer said. “It’s a very fast-growing sport. Anybody can play. It’s great for parks that don’t get a lot of activity. It actually keeps them safer because there are more people coming in and out, especially in rural and inner-city areas.”

Arlington’s S.Y. Wilson and Company outdoors retail store and owner Robert Winstead are sponsoring the new course, including providing all the disc baskets.

“They approached me, and I thought it would be a great idea,” Winstead said. “Now, players don’t have to go to Shelby Forest or downtown. It’s a great area and a great course, and I think it will be a great fit. Our demographics are mid- to late 30s, and everyone’s very active.”

His store sells Prodigy disc golf equipment, including discs and bags.

Near the end of October, organizers are hoping to host an inaugural PDGA (Pro Disc Golf Association) tournament at the new course, with hopes of it becoming an annual event.