Fore! Disc golf comes to DeBell

Scozzola and Jan Bartolo, Burbank's deputy parks director, said the $5,455 spent on the disc golf course is expected to pay off.

“This is a minor, minor investment for what the potential revenue outcome could be and for the advantage of having an additional use at the facility,” Scozzola said.

Disc players can play all day at the $4 rate during the week, and for $6 on the weekends.

Philo Brathwaite, a 32-year-old professional disc golfer who travels the world promoting the sport, often plays at Verdugo Hills.

At a weekly tournament there, Brathwaite talked about the pleasures of playing on a well-manicured course.

As for the business, Brathwaite said it was obvious.

“It's kind of easy money,” he said. “It's a small investment to get a pretty good return on a pretty consistent basis.”

But Noble Williams, who plays at DeBell's par-3 golf course several times a week, said he wasn't sure the two could co-exist.

“I've been coming here over 20 years and would hate for there to be any disruption of what I find is a nice atmosphere,” Williams said. “I don't think we can play together. Golf is a very gentlemanly sport. You don't talk, you don't move around, they don't walk in your line — there are a lot of rules in golf, and very many of them unwritten.”

Brathwaite, who played traditional golf before switching to disc, said he was looking further down the road.

“A lot of disc golfers feel this will be the golf of the future because it's so accessible,” he said. “It's cheaper, just as much fun — it's even more athletic than playing traditional golf. We play by the same rules and the same etiquette.

“We are teaching golf, it just looks a little bit different.”

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