In just two years, the Wilderness City Disc Golf Course in Philipsburg has established itself as a go-to destination for locals and visitors alike looking for a challenging yet approachable spot to tee off.

Ted Seibert spearheaded a plan to establish the course behind the Elks Country Club in 2023. According to data from the UDisc app, in 2024, the Wilderness City Disc Golf Course was the 96th most-played course out of 352 in Pennsylvania. It also ranked No. 3,257 when compared to the popularity of 16,000 courses worldwide.

“As far as community impact, the Wilderness City DGC had people from 12 different states visit the course,” Seibert said. “Some other fun statistics are that 103 players visited our course for the first time in 2024, and 12 played their first round of disc golf ever on our course here in Philipsburg.”

Courses vary in size and difficulty, Seibert explained. There are courses in State College that he says are “very beginner friendly,” but some of them are larger, which can be more difficult for people like Seibert, who said he has “an older arm” that prevents him from throwing as far as he used to.

The Wilderness City course is “a mix of very technical, and yet it’s not as big as some of those other courses.”

The UDisc app, which shows course locations worldwide, enables users to rate the places where they play. Seibert said Wilderness City DGC is consistently rated highly for the view from the hilltop, which was stripped for coal decades ago. In fact, the course is located on the site of an old coal tipple.

“It’s hard to believe something that was so ugly at one time — the view is now our highest-ranking thing that people say they enjoy seeing,” Seibert said.

Another perk of the Wilderness City DGC is its easy access to the Elks, where people can enjoy refreshments and often live entertainment.

“Sitting on the patio and listening to music in the summer is the best!” Seibert added.

If you’ve been curious to try disc golf, Seibert said it’s an easy sport to get into. Unlike traditional golf, which can quickly become expensive, for disc golf, “all you need is a Frisbee.”

“One will do,” Seibert said, “and they’re very inexpensive.”

You can get all the equipment you need for disc golf for under $50, he said. Plus, disc golf Frisbees are generally available; the local Kephart’s Ace Hardware store in Philipsburg has even started selling them.

Aside from being affordable, Seibert said disc golf offers low-impact exercise, fresh air, and sunshine — sometimes — and instant community.

“[The sport] is easy to get into,” he said. “We put a lot of mileage on walking around the course, socializing. Disc golfers are always willing to help another person.”

Seibert said it’s not uncommon to meet a stranger on a course and have them ask, “Do you want to throw with me?”

“That’s how friendships start, and the next thing you know, they’re your doubles partner in a tournament somewhere.”

The Wilderness City DGC hosts a league every Tuesday night of the summer for all ages and all levels of play. The cost is $2 per person, which helps offset the cost of maintaining the course — including the “brand-spanking-new baskets” that were just installed. There’s also a fun “Ace Pot,” where each player contributes $1, and if someone aces a shot — meaning they get the disc in the basket in one go — they win the pot of money.

“The Ace Pot has a tendency to build up,” Seibert joked. Last he checked, it had grown to about $100. “No one’s hit the ace in a while.”

Seibert also suggests players join the Centre County Disc Golf League, which has members who can play in various leagues throughout the area.

“It gets you out and about in the county,” Seibert said.

“The Wilderness City DGC is there for everyone,” he added.

So what are you waiting for?

More information is available on Facebook.