Eagle Scout project brings disc golf to Leeper

Kaleb Wolbert, a member of Boy Scout Troop 51 in Clarion, has, with the support of the Farmington Township Board of Supervisors, established a nine-hole course at the township park between Leeper and Tylersburg.

But if you’re coming out to play, leave your golf balls and clubs at home and bring your Frisbee.

“Frisbee golf is a sport where players throw their Frisbee discs into baskets in the least number of ‘strokes.’ It’s played like golf,” Wolbert said.

Wolbert began planning for his Eagle Scout project two years ago as the challenging projects tend take a lot of time and effort to complete.

“It was during COVID when he was figuring out what he wanted to do, and I think he was trying to do a project that would get people out and about,” said Annette Wolbert, Kaleb’s mother.

It took Wolbert a several months to figure out what his project would be.

“I decided on my project in the spring of 2021 and April 7, 2021, was when it was approved by Farmington Township. I finished my project on June 11, 2022,” Wolbert said.

Farmington Township supervisors Matt Sherbine, Dave Crise and Chuck Gilbert said this month that they are pleased with the project.

“I’ve seen people out there playing,” said Sherbine. “The young man did a fine job putting it all together. It’s a good addition to the park.”

Gilbert agreed, adding, “It looks really good.”

Picking a project

When Wolbert was deciding what to do for his project, his ultimate goal was to help people.

“I wanted to make something that would last for a good amount of time, something that would be fun and that others could enjoy using and I also wanted to make something people from outside of Leeper could come into Leeper to do; to add something unique to the park,” Wolbert said.

Other factors that went into building the course were time, materials and layout.

“There were some materials that took a long time to come in and the actual layout of the course was a very big factor,” Wolbert said. “You don’t want the course to go through popular areas people go through, but you also don’t want the course to be too short or too long.”

The layout of the course got changed at least four times before Wolbert made the ultimate decision on it.

In order to begin building, Wolbert needed sponsors to get materials as well as people to help him build the course.

“I had three different sponsors: American Legion Post 66, Sons of the American Legion Post 66 and the Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie 3807 of Clarion,” Wolbert said. “A mixture of other troop members, family and friends helped me build the course.”

People can bring their own Frisbees to play the disc golf course, and they can even post their scores on the UDisc app.

“So far, he has gotten good ratings on the course on UDisc,” Annette Wolbert said.

Lessons learned

An Eagle Scout project requires a lot of work, but Wolbert was sure to mention his hard work paid off.

“I would say the most valuable things I gained from Scouts are the ability to work with other people more comfortably and fluently, and the hard work you put in will pay off,” Wolbert said. “I’ve learned a lot about how to lead and what it means to be a leader.”

When Wolbert first joined the Scouts, he knew he wanted to be an Eagle Scout.

“I didn’t know if I was capable of achieving it, but the more I moved up, I realized it was something I could do that would be beneficial to me,” Wolbert said.

Wolbert encourages others to join the Scouts.

“It’s a good program and it teaches young kids a lot of life lessons, and you have a lot of fun,” Wolbert said.

Wolbert hopes to use what he learned in the Scouts throughout his lifetime.

“There’s a saying that once you’re a Scout, you’re always a Scout, so the things I’ve learned from Scouts are what I hope to always be,” Wolbert said. “There’s another saying to lead by example, so I hope to continue to be a Scout in the future.”

Wolbert, of Tylersburg, is a senior at North Clarion High School. He plays basketball, baseball and soccer, and is also involved in robotics, Science Olympiad and the Junior Historians.

Wolbert is humbled to be able to use what he learned from Scouts to serve others.

“I do hope my course will get some more people into playing disc golf and some people will find a new hobby to enjoy through my course,” Wolbert said.