Lenexa’s Black Hoof Disc Golf Course opens to enthusiastic hobbyists and professionals alike

Black Hoof Disc Golf Course in Lenexa. // Courtesy photo

A hole at Black Hoof Disc Golf Course in Lenexa. // Courtesy photo

On April 1, the City of Lenexa kicked off springtime with the official opening of the Black Hoof Disc Golf Course, featuring a championship-level 18-hole timber course and a family-friendly 9-hole course.

The festivities included the inaugural Black Hoof Open, which saw just under 200 participants and benefits the Lenexa Parks & Recreation Scholarship Program.

The first portion of the itinerary included a clinic geared towards beginners. A long-drive competition was underway by 11 a.m. and was won by professional player Jose Ossa at about 360 feet.

“The first shot was the winner. I was like, ‘Whaaaaat?’ I just threw it into a massive headwind,” Ossa says.

Ossa had played the 18-hole course the day before and had a lot of praise for the work of the course’s principal designer and fellow professional player, Eric McCabe.

“If you’re a serious disc golfer, this course will challenge you. It’s so beautiful. Just walking it, it’s an amazing design. It’s also next level because you have those par-4s, par-5s—difficult par-4s, long par-4s… Beyond what we have in Kansas City, where we have a lot of par-3s, and it’s more outdated where we’re modernizing. This is a great step forward,” Ossa says. 

McCabe echoed these thoughts in a detailed YouTube video where he outlines each section of the course, pointing out that Black Hoof’s 10,000-foot long, 80-acre, 18-hole course would offer a high-difficulty challenge while also including multiple baskets for each hole so that players can adjust accordingly to their skill level. Meanwhile, the 9-hole, 1,615-foot starter course, which he also designed, was intended to be perfect for beginners.

Between the high-level tournament that was taking place on the championship-rated 18-hole course and the incoming flux of guests throughout the day, the parking lots were almost constantly at capacity, with people going to and from the food truck, beer table, and several vendor booths containing mini-games, prizes, and free giveaways from sponsors including Bushnell, Disc Golf Specialties, EverFast Fiber Networks, Limitless Brewing, and Maverick Disc Golf.

The course itself came at a price tag of $144,150, fueled by a combination of funds from Henderson Engineers and the Kansas Flying Disc Association. It was constructed by Lenexa Parks and Recreation crews. 

Map of Black Hoof Disc Gold Course in Lenexa. // Courtesy image

“We’ve had our home office in Lenexa since 1992, and the city’s support has helped spur our involvement in world-class projects globally,” President-Emeritus at Henderson Engineers and Founder of the Kansas Flying Disc Association, Rich Smith, says. “To be part of a world-class disc golf facility in our own backyard is very special and aligns with our core value of being involved in our community.”

The City of Lenexa, for its part, funded a vastly expanded parking lot system, with the $430,000 project coming from park funds.

In addition to the amenities in Black Hoof Park, like hiking, boating, and fishing, visitors can now arrive in style thanks to a recently completed large parking expansion project by the Oak Shelter near the 89th Street entrance to the park. Starting this spring, people can also rent kayaks in the 35-acre Lake Lenexa.

To help support ongoing maintenance, the City of Lenexa offers additional sponsorship packages and accepts individual donations.