Volunteers clear the way for Middle Park Disc Golf Course in Mansfield

MANSFIELD — Eric Webber would love for people to go for a walk in Middle Park — and maybe play a little disc golf at the same time.

“If you love nature, it’s a walk in the woods and it gives you something to do while you’re exploring the woods,” the Galion man said Sunday.

Webber, who designed the new course set to open in the park between Fourth Street and Park Avenue in late May or early June, was among volunteers who gathered Sunday to help remove litter and debris from the 23-acre city green space.

The volunteers were led by Mike Woogerd, the city of Mansfield parks superintendent, and Louis Andres, the city’s public works director.

It will be the newest such course in north central Ohio, a sport launched nationally in 1975 by “Steady” Ed Headrick, a Wham-O employee dubbed the “father of the modern Frisbee” and the inventor of the metal cage disc golf targets.

Headrick launched the first course at Oak Grove Park in Pasadena, Calif.

Webber, a member of Galion City Council, said anyone can play disc golf.

“There’s a challenge similar to regular golf. You want to throw the least amount of throws possible and get it in the basket, from tee to basket,” he said. “It’s a great sport.”

Webber is a part of the Troop Disc Golf Club, which began six years ago and has between 60 and 80 members throughout north central Ohio, playing in Ontario, Galion, Bucyrus and elsewhere.

Each disc golf course he designs is different.

“The design for Middle Park was put together by really looking at where it’s gonna be … in neighborhoods by the (Mansfield Senior High) school,” said Webber, who set up a temporary “hole” for participants to try on Sunday.

“It’s not as long as some of the other courses. But it sits in a good place. It’s a good course for beginners and families. Being close to the school and in a neighborhood, we thought having a course (for beginners) in this difficulty range would be optimal,” Webber said.

“You really want to look at making sure that where you’re throwing is out of pedestrian areas and walkways and creates a flight path that’s desirable and different for each hole so you’re not throwing the same throw on each hole,” he said.

(Below are photos from a cleanup effort Sunday in Mansfield’s Middle Park in preparation for the grand opening of a new disc golf course in the historic park that connects North Lake and South parks. The story continues below the images.)

The Mansfield Association of REALTORS® helped spearhead the effort to install a disc golf course at the park, as well as nature identification signage to educate the public on the various types of plants at the site.

MAR President Robin Walker said in 2025 the group received a $7,500 placemaking grant for the project from the National Association of Realtors. The association sought sponsorships to cover the rest of the cost. Brightspeed agreed to match local sponsorship dollars.

A ribbon cutting is planned when the 18-hole disc golf course is ready to open.

Andres said Middle Park is essential to the city’s history. It dates back to 1887 when South Park, Middle Park and North Lake Park were laid out, planted and dedicated as public green space called Sherman-Heineman Park.

Sherman was named for U.S. Sen. John Sherman who donated the land of South Park. Heineman was the Mansfield businessman, Abram Heineman, who donated land for North Lake.

“It has a rich history, and it connects all the other parks, so it’s linear and that’s something that we’re trying to do not only with the (B&O Trail) … we reopened this so we can make it a bike and a pedestrian walkway and corridor,” Andres said.

“I think it’s really important in our environment now that we have other ways of getting people to and from different parts of the city, whether it be parks or businesses, that are non-motorized, that they’re either on bikes or walking or something like that,” Andres said.

“It’s important because it does connect all the other parks and does connect the community with the city, as well.”

Andres credited the Mansfield Association of REALTORS® for the disc golf course idea.

“They approached us and said they would like to do something for the community. We talked about doing a disc golf course here and we spoke to Eric Webber, who’s designed a couple of them in the area.

“Eric said we could use a couple more because that way we could have people come in from out out of the region and out of the state and have a tournament for the weekend and go to different ones and play them,” Andres said.

Once the course opens, Andres said participants can being their own discs to play.

“We’re working with the (Mansfield Richland County Public Library) to provide if you can’t afford your discs and stuff, you can go there and check it out and come here and have a good day,” he said.

“Today, we wanted to have some people here to go in to get everything picked up, litter and stuff, while we can still see it and before we get into the mowing season. It’s important when we’re mowing that we’re not mowing over debris.”

“That way it looks good when people come in and we get the golf course open sometime late May or early June,” Andres said.

It’s a busy time for Woogerd, who took over the city parks five months ago. He is a Lexington native who had worked with Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks.

Plans in Middle Park also include updating the shelter, along with new grills and picnic areas.

“It’s been a lot of fun. It’s been a whirlwind. Every day I’m trying to keep up,” Woogerd said with a laugh.

“There so much to do with 21 parks. That’s the kind of environment that I like to be in anyway. The next thing is ready and waiting for us to go after.

“But I really feel lucky just being in a position where Louis and (Mayor Jodie Perry) have already set up projects that I just have to help execute really and it’s gonna benefit the city.

“Coming back to my hometown has been perfect in every way I could think of so far,” Woogerd said.