Aug. 26—BEAVERTOWN — Faylor Lake’s disc golf course has grown much quicker than co-manager and tournament director Andy Klinger ever imagined.
Since opening in October 2021, the 18-hole course has hosted several tournaments, been visited by professional disc golf players and is ranked 14th in the world by UDisc app users. The course is ranked number 1 worldwide for being the best free course, said Klinger.
“Yeah, I’m surprised that it happened that quickly,” he said. “This is only the beginning. I expect within two years we’ll get an event of top-touring professionals.”
For now, Klinger is preparing for a B tier tournament sanctioned by the Professional Disc Golf Association that will take place Sept. 23 and 24.
There are already 70 players registered and up to 144 slots available to amateur and semi-professional players in the competition.
“Even for amateurs, this is serious business for them,” said Klinger.
Disc golf has been gaining in popularity in recent years. More than 1.2 million people use UDisc, the app that provides information on more than 14,000 courses worldwide.
Klinger said the attraction to the out-of-the-way course at the Snyder County-owned Faylor Lake is due to the “well-designed and picturesque” course near the 140-acre lake surrounded by trails and farmland. “The holes are challenging, the terrain is challenging. It’s not beginner-friendly, but it’s fun to play.”
Last Tuesday, the disc golf course held a Skins match with four professional players and sold 225 tickets to spectators for $50 apiece. Children under 16 attended free with an adult.
County commissioners are investing heavily in the recreational spot, with work in progress to expand the parking area and add restroom facilities and a pavilion.
On Thursday, Snyder County Commissioners Joe Kantz and Chuck Steininger were at the lake to meet with builders and saw a vehicle with Michigan plates and several people on the course.
In addition to the recreational opportunities, the area features incredible views.
“I’ve seen bald eagles out there, but this is the first time I’ve seen an osprey and it was diving in the lake for a fish,” said Kantz.
While Klinger said the course is attracting players of all abilities from across the country — 32 states, according to UDisc — the demand for accommodations is also rising.
“We definitely need more lodging,” he said. “People are staying at campgrounds, Airbnbs and hotels in Selinsgrove and Lewistown.”
Kantz said the steadily increasing traffic at Faylor Lake spurred the commissioners this year to approve raising the county hotel tax from 3 to 5 percent to bring in more revenue to the Susquehanna River Visitors Bureau.
