KASSON - What began as a search for more soccer fields has grown into an ambitious community project: an 18-hole tournament-level disc golf course paired with a scenic wooded walking trail at Lions Park.
Kasson’s growing youth soccer club had been using Lions Park, which already featured a nine-hole beginner disc golf course. Students at the Train a Child Center (TACC) along with their gym teacher began exploring the park’s unused outer areas. What felt at first like trekking through a jungle soon revealed beautiful scenic spots. The TACC class designed a full 18-hole layout that makes use of the park’s outskirts making its natural beauty available for all to see.
They brought the design to the Kasson Park and Recreation Board, which approved the plan pending funding. The students helped build a budget and collaborated with the Rochester Area Disc Golf Club to refine the course.
The project gained official support when the Kasson City Council allocated $10,000 as a matching fund to encourage private fundraising. The Kasson-Mantorville Joint Ventures Board then agreed to purchase the new baskets for the course.
Work began in June 2026. Local volunteers, working with equipment providers such as Hardware Hank, have cleared thorns, thistles and buckbrush. The effort has opened views of 120-year-old trees and hidden pools along Masten Creek. The walking trail and 16 of the 18 holes have already been roughed in. Fundraising currently stands at about one-third of its $20,000 goal.
The first event on the new course is scheduled for Nov. 6: a night disc golf tournament called The Space Race. Players will tackle 36 temporarily set up short holes with lighted baskets and specially illuminated discs. Proceeds will support the fund drive. Details are available at discgolfscene.com/tournament/Space_Race_at_Kasson_2026.
Fundraising will continue through the winter. If the goal is met, full installation of permanent tee pads and trail amenities is planned for spring 2027. Sponsors can have their names or logos appear on the course map, hole signs, or trail features, depending on the level of support.
Sponsorship opportunities range from any amount (name on the course map) to $5,000 Legacy Sponsors, who receive prominent map placement and the chance to propose a course name to the Park Board and City Council. Intermediate levels include Trail Guide ($200, logo on map), Hole Sponsor ($500, space on a hole sign) and Bench & Trail Amenity Sponsor ($1,000, recognition on a sponsored feature). Those interested in sponsoring this project or volunteering their time can contact Johann Marsland at taccask@gmail.com or via phone at 218-831-7559.
The improvements will create a naturally shaded walking trail in the heart of Kasson as well as the expanded disc golf experience for residents, families, visitors, and outdoor enthusiasts of all ages and abilities. The project offers an opportunity for local residents to help expand recreation and outdoor life in Kasson while building a lasting community asset.
