Erbe Acres Invites You To Give Disc Golf A Try
By LYDIA BERGLAR
News Editor
Photo by Lydia Berglar – Disc golf keeps Eric Fassler, his brother, and their friends connected, even while living states away. Fassler welcomes anyone—pros or beginners—to try out the course he designed and built on his property.
Eric Fassler’s introduction to disc golf came at 18-years-old when his older brother invited him to try out the sport with a group of friends. Fassler bought a few discs of his own—two of which he still has to this day—and was initiated into the disc golf community.
Decades later, this sport is still a big part of the Fassler brothers’ relationship, and Fassler added a course on his Lookout Mountain property to invite more people to enjoy the sport.
Originally from Grand Rapids, Mich., Fassler moved down south for the warmer weather. He found almost ten acres in the New Salem community and moved to Lookout Mountain with the idea of homesteading.
However, he soon found that farming and working a full-time job aren’t very compatible, but a menagerie of animals still call Erbe Acres home. Disc golf players might glimpse a goat, a chicken, some beehives, cats, dogs, and the neighboring horses as they stroll through the property.
Fassler invites the public to play the course for free from dawn to dusk (except when raining or the ground is very wet). Donations are gratefully accepted to help with upkeep but never required. Erbe Acres is located at 11030 GA-136, Rising Fawn, about a half a mile west of the Cloudland Canyon State Park entrance.
Fassler’s idea for the course started while Cloudland Canyon’s course was undergoing some improvements. He decided to put up a few baskets on his property so he could play at home, but “that turned into me building a whole course,” he laughed.
It took him about two years to add all 18-holes, but as soon as he had the first nine in, he opened Erbe Acres to the public. Clearing the land with just a handsaw and a lawnmower took quite a bit of effort, and maintaining the course will continue to be a lot of work, but Fassler enjoys being outdoors. “I like upgrading the course and making it a little better every day. It’s one of those labors of love that you keep doing because it’s fun, and I like seeing people come play.”
The first strangers to play the course were a mom, dad, and two children. Fassler’s effort paid off when he got to see the family take their time as they played, enjoy the property, and say hi to the goat.
He wanted to offer a challenge for experienced players and an easier option for beginners, so he built a long layout (more challenging) and short layout (less challenging) with nine baskets each. Play one layout or go through twice for the full 18; it’s up to you.
Sturdy baskets with two sets of chains and tricky corners make up the long layout, while lighter baskets with one set of chains make up the short layout. Of the latter, Fassler said, “It adds a different challenge because it’s a shorter fairway, but that means you’re making a longer putt on a skinny basket.”
In the same way that golfers talk about which courses they’ve played or hikers talk about their favorite trails or surfers talk about the best surf spots, Fassler enjoys talking with other disc golf fanatics about courses, streaks, and milestones. “We’re kind of collecting courses and keeping track of how many we’ve played each year.”
Currently, Fassler has a 70-something week streak, and his brother just hit a two-year streak—that’s 104 weeks of playing disc golf each week. “Sharing milestones like that with people is fantastic, and seeing somebody get their first ace is magical,” said Fassler. In his years playing, he’s achieved three aces (holes-in-one), and moments like these are best shared with friends.
Disc golf can be played alone, on a team, or individually but with other people. Fassler explained, “You’re competing against yourself but playing with friends. It’s an individual sport, but it’s so much fun with other people.”
He’s taken several trips specifically to visit disc golf courses. Last year, he met up with his brother and friends in Michigan, and they traveled to play 13 disc golf courses in five days.
Fassler highly recommends the UDisc app, especially for beginners. You can look for courses near you and find details about each course. Fassler said the app caused a resurgence in disc golf (especially in the COVID-19 era when many people were looking for outdoor activities) because it helped people discover courses where they never knew one existed.
He also recommends the Cloudland Canyon course. The park recently updated the original 18 holes to be more approachable for new players and added 18 new holes for more advanced players, and you can buy discs at the park store.
Check out Erbe Acres’ listing on UDisc at udisc.com/courses/erbe-acres-c2St or by downloading the app and searching for the course. If you’re looking for a new outdoor activity this summer, Erbe Acres would be delighted to welcome you.
