Commission approves fourth annual Wave Warmup disc‑golf tournament; staff outlines course upgrades

The New Canaan Park and Recreation Commission on March 11 unanimously approved a request to hold the fourth annual Wave Warmup disc‑golf tournament on April 26, a staff presenter said.

David, a Parks & Recreation staff member, told the commission the tournament historically fills at 72 players and draws participants from other Connecticut towns and parts of New York. “We were able to reignite it for 2022 through 2025,” he said, adding the event brings people into town who use restaurants and shops.

Commissioners asked about logistics. Organizers said they will park competitors in the pool lot to avoid disrupting other park users, will use a shotgun start with four‑player groups, and plan to proceed rain or shine except in extreme weather. Staff said they will inspect the course early on rainy days to confirm safety.

The commission also heard a progress report on course improvements. Park staff said they installed turf tee pads (a white and a blue pad at each hole for differing difficulty), added benches and small footbridges, removed thorny invasive shrubs near play lines for safety, and are tracking participation through apps such as UDisc. Staff reported roughly 2,600 recorded rounds and about 600 unique players in the most recent period, while commissioners noted that app data likely captures only a portion of play (one commissioner estimated UDisc records roughly 30% of rounds).

Commissioners praised the volunteer stewardship and discussed youth outreach, including possible collaboration with the high school for a club. A motion to approve the Wave Warmup was seconded and carried by voice vote; no roll‑call tally was recorded.

The commission did not set special conditions beyond routine safety checks and coordination of parking and vendor placement; organizers will notify the health department if food vendors are present and follow any required permitting.