For being a small town in the desert, Fountain Hills is host to many things that make this little community known worldwide. The town’s centerpiece, Fountain Park, has the world’s fourth largest fountain and people from all around flock to town to see the Fountain running.

But for the rapidly growing and global community of disc golf, Fountain Park is famous for having the “Pebble Beach” of disc golf courses, and a huge reason for that prestigious reputation is the dedicated local community of disc golfers.

“We like to think of ourselves as stewards of the park, so we work with the town along with doing our own efforts to keep the park clean,” Marty Coplea, Fountain Hills Disc Golf Club (FHDGC) president said.

FHDGC is currently around 100 members strong and in the middle of its summer league, which runs every Friday until Aug. 2.

Along with the club meeting to play the game, members regularly come together to hold cleanup days where they pick up trash in the park.

“We remember that we are sharing the park with the rest of the town,” Coplea explained. “So we teach our new members a lot about safety; that when they’re playing they need to be aware of their surrounds. If there is someone having a picnic in the path to the basket, just skip the hole. Things like that.”

Along with picking up trash in the park the club also takes on the responsibility of keeping the baskets in order and the course fresh by moving the baskets around occasionally.

Currently the club is planning on moving two holes to make way for the new restrooms that the Sanitary District is building.

“We just met recently with the Sanitation District to discuss moving the holes to accommodate the restroom project,” Coplea said. “That’s another example of how closely we work with the town itself.”

For the town of Fountain Hills, having the “Pebble Beach of disc golf” comes with more than just bragging rights.

Every year, around 500 people are attracted to town to either watch or compete in the Memorial Championship.

“In the professional disc golf world, the Memorial Championship is a big deal,” Coplea said. “The event is livestreamed and it really attracts a lot of people to come into town, which is good for everyone.”

The FHDGC’s summer league plays every Friday morning until Aug. 2. Sign up is at 7:15 a.m. and the first tee-off is at hole 17 at 7:30 a.m.

The club is also currently in search of new board members. For more information go online to discgolf.club.