On Saturday, the municipality will inaugurate the Carrascal Discgolf Course in the Parque Botânico da Mata do Carrascal. This marks another step in the plan devised a year and a half ago, according to João Paulo Guerreiro, the mayor of Alvaiázere.
“We see great potential in disc golf—one of the fastest-growing sports worldwide—especially as it is widely practiced in North America and Northern Europe. During the winter season, players often head south in search of favorable conditions to play this sport,” said Guerreiro.
The municipality aims to attract this sports tourism flow by adding a new course in the center of the town this Saturday, complementing the existing facilities at the Valle D’Encanto Disc Golf Park, located four kilometers from Alvaiázere.
The privately-run project, operational for a year, serves players ranging from beginners to professionals in disc golf.
More than 500 players from countries such as the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, New Zealand, Russia, Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark have visited since its opening, where the sport is well-established.
“About a year and a half ago, we observed an international competition in Finland and realized its vast sports and tourism potential,” noted João Paulo Guerreiro.
“Disc golf generates hundreds of millions of euros annually,” with Alvaiázere aiming to become part of this circuit.
“Capturing even a small slice of this would be very significant for our area.” With just over six thousand residents in the municipality, “we need to capitalize on these niches and opportunities for differentiation,” the mayor added.
Disc golf arrived in the area through two Swedish enthusiasts who settled in Alvaiázere and sought a location for a course. They approached Amaral Carvalho, the owner of the land where Valle D’Encanto Disc Golf Park now stands, in Marzugueira.
The initial course enjoyed such success that now there are four across 13 of the property’s 15 hectares: three with 18 holes (or baskets) and one with nine, catering to professional, amateur, beginner, and child players. A course for people with reduced mobility is in development.
The project includes plans for a 5-star hotel, with construction expected to begin within a year, explained Amaral Carvalho.
The combination of disc golf and a pedagogical farm allows players to encounter “baby donkeys, goats, and other animals on the course.” While playing, “one can pick walnuts, fruits, or tangerines” and learn about cork harvesting or olive picking.
“It’s a completely different sensory experience,” aiming to position Alvaiázere and the region as an “Iberian reference for disc golf,” Carvalho stated.
Feedback from players visiting Alvaiázere prompted the municipality to create the Carrascal Discgolf Course.
“They came from all over, and the feedback was very positive. This led us to make a public investment,” said João Paulo Guerreiro.
The mayor believes disc golf could serve as a “great catalyst for both tourism and sports” in the municipality and beyond.
“We have very interesting economic studies and data on the number of practitioners. We hope to stay a step ahead, both in Alvaiázere and the Sicó region. It’s important to have more offer and for regional municipalities to recognize this and create a local ‘cluster,'” he concluded.
Coinciding with the course inauguration, the Valle D’Encanto Disc Golf Park will host the national disc golf championship this weekend, featuring 42 players.
