HONORING WILL WIERSMA '06
Westmont’s First Disc Golf Course
Help us Build Will’s Course
AN 18-HOLE DISC GOLF COURSE ON WESTMONT’S LOWER CAMPUS.
Will Wiersma ’06 was a talented athlete. He liked most sports, but disc sports interested him most. He was instrumental in restarting the Westmont College Ultimate Frisbee Club Team.
Will spent his senior year at Oxford University and played Ultimate in England and Europe, too. After graduation Will played locally for the Santa Barbara Gendors. On October 1, 2006, Will died in a car accident returning from a regional tournament in Phoenix.
To honor Will, Westmont together with students, campus neighbors Jeff Shelton and Tom Cole, along with Will’s family, and former classmates will create a disc golf course in his name on Westmont’s lower campus.
Disc Golf is popular with many Westmont students. The absence of a purpose-built disc golf course has never dampened students’ enthusiasm for the sport. But if you’ve ever found yourself in the middle of an ad hoc disc golf game on campus you know the challenges of errant discs! The project will construct an 18-hole Disc Golf Course which emphasizes Westmont’s natural attributes and sweeping views.
Our goal is to honor Will and encourage even more players to enjoy this highly accessible sport.
Donate to Build Will's Course
On donation form, enter as designation: "Will's Course"
About Will Wiersma
Will was born in South Korea on September 8, 1983. He lived in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with his parents, Laura and Tom, and his sister, Natalie.
Attending a Christian liberal arts college was important to Will and his parents. He was a strong student and very involved at Westmont, including serving as freshman class president (2002-03) and then Westmont College Student Association (WCSA) as Business Manager (2003- 05). Will took part in Spring Break in the City. He was instrumental in forming a student-led mentorship program on campus. He took part in the National Christian Multicultural Student Leaders Conference. Will interned in Westmont’s Office of College Advancement. He spent his senior year studying abroad through the CCCU’s travel abroad program.
In 2007, after Will's death, the Wiersma family established an endowed scholarship in his name at Westmont. Every year since 2008 (except the Covid years) the Wiersmas and Westmont College also hosted the annual “Will Wiersma Stick and Disc Golf Tourney” to support the scholarship. In 2024 the tournament expanded to include scholarship support for more students and changed its name to the Westmont Golf Classic.
Living Into His Faith
“Will sought to live into his faith in all aspects of his life... His faith wasn’t for show; it was a foundation upon which to live life well; live faithfully.
And maybe that’s the thing I will remember most about Will Wiersma. He was a faithful steward of those things God gave him.” - Stan Gaede, former Westmont President
“I think of Will as an ideal Christian liberal arts student. He loved life and lived fully in whatever he was doing. He was not afraid to ask hard questions..." - Shirley Mullen, former Provost
What is Disc Golf?
Disc Golf is played much like traditional golf. A golf disc is thrown from a tee area, along a natural occurring fairway, to each basket, which is the "hole." As players progress down the fairway, they must make each consecutive shot from the spot where the previous throw has landed. The trees, shrubs and terrain changes in and around the fairways provide challenging obstacles for the golfer.
Who Can Play Disc Golf?
Everyone can play! Disc golf has a low cost, experience and skill threshold. It requires little in terms of equipment. The only requirement is a Frisbee and a willingness to innovate ways to make it fly to each target basket in the fewest “strokes”.
Disc golf encourages conversation in an easy-going environment, and a pace of play amenable to any skill level. Because disc golf is so easy to understand and enjoy, all members of the Westmont community will benefit.
What are the Benefits of Disc Golf?
“Walking the disc golf course has allowed me to connect with upperclassmen” - Westmont Student
FUN. EXERCISE. STRESS RELIEF. STUDY BREAKS. FUN. INTENTIONAL CONVERSATION. FUN. RELATIONSHIP-BUILDING.
Disc Golf Course at Westmont
With your help, Will’s Course will be a purpose-built disc golf course that takes the sport out of high-density areas and designs it seamlessly into the less- trafficked areas on campus. This design uses the existing lay-of-the-land, landscape and facilities.
DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION PHASES:
Pre-Design Phase: The proposed map of the Will’s Discourse Disc Course (see below) will be discussed and reviewed with necessary groups on campus and input collected. This phase ends with the preparation of a Discovery (Pilot) Phase map.
Discovery (Pilot) Phase: Before the final course layout is agreed upon, the Lower Campus Users, Friends and Students (LCUFS) will organize a months-long process of observed course use trial and error. The Discovery (Pilot) phase will end with the “Best-of-all-options” course map.
Construction Phase: The installation of an 18-hole disc golf course on Westmont’s lower campus will include the final, “post-Discovery” construction of tees and the installation of signs and baskets. No foliage will need to be planted or removed.
BASKETS
- Each playable hole features a basket mounted atop a basket pipe that slides inside and secures to an anchor pipe.
- The anchor pipe is cemented into a hole 18-24" deep.
- The basket pipe and anchor pipe each have collar tabs that line up and lock securely with a padlock.
- Each hole would have 1-2 additional anchors installed so the basket could be moved to different “pin” locations periodically to reduce soil compacting and erosion (also adds variety for players similar to moving holes around on a golf green).
The 18th hole includes a proposed tribute to Will Wiersma. See rendering (above) proposed by Jeff Shelton.
TEES
- Each of the 18 holes would have two tees; a short one for novices and a longer one for advanced players.
- The tees would be poured concrete or a similar construction (typically 4" thick measuring approximately 5' x12' and built flush with the ground).
- On a few of the proposed holes, fairways will be designed to integrate and complement existing asphalt pathways.
SIGNAGE
- Tee signs are essential to help inexperienced or occasional users navigate the course.
- Each hole would have a sign indicating the number, and information about the length, recommended flight path and par.
- A “Rules of the Game” sign and information board will also be installed.
Student's Perspective
“Not being able to have a car as a freshman, I really look forward to having a disc golf course here on campus.”
– Westmont Student
Budget
| Disc Baskets | $750 | each |
| Sleves & Concrete | $500 | per hole |
| Tee Pads | $400 | materials each |
| Course Signs | $250 | each |
| Post & Concrete | $250 | each |
| Benches | $750 | each |
Max. Cost Per Hole: | $2,900 | Total |
SPECIAL BASKET ON THE 18TH
An official basket within a sculptural tribute to Will will be located on the 18th basket.
| Cost | $4,000 | Materials. Labor donated |
PROJECT TOTAL
| 18 holes x $2,900 | $52,200 | (Includes tee pads, signs, benches, etc.) |
| Add Will's 18th Basket | $4,000 | |
Budget | $56,200 |
TEE AND BASKET SPONSORS
Tee and baskets can feature a sponsor's name on the sign, basket or bench.
Join Us in Honoring Will
Help Build Will's Course
On donation form, enter as designation: "Will's Course"
Online: Use secure online giving
Check: Make check payable to Westmont College and mail to:
Office of College Advancement
955 La Paz Road
Gifts of stock and donations made through donor advised funds are welcome.
| For questions regarding Will's Course, contact: | |
|---|---|
| Clay Wakefield Executive Assistant, Vice President of College Advancement (805) 565-7170 cwakefield@westmont.edu | Reed Sheard Vice President of College Advancement Chief Information Officer rsheard@westmont.edu |