John Houck

John Houck
Born May 15, 1960
Long Beach, California, USA
Occupation Disc Golf Course Designer
Spouse(s) Dee Leekha-Houck

John Houck was born May 15, 1960 in Long Beach, California. He has designed more disc golf courses than anyone living today. Since 1983, he has been devoted to the evolution and promotion of disc sports, including golf, ultimate, and freestyle, with a focus on the growth of disc golf since 1988.

Career overview

John Houck began his career in disc sports with back-to-back World Champion titles in Freestyle Frisbee for 1984 and 1985. In 1989 John founded the Circular Skies Over Texas tour, which was the largest regional disc sports tour in the country. He was Commissioner of the Professional Disc Golf Association from 1994 to 1996, and has been President of the Disc Golf Foundation since 1998. He was inducted to the Disc Golf Hall of Fame in 1998. John is the Head of Course Design for the International Disc Golf Center, and has designed or consulted on course designs for numerous world and national tournaments, with over 100 course designs, revisions, and consultations spanning his career. John Houck is also the Founder of the annual World's Biggest Disc Golf Weekend, WBDGW.com, an international public event that was started in May 1991. The event raises money for local, national and international non-profits while it introduces disc golf to people around the world. It is held the first weekend in May every year and is currently hosted by 130 cities around the world.

Houck is widely considered to be the number one course designer for disc golf based on both the quantity and quality of the courses he has designed. His philosophy for course design includes the showcasing of natural land features and beauty that is unique to each property.

Disc Golf courses

The following disc golf courses have been wholly designed by John Houck:

  1. Cedar Glades County Park, Hot Springs, AR
  2. Rose Hill South Championship, Kamloops, BC CANADA
  3. Rose Hill North Championship, Kamloops, BC CANADA
  4. Bonita Rec Center, Bonita Springs, FL
  5. International Disc Golf Center South Course, Augusta, GA
  6. Fox River Park, Ottawa, IL
  7. Garland Scout Ranch, Stonewall, LA
  8. South Pasture, State Forest, Nantucket Island, MA
  9. St. John's College, Santa Fe, NM
  10. Rock Ridge Park, Pittsboro, NC
  11. Hillcrest Farms, Prince Edward Island
  12. Cain Championship, Athens TX
  13. Cain Park, Athens, TX
  14. Pinnacle Country Club Championship, Athens TX
  15. Aqua Fest Championship, Austin TX
  16. Austin Ridge Bible Church, Austin TX
  17. Bartholomew Championship, Austin TX
  18. Searight Alternate, Austin, TX
  19. Searight Park, Austin, TX
  20. Slaughter Creek Metro Park, Austin, TX
  21. Southwest Trails, Austin, TX
  22. Zilker Championship, Austin TX
  23. Zilker Park Original, Austin, TX
  24. Zilker Park South, Austin, TX
  25. MetCenter, Austin, TX
  26. City Lake Park, Boerne, TX
  27. Guadalupe River Resort Ranch, Boerne, TX
  28. Austins Colony Park, Bryan, TX
  29. Camelot Park, Bryan, TX
  30. Greenbelt Championship, Carrollton TX
  31. Brushy Creek Trail, Cedar Park, TX
  32. Williamson County Park, Cedar Park, TX
  33. City Park, Clute, TX
  34. Research Park, College Station, TX
  35. Wolf Pen Creek DGC, College Station, TX
  36. Andrew Brown East/West, Coppell, TX
  37. West Guth Park, Corpus Christi, TX
  38. Dallas Baptist University, Dallas, TX
  39. Edinburg City DG Course, Edinburg, TX
  40. Eagle Ranch DGC, Fort Worth, TX
  41. South Z. Boas Park, Fort Worth, TX
  42. Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX
  43. Rivery Park, Georgetown, TX
  44. San Gabriel Park, Georgetown, TX
  45. Gonzales City DG Course, Gonzales, TX
  46. Dixie Land Park, Harlingen TX
  47. Quatro Hermanas Ranch, Henly, TX
  48. Live Oak Park, Ingleside, TX
  49. Schreiner University, Kerrville TX
  50. Steeplechase Park, Kyle, TX
  51. Lago Vista Resort Temporary, Lago Vista TX
  52. Live Oak Park, Live Oak, TX (3 courses)
  53. Westside Park, Marble Falls, TX
  54. Wilson Creek Park, McKinney, TX
  55. Wilson Creek Temporary, McKinney TX
  56. Prince Solms Park, New Braunfels, TX
  57. Tournament Temporary, New Braunfels TX
  58. Berry's Treasure, Port Arthur, TX
  59. Circle R Ranch, Port Arthur, TX
  60. The Ponderosa, Port Arthur, TX
  61. Moody's Disc Country Club, Red Rock, TX
  62. Harry Myers Park, Rockwall, TX
  63. Cat Hollow, Round Rock, TX
  64. Old Settlers Park, Round Rock, TX
  65. Old Settlers South, Round Rock, TX
  66. Inwood Hollow, San Antonio, TX
  67. Trinity University, San Antonio, TX
  68. Colorado River DGC, San Saba, TX
  69. Meandering Greenbelt DGC, San Saba, TX
  70. Strawbale Field DGC, San Saba, TX
  71. City Park, Seymour TX
  72. Selah Ranch Lakeside, Talco, TX
  73. Selah Ranch Creekside, Talco, TX
  74. South Temple Community Park, Temple, TX
  75. Riverside Park, Victoria, TX
  76. Cameron Park, Waco, TX
  77. Cameron Park Temporary, Waco, TX
  78. Greenbelt Park, Wells Branch, TX
  79. Rolling Meadow DGC, Wimberley, TX
  80. Circ Hill DGC, Wimberley, TX
  81. Frost Valley YMCA, Claryville, NY
  82. McCord Park, Little Elm, TX
  83. Woodway Park, Woodway, TX
  84. Dry Creek Greenbelt, Cheyenne, WY
  85. Tall Firs DGC, Monroe, WA

Disc sports events

PDGA Amateur World Doubles Championships

Houck created and hosts the PDGA Amateur World Doubles Championships each year. In 2013, this event was held at Selah Ranch in Talco, Texas.

World's Biggest Disc Golf Weekend

In 1991, Houck created World's Biggest Disc Golf Weekend, an international disc golfing event that raises money for non-profit organizations. As of 2013 the event was taking place simultaneously in 15 countries and 135 cities.

Texas Teams

In November, 2011, the Circle R Disc Golf ranch hosted the Texas Teams Tournament with over 500 players and fans from across the state of Texas attending a three-day event that included disc golf, camping, party activities, and live music. Texas Teams Disc Golf Championships are non-sanctioned events and players compete for honor and not official titles. Special team awards for this event include the "spirit award" and the "best dressed team award". Created by Houck in 2000 to provide an event for players who share the love of the sport to simply enjoy the weekend with other disc golfers, the Texas Teams Tournament has become the largest disc golf team event in the world.

Disc sports media

Awards and Distinctions

References

  1. ↑ Freestyle Players Association, Freestyle Tournament Results, 1985 FPA World Championships
  2. ↑ PDGA Board of Directors - Historical List
  3. ↑ Disc Golf Hall of Fame
  4. ↑ DGCDwiki
  5. ↑ Disc Golf Foundation
  6. ↑ Circular Productions, About
  7. ↑ HouckDesign, John's Bio
  8. ↑ Millennium Golf Discs, About Us
  9. ↑ DG Course Review, Top Ranked Courses Listing

External links