Club History
Monterey Stinging Jellies and Ryan Ranch
The Monterey Stinging Jellies Disc Golf Club was founded in 2004 by Steve Thomas, Sean Allen, Alan Cosseboom, and Michael Brown. In 2005, the Club petitioned the City of Monterey to install a disc golf course at Don Dahvee. The City approved the course and the club raised all funds and performed the install with volunteer labor. The Club maintained that course to the satisfaction of the City and in 2008 requested to use the then vacant Ryan Ranch Open Space as a potential location for a new course. The City approved the request and following the blueprint of Don Dahvee, the Club raised funds and installed the new course later that same year.
In 2011, the Ryan Ranch course hosted the World Championship of Disc Golf alongside Delaveaga, Pinto Lake, and CSUMB. The Club continued to develop the Ryan Ranch property into a 30-hole course and has hosted annual tournaments. Club membership grew to over 100 members strong.
In 2018, the City of Monterey proposed installing a solar panel field at the Ryan Ranch Open Space, but the City Council ultimately voted against the project.. However, this brought the Club and course to the attention of the City Administration, which discovered that the Club did not have a current Use Agreement. As a result, the Club was forced to remove all baskets and close the course until a Use Agreement could be created. Over the next four years, the Club worked with the City to obtain all necessary approvals from local agencies and draft a Use Agreement. As a final step, the Club had to raise over $35,000 to fund ADA improvements to the parking lot. Through donations from club members and in-kind donations from local businesses, the Club was able to raise the funds and the Ryan Ranch course reopened in June 2022.
