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Disc
Golf
 A recently constructed nine-hole
disc golf course is located at
Sunset Park. The course if free to
play and links are included below
for directions, as well as a course
map and rules.
 What Is Disc Golf?
When you're trying to tell friends
about your passion for disc golf,
they will grasp the concept more
quickly if you use the term 'frisbee
golf' instead. So why isn't the game
called frisbee golf? "Frisbee" is a
registered trademark much like
"Kleenex" is in the tissue world, so
we must call the game 'disc golf'
and explain from there. Oddly
enough, the company which produces
Frisbee toys makes very few golf
discs.
Disc golf is a lot like traditional
"ball" golf,
except players use specially made
plastic flying discs instead of
balls and clubs, and throw them for
'par' at an above-ground target
instead of a hole in the ground.
There are different types of discs
used for different purposes, much
like ball golfers use different
clubs.
The game draws a friendly,
easy-going crowd of 500,000 regular
players who welcome and encourage
new players. Traditionally dominated
by 18 to 54-year-old males, the
field of disc golf players has
expanded greatly in recent years to
include many women and families.
Kids love it, it's a cheap date and
a great excuse to get a little
outdoor exercise. Bottom line: disc
golf can be big fun for everyone
regardless of age, gender or
economic status.
The
object of the game
The
object of the game
is to throw a golf disc into the
target, typically a "Pole HoleŽ"
basket (a steel basket over which
chains hang), in the fewest number
of throws. The player begins by
'driving' from a designated tee area
and continues toward the target,
throwing each consecutive shot from
the spot where the previous throw
has landed. Finally, a successful
'putt' sends the disc into the
target. The most satisfying sound a
disc golfer can hear is the 'ching!'
of a disc crashing the chains before
dropping into the basket.
Most disc golf courses consist of 18
or 24 holes,
and you'll find some nine-hole
courses too. Holes lengths vary, but
generally fall between 150 and 500
feet each. Trees, shrubbery, water
and terrain changes offer plenty of
hazards to avoid, and it becomes
very possible to lose a disc in
areas with thick growth, tall trees
or (SPLASH) deep water.
Fortunately, at retail prices
between $7 and $12, lost discs are
more easily replaced than your
typical nine-iron.
With the incredible rise in
popularity
of ball golf, it's no surprise that
disc golf is also enjoying a similar
-- if proportional -- rise in
popularity. Disc golf offers many of
the same pleasures: fresh air in a
beautiful landscape, the camaraderie
of friends, and the challenge and
excitement of combining personal
skill and speed to project an object
toward a target. In addition, disc
golfers can feel better about
themselves and their environment,
knowing that chemical pollutants
aren't being used to keep their
playing fields looking good, nor do
acres of trees need to be clear-cut
or wetlands filled in, as is
sometimes the case for too many ball
golf courses. And perhaps best of
all, disc golf is inexpensive. The
only equipment you need is a flying
disc, and most disc golf courses are
located in municipal parks, which
admit players for free or charge a
minimal fee for daily or yearly
access.
Don't expect to see many freestyle
discs
out on the course. These discs,
commonly seen at the beach, will
prove to be bulky and lack the
distance you'll want for driving. On
the other hand, the sharper edges of
a golf disc can be very painful if
used for a game of catch!
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