I’ve been playing disc golf since I was seven years old. My father used to regularly take my brothers and I for a weekend round when we were young, and it inspired me with a love of the sport in a way I don’t think it did for them. Since my father passed away, the disc golf course has been my preferred method of feeling connected to him.
I love disc golf for all the reasons that so many love golf, with a few important distinctions. It’s minimally demanding physically, and I imagine I will be able to play it for the rest of my life. It’s very social, yet possible to play by yourself; the sport is most enjoyable with a few friends and allows for constant conversation. It’s easy to pick up; everyone knows how to throw a frisbee and it’s the same for a disc. It might take some time to develop the finer points of putting and hitting your preferred line, but everything takes practice. But what I love most about disc golf is precisely what differentiates it from its more popular sibling. It’s environmentally friendly and FREE!
A disc golf course looks nothing like a golf course. The best courses are wooded and natural, requiring little to no clear-cutting. There’s no need to bring in truckloads of sand for obstacles because the trees themselves present the difficulty of a hole, or the natural bend in a loosely-populated area of a forest. The vicious and environmentally destructive fertilizers common to golf courses need not be sprayed to maintain a disc golf course, as the roughness of the grass or dirt has little impact on a throw through the air. A round of disc golf should, and almost always does, feel like a walk through a natural landscape. Better yet, the vast majority of disc golf courses are free and open to the public. No need to set a tee-time or pay course fees. Discs cost between $10 and $18 and you really only need one to play. Discs are sturdy and don’t need replacement for years unless you are playing very regularly. I’ve invested in my bag and my disc collection because I love the sport, but you don’t have to pay an arm and a leg to try disc golf. I will always be glad to give a disc to a first-time player in the hope that I can infect them with a passion for the sport, as my father infected me.
My bag. I'm always rotating discs, but this is what's inside currently!
Luna - Discraft Putter
Judge - Dynamic Discs Putter
Aviar - Innova Putter
Leopard - Innova Midrange
Mako3 - Innova Midrange
Trident - Latitude 64 Midrange
Cheetah - Innova Fairway Driver
Thunderbird - Innova Fairway Driver
Anax - Discraft Fairway Driver
Avenger SS - Discraft Distance Driver
Champion Mamba - Innova Distance Driver
Star Mamba - Innova Distance Driver
XCaliber - Innova Distance Driver
Tern - Innova Distance Driver
Katana - Innova Distance Driver
Vulcan - Innova Distance Driver
Daedalus - Innova Distance Driver
Blizzard Boss - Innova Distance Driver
Queen - Westside Discs Distance Driver
Destiny - Westside Discs Distance Driver