Low-Cost Fun: Disc Golf Combines Camaraderie, Challenges & Good Times

Basket #1 Near Elegant Barn at Justin Trails Resort, Sparta, WI
Photo: Jason Ray Photography

On a humid evening in mid-July, about a dozen foursomes gathered in a wooded area to play a round of golf. But they weren’t using clubs or planning to hit any small white balls. These golfers were armed with brightly colored, round pieces of plastic. This was disc golf, a sport that has devotees every bit as avid as those found on a traditional golf course.

These discs were not your lazy-afternoon-at-the-beach Frisbees. Each golfer carried a bag crammed with a dozen or more discs of various weights, flight patterns and stability factors. Some are drivers for the long shots, some are mid-range for approach shots, and there are even putters.

Instead of a hole, the golfers try to drop the discs into a basket draped in chains about four feet off the ground.

Most courses utilize wooded terrain where the clear area for disc flight might be no more than a few dozen feet wide. Despite their bright colors — orange and yellow are among the popular choices — discs can get lost in the woods. Although they’re plastic, they can sink easily into the depths of a pond or lake.

Part of the appeal of disc golf is the ease of getting started. A starter set of two or three discs runs about $20-$30, and many of the courses are free. A round can be played in under three hours, and dress codes are far less stringent than on traditional courses.

And even though many shots require precision and strategy, the game is casual enough that anyone can play and have fun. Pre-teens to those in their 80s enjoy the sport.

Basket #1 and #3 on Classic Disc Golf Course near Sparta, WI at Justin Trails Resort
Photo: Jason Ray Photography

“It’s an excellent family activity,” Henry Hamilton, president of the Augusta Disc Golf Association (ADGA) said. “We have people from all walks of life — doctors, lawyers, college kids — all coming together for one thing: to throw the disc in the basket and hear the chains ring.”

The casual atmosphere and closeness to nature develop an esprit de corps even among strangers. Newcomers are greeted warmly and are offered a helping hand.

“The community is very responsive to new players,” Hamilton said. “Just like any sport, you have your cliques, but we’re all still here to have a great big good time.”

Disc golf does require a bit of exercise — and bug spray — as the courses move up and down hills, across streams and over exposed tree roots. Read more about onsite activities here at Justin Trails Resort and download our Classic & Big Brother disc golf maps.

When you stay in our dog-friendly lodging or camp, disc golf is included with your stay at Justin Trails Resort.

This entry was posted in Today’s Buzz by Gary Kauffman. Read more of the article here http://buzzon.biz/2018/07/low-cost-fun-disc-golf-combines-camaraderie-challenges-and-good-times/ (Featured photo also by Jason Ray Photography)

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