Golf for the Everyman
Riding around in a golf cart with your boss, his attorney, and some random acquaintance that won’t stop coaching you on your swing, is probably not your thing. Lucky for you, there's a much cooler way to play 18 holes; it's called disc golf.
Disc golf, also known as Frisbee golf, is essentially a no frills variation of traditional golf, minus the clubs and balls. Instead of whacking a golf ball high in the air, disc golfers will strategically throw weighted, aerodynamic discs toward a chain-garnished basket, which serves as a substitute for the traditional golf hole.
Like golf, the object of disc golf is to put the disc in the basket with the fewest attempts possible. It is played according to most traditional golf rules with only a few technical distinctions that only serious players will enforce.
Unless someone is vigorously training to become a league player, the chief initiative of disc golf is to enjoy a pleasant journey around the course while engaging in friendly (or fiery) competition with a few buddies. Courses will commonly lead players along creeks, through woods, across grassy fields and around ponds. Depending on the terrain and size of the course, an 18-hole game may last up to a couple hours, which is plenty enough time to reset your mind after a long day at work or school.
In addition to the easy-going, soothing vibes of the course, disc golf is a sport that won’t break the bank. Discs can be picked up from sporting goods stores and some gas stations for as cheap as seven bucks. Many courses are free to play, while others may require the purchase of a park pass. In this case, disc golfers can make the best five dollar investment of the year by buying an annual park pass and gaining access to a disc golf course for the entire year while simultaneously supporting the maintenance of local parks.
Do all parks have disc golf courses? No, but odds are you can find one somewhere nearby no matter where you live. All fifty states have courses registered in the Disc Golf Course Directory, which provides names and zip codes for each. Texas alone has over a hundred courses. Florida has close to fifty. Just about any major city will have at least one course in the suburban outskirts of town. Find it, slip on your sandals and get out on the course with some friends for a golf experience like no other.
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About The Author
Adam Sievering plays in a rock/metal band and writes fiction, poetry and non-fiction features. In addition to his work for Rum Bum, Adam writes for Cincinnati’s City Beat and has also contributed to The News Record and Milk Money Magazine.
