took the lesson to meet fellow beginners , and we promptly set up a regular drop-in time to maintain our momentum .
You ’ ll recognize some habits and etiquette from ball golf : each hole is usually labelled with a set par — if not , you can assume a par of three — and will range from 60 to 200 or even 400 metres . You “ tee off ” from a concrete pad or its equivalent . You keep your distance from other players , waiting for them to clear the hole before teeing off , and letting them “ play through ” if you need extra time .
With one disc or Frisbee , you ’ re good to go . A disc can cost $ 20 , but you can certainly pay more . A starter kit typically includes three discs : one for driving , one for mid-range shots , and one for putting . Carefully consider the colour of your discs . Just like Charlie Brown ’ s kite-eating tree , real trees gobble up discs , so a dark green or brown disc might not be easy to find on the ground or on a branch . Some discs you will never see again .
Many players own a whole range of discs , and transport them in an over-the-shoulder bag or in a pull-cart . Besides discs , you might want to pack water , sunscreen , and bug spray .
Sheila picks her disc out of the basket
DISC GOLF
FLYING DISCS
The blue disc is designed for disc golf . The red disc is a regular Frisbee
There are lots of tricks to throwing . Think about how you ’ re gripping the disc , where you ’ re looking , the angle ( or hyzer ) when you let it go , and how you place and move your feet and your whole body . One experienced friend told me that I throw the disc as if I ’ m getting rid of it . So true ! I was advised to wind up and throw as if I ’ m reefing on a lawnmower cord . So helpful !
Disc golf is popular around the world , from Iceland to Australia to the United States . You can even play in the winter ! ( Ditch the white Frisbee , though , and attach a coloured ribbon to your disc .) YouTube has plenty of disc golf videos , running the gamut from lessons to tournaments . I marvel at the amazing shots that thread their way through a maze of trees .
So dust off your Frisbee and head to a course . Play a couple of holes and go home . Or give yourself two hours to explore the full eighteen . Chances are , the whole experience has cost you practically nothing , and you ’ ll have enjoyed a pleasant walk in the trees and the sunshine .
Sheila Bean taught with the Calgary Board of Education for seventeen years , including three years at City Hall School . Since retiring , she has taught at Stampede and Jube schools , and has dabbled in journalism ( her previous career ). She remains — very much ! — a disc golf beginner .
news & views SUMMER 2023 | 41