Written by James Buce
With the changing of seasons from winter to spring, students are finding themselves outside enjoying the weather. Whether sitting on the front lawn or finding free recreational activities, students are becoming more active as the semester winds down.
Playing free disc golf at Searcy Industrial Park seems to be an explosive trend this year.
Disc golf is a sport growing in popularity among college students across the country because it is a relatively inexpensive game to play. To most, disc golf seems new, but the sport actually began in the 1960s.
According to the Disc Golf Association, modern day disc golf was started by “Steady” Ed Headrick, the father of disc golf. Historically, courses used trees, trash cans and a variety of other objects for the “hole.”
The cages used today were designed by Headrick in 1975 and in the same year the first official disc golf courses were opened. Headrick also formed the Disc Golf Association in 1975.
For many students, disc golf is a recent discovery, but some have been playing for years.
“I started playing disc golf when I was 12,” Senior Steven Etchison said. “I started playing with people in my youth group in North Carolina.”
So what do these vivacious college students do when hitting the course after a day of classes?
Courses are usually located in city parks and have anywhere from nine to 36 holes spread across the park. A disc golfer, similar to a regular golfer, lines up in the tee-box, throws the disk toward the cage and continues to throw the disc, turn by turn until he or she hits the cage. This process continues until all holes are played or until it’s quitting time.
There is very little equipment to buy. The main hardware is a disc. There are many different types of discs ranging from drivers to putters. The sport itself is similar to golf and the player who takes the fewest shots wins.
Students have embraced the recreational activity.
“I’ve played with about 30 different people at the Searcy course,” Etchison said. “Most go to Harding.”
Though many people play for skill and the thrill of winning, disc golf at its heart is an activity that brings people together for a good time outside.
Courses can be found in nearly any major city and there are reviews of more than 3,500 courses across the country. Some are very simple and easy courses, while others are created to be a challenge.
“My favorite course was in Juneau, Alaska, because it was built on the side of a mountain,” Etchison said. “Most holes there had changes in elevation.”
The Professional Disc Golf Association was formed to regulate courses and help oversee the growing popularity of the sport. For avid disc golfers, the PDGA offers tournaments and even a competitive collegiate league where schools can compete against one another.
Whether playing for sport or just to be outside, disc golf can provide a unique and memorable experience.
So for students wondering what to do with their free afternoons, go out to the Searcy Industrial Park and try engaging in what is becoming the American college student’s favorite pastime.
