The second “hole” at White Spruce Park

The fifth “hole” at White Spruce Park

The seventh “hole” at White Spruce Park

Welcome to Endor. The ninth “hole” at White Spruce Park

Nature watching while playing a round. This woodpecker was just behind the teeing area for the seventh “hole”.

For the last few years I have been playing another type of golf, known as disc golf (do not call it Frisbee golf or “Frolf”).  There is a great course not far from my house that winds through the woods of White Spruce Park.

I don’t know if you have ever played disc golf, but it is a lot of fun and very accessible to people of all ages and skill level. And it is a great reason to go for a walk in the woods.

Rounds of disc golf are also very quick.  Each “hole” is usually between 200 and 300 feet, with the long holes being around 400 feet. Two people can play 9 holes in about 45 minutes, without feeling like they are rushing.  Eighteen holes in an hour and a half is good exercise with walking up and down the hills and making throws.  And you can play 36 holes in just a morning and then have the afternoon (ie. you don’t lose the whole day).

I have yet to achieve a hole-in-one, although I have been close a couple of times. I have heard a hole-in-one before, as you can hear the loud rattle of the chains on the basket when a long shot is “made”. The longest shot I have made is about 50 feet, which was pretty exciting.

Not only is disc golf quicker to play than regular golf, but it also much cheaper.  Most courses are free to play (as White Spruce Park is), or possibly just a nominal entry fee into a conservation area that has a disc golf course on the property.

You can also play with just one disc.  I use three.  I bought a starter set of 3 discs from ebay and have since bought a few more sets so that my friends can play too.  You can get a starter set of 3 discs for under $30.  A starter set consists of a driver, a mid-range, and a putter.  The discs are not your usual frisbees that you play with at the beach.

I also play disc golf year round and find winter disc golf to be much easier than in the summer (all the leaves being off of the trees and all).

I don’t play a lot (maybe once a month or so, but it is always great fun, and I never leave the disc golf course feeling frustrated (unlike how I sometimes leave the regular golf course).

So that’s my rambling post about disc golf.

Here is a video (not me) that I found on youtube of a guy getting an ace on the second hole.  It’s pretty impressive.