Spring Break
Golf is not just for country clubs anymore
Holly Mohr / Staff reporter
Issue date: 4/28/05 Section: The Verge
Students who want to save money, stay in shape and have fun in the summer can discover Frisbee golf.
Frisbee golf, also known as disc golf, is played much like regular golf. The object of the game is to complete nine or 18 holes in the fewest number of strokes (throws). Rather than swinging a ball with a stick, a player throws a small, heavier Frisbee. Rather than a golf hole, a player's target is an elevated metal basket, and unlike golf, it's free.
Kayla Burke, a junior health studies major, said the reason she started playing Frisbee golf was because it was free.
Frisbee golf has been around since the 1970s, but still many people do not know about it.
Burke said it has gone undetected because there are limited course locations.
"I think a lot more people would play if there was one right on campus," she said.
The closest Frisbee golf course is located in Effingham. It's approximately 31 miles away. The second closest is 43 miles away in Urbana.
"I Frisbee golf everyday in Urbana," said Dave Dyke, a Parkland computer design major. "It's my exercise for the day."
One round of Frisbee golf can take an hour to two hours to finish.
"I see mostly college students on the course, but there are usually a few youngsters and middle-aged people as well," said Katelyn Thomas, a Parkland psychology major.
Thomas said it is a casual scene and everyone feels welcome.
Frisbee golf is a good form of exercise, but it's not hard to learn or play.
Burke said people do not have to be good to play. It's just for fun, he said.
Dyke said sometimes he plays with older men who would stereotypically be playing golf at a country club.
"I think they play Frisbee golf to feel young and try something new," he said.
Even though Frisbee golf is easy to learn and play, the course can provide challenging obstacles such as trees, shrubs and other distractions on the green. Wind and weather also play a part.
"After you learn the game, you start working on your strategy around the trees and wind," Dyke said.
He said sometimes people play in the rain and snow.
Getting the Frisbee in the basket may seem easy but scoring par or under is difficult just like in golf sometimes, Dyke said.
People who don't want to drive to a course can always make up their own course.
Frisbee golf can lead to a professional career like any other sport. The Professional Disc Golf Association has over 16,000 members. The PDGA sponsors many competitions for men and women in all skill levels, professional and non-professional. There are even courses in countries around the world.
Students who are interested in Frisbee golf can purchase a disc for under $10.
To find directions for the Effingham and Urbana courses, visit PGDA official Web site www.pdga.com.
Frisbee golf, also known as disc golf, is played much like regular golf. The object of the game is to complete nine or 18 holes in the fewest number of strokes (throws). Rather than swinging a ball with a stick, a player throws a small, heavier Frisbee. Rather than a golf hole, a player's target is an elevated metal basket, and unlike golf, it's free.
Kayla Burke, a junior health studies major, said the reason she started playing Frisbee golf was because it was free.
Frisbee golf has been around since the 1970s, but still many people do not know about it.
Burke said it has gone undetected because there are limited course locations.
"I think a lot more people would play if there was one right on campus," she said.
The closest Frisbee golf course is located in Effingham. It's approximately 31 miles away. The second closest is 43 miles away in Urbana.
"I Frisbee golf everyday in Urbana," said Dave Dyke, a Parkland computer design major. "It's my exercise for the day."
One round of Frisbee golf can take an hour to two hours to finish.
"I see mostly college students on the course, but there are usually a few youngsters and middle-aged people as well," said Katelyn Thomas, a Parkland psychology major.
Thomas said it is a casual scene and everyone feels welcome.
Frisbee golf is a good form of exercise, but it's not hard to learn or play.
Burke said people do not have to be good to play. It's just for fun, he said.
Dyke said sometimes he plays with older men who would stereotypically be playing golf at a country club.
"I think they play Frisbee golf to feel young and try something new," he said.
Even though Frisbee golf is easy to learn and play, the course can provide challenging obstacles such as trees, shrubs and other distractions on the green. Wind and weather also play a part.
"After you learn the game, you start working on your strategy around the trees and wind," Dyke said.
He said sometimes people play in the rain and snow.
Getting the Frisbee in the basket may seem easy but scoring par or under is difficult just like in golf sometimes, Dyke said.
People who don't want to drive to a course can always make up their own course.
Frisbee golf can lead to a professional career like any other sport. The Professional Disc Golf Association has over 16,000 members. The PDGA sponsors many competitions for men and women in all skill levels, professional and non-professional. There are even courses in countries around the world.
Students who are interested in Frisbee golf can purchase a disc for under $10.
To find directions for the Effingham and Urbana courses, visit PGDA official Web site www.pdga.com.
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