Monkey Business

50/50 Apr 9 - Saturday Sports

         In real life, my Saturday has been all about disc golf. Yeah, that's a real sport. Disc golf is like ball golf only different. Hear me out on this, we have the same basic rules and scoring system, we have out of bounds and bunkers and fairways and greens. But instead of hitting a tiny ball with an odd-shaped stick (or club if you'd rather be technical) toward a hole in the ground, our goal is to throw discs (like Frisbees only smaller) toward and ultimately into metal baskets which are stationed on/in the ground on poles. Just like ball golf has different clubs for different shots, we have different discs for different shots. We have putters, mid-ranges, and drivers. The drivers are over-stable, under-stable, or designed to go straight. Stability in the driver affects the turn of the disc in flight. Certain holes throughout the eighteen-hole course will curve left or right, so knowing which disc will go a certain direction when you throw it is very helpful in determining which disc to throw.

         Since the pandemic began, interest in disc golf has been on the rise. It is one of those sports that fit in with the demands of social distancing; a way for people to get out of the house and get some fresh air and exercise. Any person can play regardless of age, ability, etc. It's a walk in the park after all. You're primarily competing against yourself anyway. There are actually people in their 70's and 80's who still play. Disc golf is generally cheap to play compared to many other sports. For instance, most of the courses are public and do not require greens fees for a person to play like ball golf courses do.

         Disc golf isn't a new sport by any means. People have been playing disc golf since at least the early 1980's. However, due to the advancements in internet technology, it is being seen by wider and wider audiences. It ain't just pot smoking hippies that play anymore. We've gone professional and there are actually people who make their living throwing discs at baskets. Nowadays, bigger professional tournaments have been shown on ESPN, there are videos of tournaments and casual play galore on youtube. You can even find how-to videos online.

For some, disc golf might be just a fad that they forget about after a while. But for those of us who've been playing for a while (half my life so far), disc golf is a way of life... Just a word to the wise, if you can't handle friendly shit-talking while playing a sport, disc golf might not be for you. It's just how most of us are and we like it that way.