I have so many hobbies, from fishing to skateboarding to playing video games, and one that I tend to overlook is disc golfing. My uncle, who was big in the disc golf community back in the day, introduced me to the sport as a kid and I've had a lot of fun going out and doing it ever since. I have tons of discs and no excuses for how little I have gone out to play this season; I hate to admit it, but I think I went out substaintially more this past winter than I did in this summer. Whoops!

I get this bug where I just want to do one of my hobbies and nothing else for months at a time sometimes, and the story is the same for disc golf as it has been riding my mountain bike or playing my bass guitar. I did however just yesterday take my bike into the shop to be repaired, so I am excited to get back into that. I simply go through these phases, and right now I'm heavily into riding/working on my powersports and vehicles. Last year I spent months training and honing-in on my shots for disc golf and even competed in a few amateur competitions, but the desire to do that comes and goes.

If you're not familiar with what disc golf is, I'm sure you understand the basic concept behind the gameplay of traditional ball golf, and it's not much different at all. Instead of going for a hole in the ground, we go for a basket with chains about a yard up into the air, and instead of clubs we use discs. You still tee off, have strokes, and utilize the par system. Most courses I have played are about 3-5 shots for par on each hole. There are different discs for different purposes, and the three basic categories from furthest to least range are drivers, mid-range discs, and putters. On top of the different discs, there's different ways to throw the same disc to make it fly differently, and it is fun to experiment with all the combinations to figure out what works best for you.

There's a few variations on how to play, and my favorite is Doubles, where alongside your teammate, you compete against another duo to get the lowest number of strokes on a nine or eighteen hole course. We typically take the best shot on each throw, essentially giving a team two attempts at each shot instead of the single attempt a player would get shooting solo. Resultingly, playing doubles with a competent partner should lead to a significantly lower score (better) than playing alone, as well as a quicker game.

Discs come and go, and I have found many more than I have lost. The rule of thumb is that if you find a disc without contact information on the flipside to return it to the owner, you're good to keep it. With that, I'd advise you to put your name and number on any disc you care about. From time to time I will actually take my canoe out and search in the lake for discs, and with some holes bordering the water, I always come back with a couple. Some people will do this regularly and resell what they find, but I do it primarily to compesate for the ones I lose and also for the genuine fun of the discovery and recovery. It also helps to keep the lake clean!

Most discs are in the $10+ range new, and used go for about half of that. The Quonset Hut in Canton is my favorite place to shop for new discs, and I'd recommend Play It Again Sports for cheaper used ones. Some places sell starter kits for a deal, which include three discs: a putter, mid-range, and driver. That's not a bad option if you're just getting into it, and compared to the cost of traditional golf, disc golf is super inexpensive. I've never been to a course that charges anything to play there, and most tournaments are well below the $50 mark. There are many people who volunteer their time and effort to maintain the courses and organize events, and to those who do this, I say thank you!

So long as you get a legit disc golf disc and not some toy Frisbee type thing, there isn't really a bad brand of discs. Innova is the industry standard, making some really solid discs in a variety of plastics and styles. Discraft is another great brand, and together these two companies produce probably nine out of ten discs you'll see out on the course. I'm not exclusive to any one brand, but I prefer purple discs.

Courses I would recommend include the Portage Lakes State Park, Wingfoot Lake State Park, Massillon, The Arboratum in Canton, and Boettler Park. Boettler especially is a great one for amatuers with an easy to follow course, relatively short holes, and a low likelyhood of losing discs. Ultimately, It's all about being outside, having fun with friends, and getting the body moving. Whether you're birdie-ing every tee or unable to hit the side of a barn, disc golf a fun activity for all!