Disc Golf Today

Lincoln's main disc golf course is at Max Roper park, just off I-80 in northwest Lincoln. I went out there for a quick round this chilly, blustery afternoon. It had been awhile. My throws were okay, but the course has changed since I first started going out there. Many, many trees have been cut, including those making the most fun hole on the course - a narrow path through the air between dense tree cover over a creek. Hit a tree, wade the creek to retrieve your disc. Those trees have been cut, so the hole isn't challenging at all anymore. Bummer.

If you're not familiar with disc golf (aka "Frisbee golf"), it's where you throw a disc (Frisbee is a brand name) from a cement tee to a basket. As in regular golf, the fewer throws it takes, the lower your score. A sign at the tee for each hole tells the par for each course and the distance to the hole.

One of my favorite holes on this course is this long downhill. As you can see on the sign, the minimum distance for this hole (they occasionally move the basket) is over 400 yards. I like this hole because, when conditions are just right and my game is on, I can get really, really long throws from the top of the hill and down near this basket. My best disc golf throws have happened on this hole.

If you're interested in trying disc golf, all you need is a disc or two, some comfortable shoes, and time to spend on the course. A great local place to buy discs is Canfield's Sporting Goods in Omaha. They carry a very nice selection of Innova discs. To play, just throw from the cement tee without stepping off the end. Your next throw must be from where your disc landed, and you can't step past it when you throw.

Discs include putters, middle distance, and long distance drivers. They're designed to be very aerodynamic, except for the putters. They're shaped much like a discus; you wouldn't want to try to play catch with these discs.

If you really get into disc golf, you can check out the PDGA - Professional Disc Golf Association. There are disc golf courses, many of them PDGA listed, all over the United States. Nebraska has multiple disc golf courses, including those in Lincoln, Omaha, Norfolk, Beatrice, and others. Check out http://www.nebdisc.com/ for a listing of courses and schedules of disc golf events.