How this new sport is flying to new heights
 by Sandra Chalmers: Editor-In-Chief
 
The new trend of disc golf brings an unexpected delight to what was once just a picnic hobby. 
 
Formally known as disc golf, not Frisbee golf, the object of the game is to throw a disc through out the course in the fewest number of throws.  Much like traditional golf, a hole in one is hard to come by.  Disc golf uses a “pole hole,” an elevated metal basket as the target for the game.  
 
This new sport sparks players with the convenience of playing a competitive sport with a few friends or none at all. The sport also rejects the need to separate players into teams, and each can play individually. 
 
As players progress down the fairway, each must make consecutive shots from the spot where the previous throw landed, until the disc is thrown into the basket, which then completes one hole.
 
Players enjoy nature as their playing field with no boundaries.
 
“It’s fun and it’s free. I like the instant gratification you get when you can see your throw improving, and how you can build your skills each time you play,” said Vanessa Van Dyken, a frequent disc golf player, from Mesa college. “It’s fun to play in groups, especially when your throw is better than the boys’.”
 
Disc golf courses can easily be found in local public parks, recreation parks and most often are free of charge. 
 
Close to home, CSUSM has recently adopted a disc golf course in April of this year that spans throughout campus. It is the first university in Southern California to feature a disc golf course on campus property. This new 18-hole course begins near Barham Road and Campus way, scorecards can be downloaded www.csusm.edu/rec/discgolf. 
 
Free disc rentals are available to CSUSM students at The Clarke Field House and the course hours are from sunrise to sunset everyday.
 
Our campus’s wide range of hills, grass stretches and stairs creates an entertaining course for everyone.
 
Brian Campbell and Jeremy Briggs, recent locals originally from Michigan, enjoyed the CSUSM disc course last Thursday. “I really like the layout of the course intertwined with the busy campus life. It’s really fun,” said Campbell.
 
Public parks also add an allure to the game by featuring obstacles such as trees, picnic tables, and sometimes even people as a challenging hurdle to overcome. 
 
Unlike traditional golf, no expensive equipment is necessary. A quality, professional disc ranges about $15. No dress code or collared t-shirts are required, nor any golf cart rentals. It becomes an easy bargain to get hooked on this sport.
 
Van Dyken enjoys using the Side Wonder as it helps with accuracy, and Campbell uses the Anova, a heavier disc used for long distance. Disc golf players usually carry about five to 10 discs with them at a time.
 
Disc golf’s other major appeal is that it is essentially the sport for everyone.
 
“Disc golf can be played from school age to old age, making it one of the greatest lifetime fitness sports available. Specially-abled and disabled participate, giving them the opportunity to take part in a mainstream activity,” states the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) on its official website, www.pdga.com. 
 
Disc golf also provides a good form of excercise, it works upper and lower body muscles as well as promotes aerobic exercise, strengths physical and mental abilities that allow for very little risk of physical injury, according to PDGA.
 
PDGA hold over 40,000 members and continues to grow as the sport gains more popularity.
 
At Kit Carson Park, in Escondido, the California State Flying Disc Championship is being help on Sept. 25 and 26. Prizes up to $25,000 are being awarding for those who compete. Registration is still available at sandiegoaces.com. 
 
CSUSM will also be hosting the First Gentlemen’s Disc Open in late October.