Just Try It

Just try it

Disc Golf, more than a sport!

Happy Spring Everyone! I hope you are enjoying the season. I always look forward to springtime, the weather keeps improving and it’s getting warmer outside. It’s the perfect opportunity to get out in nature and enjoy plenty of outdoor activities! Have you ever heard of Disc Golf? I hadn’t heard of it myself, but one of my friends told me about it and it peaked my interest. It’s an alternative to golf, and it has been recognized as one of the fastest growing sports in the world. This intrigued me to just try it, and luckily Underwood Golf Complex is one of two places in El Paso that offers this course. Underwood Golf does not require advanced course booking, you can just walk-in and play. That’s how easy it gets!

After arriving at Underwood Golf, the manager in charge, gave me and my friends a quick rundown on how to play the game. I have learned that unlike a normal Frisbee, which has a straight flight path, golf discs have a smaller diameter and are more aerodynamically designed, which causes them to have more of a right-to-left or left-to-right flight pattern. The game itself is quite easy — like golf — the goal is to hit the target with the least amount of throws. You start off on a green patch or a tee pad and throw the disc towards a target — a chained basket. It’s pretty impressive if you make it on the first shot, because the targets are pretty far. However, if you don’t make it, you simply walk over to where your disc landed and throw from there. Sound familiar? Yeah, it’s just like golf! After a few warm up shots off the first tee, we began our round and made our way through the course. We played the 18-hole course and enjoyed it tremendously!

The game took us over 2 hours to finish with three of us playing. You can also choose a 9-hole course, if you prefer a shorter game. I have to say, for my first experience with disc golf, it was a real joy! This sport is much friendlier to newcomers than regular golf. I enjoyed the simplicity of this game — someone who has never thrown a Frisbee in their entire life, can simply pick up a disc and throw it without too much trouble. I am an active person in general, and I appreciated the fact that this sport includes a lot of walking in between the shots, which kept me active most of time. It’s also a great source of exercise — both your lower and upper body muscle groups work together to power the throw. What I also like about this sport is that anyone can play it regardless of your fitness level. It’s economical too, the cost to play is $5, but an additional cost applies if you would like to rent a cart for the 9- or 18-hole course.

Also like golf, there are different discs to use, such as a putter, mid-range and driver, but that’s if you’re a professional disc golfer. As for my newbie friends and me, we only used one or two discs. I brought my own, that I purchased at a local sports store. Underwood Golf has an option of disc rental, but I advise to call and check with the facility if the rental option is currently offered. The best experiences happen when you are having fun, and we had a load of laughs just trying to hit the target. If you are looking for something new and easy to learn, it may be the sport for you. If you would like to experience a fun outdoors activity, bring your friends or family for a good time together. After the game, you may want to grab a delicious breakfast, lunch or a drink at the Golden Tee restaurant. What’s not to enjoy? For more information about disc golf, the breakfast/lunch menu or the latest updates about the Underwood Golf Complex programs, call 915-568- 1059 or visit www.bliss.armymwr.com.

Until next time, Aneta