Kid Tracks Column: In disc golf, it's fun over form

The game of disc golf involves throwing a hard plastic disc into a metal basket on a golf-like course. Since most kids love throwing stuff, directing that sort of kid-energy into a disc golf game can hold a lot of appeal for everyone in the family.

The Almeida kids will tell you that playing this game is also very entertaining. Their dad usually takes a running start before sending his disc soaring (usually with sound effects) while their mom tends to fling her leg out at awkward angles when throwing. The girls have video of their parents’ antics on the course, but I also have some of theirs and, well, let’s just say we can agree there is a lot of viewing entertainment value.

The girls were 6 and 8 years old the first time we played disc golf on The Beauty course at Enmen Field in Brunswick. My then 6-year-old spent as much time collecting sticks for her fairy house as she did throwing her disc. My 8-year-old thought the course was like a hiking trail with hidden baskets in the woods. But the highlight of our first day playing the game was the girls’ nickname for the metal chain baskets – “jail.” The name has stuck through the years with the clarification that it is the only time when it is a good thing to land in jail with as few tries (throws) as possible.

There are a few different ways to throw a disc in this game and each player has his or her own preference. The girls and I generally throw the disc like a Frisbee with our hand curled toward our wrist and a hard flick away from the body. In the disc golf world this is known as the “backhand throw” and it’s the most popular type in the game. Fino prefers to throw by bending his wrist back before snapping the disc forward to propel it away, known as a “forehand throw.” And when we’re close to the metal basket, we all usually opt for the “hammer” or “tomahawk” throw, which is like an overhand baseball toss. The hammer throw is also the preferred option for my now 11-year-old when her arm is tired and she simply wants to get her disc down the green.

There are several disc golf courses around the state, but my family’s recent favorite is the nine-hole Silver Dragon at Pleasant Hill Disc Golf in Scarborough. The metal baskets can be seen from the tee pads and that makes the game easier for novice players. At other courses, players rely on the course map to identify the direction to throw their discs because baskets are usually too far away to see from the tee pad. When the girls were little we usually only played half the 18-hole Beauty course in Brunswick before we called it a day, because the baskets were a significant distance from the tee pads. But the Silver Dragon baskets in Scarborough are in view and cover less ground and that makes it a kid-friendly course.

One thing my family really appreciates about the sport of disc golf is the friendly, casual atmosphere. We always seem to get confused on the location of each hole, even with a map (most places have a copy of the course map on the back of the score card) and tend to stray from one hole to another out of sequential order unintentionally. Actually, stray is a good word to describe our disc golf game – from following the holes to throwing the discs in the baskets. But we always have fun and the other players don’t seem to mind my family’s wandering ways, although I am mindful of my kids as there are a lot of childless adults on the courses when we play.

We have our own discs – which are heavier than Frisbees – but I have no idea if they’re putters or drivers. There are all kinds of discs and it’s not unusual to see a player carrying a large bag filled with a variety of sizes and styles. But if you’re new to the game, don’t worry about all that. Most courses offer rentals for a nominal fee ($1-$2 at most places) and the clubhouse staff is usually happy to help guide you in choosing a disc. But you should request your disc to be a bright neon color for easy identification among the grass and trees, a common landing spot for novice players.

If you have any family members with a short attention span (we have a couple in ours), be prepared to spend a little extra time on the course trying to find discs. It would be ideal that everyone would remember the location of their fallen disc but the reality is that it is very easy to be caught up in watching another’s turn. Then you forget where your disc landed (myself included).

Disc golf is a great way to get outdoors with your family for some exercise this fall. If you’re anything like us, you’ll get a full body workout, from your throwing arm to those stomach muscles from laughing about your throwing technique on the course.

Originally published in Raising Maine Magazine, October 2009