In 2019, I stopped playing ultimate frisbee competitively. Disc golf seemed to be a pretty natural transition. I was able to transfer some of the skills that I used in ultimate frisbee and learn new techniques at the same time. Disc golf is very chilled and fun. You can train as much or as little as you want. Considering the myopia epidemic, it is also a really good way of getting outdoor time.
It is like golf, but instead of hitting balls into holes, you are throwing discs into baskets. We generally play 18 holes. You play with different discs that have different aerodynamic properties – there are drivers for long distances, putters for short distances and mid-range discs. My husband plays disc golf as well. We have at least 100 discs in our house, they are everywhere.
One of my favourite courses is in Adelaide – it is an amazing course right in the centre of the city in the parklands. My husband’s family is from Adelaide so we have gone back for Christmas every year. Every time we go, we will play disc golf four or five nights a week.
There is a disc golf course in Auckland, New Zealand where the baskets are quite hidden. I remember being about to throw a disc and there were these sheep and cows casually walking through the middle of the course. That was perfectly normal for that course.
I remember being about to throw a disc and there were these sheep and cows casually walking through the middle of the course
Every time I play with my husband, we have to go and retrieve a disc from somewhere bizarre. I am not a risky thrower – I tend to stay within my repertoire – and my throws are pretty predictable, whereas my husband is a very creative thrower and he can throw at some amazing angles. We have spent hours climbing in bushes and wading in lakes (he has, at least. I refused to go into the lake).
On every disc, people will write their name and phone number. We have had discs discovered by strangers and returned six months after they were lost. We have also found discs in unusual places and returned them to their owners. It is like a treasure hunt, if you think about it.
Disc golf is a very welcoming sport. We have taken my parents to disc golf and we have friends who take their children. It is a game for all ages and demographics. Everyone should try it if they come across a course.