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So- you want to play golf, but for some reason you don't want to do 'the real thing'. Maybe you've got no money, maybe you're missing one of your arms, or possibly you just don't like old people. Anyway, there is an alternative in Woodland- Frisbee Golf. Out at Fern park (map) there is a 9 hole Frisbee golf course set up, that meets all the criteria of casual recreation. It's free, it's easy, and just about anyone can do it. And it's in Woodland, and easy to get to- so why haven't you done it?!
"Disc golf is played much like traditional golf. Instead of a ball and clubs, however, players use a flying disc, or Frisbee The sport was formalized in the 1970's, and shares with "ball golf" the object of completing each hole in the fewest number of strokes. A golf disc is thrown from a tee area to a target which is the "hole". the hole can be one of a number of disc golf targets; the most common is called a Pole Hole (see picture on right) an elevated metal basket. As a player progresses down the fairway, the trees, shrubs, and terrain changes located in and around the fairways provide challenging obstacles for the golfer. Finally, the "putt" lands in the basket and the hole is completed. Disc golf shares the same joys and frustrations of traditional golf, whether it's sinking a long putt or hitting a tree halfway down the fairway. There are a few differences, though. Disc golf rarely requires a greens fee, you probably won't need to rent a cart, and you never get stuck with a bad "tee time." It is designed to be enjoyed by people of all ages, male and female, regardless of economic status. " I will say, that while I was playing, I ran into a lot of the same problems that I have with regular golf. A bad lie behind a tree for instance, or a horrible slice that sends my drives way off target. This game was surprisingly similar to 'regular golf'.
What do you need to play? The only thing you really need to play is a Frisbee. Surprisingly, there is a big difference in the types of Frisbees that you can use to play Frisbee golf. Just like regular golf, there are different Frisbees used for different purposes- some go far, some are shorter with more control- different sizes, and different weights. Pros carry a bag of Frisbees with them, to be prepared for anything that comes up. By the way, Big 5 had a pretty big selection of different Frisbees for sale- you're sure to find something that will work for under $10.
So now that you've got your Frisbee, and you've gone over to Fern park, it's time to start playing. The first thing you need to do, is find the tee box for hole #1. The first tee is on the very south side of the park, just south of the handball courts. If you don't know where the handball courts are, just look for a large group of Mexican kids with their shirts off. (not to be confused with the large group of white kids smoking pot)
So get yourself into the cement area, and let it rip! Throwing a Frisbee is not hard- but throwing it straight is. Also, try to play on a day that has no wind- it's VERY hard to throw a Frisbee on a windy day.
I thought the couse was pretty cool. The park was pretty, and basically it just turned out to be a walk, while we threw Frisbees around. Expect the game to take about forty-five minutes for two people. The course is set up like a regular golf course, with most tee boxes being near the previous hole. You really only need to walk about 1 mile total to do the whole course.
The 4th hole is a pretty wide open fairway, but it is long - 264 feet.
On the other hand, the 5th hole is a little bit shorter, but more devious. There is a tree directly in front of the hole, so you need to do a little bit of thinking to get to it. Frisbees are easy to curve (and hard NOT to curve) so that is one way to do it.
Or, you can try to go right through the center of the tree.
I enjoyed the golf, and the other interesting sights in the park.
People who collect aluminum cans are an important part of our ecosystem.
Here's the group of kids smoking pot that I mentioned earlier. Parents, if you think your kid might be part of this bunch, let me know, and I'll send you high-res pics, clear enough to see the glow from their blood-shot eyes. (And they told you they needed the money for Christmas shopping!) Kids, if you were getting high in the park on December 22nd, and you don't want your parents to know- please send $15 to my PayPal account. I'll take your face out, and replace it with whatever picture you supply- good way to get back at your goody-goody little brother.
Just in case you wanted to know the scores from the golf game- here they are.
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