Airmen Activities: throwing discs

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Stephan Coleman
  • 81st Training Wing Public Affairs
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  If you've never played disc golf or even heard of it, don't fret. The game is fairly straightforward, given its closeness to the rules of regular golf and the use of discs similar to a Frisbee. To be clear, however, nobody plays "Frolf," as the discs used for this game vary in weight and material from standard Frisbees.

Disc golf is one of many on-base outdoor recreation activities, and the best part is it's completely free if you have your own discs. If you don't, you may purchase or rent them from the marina. The course, located north of the Pass Road Gate and opposite the Bay Breeze Golf Course, is a miniature version of a regular golf course.

To play, take a disc and throw it to its destination. The fewer tosses, the better -- it's that simple.

There are nine "holes" to play, each numbered and on a three-par scoring handicap. Instead of holes in the ground, discs are tossed into baskets mounted on poles. The baskets have chains that act as a buffer when catching a disc and flags on top as markers.

Weaving in and out of the trees, it may take a while to get used to where the baskets are located in correlation to the platform from which you "tee off," but the concrete platforms and numbered signs are pointed in the direction of the corresponding basket.

The course is small and flows rather logically, with each numbered platform close to the basket of the previous hole, all leading the player back to the beginning of the course upon completion.

Beware of Hole 1 -- there is a basket immediately visible in the field in front of it, but that basket is actually for Hole 9. The basket for Hole 1 is actually hiding in the shade much farther away, on the edge of the field.

Hole 5 curves along the roadway, and the basket is on the other side of a few large bushes.

Every other hole is fairly visible, depending on the sun's location, but the first time on the course will be as much about exploring it as it will be about learning how to play. Unless you already know how to play, then it's mostly exploration and frustration at hitting trees with your discs.

Throwing a disc at a basket doesn't sound difficult, but as this course is in and out of tree coverage, finding the right angle and force to put into each throw is the real challenge.

Bring friends, water, and sunscreen out to the course on a sunny day for free exercise and enjoyment.