Disc Golf

Story and photos by Anna Parrish

The University of Alabama men’s disc golf team was founded in 2006. It is one of the original six teams that started the collegiate disc golf and now there are over 150 teams that compete and try to get to the nationals. Getting started was pretty simple; some different guys that would play disc golf together realized they could start a team and get funded through the Universities Sports Club. To join the team you sign up through the team and must be enrolled in UA with at least six credits.
When playing disc golf it contains the same rules like regular golf such as the number of pars to get the disc into the basket and the lower your score the better. You get three chances to make a par, making the disc into the basket on two throws is a birdie and making it one the fourth throw is a boogie. Just life golf you have certain disc which act like drivers and midranges. There is also putting which seems to be a difficult concept,
“The most difficult part about disc golf would be putting just like in real golf,” James Lewis said.
Lewis’s teammate, Stewart Garner agreed with him that putting is the most difficult part of the game.
“Putting is the most mental part that you struggle with,” said Stewart Garner.
“When putting you can sike yourself out and overthink it. Throwing it straight (putting) is truly the hardest part,” Lewis says
There are several benefits to joining disc golf such as getting out, exercising, and meeting friends.
“From a collegiate perspective you don’t realize what kind of atmosphere you’ll be introduced to. When you go to tournaments a majority of the teams will camp out at a park or public place and they’ll all have tents and there will be people from Arkansas, Ole Miss, LSU, Mississippi State. You end up forming friendships with these people that you wouldn’t have met otherwise,” said Garner.
Some of the athletes best memories come from meeting other players at the various meets and tournaments.
“With the collegiate scene you will run into players at other tournaments that aren’t through the school and it’s nice because you’ll already more people there because of the collegiate scene,” said Lewis.

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