I am an outdoor entertainment enthusiast. The way I see it, the
outdoors were created for our pleasure. Houses are important for many
necessities of life, not the least of which is a roof over our head and
protection from the elements. I find, however, that there is an endless
supply of fun outdoor entertainment options. While sitting around the
fire pit the other night, my son introduced me to the sport of Disc
Golf. I had not even heard of it until he mentioned it. I did a bit of
research and find it to be a fantastic outdoor entertainment activity
with soaring popularity.
When it comes to the topic of disc golf, there are several interesting points to consider. First, there is the history of the sport itself, from its invention in the 1960's to its growth into a current popular pastime.
Second, is the accessible nature of the courses themselves, with a diversity of options conveniently available. To help discover what this exciting game has to offer, let's examine these categories in further detail.
Flying objects have taken a prominent place throughout human history, and they were first used as weapons for hunting and warfare. Experts believe cavemen used rocks as projectiles, which gave them the ability to kill animals at safer distances. People later honed this technology, using deadly accurate slingshots made from animal sinews and skin. Spears eventually made their way onto the scene, and these were even better for long distance warfare. Over time, as the need for hunting for survival decreased, the challenge of throwing objects with accuracy evolved into a competition instead. Warriors eventually began throwing their shields, and this is how the discus event came to be included in the Olympic Games.
The modern sport of disc golf has its roots in these beginnings, but has added some unique twists which make it endless fun. Before its official creation in the late 60's, some isolated groups developed similar games, but these were short lived and rudimentary in nature. Some examples include a group of Rice
University students in 1964 that sponsored a tournament using Frisbees as the discs and trees for the targets. Another instance occurred in Pendleton King Park located in Georgia, which followed a similar blueprint.
Frisbees were thrown at large trash cans placed throughout the park, which served as the targets. The most organizettempt occurred in 1960, when the commercial firm of Copar Plastics produced Sky Golf, a kit which customers purchased to play the game. However, the Frisbee craze hadn't reached a boiling point yet, and the product did not succeed.
Disc golf was successfully championed by two different men, who worked independently of one another. They are George Sappenfield and "Steady Ed" Headrick, and these are both responsible for creating disc golf as we know it today. How did they do so? The first to kick off the movement was George Sappenfield, who was a working as a counselor at a summer camp in 1965. He invented the game as an event for his campers, and set up a course for them which used objects such as trees, signs and utility poles as targets. He called his new game "Basket Frisbee." It quickly became popular with the kids and he decided to make it available to a wider audience in 1968. Once he graduated from the university he'd been attending, he became the Parks and Recreation Supervisor in Thousand Oaks, California. He was responsible for community sports, and he offered a disc golf tournament to the general public. This first effort was backed by the Wham-O Corporation, who donated Frisbees for players to use and Hula Hoops for the targets. Over time its popularity caught on, and others began constructing courses all over the nation. One of the most well-known examples of this is disc golf's introduction to the UC Berkeley campus, which become such a craze that an official field was soon constructed.
The second man to shape the face of modern disc golf was "Steady Ed" Headrick, who worked for the Wham-O Corporation. He is credited with inventing the modern day Frisbee while employed there and took the Pluto Platter, some believe was originally a dog toy, and engineered it for better performance. He loved the flight characteristics of this simple "toy," and he saw potential in it for organized sports. It was Headrick who developed the first disc golf target, which he termed the Disc Pole Hole & trade; and he equated it with the holes used by regular golf. It worked by hanging ten chains above an open basket - when the disc struck the chains it lost its momentum, and was caught in the "hole" below. He originally created this product to stop disputes by his friends over whether the target had been successfully struck, and to make the game play more enjoyable. It was first used in Oak Grove Park in Pasadena, California and it quickly become popular. It was Headrick who went on to found the International Frisbee Association or IFA, the first of its kind.
Because of his contributions to the sport in general, he is widely regarded as the father of disc golf today.
The next area of consideration is the diversity of courses currently available. Since its creation in the late 60's, disc golf has steadily grown in popularity. Due to the high demand for this sport, many excellent courses have been established all over the nation. In fact, there are now nearly 3,000 courses offered in the United States alone, with an additional 3,000 available worldwide. Disc golf has spread into over 40 countries, and is found in distant locations such as Australia, Japan, and Europe as well.
If you are a disc golf enthusiast, or simply a lover of outdoor entertainment, there is almost certainly a course nearby your home. Most mid-size cities have a disc golf course of their own and many small communities include one as well. Some top-rated examples include Flip City disc Golf Park in Shelby, Michigan which has the reputation for extreme elevation changes. Amazingly, Bill McKenzie built it all on his own, and he maintains it to this present day. Blueberry Hill in Highbridge, Wisconsin also has excellent reviews and it boasts spectacular views of the Chequamegon National Forest while playing. It includes several ponds which act as a hazard, and the wooded portion makes for a truly challenging game. A third course, which is one of the top in the nation, is Idlewild located in Burlington, Kentucky. It offers a professional level of play, with a good variety of challenges in the landscape throughout. It has a full eighteen holes, which wind their way through the beautiful rolling hills.
So, in conclusion, from the history of this excellent sport to the available courses offered today, disc golf is a fascinating topic. It is fun to play and with an astonishing array of courses around the nation, you have access to many more options than ever before. It is simple to learn but takes a lifetime to master, and can offer you a unique challenge each time you step onto the course. It is an excellent opportunity to get out of the house, get a bunch of buddies and enjoy the great outdoors. Being the outdoors kind of guy that I am, I can't think of a better way to end a day of disc golf than to invite my buddies over to the house, stoke up a fire in the patio bonfire pit, crack open a few of our favorite beverages and reminisce the day's events.
When it comes to the topic of disc golf, there are several interesting points to consider. First, there is the history of the sport itself, from its invention in the 1960's to its growth into a current popular pastime.
Second, is the accessible nature of the courses themselves, with a diversity of options conveniently available. To help discover what this exciting game has to offer, let's examine these categories in further detail.
Flying objects have taken a prominent place throughout human history, and they were first used as weapons for hunting and warfare. Experts believe cavemen used rocks as projectiles, which gave them the ability to kill animals at safer distances. People later honed this technology, using deadly accurate slingshots made from animal sinews and skin. Spears eventually made their way onto the scene, and these were even better for long distance warfare. Over time, as the need for hunting for survival decreased, the challenge of throwing objects with accuracy evolved into a competition instead. Warriors eventually began throwing their shields, and this is how the discus event came to be included in the Olympic Games.
The modern sport of disc golf has its roots in these beginnings, but has added some unique twists which make it endless fun. Before its official creation in the late 60's, some isolated groups developed similar games, but these were short lived and rudimentary in nature. Some examples include a group of Rice
University students in 1964 that sponsored a tournament using Frisbees as the discs and trees for the targets. Another instance occurred in Pendleton King Park located in Georgia, which followed a similar blueprint.
Frisbees were thrown at large trash cans placed throughout the park, which served as the targets. The most organizettempt occurred in 1960, when the commercial firm of Copar Plastics produced Sky Golf, a kit which customers purchased to play the game. However, the Frisbee craze hadn't reached a boiling point yet, and the product did not succeed.
Disc golf was successfully championed by two different men, who worked independently of one another. They are George Sappenfield and "Steady Ed" Headrick, and these are both responsible for creating disc golf as we know it today. How did they do so? The first to kick off the movement was George Sappenfield, who was a working as a counselor at a summer camp in 1965. He invented the game as an event for his campers, and set up a course for them which used objects such as trees, signs and utility poles as targets. He called his new game "Basket Frisbee." It quickly became popular with the kids and he decided to make it available to a wider audience in 1968. Once he graduated from the university he'd been attending, he became the Parks and Recreation Supervisor in Thousand Oaks, California. He was responsible for community sports, and he offered a disc golf tournament to the general public. This first effort was backed by the Wham-O Corporation, who donated Frisbees for players to use and Hula Hoops for the targets. Over time its popularity caught on, and others began constructing courses all over the nation. One of the most well-known examples of this is disc golf's introduction to the UC Berkeley campus, which become such a craze that an official field was soon constructed.
The second man to shape the face of modern disc golf was "Steady Ed" Headrick, who worked for the Wham-O Corporation. He is credited with inventing the modern day Frisbee while employed there and took the Pluto Platter, some believe was originally a dog toy, and engineered it for better performance. He loved the flight characteristics of this simple "toy," and he saw potential in it for organized sports. It was Headrick who developed the first disc golf target, which he termed the Disc Pole Hole & trade; and he equated it with the holes used by regular golf. It worked by hanging ten chains above an open basket - when the disc struck the chains it lost its momentum, and was caught in the "hole" below. He originally created this product to stop disputes by his friends over whether the target had been successfully struck, and to make the game play more enjoyable. It was first used in Oak Grove Park in Pasadena, California and it quickly become popular. It was Headrick who went on to found the International Frisbee Association or IFA, the first of its kind.
Because of his contributions to the sport in general, he is widely regarded as the father of disc golf today.
The next area of consideration is the diversity of courses currently available. Since its creation in the late 60's, disc golf has steadily grown in popularity. Due to the high demand for this sport, many excellent courses have been established all over the nation. In fact, there are now nearly 3,000 courses offered in the United States alone, with an additional 3,000 available worldwide. Disc golf has spread into over 40 countries, and is found in distant locations such as Australia, Japan, and Europe as well.
If you are a disc golf enthusiast, or simply a lover of outdoor entertainment, there is almost certainly a course nearby your home. Most mid-size cities have a disc golf course of their own and many small communities include one as well. Some top-rated examples include Flip City disc Golf Park in Shelby, Michigan which has the reputation for extreme elevation changes. Amazingly, Bill McKenzie built it all on his own, and he maintains it to this present day. Blueberry Hill in Highbridge, Wisconsin also has excellent reviews and it boasts spectacular views of the Chequamegon National Forest while playing. It includes several ponds which act as a hazard, and the wooded portion makes for a truly challenging game. A third course, which is one of the top in the nation, is Idlewild located in Burlington, Kentucky. It offers a professional level of play, with a good variety of challenges in the landscape throughout. It has a full eighteen holes, which wind their way through the beautiful rolling hills.
So, in conclusion, from the history of this excellent sport to the available courses offered today, disc golf is a fascinating topic. It is fun to play and with an astonishing array of courses around the nation, you have access to many more options than ever before. It is simple to learn but takes a lifetime to master, and can offer you a unique challenge each time you step onto the course. It is an excellent opportunity to get out of the house, get a bunch of buddies and enjoy the great outdoors. Being the outdoors kind of guy that I am, I can't think of a better way to end a day of disc golf than to invite my buddies over to the house, stoke up a fire in the patio bonfire pit, crack open a few of our favorite beverages and reminisce the day's events.
John R Waren is owner of Waren Enterprises, LLC and operates an
online retail site for the outdoor enthusiast. Bonfire pits, firepots
and firelights.
Contact info:
Waren Enterprises, LLC
5577 W Painted Cliff dr, Marana, AZ 85658
e-mail: jwaren1@ymail.com
Soaring is no longer for the birds with Disc Golf: http://wp.me/p1XB0o-8x
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Waren
Contact info:
Waren Enterprises, LLC
5577 W Painted Cliff dr, Marana, AZ 85658
e-mail: jwaren1@ymail.com
Soaring is no longer for the birds with Disc Golf: http://wp.me/p1XB0o-8x
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