Get to know the PDGA!

Ok, study subject of the day is the PDGA, otherwise known as the Professional Disc Golf Association. If you clicked on the videos above, you have some idea what I am talking about. We had the opportunity this weekend to play some disc golf and found it to be interesting and a source of good exercise. Some of you might have heard of disc golf by another name as it is commonly refered to as "frisbee golf". However, since frisbee is a copyrighted name, it cannot be applied to this sport without permission. So, someone designed discs which are very similar to frisbees and markets them to be used on a public area set up as a disc golf course. This is a very elaborate proceedure since there are discs for every purpose on the course, similar to a bag of golf clubs. There are distance drivers, fairway discs, and even putter discs. The "holes" if you will, are actually elaborate contrivances consisting of a tray, over which there is mounted an assemble of chain link strands. The chains serve to absorb the energy of the disc when it arrives at the hole, causing the disc to drop into the tray, thus completing the hole. Strokes or slings of the disc are counted as in golf with all holes being a par 3. As I said, good exercise and the price is right, free.

My studies led me to the PDGA website, http://www.pdga.com/, which explains the rules and proceedures of the game. In addition, there is a list of disc courses throughout the USA. I found it remarkable that there are soooooo many of these courses around. Until recently I didn't even know they existed. If you have been paying attention to the news you may have heard that part of the new federal stimulus bill, just passed by congress, included funds for construction of at least one such course. Apparently congress is ahead of me on this one. :)

Just one more subject to add to your storehouse of knowledge.