Are you looking for a low-impact, high-fun sport that your whole family can play together? I’ve found one that we can all enjoy – Disc Golf.
A cross between “Frisbee” toss and golf, disc golf is played on a course of 9 or 18 holes. The holes are several hundred yards apart, which can make a par 3 hole harder than it looks.
The courses have a variety of natural terrains, which can include trees, streams, and even boulders, all adding to the difficulty of the course. The course at Korean War Memorial Park features rolling hills and mature trees. If your disc veers off the fairway, it lands on a bed of pine needles making the rough not so hard to manage. There’s both sun and shade, making it a nice walk for people and pets.
For those hot days, there’s the course at Idlewild Park, a course with plenty of shade. It is mainly wooded with steeper inclines. There are two water hazard holes that novices would be wise to skip since discs can be tough to fish from the bottom of the murky lake. There’s even a course on the grounds of Cuthbertson Middle School in Waxhaw, a good course for children and beginners. Golfers who want to play the 9-hole course must plan their tee time for after school hours.
Disc golf is set up much like regular golf. The courses are measured in yards from the tee (usually a concrete slab or marker) to the hole. The pros use a variety of discs including a midrange disc, a driver, and a putter. The discs vary in weight and shape.
Modern disc golf has been around since the 1960s according to the Deaf Disc Golf Association. The sport has morphed from its early form where players aimed for targets such as trees and fence posts. In courses today, the “hole” is a special basket elevated off the ground with chains attached. The chains make for a larger target and can stop the disc as it glides through the air.
Over the last few years, the popularity of the sport has grown by leaps and bounds. With around 5,000 courses in the United States, it is becoming more accessible. The Professional Disc Golf Association Directory is a wealth of information on area courses including the address, number of holes, elevation (flat versus hilly), and the type of terrain a golfer can expect such as woods and water hazards. The length of the course can vary, but for example, the course at Idlewild is 5,836 feet long making the walk itself over a mile.
Just like regular golf, the people at disc golf courses come in all shapes and sizes. Some are there for a casual game, walking along with their dogs and not bothering to keep score. Others are in it to win it, complete with a tote for their discs and strict rules about playing from where you lie. And while I thought there was only one way to throw a disc, I was wrong. It’s amazing to watch a skilled player toss the disc over his or her head for yards and yards to get the best chance for par.
Your dog might also enjoy tagging along with you play a round of two for those courses that allow pets. Many courses in this area are free of charge. For more information about a particular course near you, visit www.DGCourseReview.com or https://www.pdga.com/course-directory.
Mint Hill Veterans Memorial Park
8850 Fairview Road, Mint Hill
9 holes, pets allowed
The Scrapyard at Idlewild Park
10512 Idlewild Road, Matthews
18 holes, pets allowed
Crooked Creek Crossing
1025 Fair Oaks Drive, Stallings
18 holes, pets allowed
Squirrel Lake Park
1631 Pleasant Plains Road, Matthews
12 holes, pets allowed
Creekside Disc Golf Course at Crooked Creek Park
5900 Oakwood Lane, Indian Trail
18 holes, pets allowed
Dry Creek
4209 Old Charlotte Highway, Monroe
18 holes, NO PETS
Bearskin Creek at Dickerson Park
899 N. Johnson Street, Monroe
18 holes, pets allowed
Cuthbertson Middle School
1400 Cuthbertson Road, Waxhaw
9 holes, pets allowed, No Access during School Hours
Waxhaw Elementary School
1101 Old Providence Road, Waxhaw
9 holes, pets allowed, No Access during School Hours
Wingate University Disc Golf Course
315 E. Wilson Street, Wingate
18 hours, pets allowed
Reedy Creek Park
2900 Rocky River Road, Charlotte
18 holes, pets allowed
Kilborne TPC
2600 Kilborne Drive, Charlotte
18 holes, pets allowed
Eastway Park
423 Eastway Drive, Charlotte
18 holes, pets allowed
Nearby Courses:
Course Name Address Notes
Mint Hill Veterans Memorial Park 8850 Fairview Road
Mint Hill 9 holes, pets allowed
The Scrapyard at Idlewild Park 10512 Idlewild Road, Matthews 18 holes, pets allowed
Crooked Creek Crossing 1025 Fair Oaks Drive, Stallings 18 holes, pets allowed
Squirrel Lake Park 1631 Pleasant Plains Road, Matthews 12 holes, pets allowed
Creekside Disc Golf Course at Crooked Creek Park 5900 Oakwood Lane, Indian Trail 18 holes, pets allowed
Dry Creek 4209 Old Charlotte Highway, Monroe 18 holes, NO PETS
Bearskin Creek at Dickerson Park 899 N. Johnson Street, Monroe 18 holes, pets allowed
Cuthbertson Middle School 1400 Cuthbertson Road, Waxhaw 9 holes, pets allowed,
No Access during School Hours
Waxhaw Elementary School 1101 Old Providence Road, Waxhaw 9 holes, pets allowed,
No Access during School Hours
Wingate University Disc Golf Course 315 E. Wilson Street, Wingate 18 hours, pets allowed
Reedy Creek Park 2900 Rocky River Road, Charlotte 18 holes, pets allowed
Kilborne TPC 2600 Kilborne Drive, Charlotte 18 holes, pets allowed
Eastway Park 423 Eastway Drive, Charlotte 18 holes, pets allowed
