Name a sport you can play outside year-round for about $10 bucks or less? If the headline was a clue and you guessed disc golf, ding, ding, ding! You’ve literally hit the jackpot of laid-back, outdoor recreation at its best.
Even better, the sport of disc golf (golf with discs and no greens fees) is on a hot streak in our area, with a brand-new course at Crandall Park in Glens Falls and another one coming soon to the Harry J. Betar Jr. Recreational Park in Moreau, plus existing courses in Greenwich, Saratoga Springs, and another one planned for Garnet Hill in North River.
The sport has been around for nearly 100 years — it gained traction with the Frisbee in the ’70s and has exploded in popularity thanks to the pandemic driving people outside. To learn more about it, Glens Falls Living recently tagged along for a round of nine “holes” with three local pros at Crandall Park.
One of them was Jaimen Hume, a Hudson Falls middle-school band teacher who has been central to disc-golf development in the Capital Region and North Country. Another was Jon Hotmer, who co-designed the Crandall Park course with Hume last year, and the third was Tucker Kozloski, who’s been playing the sport for nearly a decade. All three graduated from South Glens Falls High School and are Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) members.
Jon Hotmer and Jaimen Hume
“It's certainly an exciting time for the sport in the area,” Hume explained. “The boom that we’ve all seen up to this point is, what I believe, to be just the tip of the iceberg. Crandall's baskets were put in the first week of December, so any player we’ve seen has been of the die-hard variety.”
He estimated that the Crandall Park Disc Golf course has been played 400 to 500 times since it unofficially opened last November. It’s been recorded by more than 100 times alone by users of UDisc, a comprehensive disc-golf app with course locations, maps, events, and scorekeeping.
Crandall’s 18-hole, par-3 course — which was built near the existing dog-walking trails — is a result of the work of Hume, Hotmer, and dozens of other local volunteers, as well as the support of the Crandall Park Beautification Committee and Elizabeth Hogan’s ability to secure a $10,000-dollar grant from Stewart’s Shops.
Its official grand opening will be the weekend of June 12-13, 2021, with a Family Play Day, recreational tournament, and PDGA tournament (details can be found on the Crandall Park Disc Golf website).
Jaimen Hume on the course
So how do you play?
Disc golf is just like traditional golf, except you throw a plastic disc rather than hit a golf ball with a club. You start from a tee pad (coming soon to the Crandall course) and try to throw the disc into a basket at the other end of the course. Oftentimes, you can’t see the basket from the tee pad, so look around the trees to locate the basket before throwing (UDisc is an invaluable help).
All 18 holes on the Crandall course are par 3, but more difficult courses have a few par 4’s and some par 5’s. For more on the rules of the game, check out this Disc Golf 101 explainer.
Etiquette
If another player or group behind you is playing faster and catching up to you, wait on the next tee and let them play through. When playing with others, stand behind the player that is throwing, and try not to talk or move too much while they throw.
“And if you find somebody’s disc and it has a phone number, call it,” Hume said. “All of our discs have our phone numbers on it and some semblance of our name. Fountain Square [Outfitters] has offered to be the local hub for lost-and-found discs.”
Also, pick up branches along the fairway and toss them off to the side. And carry in/carry out/don’t litter.
How many discs do you need?
The pros, like Hume, Hotmer, and Kozloski, have either backpacks or rolling bags (a.k.a. “carts”) holding about 25 discs or more. Like an arsenal of clubs, these come in handy for different types of shots: driving, mid-range shots, and putting. Unlike golf, where you use the same ball until you lose it, you can swap out your discs to complete a hole as long as you throw from wherever the last disc landed.
One disc per player is fine for starters, and discs can be purchased locally at Fountain Square Outfitters, 42 Degrees, and Inside Edge. The Crandall Public Library is also loaning three-disc sets for 28-day periods. Each set includes a putt & approach disc, mid-range disc, and distance driver. They can be reserved online (search “disc golf kit”), by phone, or in person during the library’s pop-in hours (currently Tuesdays from 10-6, and Fridays from 10-4). They must be returned to the Crandall Library’s customer service desk, not the book drop.
Discs are constructed and rated differently for speed, glide, turn, and fade (see the four numbers listed accordingly on any disc). The specifics of those flight ratings are technical, so it’s best to consult a user guide or ask a salesperson about the numbers on a particular disc. MarshallStreetDiscGolf.com summarizes most every disc on the market, with visual look at how each disc performs/curves.
Jon Hotmer on the course
How should the disc be thrown?
While the variety of techniques is endless, the “power grip” for a backhand throw is a good start for beginners. Hold the edge of the disc in the middle of your palm (like you’re shaking hands with the disc) and wrap your four fingers firmly around and underneath the edge, with your thumb lying flat on top.
Turn sideways with your throwing arm forward and dominant foot forward. Think about keeping your body weight on that front foot. Then extend your throwing arm straight back, just below shoulder height. Try to keep your arm relatively parallel to the ground so your throw isn’t angled up or down. Drive your elbow forward, close to the body, snap your wrist, and follow through. If all goes well, your disc will take a low-level flight that goes as far as the power you put into it.
What does it take to be a pro?
Hume laughed and downplayed the title.
“It costs a little more as a PDGA member to be a pro, and then just practice,” he said.
As a musician, Hume picked up the sport after college because it fulfilled his love for practicing. Hotmer is also a musician. And, like they say, practice makes perfect.
So don’t expect to go out there and win the day on your first try. Throwing a disc is different than a traditional Frisbee. It’s smaller and more dense, and most importantly, it’s meant to be thrown — not caught. Don’t overthink technique, but learn from your mistakes. Watch what works for other players and ask for tips. Then, go home (or to your nearest football field) and practice! A simple web search can lead you down a wormhole of disc golf technique videos.
With Crandall Park’s new course and another one coming to Moreau likely in May, disc golf presents an affordable (even free!) way to get outside with friends and family for some leisurely fun.
“It’s cheap, all ages can play it, and it’s free once you have the discs,” Hume said. “And it’s a socially distanced sport; you don’t need to be near anybody to be able to do it.”
Crandall Park Disc Golf
Website / Course Map / Printable Score Card
Parking Info: Park in the lot next to the bandshell. A practice basket is in the field, and Hole 1 is up the hill in the woods (walking toward Fire Rd).
Under construction: Signs and tee pads should be completely installed by the end of May. In the meantime, look for orange markers for tees and arrows by the baskets to direct you to the next hole.
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