Until recently I’d never heard of disc golf. I tend to avoid anything golf related because the idea of hitting a tiny ball across a manicured lawn doesn’t appeal to be. The truth is I’m really bad at it and have absolutely no desire to improve myself. But disc golf, that’s an entirely different matter!
Disc golf is similar to golf, except you throw discs (instead of tiny balls) into large metals baskets (instead of tiny holes). As you can see, these are vast improvements over golf. The discs used are not your standard Frisbee discs, although you could use a Frisbee. There are many different kinds of discs and you choose one depending on how far you need to throw and if you need to veer right or left (similar to golf clubs). There’s a whole numbering system to differentiate the discs and it can be a bit complicated. If you’re new to disc golf (like us) you could use a regular Frisbee disc, go to store and purchase a midrange golf disc or buy a beginner disk golf set like this one. In the Okanagan Valley you can purchase golf disks at ABC Hobby (Kelowna) and Sirius Science and Nature (Penticton), the friendly staff there can point you in the right direction.
Once you’ve found yourself a disc the next step is finding a course. Unlike golf courses using a disc golf courses is often free. We went to check out the Rotary Marina View Disc Golf Course located at the north end of Penticton, BC. This nine hole (basket) course is located off Abbott Street (park along Marina Way and walk up to the course). Unless you know the course is there it can be easy to miss, look for a small blue sign and single track trail leading up the hill. At the start of this course there’s a sign that explains the rules of play, it helps to give it a quick read (click on the picture above to read the rules).
Starting on a nine hole (basket) course is probably best for kids and going at a quiet time is probably a good idea too. We went to the course on a weekday afternoon and had the entire course to ourselves. This was a good thing because we didn’t really know what we were doing and discs were flying everywhere! It took us an hour to complete the course and my kids seemed to really enjoy themselves. I think we’ll go back to the Rotary Marina View Disc Golf Course several times before moving on to something more difficult. There are several other disc golf courses in the Okanagan Valley: 3 Blind Mice Disc Golf Course (Penticton, 18 holes), Knox Mt Park Disc Golf Course (Kelowna, 18 holes), Myra Canyon Adventure Park (Kelowna, 9-18 holes) and Fallow Ridge (Vernon, 28 holes).
If you’re looking for a fun and free family activity, I’d definitely give disc golf a try. We’ll be checking out the various courses in the Okanagan Valley (and beyond) in the next few months and we’ll be sure to share our favourites.
