Pastime’s popularity flying high

By Andrew Mount Sports Editor

Playing a round of golf has never been so easy.

Of course, the type of golf being referred to isn’t that of the everyday conventional golf that most would probably think, but rather disc golf, a sport that is on the rise and becoming more and more popular by the day.

A sport in which golfers use different size discs instead of different types of clubs, disc golf’s popularity is increasing all over the world. Being played in upwards of 40 countries around the globe, it has become especially popular for some students looking for good time on campus at SDSU.

Junior advertisement major Micah Mastbergen got into disc golf over four years ago, saying a group of friends got him involved in the sport.

“I didn’t think it was going to be that fun or anything when I started it,” Mastbergen said. “I had a blast like the first time I played … once I figured out how to throw and everything.”

Shane Koob – a senior journalism major specializing in news editorial – also came across disc golfing later in life, saying he had never played before going to college.

“My sophomore year I had a couple buddies who would always go to the campus course,” Koob said. “They started inviting me to go and I started playing on the campus course … I wasn’t any good, but I really liked it … You could go with a group of a bunch of guys or just by yourself.”

Starting as early as the 1960s, disc golfing has seen a steady growth in popularity year by year. With being a nice way to get outdoors and do a fun activity, college students especially find disc golf enjoyable as a way to get their minds off of things.

Not only is disc golfing a good way to get some sunshine and have a good time with friends, but most importantly – for college students especially – it’s cheap.

Besides the occasional course that may charge a very small fee, disc golfing is usually free to play, something Koob thinks is an advantage over normal golf.

“Unlike actual golf, it’s free, other than the cost of your discs,” Koob said. “In a town like Brookings, there really isn’t a whole lot to do … it’s always there … it’s fun and relaxing for me.”

Despite the convenience and limited cost that disc golfing provides students of SDSU, the weather chooses not to allow students to hit the courses on a sunny day.

With snow still falling towards the end of April, the weather has covered the courses of Brookings in snow, making it difficult for students to get out and enjoy the courses around town.

“It sucks right now,” freshman computer science major Spencer Wermers said. “I’m ready for it to be nice.”

Though it appears it won’t happen in this lifetime, the warm weather will reach South Dakota again sooner or later, and residents will be able to hit their favorite courses once again.

A favorite among most SDSU students, Larson Park in Brookings provides 18 holes all for the cost of nothing.

“Here in Brookings, my favorite place would be Larson,” Mastbergen said. “I don’t mind the SDSU course … I just prefer Larson.”

Larson is also a favorite among Koob, who says it’s where he first learned how to play the sport.

“My favorite course is Larson … I think it’s a great course,” Koob said. “The front nine is … a little shorter and the back nine is a little more open and a little longer.”

Disc golf continues to prove to be a fun, active activity for students across campus, all for a very affordable price. When the unpredictable weather of Brookings decides to fade away as summer quickly approaches, residents of the town will be able to reunite with the sport that they love.