How to Step Up Your Frisbee Game
Everybody played frisbee as a kid. Whether it was in the park with your family, on the beach with some friends, or anyone of the hundreds of occasions where playing frisbee is fun.
Most people grow out of frisbee as they get older. Not for any particular reason other than it doesn’t appeal to an older audience. It is a simple game with no objective, purpose, or meaning.
However, what if we were to tell you that there is a competitive, older variant of frisbee that you can play? One with rules, winners, and strategy? If you’re interested, then read on.
How to Play Frisbee Golf
Frisbee golf, also known as disc golf, is the sophisticated, adult version of frisbee. We need to cover a few things, from setup to rules to materials, so bear with us as we run you through everything you need to know about frisbee golf.
Frisbee Golf Rules
Given the name, you might expect this game to be set up similarly to golf, and you’d be right. Despite this, the best frisbee games are nothing like a golf game, so don’t worry about that if golf isn’t your cup of tea.
A round of frisbee golf is played on a frisbee golf course, and typically consists of nine or eighteen “holes.” These holes are usually in the form of specialty disc baskets, rather than an actual hole in the ground.
Like golf, you also get a tee-off position. This is typically a reasonable distance away from the basket and puts obstacles in the thrower’s way like trees, hills, etc.
Players start at the tee-off position and throw. They then go over to where the disc landed, like golf, and toss again. The objective is to get the frisbee into the basket in as few throws as possible.
While this sounds like a game of golf but with frisbees, there is actually a much deeper layer of depth to it. Professional and competitive players often carry different types of frisbees that are designed to cater to different kinds of shots, all of which have different flight characteristics.
There are out of bounds areas on the field that add a penalty throw onto a player that lands in them. Some courses also have what’s called “mandatories.” These are specific flight paths outlined by markings on the course that the frisbee must follow.
What You Need to Play Frisbee Golf
All you need to play frisbee golf is a frisbee, and a course to play on. If you have enough land, you can set your own one up. However, you’re better off looking for official ones.
When you start out, you’re likely just going to be using a standard disc. However, as you get more and more into the game, you might decide to learn about the different disc types:
Driver: The driver disc has a sharp, beveled edge, and has its center of mass concentrated on the outer rim of the disc. This disc type is designed for maximum speed and distance.
Mid-range: Mid-range discs have a dulled, beveled edge, and offer more control than drivers, but don’t travel as far.
Putters: Putters are similar to the frisbees that you played with as a kid. This disc type flies straight, slow, and predictably.
There are other characteristics that go into discs. Things like stability, plastic-type, and how the disc is optimized. There are different kinds of each archetype, catered to different situations.
How to Throw a Frisbee
As you might’ve guessed, throwing a frisbee for a game of golf isn’t quite the same as throwing one for a game of catch in the park.
Similar to how there are different kinds of discs, there are different types of throws:
Backhand: This type of throw is designed for maximum distance.
Forehand: You get less distance than a backhand with this kind of throw, but you do have the potential for a more accurate throw.
There are a plethora of alternative throws that are not these main two. Throws like a hatchet, thunder, roller, grenade, and more are all variations put on these throws by pro players.
While it’s surprising, there is a large amount of depth to this game that makes it perfect for those looking for an alternative spot to try out.