Toss that putt

>> Disc golfing, aka frolf, combines the
elegance of golf and the thrill of Frisbee

DISC DRIVE: Frisbee golf at Mont Avalanche

by ERIK LEIJON

Disc golf, also known as frolf or folf (as in Frisbee golf), is a 30-year old sport that could threaten bongo playing as the environmentalist’s outdoor activity of choice. Having first been exposed to the exciting golf/flying disc mash-up in an issue of Sports Illustrated as a ninth grader, 43-year-old Earle McCarthy designed the 18-hole, par-55 Mont Avalanche disc golf course, and is the official disc golf expert for the St-Adolphe-d’Howard ski resort. There’s a rule in disc golf that prevents one from damaging the course (golfers are known for removing massive chunks of the grass when shooting, called divots), and the Mont Avalanche course is no different in its efforts to preserve the mountain.

“Disc golfers realize it’s a privilege to play the sport, so we try to pack out more than we pack in,” the scratch frolfer says. “I’m not saying we’re totally environmentally-friendly, because just the act of walking on grass disturbs the environment.”

Disc golf borrows more from golf than Ultimate-Frisbee-style games, but loses the pretentiousness and rigid traditions. Starting from the tee-box, players must hurl the discs towards a metal basket in as few shots as possible. There are different discs for each type of shot: putters closely resemble common Frisbees, whereas drivers have thinner throats, meaning they’ll fly further, hopefully straighter and will ricochet more easily off of obstacles. For experts, there are a myriad of trick discs that curve and slice impressively, but for beginners, a three-disc bag consisting of a driver, a mid-range driver and a putter will suffice.

Limitless combos

There’s a pro circuit, called the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA), and a complete North American tour. Mont Avalanche hopes to be hold an official event next summer. Disc pros are afforded the perks of a pro golfer, such as a caddie and specialized discs, and they also have an array of special shots in order to get around those pesky trees and bushes. Unusual names such as Anhyzer (a shot that hooks right), Hammer (tomahawk motion) and Prebinator (chip shot) may one day become as common in the sports lexicon as the slap shot.

Target disc golf is another, even less organized, version of the sport and is played in parks or fields where players simply pick out targets to hit. During most of his 20 years as a disc golfer, McCarthy played this variety with friends in St. Bruno, using regular Frisbees. “We would take orange tape and put it knee level and shoulder level around a tree, then try to hit somewhere in between,” he says.

LOOKS LIKE AN ANHYZER!: Hooking right

Some players also play with blind targets, which they can’t see because an obstacle, such as a tree, is in the way. “Out west, people use stovepipes or even recycled propane tanks and hang them up on trees so we could hear the sound if we make contact. The beauty is that you can adapt it to any case. I used to play wherever I could find an open space.”

Other variants of disc golf exist, where pretty much any sport can be spliced with Frisbee playing and be given a clever name. Frockey is a disc game where players throw the Frisbee in a net, which is protected by a goaltender. Dodge Frisbee (drisbee?) is a more painful version of dodge ball, since cushy rubber balls are replaced with hard plastic discs.

Downscale dress code

The similarities aside, avid golfers are probably the least likely to accept disc golf as a credible alternative to the old game. McCarthy, who himself used to play golf frequently, says it’s the ardent golfers who have had the hardest time accepting the less-traditional aspects of disc golfing. For instance, it would be unfathomable to play 18 holes without a collared shirt and nice, freshly ironed pants, but for a disc golfer, wardrobe takes a backseat to comfort.

“It bothers some people,” McCarthy says. “They’re worried about how they dress for golf; here you’re in t-shirt and shorts with good hiking boots. This is a family-oriented game, not something you do by yourself.”

There were 29 participants at the most recent disc golf tournament at Mont Avalanche. McCarthy says he still gets confused stares from potential sponsors, but the sport has grown quickly in North America and Europe. An official PDGA tournament will be held at Sugarbush in Warren, Vermont, from Sept. 21-23, for those interested in watching professionals launch a disc 500 feet with deadly accuracy through a maze of trees. In Ottawa this September 22, the 10th annual Plaid Jacket tournament will take place at Jacques Cartier Park.

For more info on frolf/folf, see www.mont-avalanche.com