VIDEO: Disc golf is taking off in Delta Park
DELTA PARK – South Africa's top-ranked disc golfer shows how it is done.
One need not look far for a bit of fun in the sun.
Nestled among the trees at Delta Park are two 18-hole disc golf courses, where the South African Disc Golf League is played, as well as other social disc golf games.
In fact, with only about 10 courses in the country and roughly 100 recreational players, Delta Park is the heart of the slowly-growing disc golf scene in South Africa.
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SA’s top-ranked player and league champion, Jon-Pat Myers of Linden explained that while the sport is thriving overseas, South Africa has been slow to catch on.
“We have about 50 to 60 players at Delta Park, with around 12 of us coming most weekends,” he said.
Myers explained that disc golf is very similar to normal golf, and even uses most of the same terminology, but players throw plastic discs into elevated metal baskets from roughly 150m.
Most holes are par three. A hole-in-one is called an ‘ace’. Discs weigh 150–175g and are 23cm in diameter.
There are four kinds of discs: putters, mid-range drivers, fairway drivers and distance drivers. Furthermore, discs have different weights so players can control speed, glide, turn and how quickly the disc ‘fades’.
The different throws are forehands, backhands, rollers, thumbers and tomahawks. It might all sound confusing, but as Myers says, disc golf is an easy sport to learn but difficult to master.
“It is great for unwinding, learning how to deal with pressure, failure and teaches risk assessment.”
Like normal golf, the technical and mental side of the sport is crucial.
Maintenance of the course is minimal, as players like to keep the playing environment as undisturbed as possible – game rules declare a penalty shot for littering, for example throwing a cigarette butt on the ground.
The sport is low-impact, inexpensive (all you need is one disc) and fun to play in groups or on your own.
Myers encouraged anyone who would like to find out more about disc golf to contact him.
Details: Jon-Pat Myers myerssculpture@gmail.com; 074 494 9657.
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