Rural Missouri - May 2023 - 52

by Sarah Joplin |
I
info@ruralmissouri.coop
photos by Zach Smith | zsmith@ruralmissouri.coop
n the lighthearted yet compelling sport of disc golf, two
human instincts converge. The game satisfies both the
keen hunger to play and primal urge to throw at a target.
Maybe that's why, on a frosty February morning at
Atchley Park in Lebanon, more than 100 people gathered
on what resembled a frozen tundra. Even in such prohibitive
weather, they had all come to play in the Ice Bowl
tournament. Camaraderie may have motivated attendance
or they may have come to get some exercise when cabin
fever set in. Since proceeds from the event support local
charities, it might have even been the goodness in their
hearts.
Whatever the reason, Missouri Disc Golf Hall of Famer
and tournament coordinator Russ Burns explains that this
was not an isolated incident; it happens all year long.
" It doesn't take long to have fun, and people usually
progress quickly, " says Russ, who also manufactures disc
golf baskets, designs courses and sells gear through his
Springfield-based company, Disc Golf Monkey. " The sport
appeals to the most diverse crowd you'll ever meet. It is
definitely something special and seems to bring out the
best in people. "
As a sport, disc golf is characteristically informal, inexpensive
and inclusive. It's also outdoorsy and falls into
the lifetime fitness category. " As long as you can walk and
move your arms, you would probably enjoy the sport really
quickly, " says Joe Douglass, past president of the Columbia
Disc Golf Club.
Clearly the pandemic isn't the only reason that the Professional
Disc Golf Association reported an 84% growth in
membership and 6,200 events sanctioned worldwide during
2020. With 273 courses in Missouri, several of which
are ranked among the best in the world, 85 leagues and 42
independent disc golf gear stores, the state is an especially
good place to take up the sport. The hardwood forests,
elevation changes and waterways also make for enjoyable
and challenging course terrain.
" Steady " Ed Headrick is credited with creating disc golf
Top: Russ Burns and Patrick Porter set up a hanging basket before a
charity tournament north of Springfield. Above: Russ, a member of
the Missouri Disc Golf Hall of Fame and owner of Disc Golf Monkey,
takes aim around a tree.
52 RURAL MISSOURI | MAY 2023
through two of his patented inventions: the Frisbee in
1966 and the Disc Golf Pole Hole in 1975. The sport began
essentially as target Frisbee and has evolved through
equipment specialization, course development and player
organization. In 1983, Innova Champion Disc revolutionized
the sport forever by creating the aerodynamic beveledge
disc invented to throw longer distances than the Frisbee.
People started putting up baskets in parks and cities
began building courses. The vast majority of courses today
are located in public parks and are free to play.
Getting in the game is a simple matter of purchasing a
few discs and locating a nearby golf course. Professional
Disc Golf Association-approved starter packs generally
include at least a driver for distance, a mid-range and a
putter disc to land in the basket, and cost somewhere
between $20 and $40. The disc weight and bevel dictate
whether it is engineered for distance or accuracy.
You can play with a single disc if you want and having
too many discs may just complicate matters and amount
to more weight to carry. Play according to your own schedule
as most course locations don't require a tee time. Play
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