Frolf a.k.a "Frisbee" or disc golf

By: Joseph Luther

Posted: 5/13/09

If you frequent the soccer and softball fields west of the Williams Center you may have noticed a large number of people congregating in the woods across the street. Don't be frightened, they're only playing disc golf.

The sport has taken off on-campus and throughout Whitewater and has drawn many a fan to the course called "Hoffman Field." Once considered the favored sport of hippies and stoners, it is a stigma the sport is largely outgrowing.

"It's a really easy game to get into and it's a lot of fun," freshman Seng Yang said. "It's good exercise and it's free."

For those who don't know how to play, it's simple. You have a disc (a modified Frisbee) which you throw at a basket. You get a stroke for each throw it takes you to get the disc into the basket.

The best part is you don't even need to purchase a disc; students can rent them from the Williams Center.

Part of the reason for disc golf's success in Whitewater may be due to the course itself. Plenty of small-town courses in the area are set in open fields, providing little challenge or drama.

Hoffman Field, however, provides more than enough drama. The small 12-hole course is plenty difficult for the beginner as well as for the seasoned professional. It definitely favors finesse over power.

As you walk along the course you begin to realize that the course was built around the small space available. The holes are all extremely close to each other, and there are plenty of obstacles to gobble up your disc.

About half the holes are straight shots, should be fairly easy right? Wrong. Even seasoned pros can have a hard time throwing straight on a fairway that may be only 20 feet wide. Throw in trees, shrubs and high grass on both sides and you've got yourself quite a few obstacles.

"I like the Whitewater course because it's short and challenging, but I don't like the narrow fairways," junior Jimmy Kussow said.

The same logic goes for many of the other holes as well. There are a few uphill shots, and a few doglegs which follow the same principals as the other holes. A straight shot of 75 feet will almost always beat a 150 foot shot in the middle of the woods and brush.

The trick on every hole is to throw straight. Even if you can't throw it very far, throw it straight and the course will reward you. Though throwing a bomb may result in a birdie, remember that with great reward comes great risk. Many a disc has been lost in the attempt of a long shot at Hoffman Field.

This course was definitely not built for beginners, but don't let that scare you. The harder the initial challenge, the better player you will become.

The course, while simple, is what the players make of it. The Whitewater Disc Golf Association maintains the course and players should respect it. There are trash bins everywhere, so don't leave your junk out on the course.

Be wary, because once the trees and bushes fill out with foliage the course becomes a whole different animal.