If you’re looking for a way to get in shape or stay that way while enjoying the great outdoors, disc golf may be the sport for you. I started playing after my amputation in 1984 and have been playing ever since.

Disc golf, originally called Frisbee™ golf, is a great sport that can be enjoyed year-round by people of all ages and abilities. It combines the fun of Frisbee™ toss with the strategy and scoring of golf. Most 18-hole disc golf courses require walking or rolling a mile or more to complete. However, individuals may opt to play as few or as many holes as they wish based on physical limitations or accessibility.

When I began playing as an amputee almost 25 years ago, I found disc golf instrumental to my recovery after surgery. I thought that I would adapt to my amputation quickly because I had experience walking on a prosthesis. I was born with PFFD (proximal femoral focal deficiency), which made my left leg significantly shorter than my right. Growing up, I got around well wearing a below-knee prosthesis and participated in many sports. I had always been active, but as an adult, I found it much more difficult to adapt, and due to limited mobility, I simply could not do some of the things that I could before my accident.

A friend introduced me to disc golf to get me out of the house. Playing a sport motivated me to exercise and walk over a mile per game, where previously just walking to my corner mailbox was a task.

What I liked about the game was going at my own pace with no running or catching involved. The first time, I think I only played eight to nine holes before I tired out. The next time, I challenged myself to do more and finished all 18. Soon I was getting around almost as well as I did before my accident. I began competing and helped to organize tournaments and fundraisers throughout Texas.

I started telling others how disc golf helped me rehabilitate myself. The broad appeal and rehabilitative qualities of the sport led me to work with groups like the Dallas Amputee Network, the Amputee Coalition of America (ACA), Special Olympics, Texas Scottish Rite Hospital, Turning Point, the Boy Scouts, Boys and Girls Clubs, and numerous public schools and churches.

In 1997, our organization donated three disc golf baskets to the James F. Chambers Youth Fitness Park, located at the Scottish Rite Hospital for Children in Dallas. Disc golf has been a popular part of their recreational therapy program ever since. As a member of the Dallas Amputee Network, I helped organize two disc golf events for the ACA Annual Conference in Dallas in 2005. There, amputees were introduced to disc golf and had a chance to compete in “The Ebby Halliday World’s First Amputee Disc Golf Tournament.”

In 2005, I founded Discgames.org, dedicated to educating the public about the recreational and therapeutic value of disc golf and other disc sports. Every year, we are involved in several events for people with disabilities at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital. In the “Monster Energy Disc Games,” we sponsor an “All Disc Event,” which benefits the fight for insurance parity. All golf discs bear the phrase, “We Want Parity Not Charity.” This year, I am proud to be a disc golf instructor at the ACA Youth Camp.

Getting started

As with any outdoor sport, use sun protection and drink plenty of fluids. You can start  with just about any disc that you have around the house, but to play the game well you must have the right equipment. Several manufacturers make discs specifically for disc golf. These are available at most sporting good stores (you’ll probably have to ask the clerk, though) or through Discgames.org

Start out simple with a driver and a putter; they’ll only set you back about $20. Undoubtedly, you will see experienced players carrying 10-15 discs, much like a golfer carrying several clubs. Like the golf clubs, each disc is a “situation disc” to be brought out for a particular shot. Beginners should need no more than two or three discs. It is good to take some practice drives to determine which driving style suits you best and how far you can consistently throw. This is critical in determining where to aim your shots.

First, you look at your target and figure your best flight path, allowing for trees, water hazards and other obstacles. Then, grip your disc and prepare to throw it toward the target. You may use different driving styles or grips, depending on the shot.

Next, the players hurl their discs toward the target. Each player takes a turn driving until all players in the group have thrown. The player whose disc is farthest from the target will be the next to shoot. He simply walks to where his disc landed, chooses a disc, and throws again. The players continue throwing until all players have completed the hole by landing their respective discs in the basket.

Finally, record the scores (if you are keeping score) and go on to the next hole. Repeat until you have finished the course. Landing in water hazards and getting stuck high in trees will cost you a stroke, as will landing your disc on sidewalks or concrete (on most courses).

Inexpensive equipment costs allow you to get started for as little as $10. More than 2,600 disc golf courses are located in parks across the country. Most are free to play. To find a course near you, simply go to the COURSE LOCATOR at www.discgames.org or at the PDGA Web site (www.pdga.com) for more info.

About the Author

Randy Mecca is a longtime

member of the Dallas Amputee

Network, an avid disc golfer,

and a member of the ACA’s

Volunteer Outreach Team.