Disc golf is growing in popularity among students

Golf is said to be the No. 1 sport that people try and quit in frustration. It can bring to mind hilarious recollections of Caddyshack, or traumatic memories of cursing all that's holy after an errant slice into the brush. But since the mid-70's, many people have been enjoying a similar sport offering similar challenges, nearly all of the same rules and none of the traditional drawbacks.

Disc golf is just that golf played with Frisbee-like discs on a course laid out like a standard 18-hole golf course. The jargon is intact: players putt, drive, hook, slice and may even take a mulligan should the need arise.

Differences are as obvious as the similarities'. There are no golf carts, clubhouses or funky regalia; disc golfers dress in casual, comfortable attire, with none of the ridiculous knickerbockers or funny hats associated with golf.

"You cuss just as much," said Seth Hart, a senior from Burlington, N.C., "but it's a lot more peaceful." Hart plays four or five times a week at the Camp Catalpa course in Richmond.

In addition to the course at Camp Catalpa, there are two courses in Lexington at Veterans' Park and Shillito Park.

"Those are nice, but I like this one the best," said senior Paul Radman from Wytheville, Va. of the relatively new course. "It's really nice, and a lot closer to home."

The course was installed last October by members of the Richmond Disc Golf Club, and is in danger of being displaced by an RV park.

"My dad can't understand why I don't play golf," said Chris Aruin, club secretary. "He knows I like nature, but a golf course is fake nature. This is the real deal."

It might seem like a simple sport as far as equipment goes, right? All you need is a Frisbee, and there's usually one somewhere in the garage or under your little brother's bed. But as we all know, the true sports fanatic is never satisfied with minimal equipment.

While somewhat limited in available paraphernalia, disc golfers can carry a surprising number of discs upwards of 30 for professionals. To paraphrase Thomas Jefferson, "That's a lot of discs."

A typical disc golfer carries five discs in his sack, although it is possible to play with only one. Don't pity the pros for having to tote those 30 discs, either -- their caddy does all of the heavy lifting.

The discs themselves weigh from 150 to 180 grams and cost anywhere from $5 to $20. They are usually generic in appearance, but if you want fancy psychedelic patterns or a picture of your pet emblazoned on the surface, it can be done. Hart carries a tie-dyed disc that would make Austin Powers proud.

You might think one advantage over golf is that at least you'll never lose the disc, which is enormous in comparison to the often-misplaced golf ball. Not so, said Hart

"If you swim to get yours out of the water, you could find 40 more."

Disc golf continues to grow on both the professional and amateur fronts, and boasts perhaps the ultimate expression of love for the game.

Creator "Steady Ed" Hendrick had his cremated ashes incorporated into several thousand discs, assuring that he will likely never rest in peace.