Disc golfers tee off in Anderson

Disc Golf has been called the biggest sport no one knows about. But there’s a course right in our backyard, and now there’s an opportunity to learn to play.

“There are thousands of courses in the U.S., but people who don’t play usually aren’t aware of them,” said local disc golf enthusiast Kevin Fenner.

Anderson River Park is home to a disc golf course. Fenner will be leading an all-ages day camp to teach the community how to play.

Fenner’s been playing disc golf since the late 1970s. “We used to just pick a tree in the park and throw at it,” he said.

Today, there are several disc golf courses throughout Shasta County. Discs are sold at most local sports stores. There is even a Shasta Disc Golf Club, which holds local tournaments that attract up to 100 people.

The object of disc golf is simple. You ‘tee off’ by throwing a special Frisbee from a concrete pad toward a disc golf basket. The goal of the game is to throw your disc in the basket in as few throws as possible.

Fenner said he enjoys playing disc golf because he can play with his seven-year-old daughter, and he can play with buddies his own age in disc golf tournaments.

“Its nice to hang with the guys and compete in a friendly manner,” Fenner said.

“It seems to appeal to everybody — from kids about 6 or 7 up to a guy I’ve seen at tournaments who is about seventy,” the disc golf player said.

James Birabent plays disc golf with his sons Tyler, 14, and Michael, 15.

“It’s our sport. We really dig it,” Birabent said.

A few years ago, Birabent said he and his boys were regular guys throwing a disc around, and had trouble finding others to play with them. Now, he said, it’s a different story.

“It’s pretty amazing how good they’ve gotten,” Birabent said.

The father said his boys both throw the disc further than he does. His oldest can throw a disc as far as 500 feet.

“It’s a great sport that you can play as a family,” Birabent said. “It’s inexpensive. It’s very competitive and it’s really fun,” he said.

Fenner said many people who start playing disc golf find it hard to stop.

“It’s very addictive,” he said. “But it’s a cheap addiction to satisfy.

Almost all disc golf courses are in parks and it’s free to play. The cost of discs ranges from about $6 to $20.

During the Anderson Parks and Recreation sponsored day camp, Fenner said he will teach the basics of throw techniques, rules and flight characteristics of discs. “We’ll also teach tips we’ve learned through years of playing,” he said.