SPORTS
The Ultimate All-Ages Sport Gaining in popularity in South Brunswick County, disc golf is a sport anyone can play. STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY CAROLYN BOWERS
W Whether it is a movie, a book, a sport or a concert, if it is billed as “something the whole family will enjoy,” they rarely all do. That is especially true if the family members go from age 3 to 83. Disc golf, however, is a notable exception. It’s an activity that is becoming very popular, especially here in Brunswick County, for several reasons: It’s easy to learn; you don’t have to be an athlete to play it; the courses are always open; it only takes about an hour to play nine holes; the equipment cost is minimal; and it is
free to play on most courses. Best of all here locally, Sheila Crider and Kevin Kremler, both outstanding instructors in the Southport area, frequently offer free clinics. They, along with Jeff Pantoja, are responsible for starting and promoting disc golf in South Brunswick County through the St. James Disc Golf and Surrounding Area Facebook page and on Next Door. To date, this sport seems to have gained more traction with men than women, though Crider is determined to change that. She offers a free meet-up
Madi Jones tosses the disc while her babysitter, Mackenzie Laney, looks on at Cougar Country Disc Golf Park.
and clinic every Monday at 2 pm at the Cougar course in Boiling Spring Lakes. No reservation needed; just show up. Disc golf is a sophisticated version of Frisbee, the popular game from the 1950s. The discs look the same, but they are actually different in at least two ways. Disc golf discs are not constructed to be caught, and they are made of an impact resistant polymeric material that won’t crack or split when they hit trees, which they so often do because the game is played in the woods, as opposed to regular golf, Spring 2021
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