Spring is in the air, and so are discs!

The calendar says it’s Spring.  The weather does most days.  And the number of discs flying through the air and hitting metal chains definitely confirms it.  So if you’re like us, and itching to get out and play some disc golf now that the days are longer, the air is warmer, the grass smells sweeter…what are you to do?  Well, here are some ideas:

Go out and play a casual round – Whether you have a set group of friends ready to play or you’re a single, there are more places than ever in San Diego County to play disc golf.  2010 saw the biggest increase in holes to play ever in this area, with the addition of 18-hole courses at Kit Carson Park in Escondido and Cal State San Marcos, along with a 6-hole, kid- and beginner-friendly course at Sunset Park in San Marcos and a 9-hole “urban-style” course circling a new barracks at Camp Pendleton.  So far in 2011 we’ve seen the addition of disc golf baskets to the 18-hole Center City Golf Course (aka Goat Hill) in Oceanside, and the San Diego Aces continue to work on developing more places to play disc golf.

Pick up some new plastic to throw – There are more and more options available for places to buy golf discs and equipment.  The Morley Field Pro Shop still has arguably the best assortment of discs, bags and apparel, but there are new kids on the block, too.  The SDSF Skate Shop near Kit Carson Park has been stocking lots of discs, and the Pro Shop at Goat Hill carries a selection of Innova discs and golf bags.  Golf discs have also been spotted for sale at local sporting goods stores, including Sports Authority, Sports Chalet, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Big 5, Play it Again and REI.  And some of our local disc golf pros and S.D. Aces Course Reps have been known to have extra discs on hand (new and used) when they show up at our local courses – ask ‘em!

Play in a tournament – If you’re the competitive type there are lots of opportunities to test your skills against other golfers.  Here’s a list of some of the upcoming events:

• Goat Hill Monthly: Sunday, April 3^rd at noon.  2 rounds of disc golf, including cart to grab bragging rights at this new long layout.  The Aces will also hold a bagtag challenge in conjunction with the monthly.  Sign up and get more info at: http://www.discgolfunited.com/disc-golf-tournaments/tournament-dashboard.cfm/tourn_id/173
• San Diego Spring Fling: This is actually two separate tournaments on back-to-back days.  Saturday April 16^th is the amateur event, held at Morley Field.  Pre-registration is a must – get more info at MorleyField.com.  Sunday, April 17^th is the pro event, being held at Kit Carson Park.  Pre-registration is available on-line at PDGASignup.com.  Amateurs can also play the pro event in a “trophy-only” format. New information on Pro (Kit Carson) event available here.
• Cal State San Marcos Intramural Championships: Are you a student, faculty member or staffer at CSUSM?  If you are, you should be playing in this event!  Friday afternoon, April 15^th is the 1-round student tournament.  Faculty and staff play Saturday morning, April 16^th, and Saturday afternoon students and faculty/staffers team up for the doubles championship.  Entry is a mere $10, and includes a custom-stamped disc.  More info available on the Campus Recreation website.

Play in a doubles league – Several of our local courses play host to weekly organized doubles play.  The San Diego Aces sponsor doubles at Montiel Park on Mondays at 5pm and at Kit Carson Park on Saturdays at 9am.  It costs $5 to play, partners are chosen randomly and there’s a 100% payout.  Doubles is also played at Morley Field on Wednesday and Friday afternoons around 5pm.  Check out the Morley Doubles Rules before showing up.

Join the Aces – Joining the San Diego Aces is a great way to support disc golf in San Diego County and to get to know more of your disc-golfing neighbors.  Your $20 annual membership fee includes a club-stamped disc and a numbered bag tag (which can be used for competitive tag challenges).  The Aces are one of the fastest-growing local clubs in the nation, and have been working very hard to develop more places to play disc golf locally and develop a positive culture for disc golf in our area.  You can sign up online, or find one of our course representatives at your local course.

So that’s just a few ideas about how you can jump-start your disc golf season.  Our sport is a great way for players – younger, older, female, male, beginners, seasoned pros, serious or casual – to enjoy the great outdoors while getting a little exercise.  Find a way to get out and play today (and bring someone with you!).