Disc golf is a sport in which the objective is to traverse the course in as few throws as possible. Disc golf is similar to regular golf; the only differences are that players use baskets for holes, discs for balls, and arms for clubs. Disc golf courses can be found all over the world. Here in Memphis, the most popular course is the Shelby Farms Disc Golf Course. The parking lot is packed daily with the cars of eager players. Disc golf is enjoyed by young and old alike.

Disc golf may sound like the ideal pastime; however, like all sports it has its downsides. Players spend hours pushing past thorn bushes and swimming through nasty ponds looking for discs that have strayed from the intended flight path. Whereas a golf ball may cost a few dollars at most, golf discs typically cost anywhere from ten to thirty dollars. Disc golf players sacrifice time, safety, and cleanliness looking for golf discs.

Just the other week my brother, my friend, and I decided to change up the courses a little bit. The only course we had known was the one at Shelby Farms. Shelby Farms is the largest park in the United States, so the disc golf course lies on hilly grass with some wooded areas. However, the Shelby Farms course has very few water hazards. We decided to give the Johnson Road Park in Germantown, Tennessee, a try. My friend had gotten there earlier, so he had been calling my brother constantly while we were driving there telling him how amazing the park and scenery were. When we arrived, he immediately took us to the sixth hole located near the parking lot. I looked down and saw a pond surrounded by green grass and nice sidewalks. We stood there for a minute appreciating the beauty of the park. Then we walked across the parking lot, into the woods, and over to the first hole. The first five holes were all in a forest. Those first five holes were fun and the atmosphere was great. We then exited the forest and walked back over to the sixth hole. My friend threw his disc right into the edge of the pond, so it was not hard to retrieve. The next five holes were all located near one of Johnson Road Park’s three ponds. I managed to avoid landing my discs in the middle of the pond; however, my brother and friend landed a few near the edges of the ponds. We continued through the course. When we came to the fifteenth hole, my brother threw his driver down the hill. On his second drive, he knew as soon as he released his disc that he had let it slip, and sure enough his disc landed in the center of the largest pond in the park. He did not even have to think about retrieving the disc. He just kept walking knowing that it was gone for good. We came to the seventeenth hole, and I had still avoided losing a disc. The tee pad was on one side of the top of the hill, so we could only see the hole and nothing in between. My brother threw first. His disc curved to the right and out of sight. A few seconds later we heard a splash. He instantly ran over the hill and looked down at the pond trying to spot ripples. While he was running down the hill, I threw my disc and it suffered the same fate as his did. I ran down the hill and to the edge of the pond. At this point it was getting dark and hard to see. My brother showed me the approximate place where my disc went in. I stood there for a second and after thinking I began taking off my socks, shoes, and Camelbak. It took me fifteen minutes with the sun setting behind me to find my disc. The whole time I was surrounded by the filth of ducks and whatever other creatures were in that pond. When I came out, I was so filthy I could not put my shoes back on. We pushed through to finish that hole and we arrived at the last hole. By this time, the sun had already set and we could barely see. To the right of the tee pad was a hill that had not been mowed. It had grass and weeds that were about two feet tall. I threw first and my disc hooked left and into the grass. My brother and I spent another fifteen minutes looking for it. I was shoeless and was thinking the whole time that I was going to be bit by a snake. After that ordeal, we now stick to Shelby Farms.