My disc golf journey started at Hunter Park in Tulsa, Okla. I was 16 at the time. My buddy played with some friends from church. One Summer, he invited me along – I was instantly hooked. Two years as an LDS missionary, college and marriage led to a six-year break.
Then, out of the blue, one month into married life, I decided to quit my job and launch a business of my own. The timing wasn’t great, and with a wife to support through school, there was a need for incoming capital – and fast. Success came, but at a steep cost – my stress levels soared …
Disc golf to the rescue.
That was SEVEN years ago …
I credit disc golf with saving my sanity.
Of all the things to love about banging chains, my favorite might be that there’s always something new to get excited about. Try a few on for size – perhaps you can relate:
- Milestone No. 1 – Buying your first starter set.
- Milestone No. 2 – Then, building a bag you actually like.
- Milestone No. 3 – Summoning the courage to attend league night.
- Milestone No. 4 – Finally pulling the trigger on a personal PDGA number.
Throw an ace (or two) in there, as well …
Always a good time.
To date, though I still play on a weekly basis, I’ve got twin, 16-month old boys. Naturally, the relationship I have with the game is much different than the one I had just two years back.
Tournament play is virtually non-existent. The bulk of my rounds are at the pitch-and-putt course across the street from my house during my nightly walk with the boys. And the semi-competitive round I play each week is dedicated heavily to disc reviews – gotta work ‘em in sometime.
I’m excited for things to get back to the way they used to be, but I’m not antsy about it …
This is good, too.
I’m getting older. My children are, as well.
I’ve chosen to enjoy the ride …
EVERY. SINGLE. SECOND.
I don’t love getting personal with Green Splatter content, but I’ve seen one too many Facebook posts from disc golfers who’ve chosen to move on from the sport and sell the entirety of their disc collections. Eager buyers pounce on them. Transactions are made. That’s that.
Whether you’re a rec-level amateur or a full-time touring professional, the beauty of disc golf is that it grows with the golfer. In football, once you’ve played your last game, you can coach, but the competition side of things is over. The same can largely be said for baseball, hockey, etc.
Career-long (re)discovery is a new disc, a new course, a new shot, a new playing partner, a new personal best, a new favorite professional – maybe even a YouTube channel, podcast or blog.
With the right perspective, today’s weekend warrior is tomorrow’s MP75 World Champion.
Don Shinn got it right …
Follow his lead.
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