Students at the University of Idaho have found sunny sky bliss at the Frisbee-golf course located on the west end of campus. The course is free to use and enjoyed by many throughout the year.
steven devine | summer arg Eric Rosentreter take some time out of his day to throw a little disc at the University of Idaho "frolf" course. Frolf can be a fun way to slow down and relax during busy days while getting a little excersise and enjoying the outdoors.
Disc golf or frolf involves throwing specially designed flying discs into baskets or at targets. It is similar to golf in the sense that a disc golf course involves a series of targets.
The UI course is located on Poultry Hill near Sixth Street, Perimeter Drive, and Stadium Drive. Senior and avid frolfer, Ralph Mumm, said he wouldn’t need directions to the course.
“I’ve gone over thirty times,” Mumm said.
Junior David Weston said the course’s location is part of the fun of Frolf at Idaho.
“On any of the holes there is a great view, particularly on the tee of the fifth hole where you can see the rolling palouse hills,” Weston said.
There are numbered “holes” and just like regular golf, each player must try to achieve the lowest score and minimize the number of throws it takes to reach the target.
A frolf score is based on the number of throws required to complete one hole plus the number of penalty throws.
If a disc is entangled in a tree, it needs to be removed and the next throw must occur from a position directly under the entangled position.
Senior Alfredo Callistini said Moscow’s Frisbee-golf course offers great views of the Palouse and the U of I campus.
“I bring friends, a great attitude, and a trusty gold disc. I’d recommend some soft drinks to make the experience even more enjoyable,” Callistini said.
Serious frisbee-golfers have a different approach.
“I bring a set of discs that I’ve acquired over the years,” Mumm said.
If the disc gets thrown out of bounds a throw will be made three feet inside the boundary. The player also receives a one throw penalty.
Teeing off must be done from within the teeing area. A player can run from outside teeing area for the throw but at the time of the throw must be within the teeing area.
The position of the disc is marked after every throw with a mini disc and the player farthest from the hole throws first on each throw.
There are variations of discs for a range of motions on the course. The choice in Frisbee can be a vital piece to winning the game, as well as grip and footwork. Discs that are light and easy for the player to control are especially great for beginners, while the driver-type disc may be for the experienced frolfers.
Director of Intramural Sports Aaron Fealy said that beginning players should begin with one disc and as they progress invest in more equipment.
“All you need is your student ID to get a Frisbee from the student rec center for free,” Fealy said.
Tri-State, Big Five and Claude Sports are places in Moscow that have ranges of Frisbee equipment. For students looking to diversify the frisbee-golf experience on the Palouse, there is another course available in Pullman at Sunnyside Park.
“Each course has its own unique challenge,” Fealy said. “Whether it’s the distance or some type of obstacle in the way,”
Isla Brazzil can be reached at [email protected].