LSU students and people throughout theworld are throwing away their clubs, tees and Polo shirts in favorof a new outdoor activity. Frisbee golf, more commonly known asdisc golf, has been steadily growing in strength since the 1970sand has quickly become a popular diversion for many studentsseeking an alternative to the traditional 18 holes.
    Disc golfers can be found playing at thelocal Highland Road Park on Highland Road about 1/2 mile east ofSiegen Lane and in Greenwood Park behind the Baton Rouge Zoo. Thecourses are becoming increasingly crowded from both the regularplayers and the simply curious.
    ”Highland Road Park is always packedwith college kids,” said Meghan Andrews, who oversees disc golf forBREC, the East Baton Rouge Parish Park Commission. “We also haveyounger kids coming with their parents, and people in their fiftiesall competing at a high level. Really, anyone can play.”
    Both courses are free to the public andonly require the cost of the discs themselves, which are smallerthan the regular discs used in sports such as ultimate frisbee. Allof the necessary equipment can be purchased at the tennis centersof either park.
    College students usually just show upand play, Andrews said. BREC does hold informal tournaments on thefirst and third Sundays of each month, and a major tournament istentatively scheduled for mid-October.
    ”The sport has grown non-stop,” saidWill Timmons, professional disc golfer and president of the BatonRouge Disc Golf Association. “It’s very family-oriented and it’sfor young people, too. It’s pretty laid back — you get to walkaround and throw frisbees through trees.”
    The sport itself essentially follows therules of regular golf. Players attempt to sink their discs in thegoals with the least amount of throws. The goals are made of openmetal baskets raised by poles. Natural obstacles such as water,trees, and wind regularly come into play.
    The discs themselves vary in purpose,just as with clubs of regular golf. Long-range drivers, mid-rangedrivers and putters are specifically designed and weighted tomaximize performance.
    ”It’s just a relaxing time,” said JohnMichael Assad, a biological engineering junior. “It takes somephysical ability, but it’s a pretty easygoing sport. I consider itmore of a leisure activity.”
    For many disc golfers across thecountry, the sport is much more than that.
    ”We have about 8,000 current members,one-fourth of whom are professionals,” said Brian Hoeniger,executive director of the PDGA, the Professional Disc GolfAssociation, which is centered in Toronto, Canada. “The sport isgrowing by 10 to 12 percent every year and about 150 more coursesare being built every year. A fair amount of our demographic iscollege students.”
    Hoeniger cites the sport’s easyaccessibility and outdoor-feel as the main reasons for the sport’sgrowth. A long range driver, a mid-range driver and a putter canall be easily purchased for under 50 dollars.
    ”It’s low-cost and it’s a walk in thepark,” Hoeniger said.
    The PDGA regularly sanctions large cashtournaments and even posts rankings of the best professionals inthe world. Despite its growth, not many professionals make it afull-time career.
    ”I’d say there’s only about 25 or 30disc golf pros who play it for a living,” Timmons said. “I have towait tables Monday through Friday. Every other chance I get, I’mout their playing.”