At FHC, football and basketball games take the fame, but tucked behind the crowds lies a sport many students have played but few talk about: disc golf.
Disc golf isn’t a new sport. It’s been around since the 1970s, growing alongside the more popular, traditional golf. But for many students at FHC, it’s still a mystery, something they’ve maybe tried once or never at all, yet it remains overlooked. Senior Drew Gordon is one of the few who have explored the sport and sees the potential it has at the high school level.
“I have played disc golf before, and the thing I like the most about it is you don’t have to be great at it to play well,” Drew said. “It’s fun and accessible, but it just doesn’t get the attention other sports do.”
That lack of attention comes down to a few key reasons. For one, disc golf doesn’t have the same budget. While golf courses are visible and at well-known country clubs, pouring money into the courses, disc golf courses are more scattered, tucked away in public parks or campgrounds, and not everyone knows where to find them.
“It’s looked at as a boring sport that takes up time that could be spent doing other things,” Drew said. “Also, it isn’t popular like golf courses because there aren’t nearly as many or as advertised.”
Senior Max Rinckey echoes the sentiment. To him, disc golf is about simplicity and connection, something to enjoy in nature, with friends, without the high pressure of paying so much just to have a bad round.
“I have played, it’s a fun game just to hang out and talk with friends,” Max said. “Not hard to learn either.”
Despite the laid-back nature of the sport, there’s a growing belief among students that disc golf deserves more of a spotlight. Drew sees value in building a space for disc golf at FHC, as many schools already have disc golf clubs or even their own courses.
“Starting a disc golf team or club would bring some attention to the sport at our school,” he said. “I might look into disc golf more if it were offered—preferably as a club sport, because having it as a normal sport might cut into other sports that I already do.”
For Max, the lack of visibility is what’s holding the sport back.
“There isn’t a club or team for it, and many people don’t know where or how to play,” he said. “But yeah, it’s cool.”
For some students, like junior Brady Storz, disc golf is more of a casual hobby, but that doesn’t take away from its appeal. In fact, it might be part of the appeal.
“Yes, I have played before,” Brady said. “I like that it’s like golf scoring and how you can improve with time.”
Unlike traditional golf, which can come with expensive fees and equipment costs, disc golf is typically free. Most courses are located in public parks, and a basic starter disc can cost around twenty dollars. That accessibility is one of Brady’s favorite things about it.
“It’s free to play and very accessible for people who don’t have that type of money to play real golf. Also, it is very fun,” he said.
But even with that accessibility, students agree that the sport hasn’t received the hype it deserves. Brady believes part of the reason disc golf remains in the shadows is simply because people haven’t been introduced to it in the right way.
“It’s a sport people haven’t heard about and maybe don’t know where to play,” he said.
With minimal barriers, a low-pressure environment, and the ability to improve over time, disc golf offers the best benefits. Disc golf also offers something different, a relaxed alternative to high-intensity and big commitment sports that many students are used to.
A potential disc golf club at FHC wouldn’t just give students a chance to experience the sport without the pressure of a scoreboard.
“It’s not the most fun by itself,” Max said, “but great to play with friends.”
In a school full of traditional sports, disc golf may not yet have a team, a coach, or a trophy case, but it does have potential. And that’s worth noticing.
As students like Drew, Max, and Brady suggest, maybe it’s time for FHC to give this hidden sport a real shot.
