Raising Maine

It's kind of like frisbee. It's kind of like golf. And in my children's opinion, it's kind of like hiking. Disc golf has been around for quite a while and grows in popularity every year, yet we had never tried it. When a friend recommended it to us, we decided to give it a go.

We went to Enman Field in Brunswick, the closest disc golf course to us in southern Maine (though there has been some talk about the possibility of a course opening in the Portland area) and primed ourselves on the basics. The discs are smaller, heavier and flatter than a typical frisbee and there are a variety of specialized discs from which to choose for more experienced players - from putters to drivers. We asked the clubhouse staff for simple and were given an easy to control disc.

There are many ways to throw the disc and an experienced player demonstrated the most common throws for us: throwing the disc like a frisbee with your hand curled toward your wrist, snapping the disc forward without curling the wrist, and the "hammer throw," throwing the disc overhand.

We found a practice basket (disc golf's version of a hole) outside the clubhouse and practiced throwing the disc a few times. I hit my mark easily from five yards away and felt pretty good about my odds on the course. There are two 18-hole courses, covering 45 yards, at Enman Field, "The Beauty" and "The Beast." We chose the "Beauty" course, which was reportedly easier.

We stood on the tee for over a minute at the first hole trying to find the basket. Someone finally told us that you couldn't see it from where we were. Once we got further down the fairway, we'd see it, they assured us. I threw the disc like a frisbee and into a tree. It bounced right back to me and my kids had a good laugh. It took three throws down the fairway before I caught sight, in the far-off distance, of the basket. It was a long drive and I was way off par. My early confidence quickly evaporated.

The fairways were narrow with lots of trees to dodge to make a drive. We found ourselves trekking into the bushes or the stream to retrieve our discs (I was very glad they were neon colors). Because of the density of trees, the kids felt like we were on a hiking trail. In the spirit of spending time in the woods, my 6-year old collected sticks each time she retrieved her disc. She also pretended that the basket was a "jail" for her disc and at one point, her disc demanded release.

Though our goofs on the first couple of holes had us in stitches, my 6-year old had broke down and cried out of frustration after a while. She's small and not that strong, so the distance of the drives was too challenging. I suggested she carry her disc until she was closer to the basket and the modification kept her interested and happy through the rest of the course.

The people we encountered on the course were friendly and helpful with directing us to the next hole (the signage wasn't always obvious to us). Several times, even though we never felt we had to do it, we allowed people to skip ahead of us so they wouldn't have to wait for our slow-progressing drives. Players didn't rush us and we never felt bad about our lack of ability.

After the fourth hole, I realized that each hole marker had a map indicating the layout and shape of that hole. Up to that point, we had been driving our discs blindly down the fairway in hopes of catching sight of the basket. I had been too preoccupied with trying to throw my disc without hitting a tree to notice them. It also turned out that there was a course layout on the back of our score card. To be fair, my husband didn't notice either, so neither of us received points for observation skills that day.

When we got tired of the frisbee-type throw, we tried the hammer throw. It looked ridiculous when executed and didn't make the disc fly far, but it did send it rolling on the ground to cover a greater distance. Even if it lacked accuracy, it helped to get through the long drives.

I lost count of how many trees I hit, how many times my disc ended up in a stream and how often I spent just looking for my disc. I would have been more frustrated if I weren't laughing so hard at my inability to get even close to the basket in fewer than five throws. And people who know me and my children know that once we start laughing, you can hear us a mile away.

At the 12th hole, we decided to call it quits. My husband and I were tired, the kids' arms were sore (OK, mine were too), and we were drained from laughing. We wanted to come back and play again and I didn't want to turn the kids off of the game because they were too tired to enjoy it.

This is a serious sport to a number of people around the country and there are players at Enman Field that compete, but don't let that intimidate you. Give disc golf a try with your kids. Whether you've played the game before or not, it's a great way to enjoy the outdoors with your family and get some great exercise. If you're anything like us, your stomach muscles will get a workout laughing about your day on the green.