Phil Perkins • Photography

This post is written in response to Michele Lee’s What moves you (blog challenge). She’s an engaging, compelling author & lovely poetess from the Valley of the Sun, and I encourage readers to visit her site to learn more.

A frisbee dreams
Of summer flight
Tossed in the air
Both day and night

Time on the ground
Can never be
The same as spin
When flying free

To sail aloft
Upon the breeze
In open fields
Or through tall trees

Play catch alone
Or, with a friend
Have fun outdoors
On the weekend

© 2023 Phil Perkins

What started with a frisbee, long ago, now uses discs, instead – the sport of disc golf. It’s a very popular game, whether played as a leisure activity or competitively, and you can learn more about tournament play by visiting the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA).

There are many different discs available for different shots, whether driving from the tee pad, playing an approach shot or putting into the chains of a basket to complete the hole. Of course, the design characteristics inherent in any given disc also directly affect its flight.

Consider, for instance, a right-handed player throwing a typical backhand shot. When using overtsable plastic, the shot will always tend to finish to the left, or “hyzer”. Thrown slow, this left turn occurs immediately, whereas a more powerful throw causes the disc to hold the line (fly straight) further, before eventually succumbing to its stability and finishing left.

If such plastic were thrown using a rightward (“anhyzer”) angle, the disc would initially fly to the right, then flatten out before regaining its stability in flight, and eventually drift back to finish left. This sort of throw can be useful to navigate around trees in a fairway.

On the other hand, when a right-handed player throws an understable disc backhand, it tends to “flip” (turn to the right) and never comes back. This flight path can be effective in different circumstances, such as when throwing a backhand roller (on the ground) shot.

Of course, the aforementioned examples occur in reverse when considering a left-handed player, or if a right-handed player throws a disc using a forehand (sidearm) style.

And, in addition to backhand, forehand and roller throws, there are also skip shots, tomahawks, thumbers, grenades, and more, as well as different styles that players utilize when putting.

In summary, disc golf is an inexpensive & fun game which can be played at courses all around the world and enjoyed by people of all ages. Plus, it’s a good way to get some exercise while moving outdoors.

In this video, I’m throwing backhand with a midrange disc using the standard three-step footwork, and wearing this t-shirt which features one of my designs. It also appears as though I should have placed that plastic bag further away from the camera…lol