HANCEVILLE – Cullman’s Disc Golf club is set to host the first sanctioned tournament at Wallace State Community College’s disc golf course this weekend.
Ninety competitors are registered for the event, which begins Saturday at 8:30 a.m. The field features Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) pros and amateurs from the Cullman, Birmingham, Jasper and Tuscaloosa areas.
“This is going to be an exciting tournament. Wallace State’s course is the longest layout in the state and one of the longest in the Southeast. It’s a very challenging course that should test the maximum skill level of everyone,” said former Wallace State student Luke Ray, who is among the Cullman Disc Golf Club members and aided in the development of the course. “It’s going to be nice to finally be able to get out there and show it off.”
Wallace State is the only community college in the state to have a disc golf course on its campus. The course, which was constructed late last year, begins near the back of campus and winds around to the Library and baseball stadium. While the course has been deemed difficult, it also features amateur tees that provide shorter opportunities.
The four clubs made up from Cullman, Birmingham, Jasper and Tuscaloosa each host a quarterly event, sanctioned by the PDGA. Saturday’s stop at Wallace State is the third club challenge on their docket.
Ray said the Cullman club, which consists of approximately 150 members, is fortunate because it now has three courses to consider home. The group utilizes the course at Heritage Park in Cullman and spearheaded a course in Fairview before the new one was orchestrated at Wallace State.
“We view the Heritage Park course as a great beginner’s course. It’s straightforward. The Fairview course is a good medium with a little more length to it. The Wallace State layout is one of the best designed courses in Alabama and definitely tests your ability,” said Ray, who transferred to UAH from Wallace State.
They Cullman Disc Golf club conducts its only weekly tournaments in addition to competing in the quarterly events with other nearby clubs.
According to the PDGA website, disc golf is played much like traditional golf. Instead of a ball and clubs, however, players use a flying disc, or Frisbee. The sport was formalized in the 1970s, and shares with “ball golf” the object of completing each hole in the fewest strokes (or, in the case of disc golf, fewest throws). A golf disc is thrown from a tee area to a target which is the “hole.”
“I believe disc golf has become popular because it’s an available sport. Anybody can play. It’s by no means strenuous and it’s relatively cheap to pursue,” Ray said. “Our club has children as young as 10 or 11 years old or people a lot older who are in their 50s.”
Saturday’s field includes competitors in the advanced, advanced master, intermediate, recreational, novice and recreational women categories.
Wallace State’s disc golf course is open to the public.
For more information about Wallace State, visit wallacestate.edu.
