The sports department of the town of Saint-Affrique in the South of Aveyron organizes an introduction to disc golf, a little-known discipline.
On the lawn of the Gravière, funny blue installations stand, surrounded by concentrated children. These are the baskets of disc golf, a discipline originating in the United States, which tends to develop timidly in France. “1, 2, 3, roll!” exclaims one of the workshop supervisors.
Frisbees rocket across the field, but none hit their target. “Disc golf is like golf, in that you follow a course, but instead of throwing a golf ball with a club, the player throws a disc or Frisbee in a kind of basket,” says Mathis Delort, student in animation and management of physical, sports and cultural activities.
As part of the summer activities offered by the town hall’s sports department, Mathis Delort and Emma Cinquabre offer an introduction to this unusual discipline. To become familiar with discus throwing, the eight children first apply themselves to trying to fit a Frisbee inside these baskets, not without difficulty: “Aiming with a thin and light disc, with the light wind today, it’s more complicated than you think!”
A growing sport
If disc golf does not appeal to everyone, this discipline has been attracting more and more players in recent years. Departmental, regional and national competitions are organized. In June, the Ruthenian club Youltima organized a round of the Disc Golf Occitanie Tour competition in Sauveterre-de-Rouergue, won by professional player Adrien Pontieux. For the 2022-2023 season, the French championships will be held on April 22 and 23 in Seine-et-Marne. So, get your Frisbees!
Free access trails
If, visibly, disc golf does not have much to do with golf, it nevertheless follows the same rules, hence its name. For this initiation aimed at young people, the sports department uses removable fabric and plastic baskets to create and recreate courses.
In the regulations, the baskets are metallic and surmounted by a crown of chains intended to stop the disc arriving between the basket and the crown. Experienced players usually place themselves at around 75 meters, but young Saint-Affricains first practice at less than 10 meters.
With just over 100,000 licensed players worldwide, disc golf is becoming more democratic. Disc golf courses are more and more numerous in French parks, as is the case in Rodez or Sauveterre-de-Rouergue. Fixed courses, which include between 6 and 18 holes. Just get there with a disc or a frisbee and enjoy the facilities for free.
It’s a real sport. Disc golf works the arms, shoulders, and leg muscles
In total, France has 22 disc golf clubs and competitions are regularly held in France. “It’s a real sport, recognizes Emma Cinquabre. Disc golf works the arms, shoulders, and leg muscles. A sport accessible to all, regardless of age and sporting level. For the moment, there is not yet a fixed route with free access to Saint-Affrique. The closest is in Saint-Rome-de-Tarn, at the Ludigolfparc.
The town hall’s sports department offers various sports activities every day of the week for children aged 9 to 16. Trail, rifle shooting, disc golf, tennis… There is something for everyone: “It allows Saint-Affricain clubs to recruit licensees at the start of the school year and children to (re) discover sports.”
