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Bucks Disc Golf Alliance supports local food pantries

by Karen Sangillo

The Bucks County Disc Golf Alliance held the 20th annual Tyler Ice Bowl, its yearly charity event, on February 11th at Tyler State Park.  This year it was a food drive supporting Aiding Our Neighbors and the Community Baptist Church of Yardley. 

Eighty-one players and 10 volunteers braved the elements for the event. The temperature at tee time was 41 degrees. There was no precipitation or snow on the ground, but it was still very cold. 

“I am routinely overwhelmed by the generosity of our members and this year was no exception,” said Guy Dela Rosa, the event chair. “We raised $2,500, the most in our Ice Bowl history, and collected 1,798 pounds of food, a jump of 50% over last year, for Aiding Our Neighbors food pantry.”

One of the highlights this year was the return of the BCDGA’s beloved hot dog sundae.

“It’s our club’s traditional post-Ice Bowl meal,” Dela Rosa said. “Mashed potatoes and a hot dog covered with chili and all the fixin’s.”

Disc golf is played with the same principles as golf, but with a flying disc or Frisbee instead of a ball and clubs. The golf disc is thrown from a tee to a target, which is the hole.  The hole can be any number of disc targets.

There are a variety of targets, the most common of which is called a Pole Hole, which is an elevated metal basket. As a player moves down the fairway, he or she must make their next shot from the spot where the previous throw landed.

The goal is to land the disc in the basket to complete the hole.   Like golf, the object is to complete a hole in the fewest number of throws. 

Trees, shrubs and terrain changes located in and around the fairways provide challenging obstacles for the golfer.  Disc golf is typically played in public parks and can be enjoyed by people of all ages, male and female.

It is a good lifetime fitness sport and allows for people with special needs, giving them the opportunity to participate in a mainstream activity.  It is very easy to learn and allows players to match their pace to their capabilities. 

With many people seeking recreational activities in an effort to improve their health and quality of life, disc golf is a good choice. It provides upper and lower body conditioning, aerobic exercise and promotes a combination of physical and mental abilities with very little risk of physical injury. 

Concentration skills are improved by mastering shots and negotiating obstacles. Players with limited fitness levels can start slowly and gradually increase the level of play as fitness improves. 

A round typically takes one to two hours and may be played alone or with a group and is played year-round, rain or snow. One of its greatest attributes is the lack of expense.

A professional quality disc costs approximately $10, and only one is needed for basic play. Many city parks already have disc golf courses set up and most are free to play.

Disc golfers who don’t have a permanent facility in their area can create their own courses in nearby parks or green spaces. Much like regular golf, disc golf is played in beautiful settings. A nine-hole disc golf course can be established in as little as five acres of land, and a championship-caliber 18-hole course on 30-40 acres.

Disc golf can coexist with existing park facilities and activity areas. The ideal location combines wooded and open terrains and a variety of topographical features. 

The Bucks County Disc Golf Alliance offers opportunities to play in leagues. For more information visit their website at bcdga.com.

PHOTO CAP: Dave Harm, of Morrisville, displays his Frisbee form.

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