Is it Disc Golf or Frisbee Golf? Either Way, It’s Free Family Fun.
We hear you! It’s the end of the school year and your kids are getting restless. We’ve all been stuck inside too long and could use a little change of scenery, but within a budget.
You want an inexpensive, yet enjoyable activity that your whole family will want to do. Maybe even something that will also get your kids moving and outdoors?
You might think your wish is unrealistic, but as my family recently discovered, Disc Golf (or Frisbee Golf) is the perfect solution for your wallet and boredom woes!
Reason One: Disc golf is inexpensive.
Reason Two: The whole family can participate.
Reason Three: You can disc golf while maintaining a safe social distance.
To make it simple for your family to take on this activity, here are a few things we learned as first-time Disc/Frisbee Golf players.
You’ll need one or more Disc — Visit a local Disc Golf shop or purchase from an online retailer. Local shops often sell used discs for under $10. Or, in our case, we borrowed some from a friend!
Grab sunscreen, bug spray, and a water bottle.
Closed-toe shoes are a great idea too for the walking/running.
What are the General Rules to Frisbee Golf aka Disc Golf?
How do you play Disc Golf? Disc/Frisbee Golf is played like traditional golf (or as I explained it to my kids to make it more relatable, it’s similar to playing mini-golf).
Instead of a golf ball, players using a flying disc and aim for a basket. Each hole has a par that matches the hole’s difficulty.
The player with the lowest total points wins.
You “tee off” from the designated area. The course we played had a posted map so you knew where to start.
From there, you take turns throwing the disc based on who is farthest from the target.
You throw from where your disc lies until you’re able to complete the hole by getting your disc into the basket or chains of the target.
For more detailed rules of play, check out the Disc Golf Association website.
Where to Play Disc/Frisbee Golf Around Lansing
Many parks, schools, and churches in Lansing have disc golf courses for the public to use. Read our list below for some great local options, or visit DG Course Review and The Disc Golf Scene for even more ideas.
| Fitzgerald Park 100 Fitzgerald Park Dr, Grand Ledge Word on the street is that this course is a Lansing favorite. This year-round Disc Golf Course might be the perfect place for you if you’re looking for a combination of both field and forested play. This is also a great course if you’re up for a challenge. Vehicle entry fees apply year-round. |
| Grand Woods Park 4500 W Willow Hwy, Lansing This course is well known for a reason – it’s both fun AND beautiful! The course follows the Grand River throughout the family-oriented Grand Woods Park. |
| Kramer- Ruthruff Disc Golf Course at Granger Meadows Park/Valley Farms Park 1090 E Wieland Rd, Lansing Another epic course is woven throughout the grounds of Granger Meadows Park and Valley Farms Park. Your family will love the scenery as much as the nine-hole course itself. |
| Burchfield Park 881 Grovenburg Rd, Holt This beautiful park offers great beginner and advanced disc golfers and two different courses, Renegades Trail and Rivers Edge, and more than one way to play. |
| Great Lakes Christian College 6211 W. Willow Hwy, Lansing This is a great course for families and beginners with its wide-open fields and spaces. |
| Slater Park 2700 Mark Ave, Lansing (in the Groesbeck neighborhood) Slater Park has one disc golf goal which is a great starting point before you head out to an 18-hole course. |
| Sleepy Hollow State Park 7835 E. Price Road, Laingsburg “The Legend Disc Golf Course” boasts 18 holes, is open all year, and was built in 2009 on former farm and pasture land. |
To find more Disc Golf courses or one close to you, check out DG Course Review or The Disc Golf Scene.
While my 6-year-old proved to be better disc throwers than me, our entire family had an awesome time trying Disc Golf for the first time and the kids are already asking to go back to the park for another round — probably just so they can beat mom again!