SACAMENTO, CA (MPG) - In 2007, Josh Everett was invited to try a game called “disc golf.” He had time, so he thought why not. “I went out and did a 100-foot shot. It went in the basket, and that was it; I was hooked,” Everett said.

Sacramento is ranked the eighth-best place to play disc golf, according to Udisc.com. Its general appeal could be accessibility and affordability. “Things are expensive these days,” said Everett. “I like regular golf but prefer to spend less than $50 to get on the green. Disc golf costs nothing to walk on the course and play.”

Messenger Publishing Group spoke to Everett in Reichmuth Park on Gloria Drive, where there is a disc golf course. He rolled a cart filled with colorful discs that immediately caught the attention. He proudly showed off his collection. 

Discs come in various weights and are stamped in colorful foils and graphics. Players buy, sell and trade discs.  Although Everett is an avid player willing to invest in pricier accessories, anyone can buy used discs for $5 or less. Discs are available at local tournaments or at stores like Play It Again Sports. 

The terminology is interesting, too. Throws have names like hyzer, s-curve and flex shot. “Don’t nice me, bro,” is a funny term used by players who think complimenting their throw is bad luck. Check out the disc golf pro tour site for more lingo: www.dgpt.com. 

The game has reactivated several Sacramento parks. In Reichmuth, crime has significantly dropped since the disc golf course opened. Everett said, “I lived at an apartment complex right across the street from here before the course was installed. It wasn’t a nice place to go. I felt uncomfortable with my girlfriend coming here even during the day.”  

All that was seen were happy groups of people playing and enjoying the day with no obvious concerns. 

A new course at Chorley Park has also helped cut down criminal behavior. Since the activation of the disc golf course in June 2023, park ranger calls have dropped by 50%, according to the City of Sacramento. The working-class neighborhood surrounding the park is enjoying the positive results. 

Matt King, leader of the Chorley Park Neighborhood Association, spent years revitalizing the park: “There’s a playground and soccer field here. We have low-income families who were afraid to take their kids to play because of drug users and crime. There were fires set in the natural spaces all the time. It was so sad.” He smiled and said, “Between our collaboration with law enforcement and new park activities like our disc golf course, that’s all changed. Everyone loves coming here now!” King also said disc golfers helped keep a fire at bay in the park before the fire department arrived last July. That may have saved local homes adjacent to the park. 

Josh Everett doesn’t believe disc golf is the answer to stopping all illegal activity, but it is a deterrent. He said, “When you have a decent amount of people cycling through a property, it discourages drug use and crime.”

For him, it has been great for both his mental and social life. Everett said, “When depression and anxiety are at an all-time high, you’re out hearing the birds and the wind in the trees. It’s a mood booster. As you get older, making friends is harder; we become socially isolated. This a great way to meet people." 

As basket chains rattled and players laughed and talked, he explained how the sport is growing. Sacramento currently has six courses and fifteen local leagues, including the Cap City Flyers, Mackey Chain Wreckers and Chorley Goats. Everett plays with The Goldfish and joins random groups or plays solo.  

The game is trending with youth, too. Everett said, “Kids stop by and ask me, ‘What is this?’ We give them a disc, and they try it. The next time, we see them out playing, too.” Organizations like the Paul MacBeth Foundation are helping to build disc golf courses at schools and underserved communities.

The sport is considered “low impact” for park environments. Unlike a golf course, disc golf courses don’t require frequent watering and maintenance. Also, disc golfers help maintain the courses because it benefits them to do so.  The only drawback players experience is standing in line to get on a course. But that could be a good problem.  It means people are excited to play a new, fun outdoor activity in our parks. 

“It looks like there’s going to be more disc golf courses in Sacramento in the future,” Josh Everett told me as a chain rattled, and people cheered as another disc aced a basket.

If you are interested in learning more about disc golf, go to www.pdga.com, www.udisc.com, www.paulmcbethfoundation.org or www.flyingdiscmuseum.com