Earlier this summer, I was contacted by Yhashika, a representative for the Helen Rucker Center for Black Excellence at Cal State University Monterey Bay. She asked if School of Disc Golf could facilitate a disc golf experience for a few dozen teenagers— on a date less than two weeks away!
Even though we normally have much more time to prepare, and our corporate group rate is well beyond their budget, I said yes immediately. Of course I did.
I’m in the disc golf business, but the mission of disc golf can never be ignored. Everyone should know about golf’s unique combination of low-impact exercise, socializing, and personal challenge. More importantly, everyone should be made aware that a version of golf exists that fits into every budget and even the busiest schedules, where everyone is welcomed and treated equally.
Most people associated with our sport feel pretty much the same, which is another reason I agreed without hesitation to Yhashika’s request. I knew that I’d have no trouble rounding up volunteers, even given the short prep time.
The reason for the rush, by the way? The Center had received a last-minute grant to host a weeklong STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, math) camp on the CSUMB campus. If they could put the entire thing together on such short notice I figured I could manage one little disc golf event.
Guess what? I was right! Thanks to Innova ambassador Nick Kite each participant got to take home a brand-new golf disc, and they also marveled at the power and control of 16-year-old phenom and rising star Aviel Gome/z as he launched discs further than 400 feet with ease and consistently drilled 40-foot putts, despite his diminutive stature. I can easily imagine one or more of those kids getting into disc golf, and then recognizing Avi’s name years later and remembering that day in 2024.
We taught the middle and high schoolers some basics, played a fun game that combined putting with a relay race (thanks to Jay Reading of EDGE Disc Golf for the recommendations), and then played on one of CSUMB’s two on-campus courses.
To wrap it up, I set up a net and broke out my TECHDISC to give these STEAM campers something to discuss later, and the smart disc measures various elements of the physics of flight.
Back in 2015 when I was researching The Disc Golf Revolution, I had several conversations with the then-director of First Tee, an outreach program that exposes young people to golf and its many redeeming qualities and life lesson parallels. Since the main thrust of the program seemed to be exposing kids to golf who would otherwise not be due to economic reasons, I suggested that disc golf should be included in their program as it shares all of ball golf’s virtues. But unlike ball golf, disc golf would allow all these kids to enjoy golf after they exited the program.
She agreed but was certain the program’s board of directors, representatives of the World Golf Foundation, would see only another threat to the continued existence of traditional golf. I understood. Disc golf would not receive that particular boost to accelerate its steady rise driven by an undeniable appeal, sustainability, and unmatched accessibility.
And it has, thanks to people like those who answered my call without question. The Helen Rucker Center for Black Excellence is a great program doing extremely worthy things, and we hope to make next year’s disc golf day even better while introducing yet more young people to a sport many of them will benefit from for decades to come.
And someday soon disc golf’s ascent will be powered entirely by momentum, education, and buzz. When that happens, remember the volunteers who have kept the machine running for the past four decades.