Want to try Disc Golf? There’s a course near Ottawa that’s free to play. The Ferguson Forest Centre is home to the Kemptville Disc Club and a three-season disc golf course. Located in Kemptville, Ont., about 45 minutes south of Ottawa, the course offers an 18-basket course set over 22 acres, according to North Grenville tourism. “This sport is for everyone,” says Dwayne Dowdell, president of the Kemptville Disc Golf Club. What is Disc Golf? Think of it like Golf, but played with a flying disc. “It’s played a lot, like traditional golf in that you try to get your discs into these metal baskets in the least amount of throws possible,” says Dowdell. “The sport is increasingly more popular these days.” The course offers wide open areas, gentle slopes, obstacles and even a wooded area. “I get to throw really, really far if I really want to. Or we have the wood parts where I have to thread the needle through a bunch of trees and hopefully I don’t hit one,” Tetsuro Ide tells CTV News Ottawa. The course is free play according to Dowdell, but he says you will need a few things to get you going. “All you need is, a pair of running shoes, trail shoes, and $25, $30 to spend on a disc, and you’re in.” Dowdell says discs can be purchased at online retailers or places like your local Canadian Tire. According to North Grenville tourism, if you are a member of the North Grenville Public library, you can borrow disc sets. “I think the barrier to entry for disc golf, I know it’s a lot lower than golf,” says Peggy Anderson. “I just kind of picked it up one day; and, even days that you throw bad, you’re still out for a good walk.” Anderson says she enjoys the sports and meeting people. “Enjoy good weather. Go for a walk. Meet, hang out with people,” she says. You can also join leagues for a small fee, including a doubles league that plays Thursday evenings. “The cool thing is you’ll have a real beginner and someone who’s played for a long time on the same team, and you will take shots from both,” says Max Noë. “We hold, weekly leagues here. We have junior tournaments here every year. We have a women’s global women’s event here every year. And in particular this year. What’s really special for us is we have the Ontario Provincial Championships coming here in September,” says Dowdell.
