Giving Disc Golf in Hampton a Shot

 Disc golf is the perfect hobby for a number of reasons, according to Steve Huling and Jeff Winters. It gets you outdoors. It helps you get your steps in. It doesn’t require loads of experience. And, most importantly, it’s a great way to spend time with family and friends.

This is exactly why Huling and Winters have been working so hard to revamp the disc golf course at East Park.

Winters, who’s competed in nearly 30 tournaments over the last three years, said he’s used Hampton’s course hundreds of times, and while he thinks it’s a great asset for the community, he believes they could draw a lot more people to it if it were bigger and easier to play.

Huling, who’s also enjoyed playing disc golf at East Park for the last several years, and Winters have teamed up to expand the course. They recently received permission from City Council to expand the course by adding nine more concrete platforms. Currently, the course is made up of nine baskets and nine concrete platforms, better known as “teepads.”

According to these two, the baskets have all been moved to new locations to take the creek (and weeds) out of play so that people can play nine more holes. They will also soon have temporary signs at each hole that will tell how long the hole is and what the par is.  

The Hampton Rotary Club, who paid for the installment of the golf course twenty years ago, has agreed to help out with the expansion fees.

Both Huling and Winters agree that expanding the course could not only bring more visitors to Hampton, but it could encourage more locals to get outdoors and moving. Huling said he hopes to see the same success they’ve seen with the pickle ball courts at the disc golf course someday.

Some tips from Huling and Winters:

1. Opt for a lightweight disc if you're a beginner, with a speed rating of 1-5. The heavier discs are for the more advanced players.

2. Start out with one or two discs. That's all you need to play. You can then build your collection.

3. Don't overthink it and just give it a try. This hobby is perfect for people of all ages. If you have questions about how to play, contact Huling at hulingsteve@gmail.com.

“Once you try it, it’s addictive,” Huling said.