Rattling Chains for Brain Injury Awareness

Last weekend, history was made. A members-only golf club in St. Thomas held a very special event, the first of its kind in the club’s 120 year history…Wait for it – disc golf. I could not pass up the opportunity to sponsor such a unique event!

The St. Thomas Golf and Country Club opened its doors to a different kind of golfer – one who uses flying discs and nets instead of clubs and tees.

Although it’s not a mainstream sport, disc golf has a dedicated following, with thousands of permanent courses worldwide and two in St. Thomas alone. A quick Google search tells me, disc golf began in the 1970s and has steadily grown in its popularity.

The two-day tournament was sanctioned by the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) – the international governing body that oversees the game. The weekend event brought in 70 plus disc golfers from across Canada and the US.

Organizers of the St. Thomas competition invited the public and sponsors to play a round on Friday, December 2. I sadly couldn’t gather up the courage to take part – because, well, I suck at ultimate frisbee. I played one season (very badly) which would make disc golf certainly far above my skill level. The game requires players to toss a disc from a tee area toward a target, an elevated metal basket. Players carry on making throws toward the basket from where the disc lands. Just like golf, the player who makes it to the target with the fewest number of throws wins – definitely not in my wheel house.

On Saturday and Sunday spectators had a chance to watch the pros take the field.

Money raised from the tournament went to support the Brain Injury Association of London and Region. It was amazing that so many people could come together to help showcase disc golf, promote brain injury awareness, and bring a great new event to the community.

Disc Golf Fun Facts

• Also called Frisbee Golf
• Established in 1970s
• Competitions governed by the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA)
• Nearly 31,000 active PDGA members
• Thousands of permanent disc golf courses worldwide
• Played in 30 plus countries
• Sport can be played year-round
  Source: PDGA