Chad Hays can’t wait until spring – not just because he’s tired of winter.
He’s a member of the Ada Disc Golf Association. That means that he can’t wait until Tuesday night league starts at the ONU disc golf course.
Chad’s such a fanatic at the sport that he even has a practice basket in his back yard. And, has a “hole-in-one,” and a signed disc to prove it. “It was a 205-foot toss on number 18 at McComb,” he said.
He retired the disc after that game. “It’s in a shadow box and I’ll never play it again.”
“I’ve played disc golf for six years,” he said, admitting that he can’t get enough of the sport. Chad, like most disc golfers, seeks out a disc course when he travels. “I’ve played on courses in Florida, Memphis and Washington, D.C. My only carry-on on air flights is my golf bag.”
Ada’s course at ONU was created in 2005 as students began taking up the game. The Ada club expanded the course last year to 21 “hole” or baskets. Ada’s course includes a nice mix of ponds, straightaways and trees and is a par 3 course.
“The ponds on the Ada course are littered with discs,” he laughed, proving that it is a well-played course, but full of traps.
“Our course is almost three miles now that it has 21 baskets,” said Chad. “That takes about 2 and a half hours to play the entire course.”
Explaining the similarities to golf, Chad says different discs serve different purposes in the sport.
“There are drivers, mid-range and putters,” he says, explaining the different discs used in a game. Chad carries a bag of 12 discs when he plays, pulling a different disc from the bag depending upon the shot required.
Ada’s Tuesday night league begins when the time change to Daylight Saving Time takes effect. The Tuesday play includes doubles on a random draw. The league averages about 12 to 16 players each week.
The Ada club holds a Freedom Flight each summer on July 4th. It attracts between 60 and 90 players.
As disc golf grows in popularity, new courses continue to open. Surrounding Ada there are courses in Lima, McComb, Kenton, Bellefontaine, Findlay, Delphos and Marion, for example. Players include men and women. Ada’s player range in age from 10 to 70.
