Story and Photos by Rob Taylor
Days consumed by sunshine and lightly scattered clouds have become the days that many Mars Hill students live for. It is not because of football, baseball, or even lacrosse. It is because of a vision brought here by Business Instructor Ryan Pickens one year ago - disc golf.
It has quickly become popular not only among Mars Hill students, but also with much of the Western North Carolina community. Disc Golf has been so successful that Mars Hill can now host its own weekly doubles tournament with cash prizes for the top duo. A disc golf glass (PE 327) has even been added to the courses that a student can take for credit. In its first semester, the class has been so successful that the local bookstore's disc sales have multiplied dramatically.
Nathan Galloway, a student in the class is one of many bitten by the disc golf bug. "I really enjoy the class. Pickens is a great teacher, and it helps that he is on the verge of becoming a pro. I always look forward to the two-hour class from 2-4 every Wednesday because it is a great way for me to unwind after going to class all morning. If you want an easy "A" and something fun at the same time, taking disc golf would be a good idea."
As the semester winds down, the buzz about disc golf continues to wind up. Many students who have friends in the class are already planning to take Picken's course as soon as they can.
Galloway's friend and fraternity brother Matt Davis now frequently finds himself on Mars Hill's disc golf course. "I didn't expect it to catch on like it did," says Davis. "I never thought much of the sport or class because I had never really heard of disc golf. After seeing how much Nate and others enjoy playing, I decided that I would go out and give it a try. After I played the first time I was hooked. I'm already planning to sign up for the class next semester or as soon as it is offered again."
Every Wednesday beginning at 4 PM, Mars Hill hosts a tournament that includes a five-dollar entry fee. Players are randomly paired with another person with whom they will split the money, should they win. Each team of two plays captain's choice, or best disc, and the lowest scoring pair takes home the prize money. Mars Hill Students are encouraged to come out and play because the more people that play, the bigger the prize pool, the bigger the prize pool, the more people will come out and play.
Nathan Galloway comments on the weekly tournaments, "I feel that if you are free from 4-7 on Wednesdays, playing in this tournament would be a good way to spend that time. The prize money is usually forty bucks split between two people. I would like to someday see that prize money be one hundred dollars or more. It is not just students coming out to play in the tournaments, but people from all over Western North Carolina."
Not only does Mars Hill boast one of the newest courses to the WNC region, but one of the toughest. Some holes have spaces between trees no wider than a doorway where you must throw your disc. The use of mandos, or mandatory route markers, plays a large part in making Mars Hill's disc golf course difficult.
Should you find free time on a sunny afternoon here at Mars Hill College, turning off the TV and finding your way onto the disc golf course may not be a bad idea. Ryan Pickens along with many others have provided us with a tremendous start to a sport gaining rapid popularity.