Golf is one of the world’s most popular sports, but have you ever heard of disc golf? Instead of hitting a ball into a hole, the game involves throwing a concave plastic disc into a series of metal baskets located on an outdoor course. The game is cheap, fun, and ideal for adults and kids to play together. It’s also incredibly exciting. The Disc Golf world was shaken on August 22 when Caleb Hall, who plays at the Boulders Course at North Cove Disc Golf Club in North Carolina, aced the club’s 611-foot, Par 4, Hole 14. The shot was so impressive that it made ESPN’s Sportscenter Top 10 Plays.
A Record Breaker?
According to Hall, his shot is the longest that has ever been featured on a video recording. Thus far, his claim hasn’t been disputed, nor has its impact. Usually, players can throw a driver over 500 feet, but to ace a basket from around 600 feet is unheard-of. A typical portable disc golf chain basket or fixed basket can barely be seen from that distance. Baskets can measure as little as 26×26 inches or as tall as 55×24, but they have a fairly slim contraction that can make them difficult to distinguish from the surrounding foliage, even on a sunny day. Hall’s shot was filled with mojo and was described as “Absolutely ridiculous” and “Insane” by Hall’s Instagram followers. You can watch his feat for yourself on his Instagram channel, @c.hall14. To achieve it, Hall used a driver—the fastest-flying, sharpest disc, and the one that requires the most skill to throw. There are two other discs that players use—putters (which look and feel like a frisbee and which fly at a slower speed) and mid-ranges (whose edges are slightly sharper than those of putters, offering more speed and distance). Mid-putters are usually chosen to teach the sport.
What Makes a Great Disc Golf Player?
Most people cite a good aim and a powerful throw as key elements of a good disc golf player, but there are many more elements involved, many of which are mental. Qualities such as consistency, discipline, and commitment are vital. So, too, is high self-esteem, since when you first try disc golf, it may be difficult to make a shot even from just a few feet. Disc golf is known for requiring a particularly high level of practice if one wishes to play at a high level. Finally, patience is required, since an otherwise perfect throw can be ruined by a small twig that diverts that disc into a tree or foliage, or that causes to miss a shot by a couple of inches.
Disc golfer, Caleb Hall, has done plenty to raise the popularity of his favorite sport. His shot seems to be no less than a record breaker, and he’s got the video to prove it! It is testimony to a supreme work ethic, hours of practice, and true love for this novel game.
