Disc golf comes to CAFB

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Chase Hedrick
  • 14th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  What are those strange metal pieces on poles across the street from the fitness center and Freedom Park?

The pieces, more commonly called "baskets" by those familiar with the sport disc golf, are part of a new course and new opportunity for Columbus Air Force Base families and friends to try something new.

Ten identical sets of differently sized and weighted discs can be picked up from the nearby Fitness Center by any Team BLAZE member looking to give disc golfing a try. Disc golf is played with rules similar to that of traditional golfing, but modified for throwing discs. Each basket is known as a hole and each hole has a par for the number of throws, or strokes made. The player with the least number of strokes is the winner.

The course, a long time project of the base, was coordinated by Alex Frickenstein, a Life Scout in the local Boy Scouts of America Troop 3, as a project to give something to his local community and work towards the highest rank in the scouting organization; Eagle Scout.

"As part of Col. Seguin's vision to focus on families, this is working on adding to part of that, it's going to give families a chance to have fun together and to help build relationships," said Alex Frickenstein.

Frickenstein coordinated with the 14th Civil Engineer Squadron in designing the course, gathering the needed equipment and preparing the land for the course's construction. Calling on fellow scouts from his troop, Frickenstein coordinated the efforts of 22 scouts and other adult scout mentors to move the course from an idea to a reality.

The course is open at all times, though lighting conditions may provide difficulty during some times of the day. The disc sets can be picked up from the fitness center Mon. through Thurs. from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., on Fri. from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sat. and Sun. from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.