CUI has a wide array of clubs and activities across the campus for students to get involved in, but not many know about the school’s growing Disc Golf Club. 

The sport of Disc Golf revolves heavily around the sport of actual golf, applying many similar rules. Players throw carefully-crafted discs with specific characteristics to fly in many different  ways, similar to the way  a driver, wedge, and putter would behave. The holes also have a set par count, encouraging players to shoot for the lowest stroke-count possible.

If you’re walking to class from Sigma to Grimm Hall or from Lower Quads to the Student Union, you’ve probably seen a disc or two whisk over your head or in front of you as the players were playing one of the 18 holes around campus. Starting at an original nine hole layout, president of the club, sophomore Preston Leptich played a big role in getting campus approval to set up more holes.  Leptich said, “It was only natural to have a club come with the course to host competitions for the students and staff.” As the club’s popularity continued to increase, the campus saw an opportunity to place an additional nine holes on campus to make an official 18 hole course.

This growth has promoted tournaments and new opportunities for players to get involved in the sport, and can be viewed on the club’s Instagram page (@cui_discgolf). The most recent tournament hosted by the club was the Sunset Classic that took place on January 27. The tournament was played with a card of seven players,  all varying in skill level and age. 

The player who won the Sunset Classic was freshman Brody Rezen. Rezen has played disc golf for a little over two years now, and won himself a Star Beast, a distance driver disc, in the tournament. Rezen said, “I love how accessible Disc Golf is. You can take it really seriously or just go out to have fun, and walk away from both scenarios feeling amazing.” 

Another regular player around campus has also found a great outlet from the sport. Sophomore Sam Schult got into disc dying his freshman year and has been doing regular dyes for all disc golfers around campus.. Disc dying has a similar process and outcome to what you would see when dying a shirt, with vibrant colors and designs available using different techniques. He started experimenting with the dyes and techniques behind disc golf dyes with his friend and fellow sophomore Julian Johnson. 

They created an Instagram page (@jammin_discs) where Schult and Johnson showcase the dyes they do for others or discs they buy and dye themselves to then resell to players. When asked about the growth in Johnson’s disc dying abilities, he said, “It’s been a really fun little side gig and from what we were doing freshman year it’s grown a lot.” Schult added, “JJ and I started messing around with some different types of dyes using shaving cream and glue and other things.” 

The Disc Golf Club is a widely available club and an affordable hobby for any student or faculty member to participate in. Accepting players of all skill levels and backgrounds, the club does not host any regular meetings, but you can always find members to play with in between classes or over the weekends. If interested, contact president Preston Leptich at preston.leptich@eagles.cui.edu or visit the club’s Instagram @cui_discgolf for more information.

 

Tags: clubs, community

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About Wilson McLean

Staff Writer

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