The birth of a sport
Jesus Arce, Staff Writer
Amid the rolling hills, lush green parks and the landscapes of Greenville, a quiet revolution is brewing. Away from the noise of conventional sports, a community is growing rapidly.
Bringing people of all ages and backgrounds together in a sport that, for many, is a way of life. Disc golf, a unique fusion of athletics and recreation, is taking hold as an exciting pastime among North Greenville University students.
Disc golf is a sport that combines elements of traditional golf with the sensation of throwing a frisbee. Unlike golf, players seek to complete a course with as few throws as possible, using specialized discs instead of clubs and balls.
North Greenville has not lagged in the construction of a disc golf course, which has generated a new activity for students. It is slowly growing in popularity. Brett Plyler, student ministry coordinator, oversees the course.
Plyler has been in charge of making sure that the course is in optimal condition to play, and that the students know about its existence in order to make this sport more popular. Here are his words on the subject:
“It’s a great permanent recreational activity that stays on campus. It’s open from dawn to dusk. Students can go out to play in the morning, in the afternoon or in the evening. It’s a sport that’s nationally recognized,” Plyler said.
But it hasn’t always been a recognized sport among students, and in Plyler’s words, it wasn’t until three years ago that interest really took off.
“We started building and planning strategically in 2020. When COVID hit, students weren’t allowed to really do anything unless it was outside. What does it look like for us to have something that’s available? For students, while we’re in quarantine, they could go out and experience nature,” Plyler said.
Despite being an opportunity for students to have fun during the pandemic, Plyler used this opportunity to play with non-believers. Which not only allowed him to get to know these people better but was also a great opportunity to share the gospel.
“The main reason I wanted to build it is because I would go and play disc golf with nonbelievers. The beautiful thing is, they are with me for 18 holes straight. During that time, I was able to get to know them better. Ultimately able to share the gospel with them,” Plyler said.
This project continues to grow, according to Plyler, disc golf has never had as many players as it does now. Here at NGU, athletes from different teams come to play and hang out. Teams like lacrosse, volleyball and golf find this course very attractive.
That hasn’t stopped people from outside the university from coming to enjoy the disc golf course. Plyler describes how people from North Carolina come to campus just to populate the course and have fun with different types of people.
“I encourage everybody to go to the disc golf course. Check it out. Even if you don’t play it and you just walk it you just get to see what other students are doing. I think it’s a unique opportunity to see students connecting with one another in nature and enjoying God’s creation,” Plyler said.
