By Michael Laches – Photos by Tim Moore
“Steady” Ed Headrick is widely regarded as the Father of Disc Golf. In 1966, he invented the Frisbee (i.e., while employed at Wham-O). Nine years later, Headrick invented the disc golf pole hole. With these two key components, disc golf was, for all intents and purposes, born.
Locally, there is a passionate person who, like a doting father, has helped the Triangle disc golf community grow, expand and improve. He has been instrumental in enhancing the quality and quantity of disc golf courses and activities for all.
As such, when one is writing a story about disc golf in Holly Springs, all fairways lead to that person—Jay Pontier. Apart from being the president and founding member of the Capital Area Disc League (CADL; more on that below), Pontier boasts a lengthy list of credentials, accomplishments and activities related to his undeniable passion for disc golf and the disc golf community in the Triangle. Among them:
Professional Disc Golf Association (www.pdga.com) member and course designer
Tournament director of over 100 sanctioned and unsanctioned disc golf events
Conductor of 15 disc golf family clinics, summer camps, and event booths per year
As if this wasn’t enough, Pontier is an Adjunct Professor at Meredith College and teaches Intro to Disc Golf-PED 127A Department of Nutrition, Health and Human Performance. He is also a veteran of the United States Army (Airborne).
Pontier founded the CADL in early 2008 and noted that its mantra is “Volunteer, Build, Throw & Win.” He shared that the CADL evangelizes disc golf as an enjoyable, challenging, and environmentally responsible sport suitable for participants of all ages and as a lifetime fitness activity. If these weren’t enough of a reason to give it a try, disc golf is free.
The CADL’s success is grounded in their development of strong partnerships with local parks and recreation departments across the Triangle. It is no surprise that the Town of Holly Springs is among them.
Holly Springs’ flagship (and only) disc golf course can be found at Jones Park which is located behind Holly Springs Elementary School at 405 School Days Lane. This course, which was designed by Pontier himself, features 19 holes and has both advanced and beginner level tee pads to ensure players of all skill levels can enjoy.
Pontier has conducted myriad clinics at Jones Park with attendees running the gamut from local Boy Scout troops to a wide and varied cross section of the Holly Springs community (i.e., families). Pontier also shared that the road to completing the Jones Park course was anything but smooth.
“We had a land issue that slowed us down for a couple of years. However, Holly Springs Parks & Recreation and CADL worked together and generated a completion plan and executed the plan flawlessly in the past two years.”
And, while this local Holly Springs course is relatively young, there are some noteworthy achievements to point out including that the Jones Park course has been the venue for the Body Armor State Games Disc Golf Championship and that several world champion disc golfers have played at Jones Park including Elaine King, Jeremy Koling, and David Wiggins Jr.
Speaking of being a champion, Pontier is working with Holly Springs Parks & Recreation to develop additional disc golf amenities all across Holly Springs.
Equipped with the knowledge of a well-designed and maintained course right here in Holly Springs, I thought it a good idea to ask Pontier for tips and advice he would share with the burgeoning player. Pontier was careful to note that his top five beginner tips came from Discmania’s website (www.discmania.net).
Learn the Basics
By learning the basics and building on these elements of your game, you will progress as a disc golfer. The disc golf throwing motion is an athletic movement that combines proper stance alignment, posture and balance. You use your entire body to throw the disc—not just the arm. Keep it simple, limit unnecessary body movements and concentrate more on control and accuracy than distance.
Disc Release
Focus on keeping the disc flat and low. Always remember, flat and low. Concentrate on keeping the disc level to the ground, and the same height throughout the entire throwing motion. Take a few warm-up arm swings to determine your release point and do everything possible to keep that disc on the same level plane.
Practice, Practice, Practice
When starting disc golf, there should be no expectations and you should just go out there to play and have fun. As your play evolves and your passion grows, you will start to look for ways to improve your game. The consensus of the broader disc golf community is that you will need to dedicate yourself to a substantial amount of practice time in an open field, off the course. By throwing lots of open field discs you will refine your technique and learn the flight characteristics of your discs. Be patient with the learning process as it takes time but is very rewarding. Frustration is a frequent part of the learning curve; however, a return to basics and with ample practice, you’ll get there.
Play with Experienced Players
In addition to lots of practice, one of the best ways to become a better player is to play with better players. Once you are comfortable with your own game it’s good to see how you compare to other players who have been playing longer and are more experienced than you.
Equipment
The right equipment always helps and this is especially true when first starting out. Pontier recommends new players use a putter, a midrange and as he puts it, “an understandable driver.” The putter and the midrange will help you develop your release, understand throwing angles and ultimately develop control so you can graduate to throwing your driver for distance with accuracy and control.
Like any sport, disc golf has rules you’ll need to know and these can be found here www.discgolf.com. The consensus among players, though, is that the most important rule is the Golden Rule of disc golf which demands that you:
Behave the right way, don’t waste time needlessly, and don’t bring the group down with anger, and you’ll be quickly accepted and invited to join them again.
Also, from the newly indoctrinated to the seasoned pro, you will want to download the widely used U Disc app. It is a bounty of information and tools and includes a Course Locator, Score Card, Rule Book, Improvement Tracker and a means to Measure Shot Distances, to name just a few.
So, for now, in Holly Springs, the Jones Park course stands alone. But, because Jay Pontier never stands still, Holly Springs is in good hands, steady, in control and poised to go the distance.
