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Disc golf at Lake Tahoe an affordable option while waiting to hike, swim

Bill Rozak | brozak@tahoedailytribune.com
The Zephyr Cove Disc Golf Course features great views of Lake Tahoe and surrounding mountains.
Bill Rozak / Tahoe Daily Tribune

“In Search of …” a television show from my youth and basically how I live my life.

I’m not trying to figure out unsolved mysteries and unexplainable things, rather, I’m always in search of things to do.

There’s a ton of snow in the mountains and the water in Lake Tahoe is damn cold.



My girlfriend doesn’t ski, resort or backcountry, nor does she swim.

So, in search of finding something we can do together in the outdoors, we discovered disc golf.



We’re in our second year, and we’re horrible but we love it.

It’s an inexpensive way to spend time outside (and a lot safer if I don’t happen to be on the course) compared to rock climbing, biking, kayaking or playing the traditional game of golf.

We visited the course at Zephyr Cove last weekend late in the morning and were greeted by hardly a soul.

There was a tournament going on, but I didn’t see more than a dozen people.

That was good, I could let the discs fly without worrying about manslaughter.

I can ski a bit, but what a rookie I am with a disc in my hands.

Anybody not standing directly behind me is in danger of taking a plastic sphere right to the throat.

A great example was my tee shot off the most spectacular hole on the course.

The long, downhill hole features a great view of Lake Tahoe with Mount Tallac in the background.

I really wanted to send a tee shot as glorious as the view. I stood at the back of the rubber mat then launched forward with aggression, my face likely a twisted snarl.

I took three steps while twisting my body and cocking my right arm. I planted my right foot and unleashed Hell.

Right away, I knew that I held on for too long.

Before I could lift my head to follow my shot, “Thunk!”

I threw it about 90 degrees to my right and directly into a pine tree about 15 feet away.

I plan to get better.

Disc golf can be played by anyone and is essentially the same as the traditional game, except your flinging discs at an elevated basket rather than swinging clubs and putting for a hole.

Discs can be purchased at most sporting goods stores. My first pack was a set of three for $30.

There are several courses surrounding Lake Tahoe, including three on the South Shore (Zephyr, Bijou and Kirkwood) and four on the North Shore (Incline Village, Squaw Valley, Tahoe Vista and Truckee Regional Park).

At Zephyr Cove and Kirkwood, hiking is part of the game. Both courses are filled with elevation changes.

Zephyr Cove is covered in manzanita making pants a smart choice or come home with some scratches.

Kirkwood features wildflowers in June and July.

Bijou Disc Golf Course has 27 holes filled with trees but is mostly flat and located in the Al Tahoe neighborhood.

The Incline Village Disc Golf Course, also known as the North Tahoe Lions Club Disc Golf Course, has 18 holes with little elevation gain.

Don’t forget to bring food, sunscreen, beverages of choice and be sure to pack out any trash.

For information on rules and directions to courses, visit http://www.PDGA.com.


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