SYDNEY, N.S. — If you’ve never heard of disc golf, Benjamin Smith says you’re likely not alone.

The owner of Flickline Disc Golf has devoted many years to the sport and has helped with the growth of the game across North America, especially in Canada and more recently in Atlantic Canada.

“We figure we’re at about eight per cent exposure rate in Atlantic Canada right now, so only about eight per cent of people have played or are familiar with playing,” said Smith.

“People travel from all over to play events and it’s just a great time. The events are geared more towards the amateur and professional players – it’s really in line with other high-end sports like you’ve seen.”

In recent years, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Smith has been part of several projects in all four Atlantic provinces in which disc golf courses have been built – Cape Breton is no different.

Currently, three disc golf courses are in operation in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality including Rotary Park and Cape Breton University, both in Sydney, as well as one in New Waterford.

While the pandemic has played havoc on many sports, Smith said disc golf has seen a significant increase in participation since March 2020, given the fact the game is an individual sport.

In the first year of the pandemic, the sport saw a 330 per cent growth in 2020. Meanwhile, the game continued to grow in 2021 with a 130 per cent increase, both in the overall sport.

“It’s been an easy sell,” he said. “We’re almost at five times the growth of what we had pre-pandemic numbers and there’s a lot of reasons to point to that. Overall, I would say the biggest factor is because it’s really fun and it’s really…