Chilly temps matter little to disc golfers at Columbus Ice Bowl
Pulling his arm back to take his second shot at a par-3 hole on the disc golf course at Hoover Reservoir Park, 10-year-old Luke Bowman almost slipped on the ice-covered grass.
Still, his disc ended up less than 6 feet from the cage — an easy putt to claim par.
His older brother Charlie, 13, complained the cold was affecting his grip on the colorful discs he swapped in and out from the more than a dozen in his large backpack. But he, too, was able to make a nice putt to salvage par.
Read more: From wrestling to gymnastics, 8 Columbus sporting events coming this winter
For the Bowman brothers of Reynoldsburg, the chilly temperatures Saturday morning — which were in the teens when they began their round of disc golf — mattered little. Same with the ice and snow on the ground.
“We don’t care about the cold, we care about playing,” Luke said emphatically.
That was pretty much the mantra shared by the other 130 or so participants, which also included the boys’ father, Eli, at the Brent Hambrick Memorial Disc Golf Course for the 31st annual Columbus Ice Bowl.
“There’s not a lot going on this time of year, so if there’s a tournament going on, we’re there,” said Eli Bowman, 39.
That’s precisely what makes this annual event — part of a national winter series sanctioned by the Professional Disc Golf Association — so popular, said organizer Kristy Moore.
The tournament also serves as a fundraiser for the Mid-Ohio Foodbank.
Read more: Wanna go sledding in Columbus? Here are 15 of the best locations
Moore, who is president of the local club Columbus Flyers, said that this year’s field might just be the biggest one yet, especially given the rise in the sport since the beginning of the pandemic.
Prior to 2020, membership to the Flyers hovered around 100 to 120, she said. At the beginning of this year, the local group of disc golfers boasted more than 200 members, and Moore expects this to grow to close to 300 in the warmer months.
“Disc golf has blown up since COVID,” said Moore, 39, of Clintonville. “It’s a great outdoor activity, and you’re not indoors with people. And like golf, people play in groups of four, usually with family or close friends. You don’t share equipment — you bring your own.”
Plus, it naturally allows people to socially distance because the courses are expansive and parks large.
Indeed, Jason Ehizokhale began playing disc golf again because of the pandemic.
The 33-year-old had thrown some discs in college and played a round or two here and there over the years, but when the coronavirus shut everything down, he became an avid player.
“I was looking for something to pass the time,” said the Victorian Village resident as he waited for his turn at the Ice Bowl. “Then, I found my old Frisbees in an old box.”
For him, disc golf turned out to be the ideal pursuit to pick up during the pandemic, and it’s been one he’s been thrilled to continue.
“It forces you to live in the moment,” Ehizokhale said. “With everything going on in the world, this allows you to put things on pause and just throw some Frisbees.”
He, too, wasn’t letting the wintry weather bother him too much, although he admitted it was harder to focus in the cold and the discs are less pliable in the chillier temperatures.
Besides providing an opportunity to play with fellow disc golfers, this event has added appeal as it is sanctioned with scores counting toward a player’s ranking, Moore said. Many winter tournaments are more informal and nonsanctioned.
For Maureen Miller, disc golf is a year-round sport.
“I just have lots of layers on and handwarmers in my mittens,” said Miller, 62, of Canal Winchester.
However, she was quick to add that she does have to remove her mittens to throw because she can’t grip it with her hands covered. A tight grip is required for a successful throw, she said.
“I play all winter long — we all do,” said Miller, a 20-year veteran of the sport. “I would’ve liked to have played a little later in the afternoon, though.”
Denise Woda, a member of Miller’s grouping of four women, said dressing for the elements in layers affects arm movements some, but making a few adjustments for bundling up is better than freezing.
Plus, the 42-year-old Westerville resident said her spirit was warmed simply by the camaraderie she felt throughout the day.
“These ladies are amazing,” Woda said. “It’s just great to be together for the first outing of the year.”
@AllisonWard
