court game

Spring in the Ozarks is far from the picturesque cliche of how we imagine the seasons changing- snow melting away to present beautiful tulips peaking through the frost. After six weeks of shorts and sandals one day to a winter coat and sleet attire the next, the weather is finally warming up to a sunny and 75 degrees. This means it’s time to bask in this beautiful weather by enjoying outdoor activities before the midwest heat and humidity chases us indoors for the latter summer months. 

If you’ve already explored all of the local trails, try your hand at disc golf, pickleball or spikeball. These sports are multiplayer activities which are inclusive to a wide range of ages and physical abilities. These sports require very little equipment to enjoy recreationally, but in the past decade leagues and tournaments have popped up at the local, state and national levels.

Disc Golf

Disc golf, also known as frisbee golf, follows the traditional scoring system of golf but switches out the putting green and hole for baskets scattered throughout the course. The metal baskets standing just shy of four and a half feet are typically planted near obstacles like waterways or trees to increase the difficulty– and fun. There are specialty discs to improve accuracy in the game such as distance drivers, fairway drivers, mid rangers and putters. If you aren’t keeping score, any ordinary frisbee will still suffice for game play. 

Branson has several disc golf parks which have baskets for beginners and advanced players. The Branson Trails Disc Golf Course is acclaimed as one of the top courses in the Midwest and features an 18 hole challenging course and nine beginner friendly holes. The course is open everyday from sunrise to sunset and costs 10 dollars a day or 40 dollars a year.

Branson Parks and Recreation has free nine hole courses at Eiserman and Sunset parks, and the level of difficulty is distinguished with a tee box for each level. 

Pickleball

Pickleball is a mashup of tennis, badminton and ping pong. The court game uses flat paddles and a wiffle ball mimicking a jumbo sized form of table tennis. The game is versatile and adaptable for the abilities of your players because it’s easier than other racquet sports and all ages and genders can play against one another. It’s also accessible in the Branson area.

Pickleball courts are available at Eiserman Park and Stockstill Park. The courts are free to use but players need to provide their own ball and racquet. 

Spikeball

A combination of volleyball and foursquare, spikeball gets the heart pumping but it’s a game changer for kickbacks or barbecues. The game is played with a small lacrosse sized ball and a net. Kick off your shoes, turn up the radio and find one other player to make a team with. Face off against another group of two, or if you have more than four players, play elimination style: the player to make a mistake is out! Spikeball sets range between 40 to 60 dollars.