Disc Golf Comes to Okinawa!

Tired of sitting inside and wondering what to do with your weekend or want to unwind after a long day at work? Do you want something fun to do that’s not going to take a lot of prep time or travel or lugging tons of gear around? Well I have some good news! Disc golf (sometimes called Frisbee golf) has finally made its way to Okinawa. Kadena Air Base is now the proud owner of a 9-hole disc golf course, and the cost? It’s free! This course is the brainchild of MSgt Joseph F. Pasak III, USMC (retired) who decided he wanted to create something fun and free for service members and their families to enjoy.

So what, pray tell, is this disc golf thing? It’s a fun and challenging outdoor activity that is a bit like golf, but with a little less frustration and a lot less gear to haul around. According to Wikipedia, it is a flying disc game, as well as a precision and accuracy sport, in which individual players throw a flying disc at a target. The object of the game is to play the course from the first to the last target in the fewest number of throws of the disc.

The game can be played by anyone who can throw a disc and is a low-impact exercise. The only things required to play are focus, concentration, and patience – and of course you’ll need some discs to throw (it’s recommended that you have at least one of each of the three main types of golf discs - a driver, a mid range, and a putter). Some serious players have been known to carry as many as 20+ discs but if you are fairly new to the game or are just a casual player, 3 discs should be a good place to start.

There is actually another disc golf course in Okinawa, opened in 2011, called Nakijn Hibiscus Course. It is mostly flat and lightly wooded and has 9 holes. It’s located in the northwest part of the island in Nakijin (about 2 hours from Chatan). This small course is located in a sports complex and is only 100 Yen to play. From the people I’ve talked to it’s a nice small course that is great for working on your short game.

The new disc golf course on Kadena Air Base is behind the Kadena Risner gym and next to the Outdoor Recreation Center. For more details on the course search Okinawa Disc Golf on Facebook or go to: https://www.facebook.com/okinawadiscgolf