Got Frolf?

If you want to unwind in our terse political climate and take advantage of beautiful fall Saturdays thanks to Global Warming, why not try some Frolf in Prospect Park? This is home to NYC's only Frisbee-golf (Frolf) course (http://prospectparkdiscgolf.org/).

As an urban Brooklyn boy with a country heart, I relish the chance to kick off my shoes and feel the grass between my toes. So, with makeshift map in hand and beers in a bag, I journeyed with two Frolf buddies into the park's Nethermead in search of the orange dots and red tape that marked the course.



I don't know who the hell designed this idyllic Minotaur's maze, but all the trees look the same. Unless you pack a pair of military binoculars with your Frisbee, there's no way you're spotting the right brown stalk to shoot at in the distance. My favorite description of an orifice ever: "orient yourself towards the woods; this hole is marked by two orange bricks submerged in the ground."

As the afternoon wore on, it didn't matter that we had to re-work the course as we went; whizzing bright orange discs around pedestrian heads was too much fun. Less cool was correcting good Samaritans trying to return our toys, lest they screw up the game. As in golf, Frolf requires players to re-launch their flying objects from exactly where they lie.

Once while retrieving an errant throw, I disturbed a couple rolling gaily in the grass. I approached gingerly, curious to watch the energetic female on top. She dismounted, and flung back her long curly hair only to reveal lady lover number two underneath. Still smiling at this gift from the Frolf Gods, I went on to make the next hole in one triumphant arc.

In the end, my game faltered and I lost by three aggravating strokes in typical Happy Gilmore fashion, but the bag of beers was empty and my stress was gone. I definitely have some work to do before my next outing, but if you want to spend your own intoxicating day on the Frolf links with a few friends, check out http://www.discgolfdirectory.com/ to find a course near you.



-Jake Englander