Disc Golf Courses in and Around Portland

In the past decade, disc golf courses have been popping up in Maine almost as frequently as new Dunkin Donuts. This sport has been around since the seventies but has only recently taken our state by storm. Whether you’re an amateur or a pro, disc golf is a relaxing and fun game with courses that showcase the best of Maine’s scenic outdoors. With the snow gone and spring officially here, take a few hours out of your week, grab some friends, and check out the many disc golf courses in the Portland area.

Pleasant Hill Disc Golf, Scarborough

Change is inevitable, and the McLaughlin family certainly knows how to roll with the changes time brings. Over fifty years ago, the family converted their 43-acre farmland into a thriving golf course. In 2007, they sensed a new trend in the world of sports, and they renovated their golf course into a beautiful 18-hole disc golf course. The best part is that they allow dogs, so you and your furry friend can toss a disc together.

The many obstacles on this course are perfect for practicing technical shots. Like a regular golf course, Pleasant Hill has water obstacles, and if your disc falls in the pond, DO NOT go in after it. This is Pleasant Hill Disc Golf’s Golden Rule, and they reserve the right to ban you from their course if it is violated. They hire a professional diver three times a year to retrieve discs, and they are more than happy to return your lost items free of charge.

Riverside Drive DGC, Biddeford

This disc golf course was funded, planned, and built by the people of Biddeford. Unlike tossing a frisbee back and forth in your yard, disc golf is a sport that requires a lot of skill and calculations. This 9-hole course is ideal for beginning and intermediate players who want to refine their skills. The forest provides many natural obstacles, and the frequent elevation changes are perfect for practicing uphill and downhill throwing.

Riverside Drive DGC is located in the woods and offers plenty of shade. Depending on the time of year, the area can become muddy and buggy, so plan ahead and pack proper footwear and bug spray. This course is also one of the few that remain open throughout the winter.

How Did Disc Golf Begin?

Back in the 1940s, Frederick Morrison noticed students at Yale tossing something strange and shiny to each other on campus. They were empty pie tins from the local Frisbie Baking Company and stamped with the bakery’s name on the back. Frederick created a plastic version of the pans and named his “invention” the flying saucer. After a decade of successfully selling his toy at fairs and expos, he brought it to Wham-O Manufacturing in 1957. They loved the idea but ditched the name Frederick had chosen and instead went with the name we all know today, Frisbee.

Versions of disc golf existed ever since the first Frisbee was sold. However, it was “Steady” Ed Headrick, an employee of Wham-O, who is credited with being the father of the sport. He patented the disc pole hole, the basket-like “hole” that is the player’s target. To increase sales of their Frisbees, Wham-O sponsored a citywide Frisbee golf tournament in Newport Beach, California. Since then, the sport has spread across the country.

-Written by Stacy Oswald & Photo by Sean Benesh