Outdoor living – April 2026

When I Discovered Disc Golf

My friend Daria Hilton invited me to write about one of my outdoor passions. Here is my brief story about a sport that has recently become very popular in Chapala, both within the local community and among foreigners – and it is no surprise, since it is truly fun. Its name is disc golf (sometimes casually called Frisbee golf).

I was surprised to learn that the strange baskets that I began to notice in La Cristianía Park in Chapala back in 2014 were not trash cans, but rather baskets designed to “catch” a disc. Like traditional golf, the object is to complete the course in as few throws as possible, with three attempts per basket the general par. The 18-basket course at La Cristianía Park features platforms (tees) placed between about 250 feet to over 400 feet from the baskets.

It was a dear friend of mine, Will Van Sant, with whom I used to go mountain biking, who very kindly introduced me to flying disc games, both Ultimate and Disc Golf. Unfortunately, he later left the country to return to his beloved North Carolina, which he proudly claimed was the capital of disc golf.

All of this happened in March 2022. The following month I met some Mexicans who also knew the game: Isma, Fernanda, Poncho, and Choche. They taught me how to play and explained the rules. I didn’t understand them immediately, but I was fortunate to meet Santi González and Andrés Ivich in the park; Santi was in charge of the course at that time and introduced me to the disc golf community – many foreigners as well as Mexicans – and at that moment I realized that this game was for me. It is for everyone as well, since another person who took up this sport – an 80-year-old gentleman – showed me that there is no age limit to enjoy this game. It is wonderful to live, enjoy ourselves, and have fun together in the park, regardless of social status, color, race, age, gender, or nationality.

In addition to socializing, this sport, being like golf, offers the opportunity to walk through nature and enjoy this paradise, benefiting not only the body but also the mind. Even very young children can enjoy this sport. It doesn’t bother them if it takes 23 throws to get the disc from the tee to the basket. They enjoy the time outside and we as parents and guardians enjoy their delight. Therefore, I warmly invite you to come for a walk and play disc golf in this beautiful place next to Lake Chapala. If you don’t know how, the community will gladly explain it to you.

Editor’s note: You can download maps and directions for this course at the Professional Disc Golf Association’s website: www.pdga.com. For more information, contact Terry Vidal, the current Chapala Disc Golf Course Coordinator, at tqv56431@gmail.com.

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