Swoosh, “Fore!” Spending a relaxing day in the Hollow has become even more interesting thanks to an official Frisbee golf course that graces the campus these days.

Although hundreds of alumni may remember the unmarked course where trees, lightposts, the fountain and other campus landmarks served as “holes,” the new course, founded in 1999, has quickly become a favorite among students and alumni alike.

A combination of ultimate Frisbee and golf, the game now incorporates metal baskets as “holes” along a nine-hole course that stretches across the Hollow and around Myers Hall. Jason Williams ’00 and Charlie Giffin ’00 helped to establish the new course in an effort to reduce the chance of players crossing busy streets and of discs hitting parked vehicles. Like golf, Frisbee golf has a wide range of discs to serve every function imaginable from long range drivers to specialized ones made to curve left or right. The result at times was a cacophony of discs crashing into car tops, whizzing by unsuspecting students and skimming the streets.

First approached by Debbie Heida, dean of students and vice president for student development, Giffin and Williams gathered a group of avid Frisbee golf players to design the new course with respect to the old positions of the original unofficial course. That course began at the Phi Kappa Psi House on College Avenue and concluded at the DO NOT ENTER sign near Commencement Hollow.

Within three months, the design was approved, and the new course was put into place. On its opening day of play, hundreds stood in line to test it out, and every year, more and more students criss-cross the campus to take advantage of the course. Dayton and Columbus residents have even made the short trek to play.

“I know people whose college choice was influenced by Witt’s Frisbee golf course,” Kari Smith ’05 said.

Since its debut, a number of student organizations have also sponsored tournaments, many of which serve as fund-raisers. The Class of 2004, for example, decided to sell discs for its class fund-raiser. In the first three weeks of school, class members sold more than half of the discs.

It’s such a good thing to have on a college campus, Jeff Domingus ’04 said. With people so inclined to stay inside and play video games, the course offers a unique outdoor option that many people enjoy, he added.

Despite the new course’s popularity, the old one has not been forgotten by alumni. “Sometimes we still play the old course just for fun,” Brian Gratsch ’02 said. “Most of the younger students don’t know about it.”

Looking back, Williams and Giffin are impressed that the course is such a success. “It’s really neat to see something we did become so popular,” Williams said.
— Whitney Lehman '04