Frolf. Yes, it sounds silly, and is quite the conjunction of mediums. It’s sometimes called Frisbee-golfing or Disk Golf. Not something that conjures up traditional images of plaid-wearing Floridians with carts. Nope, this past-time should instead fill your mind with college students flinging weighted disks into chain-clad baskets. This isn’t just a game though, it’s a real sport in Alaska. We have some of the nicest Frolf courses on the west coast (in my opinion). Small town parks are now being fitted with low cost and locally made baskets. Typically, this sport is much easier than traditional golf, as it requires little ‘form’ to get the basic idea down.
This is a sport that is suitable for all ages, and every course I could find in the state of Alaska is free. Their respective Parks and Recreation departments or local volunteers maintain most, if not all of the courses. This is a very community oriented sport, and users of the courses follow the old mantra of leaving the area nicer than when you came. The general rules of Disk Golf are similar to regular golf. Each hole has a par, and an appropriate scoring table. While most parks I researched didn’t have a scoring table or a par number, some did. The parks I play at in Eagle River (listed below) are 18-hole courses, but we generally guess on the par of each hole. We play for fun, not for competition. Due to weather concerns, the courses are closed in winter. If you plan on getting out and meeting some locals this summer on your Alaska Vacation, you’re sure to have a good time at these courses.
Here are all the courses I could find in Alaska:
Anchorage
Kincaid Park –18- holes, Free
Hanshew Middle School- Free, open on weekends only when school is in session (school ends in Anchorage May 20)
Service High School- Same as Hanshew
Russian Jack Springs- Free, 18-holes
Eagle River
Schroeder/End Street Park- 18 holes, free
Gruening Middle School- Same hours as Hanshew and Service
Peters Creek Park- Free, dog-park so watch your disks
Wasilla/ Mat-Su
Alcantra park- Under Development, Free, 9 holes
Kenai
Kenai Eagle Park- Free
Homer
Moose Pretzel
Seward
Seward Town Park- Free
Fairbanks
Birch Hill- Free, 18 holes
Juneau- Douglass
Cope Park- Free
Aant’iyeik Park- Free, ADA accessible
Thanks to the Alaska Disk Golf Association for helping with the list.