RURAL HALL, N.C. — Finding joy in discs and chains isn’t for everyone, but it is for 59-year-old Dave Tackett. Retired now, he’s been playing for about 12 years and originally just got into it because of the exercise.

 

        What You Need to Know

  • Fifty-nine-year-old Dave Tackett is an avid disc golfer
  • 50+ disc golf has seen a huge increase in popularity
  • The Triad has one of the most vibrant disc golf communities in the state  

 

“A friend invited me to come play,” Tackett said. “I’d been running around a track to stay in shape, and this is much more fun.”

It’s much more fun when you win, and Tackett is pretty good at winning. On Aug. 8, he won the Horizons Park Championship for the 50-plus division.

“It’s a great feeling, it’s about the only competition I get anymore,” he said with a smile. “I get a little bit of a buzz off it for a day or two if it’s a big tournament or I beat someone I especially want to.”

Tackett isn’t alone in his love for the game. The professional disc golf association (PDGA) signed up 27,000 new members last year. A large chunk of that was those 50 and older, who saw a 27% jump in membership.

“Seniors golf has really picked up, of course with the advent of COVID,” Tackett said. “With just with the extra exercise people are looking for, maybe with working at home and having some free time.”

The Triad has one of the most vibrant disc golf communities in the state of North Carolina.

“We have a ton of public courses, we have 15 or 20 private courses, lot of them are good,” Tackett said. “Not too bad of traffic issues, it’s real kind of nice to get around, people are friendly. It’s hard to do better than that.”

People are friendly … and competitive. As Tackett said, a little trash talk is good for the soul.

“When you put your drive this close [to the basket], let baby taste some chains, let your driver get used to going in the basket,” he said as he tossed his driver in.

And Tackett's driver is very used to going in the basket.

If you’re interested in disc golf in the Triad area, no matter what level, reach out to either the Triad Disc Golf Club or the Oak Hollow Disc Golf Club on Facebook.