As you’ve probably guessed, I really hate hills. Unfortunately, living in the shadows of the Blue Ridge Mountains means I don’t get much say in the matter. While my conditioning is slowly improving, my knees are not quite as enthusiastic about the progress. On flat ground, I can hold my own—but once the terrain starts tilting, my knees start negotiating an early exit.

Enough complaining—let’s talk disc golf.

1. Game improvement

This week, I made a conscious effort to improve my game, starting with practice. Between rounds, I’ve been heading to a local park to work on my throwing. I spend the first 15 minutes focusing purely on distance—just trying to let it rip—and then shift gears to accuracy for another 15 minutes. The park has turned out to be a perfect setup. There’s a youth soccer field that makes it easy to gauge distance, and the goal itself doubles as an accuracy target. The posts are a bit wider than I’d like, but they still do the job—and if I hit the net, that’s one less long walk to retrieve a disc.

2. Continued Research.

Alongside practice, I’ve been doing a bit of research. That’s becoming an ongoing process. I’ve watched a few videos on different throwing techniques and started looking into exercises that might help strengthen my form. Whether any of it pays off remains to be seen, but it feels like a step in the right direction.

3. Although cheap, it is not free.

It’s not usually the course fees that add up—most places are free, and even when there’s a donation box or small charge, it’s minimal. The real damage happens in the disc shop. Individual discs aren’t that expensive, but it’s incredibly easy to justify grabbing “just one more” and suddenly you’ve spent over $50 without thinking twice. And once you start looking at all the extra gear available, it’s clear how quickly the costs can climb.

Course overview

This week’s outing took us to Falling Creek Park—and I’ll say it again: I hate hills.

At first glance, this course feels approachable. The open fairways give the impression that it’s going to be an easy round, but that’s a bit of a trap. The elevation changes add a layer of difficulty that sneaks up on you and can really test your endurance and shot control.

One of the standout features is the dual basket placements. Having both shorter and longer options is a big plus, making the course accessible for newer players while still offering a solid challenge for more experienced ones.

Overall, I had a great time. The course is well maintained and easy to follow for the most part. Signage is generally solid, though there are a couple of rough spots—hole 15 is missing a sign entirely, and the one on 17 looks like it lost a fight with a lawn mower.

Despite those minor issues, it’s a fun, deceptively challenging course that’s worth playing.

Conclusion

There’s something funny about disc golf—your body can feel wrecked at the end, but you’re already thinking about the next round anyway. That mix of challenge, time outdoors, and small improvements keeps me coming back.

And honestly, your score isn’t always the best measure of progress. Cleaner releases, better control, smarter shot choices—those are the signs of improvement, even if the numbers haven’t caught up yet. The fact that I’m getting consistent reps and paying attention to my technique is giving me confidence that the next round will better .