BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO DISC GOLF IN WR

Disc golf is a rising alternative sport that is low-impact, cheap and beginner-friendly. Waterloo Region boasts beautiful courses, helpful retailers and a burgeoning community to help you along your journey out into the woods to clink baskets with plastic discs.

Getting started

The only gear needed are discs, which are different from traditional frisbees.

Local online retailer Big Disc Energy sells a wide variety of discs for all skill levels, including cheap starter sets. Additionally, any big store with a sports department or basic online retailer should be able to sell you a starter set.

The next item you should invest in is the free UDisc app. UDisc is a great resource for finding courses, keeping score during your rounds and tracking your progress over time.

For some courses in the region, using the app during your round is the best way to have any idea how to get from hole to hole.

In addition to its discovery and tracking features, UDisc also has an active blog and forum community that can help answer any questions you may have as you learn.

Montgomery Park Aceplace

Montgomery Park Aceplace course offers a short and forgiving but varied layout perfect for beginners or those looking to practice their game. Recently, the City of Kitchener put in new concrete tee pads, making the course even better for practicing long drives. Beware the bushes on hole five, they’re full of burs that will stick to your clothes!

Columbia Lake (UW) Disc Golf Course

Located on the University of Waterloo campus, Columbia Lake has some of the nicest views of any disc golf course in the region. Managed by the university, the course is free for UW students, but they charge $3 for a day pass to any non- students. Visit the UW recreation website or scan the QR codes on the course to purchase your pass before playing.

It is not uncommon to see ducks and other animals resting in the lake. Be sure to keep your eye out for the occasional turtle making its way across the first fairway.

Four Fathers Brewing Co. DGC

Sandwiched between Four Fathers Brewing Co. and the Mill Pond in north Cambridge, this course winds through wooded areas before wrapping up in front of the restaurant patio, inviting you in to celebrate a successful round.

Next steps

Now that you have successfully learned the basics of disc golf and have had some fun, it’s time to up your game. Two easy ways to do that are watching pros on the Disc Golf Network (DGN) and joining the Grand River Disc Golf Association (GRDGA).

DGN broadcasts live pro tournaments on their app and on YouTube. The GRDCA is a local association that hosts tournaments, builds community and operates the members-only course Rudy Woods. If you want to get involved and play more disc golf with likeminded people, the GRDCA is the place to be.

Overall, all you really need to be successful at disc golf is some interest, walking shoes and maybe some friends who are down to try it out.

#bigDiscEnergy #columbiaLake #community #discGoldCourse #discGolf #fourFathersBrewingCo #grandRiverDiscGolfAssociation #jacksonWells #kitchener #millPond #montgomeryParkAceplace #rudyWoods #waterloo #waterlooRegion

KITCHENER HOSTS INTERNATIONAL CALL OF DUTY COMPETITION

The world’s largest Call of Duty tournament took over the Aud from June 26-29, launching Kitchener into the esports spotlight. The Call of Duty League Championships wraps up the 2025 season, with the top eight teams battling through matches of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 with the hope of claiming a piece of the $2,000,000 prize pool.   

While the focus of the event is watching the best gameplay Call of Duty has to offer, there were also ample opportunities for attendees to engage in various activities. Covered over murals and signs of Kitchener Rangers legends were free Monster Energy booths, ghillie suit-clad mannequins, and a Movember barbershop. Rows and rows of top-of-the-line PCs lined the halls, giving visitors a chance to get a taste of high level gaming.   

Fans from across the world and the region poured into the venue.  

“This is my hometown, right? I live here, so I was happy to see it’s here,” Ethan Wing, a Kitchener-based Call of Duty fan, said. “Obviously, it’s tougher for a lot of fans to come out, but I think we got some decent turnout on Saturday and Sundays, so it’s pretty fun.”  

Additionally, the tournament was a boost to the Conestoga Condors esports program, who were advertising their upcoming Waterloo Campus Esports arena.   

The Condors’ Call of Duty team has seen particular success recently, with their varsity team qualifying for their first international tournament in May.  

Michael Wiggelaar, a Condors varsity Call of Duty team member, was excited to see such a large tournament with popular teams end up in Kitchener, giving him a chance to connect with some of his favourite professionals.   

“It’s definitely a big deal for the school as a whole. We hosted Optic Texas for a boot camp prior to the event, so I think it’s definitely getting some attention on our school[…]it’s a positive thing for sure,” Wiggelaar said.  

Going into the finals on Sunday, only Vancouver Surge and Optic Texas remained. Optic, the 2024 league champions who had previously defeated the Toronto Ultra in the tournament, were causing a buzz across the arena.  

“I want Surge to win. I think there’s a lot of Optic fans, which is awesome, but I’m cheering for the Canadian team. I want to see them take down Optic,” Wing said.   

“I’m definitely rooting for Optic. I’ve always been an Optic fan even since back in Call of Duty: Ghosts [released in 2013],” Wiggelaar said.  

Optic Texas entered the stadium to thunderous applause compared to the Vancouver Surge’s more tepid response. After eight grueling rounds of various game modes, Optic Texas defeated Vancouver Surge 5-3, becoming the first back-to-back champions in the Call of Duty League history.   

As fans poured out of the Aud after the four-day long tournament, it’s clear that there are opportunities for esports growth in the Waterloo region. After hosting a global tournament for one of the most popular video games and with a dedicated esports arena on the way, the region has the chance to become a leader in a fast-growing community. 

#Barbershop #blackOps6 #callOfDuty #callOfDutyFan #championships #cod #gameplay #Gaming #gamingLeague #hometown #jacksonWells #KitchenerRangers #league #Movember #prizePool #TheAud #tournament