Disc golf as a casual afternoon fad has been around since the 1960s, but its popularity has risen in the Tuscaloosa area for the past few years.

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The Tuscaloosa Parks and Recreation Authority leaped into the disc golf world a few years ago. Now it has three courses in Tuscaloosa, with a possible fourth being developed soon.

“We are excited about the use that all three of our courses get on a daily basis,” Gary Minor, executive director of PARA, said. “We have noticed that many more people are using the courses around town, and we might need another course sooner rather than later.”

Disc golf is similar to regular golf. The object of the game is to get the disc in the basket in the least number of throws. There are many different discs to throw, varying in size and weight. Sokol Park, Ol’ Colony and Palmoore Park all have public disc golf courses which range in distance, size and even basket placement. Dalton Dismuke, a sophomore at Shelton State Community College, said he loves to play any time he can.

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“Disc golf is pretty fun. It takes some getting used to at first, but once you get the hang of it, it can be fun,” Dismuke said. “It is just as frustrating as regular golf sometimes, but the good days you have make up for all the bad ones.”

Dismuke, who lived in Birmingham before coming to Tuscaloosa, said he noticed the disc golf community is growing there, as well. He said there were many courses in Birmingham to play, all of them ranging in size and difficulty.

Zach McCall, a freshman at The University of Alabama, often plays at the courses in Tuscaloosa, which he said he enjoys.

“Disc golf is a really fun sport that challenges you and makes you think,” McCall said. “You have to think and strategize, just like you would in any other sport, and that is what originally drew me to it.”

Minor said PARA is hoping to recruit a big name in the disc golf world, course designer John Houck, who could put Tuscaloosa’s disc golf courses on the map.

Houck is a legendary disc golf course designer who has been in the disc golf community since the ’80s. He said Houck has created some of the most fun and challenging courses all over North America. More than 80 courses have been built under his watch, and PARA executives hope he will bring his design and expertise to Tuscaloosa.

“It would be great to get Houck here to help us. He has the background and knowledge we need to help possibly build the new course and to add to the old ones,” Minor said. “With his help, we could get Tuscaloosa on the map in the disc golf world.”

Bringing in Houck carries a large price tag, though. PARA and Tuscaloosa would have to collectively put forth about $65,000 to hire Houck and to build the courses. Minor said he feels it would be money well spent.

“Our courses are great right now, but getting Houck here would make it that much better,” Minor said.

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