Latest news with #discGolf
RNZ News
04-07-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Kiwi disc golf exponents face world's best on Finnish fairways
Michelle Simpson took up disc golf during Covid lockdown, after an extensive background in ultimate. Photo: Supplied Kiwi disc golf exponent Michelle Simpson seems somewhat surprised to be taking on some of the niche sport's biggest names at the PDGA World Championships in Finland later this month. The event is recognised as one of the four major tournaments in the discipline, which sees competitors trying to throw into metal cages around a course, much like their golfing counterparts. The lingo is the same, the venues are often the same and the anguish is very much the same. Simpson took up the game during Covid lockdown, after an extensive background in the team sport of ultimate frisbee, and admits she feels lucky to be included in such elite company. "It's like being invited to the Masters at Augusta," she told Checkpoint. "This year, they decided to be a bit more inclusive. "I wouldn't normally have qualified, but they decided to invite some of the smaller countries that might not usually get there, and they invited the top female and top male." Simpson and Francis Orange will make up the Kiwi contingent at the cities of Tampere and Nokia, and are currently fundraising for the campaign . "It's really nice and the first time they're holding the championships outside [North America], so I think the Finnish like to be inclusive." The sport is still some way off Olympic inclusion, but commands a small, fanatical following around the world, with more than 100,000 members of the Professional Disc Golf Association and more than 15,000 registered courses. "We very much follow the golf theme," Simpson said. "We often wear the polo shirts at tournaments like golfers and sometimes we play on golf courses, which are trying to make more money and get funding coming through. "They even make us take our hats off when we come into the clubrooms. You have the same anguish as well, when you miss." Disc golfers also carry a bag of frisbees, each designed for a different purpose, just like golf clubs. "That's where all the disc manufacturers make so much money," she said. "They all look the same, but they're slightly thicker, some turn to the left, some turn to the right… 'putters' are slightly different to the others." Also like golf, the game is big business. Estonian Kristin Lätt - the world's top female - reportedly signed a US$1 million deal for four years, with a stable sponsors that includes Porsche and tournament earnings of about US$100,000 a year. She has seven major titles to her name and became the first woman to achieve a Grand Slam of all four majors in 2023. "It's crazy," Simpson said. "There's so many fringe sports around the world that have a very small amount of people, but a very dedicated amount of people and they can make a decent living." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
The Sun
24-06-2025
- The Sun
Four cheap ways to explore woodlands & keep kids entertained this summer
HEAD to your local forest for fun activities that won't put a dent in your bank balance. Woodlands are great for exploring, especially when you need some shade from the sun. Here are a few ideas to try . . . DISC GOLF: In this game, players throw frisbee-style discs at fixed targets and whoever finishes the woodland course with the fewest tries wins. It's a great way to get a bit of competitive fun going between family and friends. Forestry England runs courses across several sites. It is free to play if you have your own discs or you can hire one disc for £3.50 or four for £12. FOREST BATHING: Help manage stress by taking in the natural world with all your senses. Just go for a wander in your local wooded area, paying attention to all the sights, sounds and smells, rather than listening to music or using your phone. Touch tree trunks and plants and focus on breathing slowly and deeply. Studies have shown that two hours spent mindfully in a forest can reduce blood pressure, lower stress levels and improve concentration. Forest bathing is increasing in popularity, according to the National Trust. Kate Middleton shows off her muscles as she splits wood on Denmark forest school visit to encourage kids to get outside ON YOUR BIKE: There are more than 1,500 miles of cycling trails including family-friendly routes across the nation's forests. Without the worry of cars, using your bike off-road can be more relaxing than cycling through cities or towns — especially with younger children. Search for different cycling areas online at You can also look up routes using the Strava app. NATURE SPOTTER: Wildlife is buzzing at this time of year while plants are blooming. Get kids involved in the surroundings with some crayons and paper to make rubbings from bark or leaves. And the National Trust has a free outdoor activity sheet for kids to find new discoveries. Download it at All prices on page correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability. 7 Deal of the day GIVE yourself a summer beauty lift with the Ready Set Glow beauty box, £19.99. The bundle features goodies worth £99.99 including self-tan, hair oil, body lotion and nail polish. SAVE: £80 Cheap treat TUCK into moreish Butterkist cookies and cream flavour popcorn, £2, from Morrisons. Top swap PERFECT for soft sunny days, this pinstripe midi dress, right, is £95 from Nobody's Child (nobodys Or Primark has a similar style for just £18. Shop & save CREATE some extra storage with this fun wall shelf, available in apricot or white. It's down from £35 to £17.50 at Dunelm. Hot right now SHOW off your special keepsakes in style thanks to half-price box frames at Hobbycraft. PLAY NOW TO WIN £200 7 JOIN thousands of readers taking part in The Sun Raffle. Every month we're giving away £100 to 250 lucky readers - whether you're saving up or just in need of some extra cash, The Sun could have you covered. Every Sun Savers code entered equals one Raffle ticket.
The Sun
11-06-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Disc golf match interrupted as hammerhead SHARK falls from sky half-a-mile away from ocean
A DISC golf game was put to a halt after a SHARK fell from the sky. A bird recently dropped a hammerhead shark onto a disc golf course in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. 4 4 4 On May 18, disc golf games were taking place on Splinter City Disc Golf Course in South Carolina. However, a small dead hammerhead shark crashed down near the 11th hole of the wooded course. It turned out that an osprey bird flying over Myrtle Beach dropped the shark. Myrtle Beach is about half a mile away from the Atlantic Ocean. The unusual event was witnessed by Jonathan Marlowe, who recalled the moment of the tiny hammerhead falling while he was playing disc golf. "It's not uncommon to see an osprey carrying something, but you take note because it's really cool to see," Marlowe told Garden & Gun magazine. "I thought it would be a random fish." The fish turned out to be a small, deceased hammerhead shark. Marlowe said the bird dropped the shark after being accosted by a couple of crows in a tree. The shark was easily identifiable due to its distinctive, wide, T-shaped head. US Open release incredible video of army of lawnmowers to tackle rough as stars brand conditions 'unplayable' Marlowe was with friends during the sequence as the group left the shark under the tree in case the osprey wanted to retrieve it. However, Marlowe was informed later that day that the shark was still there, after another disc golfer who had noticed it commented on his Facebook post, recalling the situation. Myrtle Beach's Disc Golf Facebook page revealed that the course tends to get visits from snakes, raccoons, and alligators. However, it's safe to say that seeing a shark on the property, which opened in 2020, is a first and likely won't happen again. "We couldn't believe it and kept asking ourselves, 'did that really just happen?'" Marlowe said. 4 It appeared to be a baby hammerhead shark. Hammerhead sharks can reach up to 20 feet in length and weigh over 1,000 pounds. They typically live for 20-30 years. There are 10 known species of the hammerhead shark. It's not known which species fell from the sky in Myrtle Beach. But it's not unusual for hammerheads to swim in the South Carolina waters. Georgia.
Daily Mail
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Real-life Sharknado! Man is left baffled after a hammerhead shark falls from the SKY onto a golf course
As everyday perils go, there are plenty of ways to get hurt. From tripping up on a pavement to giving yourself a paper cut, there are countless accidents waiting to happen. A shark falling from the sky likely isn't at the top of your list of things to look out for. But – in scenes reminiscent of the film Sharknado – that's exactly what occurred at a disc golf course in South Carolina. Remarkable photographs show a hammerhead shark after it plummeted from the heavens and landed at the Splinter City Disc Golf Course in Myrtle Beach. The unusual event took place on May 18 near the 11th hole of the wooded course near the ocean. 'We couldn't believe it and kept asking ourselves, "Did that really just happen?" Jonathan Marlowe, who witnessed the event, told Garden & Gun magazine. But rather than a tornado picking up the shark and dropping it from the sky – as depicted in the film – there is a slightly more logical explanation for the unusual incident. While it is possible for waterspouts to suck up fish from the sea, in this instance an osprey was the culprit. The bird of prey, known for being an excellent aquatic hunter, regularly dives into water from a significant height to catch fish with their sharp talons. This one however, seems to have picked up a small hammerhead by mistake. It's likely the osprey carried the shark at least half a mile (800 metres) from the ocean before losing its grip. Mr Marlowe said he saw two crows chasing the osprey into a tree, where it dropped the hammerhead onto the ground below. 'It's not uncommon to see an osprey carrying something, but you take note because it's still really cool to see,' he said. 'I thought it would be a random fish.' Experts say this 'mobbing' behaviour from crows isn't unusual, especially in the springtime, when the smaller birds team up for safety to chase potential predators away from their nesting sites or food sources. Ospreys, known for being excellent aquatic hunters, regularly dive into water from a significant height to catch fish with their sharp talons (stock image) According to the Myrtle Beach Disc Golf Facebook page the likes of snakes, alligators and raccoons are common sights on local courses. The film Sharknado, which was released in 2013, depicts an unprecedented weather event off the coast of Mexico that rips out a ravenous river of sharks. These man-eating fish are scooped up in tornadoes and transported to Los Angeles, where they become a deadly airborne threat. Although no shark tornadoes have ever been reported in real life, fish, frogs, jellyfish and even - allegedly - alligators have been reportedly moved by waterspouts. The extinct beast from beneath: Megalodon roamed the seas more than 3.6 million years ago The megalodon, meaning big-tooth, lived between 23 and 3.6 million years ago. O. megalodon is considered to be one of the largest and most powerful predators in vertebrate history and fossil remains suggest it grew up to 65 feet long. It's thought the monster looked like a stockier version of today's much feared great white shark and weighed up to 100 tons. Megalodon is recognizable due its huge vertebrae and teeth, which are triangular and measure almost eight inches in diagonal length. Famed fossil hunter Vito 'Megalodon' Bertucci took almost 20 years to reconstruct a megalodon's jaw - largest ever assembled - which measures 11 feet across and is almost 9 feet tall. The Megalodon's colossal mouth would have produced a brute force of 10.8 to 18.2 tons. The ancient shark has been described as a super predator, because it could swim at high speeds and kill a wide variety of prey such as sea turtles and whales, quickly in its strong jaws.
CTV News
26-05-2025
- Climate
- CTV News
Disc golf growing in popularity in New Brunswick
The wet weather in the greater Moncton-area this weekend didn't dampen spirits or stop amateur and professional disc golfers from hitting the links in Dieppe.
