UAH Disc Golf Course

The 18 hole disc golf course on the University of Alabama in Huntsville campus was proposed by the Frisbee Club in 1979. The Club set up a disc golf course for Springfest 1980, and it was so well received that they established a permanent course.

The UAH Disc Golf course was originally set up for Springfest 1980, after having been planned by the Frisbee club for the Springfest Frisbee Tournament upon their meeting in March of 1979. At that point, there was already an assumption that if it was successful, a permanent course could be established. During Springfest 1980, it was such a resounding success that people not only played on that Saturday but returning to play on Sunday. The Frisbee club then got to work setting up a permanent disc golf course around the Nursing School building, eventually becoming part of UAH's social and sporting environment. With the Frisbee club offering classes, they sought to grow the sport.

Disc golf joined the other intramural sports on campus and players from UAH participated in competitions and even championships. It became such a renowned course that the campus hosted the World Championship Disc Golf Tournament in 1983, attracting competitors from all over the world for a $10,000 prize. UAH hosted the PDGA World Championship again in 1993. Even when construction began to expand the campus in the late 80s, they managed to reroute the disc golf course and work around the trees that were part of the scenery in 1989. What began as a spring event sponsored by the Frisbee club grew into a sport that has become an essential part of the culture of UAH.

The course moved to its current location in 2005 and today there are 18 holes scattered around a large part of the open space on the south side of campus. Amidst the course, there are decorative holes, including one shaped to look like a rocket to represent UAH and Huntsville's connection with the space program, and one shaped like a bell (hole 17). The course is still a central part of UAH's history and culture and remains actively used.

Letson, Virginia. "$10,000 disc golf tourney." Exponent (Huntsville) May 11th 1983. 18 ed, 13 sec.16.

Robinson, Jerry. "Disc Golf at UAH." Exponent (Huntsville) May 14th 1980. 14 ed, 18 sec.11.

Roy, Berryman. "Crusade - Dodge Ball Champions." Exponent (Huntsville) November 12th 2004. 36 ed, 12 sec.6.

Specker, Lawrence F.. ""...we were safe [from construction]. Things have changed."." Exponent (Huntsville) October 11th 1989. .5.

The University of Alabama in Huntsville. "Frisbee Class Being Offered." Exponent (Huntsville) March 28th 1979. 13 ed, 20 sec.6.

The University of Alabama in Huntsville. Disc Golf, UAH - University Recreation. Accessed June 6th 2022. https://www.uah.edu/university-recreation/programs/disc-golf.