Is it Disc Golf or Frisbee Golf? Either Way, It’s Free Family Fun

It’s nearing the end of the school year, and your kids are getting restless.

You want an inexpensive, yet enjoyable summer activity that your whole family will want to do. Maybe even something that will also get your kids moving and outdoors?  

You might think your wish is unrealistic, but as my family recently discovered, disc golf (or frisbee golf) is the perfect solution for your wallet and boredom woes!

Read on for how to play this family-friendly game plus 11 Lansing-area disc golf courses nearby:

Disc Golf for Newbies

To make it simple for your family to take on this activity, here are a few things we learned as first-time Disc/Frisbee Golf players.

You’ll need one or more discs —  Visit a local disc golf shop or purchase from an online retailer. Local shops often sell used discs for under $10. Or, in our case, we borrowed some from a friend!

Grab sunscreen, bug spray, and a water bottle.

Leave the flip flops at home: closed-toe shoes are your best bet for this sport.

What are the General Rules of Disc Golf?

Disc golf is played like traditional golf (or as I explained it to my kids to make it more relatable, it’s similar to playing mini-golf).

Instead of a golf ball, players using a flying disc and aim for a basket. Each hole has a par that matches the hole’s difficulty.

The player with the lowest total points wins.

You “tee off” from the designated area. The course we played had a posted map so you knew where to start.

From there, you take turns throwing the disc based on who is farthest from the target.

You throw from where your disc lies until you’re able to complete the hole by getting your disc into the basket or chains of the target.

For more detailed rules of play, check out the Disc Golf Association website.

Where to Play Disc Golf Around Lansing

Many parks, schools, and churches in Lansing have disc golf courses for the public to use. Read our list below for some great local options.

Lansing & Delta Township

Trinity Disc Golf
3355 Dunckel Rd, Lansing 48911
Both individuals and groups will enjoy this 18-hole course.

Grand Woods Park
4500 W Willow Hwy, Lansing 48917
This course is well known for a reason –  it’s both fun AND beautiful! The course follows the Grand River throughout the family-oriented Grand Woods Park.

Great Lakes Christian College
6211 W Willow Hwy, Lansing 48917
This is a great course for families and beginners with its wide-open fields and spaces.

Kramer- Ruthruff Disc Golf Course
Granger Meadows Park/Valley Farms Park
1090 E Wieland Rd, Lansing 48906
Another epic course is woven throughout the grounds of Granger Meadows Park and Valley Farms Park. Your family will love the scenery as much as the nine-hole course itself.

South of Lansing

Burchfield Park
881 Grovenburg Rd, Holt 48842
This beautiful park offers great beginner and advanced disc golfers and two different courses, Renegades Trail and Rivers Edge, and more than one way to play.

Lincoln Park
620 W Shepherd St, Charlotte 48813
Charlotte boasts the region’s most expansive disc golf course, featuring 24 holes set across predominantly flat terrain with lightly wooded areas. This course offers concrete tees for enhanced player experience.

West of Lansing

Fitzgerald Park
100 Fitzgerald Park Dr, Grand Ledge 48879
Word on the street is that this course is a Lansing favorite. This year-round Disc Golf Course might be the perfect place for you if you’re looking for a combination of both field and forested play. This is also a great course if you’re up for a challenge. Vehicle entry fees apply year-round.

East of Lansing

Tadpole Beach Disc Golf Course
Lake Lansing Park – North
6260 E Lake Dr, Haslett 48840
Beginner level disc golfers can enjoy playing on the 18 holes provided by this course.

North of Lansing

St. Francis Retreat Center
703 E Main St, DeWitt 48820
A peaceful course nestled in the amongst the woods. IYKYK. Be sure to check their disc golf calendar for closings and special events.

Pine Hills – South
6603 Woodbury Rd, Laingsburg 48848
With 36 baskets and 54 tee areas, including both long and short tees, this course is a disc-golfer’s paradise. Fees apply. See website for details.

Sleepy Hollow State Park 
7835 E Price Rd, Laingsburg 48848
“The Legend Disc Golf Course” boasts 18 holes, is open all year, and was built in 2009 on former farm and pasture land.

To find more Disc Golf courses or one close to you, check out DG Course Review or The Disc Golf Scene.

Want to Become a Disc Golf Regular? Join a League

Yes, disc golf leagues are a thing – in Lansing. Sign-ups for the upcoming season are underway.

The Lansing Kids League is just one team in the area. The team meets at the Trinity Church in Lansing.

While my 6-year-old proved to be a better disc thrower than me, our entire family had an awesome time trying Disc Golf for the first time and the kids are already asking to go back to the park for another round — probably just so they can beat mom again!

More Lansing Family Fun