ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) – Nearly 100 disc golfers of all ages came out to Gamehaven Reservoir in Rochester Sunday to compete in a Sports Headquarters Tournament.
Sports Headquarters, a new and used sports equipment retailer usually helps sponsor disc golf tournaments, but this is the first time it’s hosted its own.
Disc golf is similar to ball golf, but instead, players throw discs from a tee and hit a target, like a basket. The goal is to hit the target in as few throws as possible.
Tournament organizers said the sport has grown in popularity over the last few years, especially during pandemic shutdowns.
They said it’s an inexpensive sport that people can play with friends and family, and Rochester has a variety of parks that make it easier for people to try their hand at the game.
“In Rochester, there are three or four different courses you can play,” Sports Headquarters manager Alec Waite said. “All have different skill levels, all have different skill gaps. It’s really a sport for guys, girls, kids and everyone. The community has really embraced it.”
Waite also said business has been booming as parents have been coming to Sports Headquarters to buy used equipment, including a wide variety of discs.
“Playing a sport can be expensive,” he said “We try to make sure every kid has a chance to play the sport they want.”
Waite said they also donate and help raise money so underserved children can get a chance to play.
“More kids than ever are trying to play,” he said. “We want to try as hard as we can so that kid who wants to play can play, just like the other kid that they are sitting next to in school.”
He said they currently have a big need for football helmets and shoulder pads, as the equipment has been hard to come by.
“We wouldn’t be in the position we are in if it wasn’t for the community,” Wait said. “They are the ones bringing the equipment in, and they know they are getting $100 for it, but they know it’s going to a child that needs it.”
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