The Stratford Park disc golfers

With the sun shining this morning I finished my editing work as soon as possible and headed off to Stratford Park, Stroud's beautiful open space set in an old estate where outdoor leisure facilities have been established. I had promised to take Helena's entry for an art competition at the Museum in the Park, which is in aid of the regeneration of the Old Walled Garden attached to the original Stratford House in which the museum is now sited.

I had an ulterior purpose too. I recently joined a Facebook group called Stroud Disc Golf, for people who meet in Stratford Park to play disc golf, a game invented to use frisbees and other discs, instead of balls and sticks. I have been playing disc golf off and on since 1977, when I first competed in frisbee competitions, and have been lucky enough to play in many cities and countries of the world, including Sydney, Paris, Gothenburg, Brussels and of course at one of the first disc golf courses ever created in Los Angeles.

I love the gam,e but for some decades now have played very rarely, and certainly not in competitions. But I have just found that there are a group of local people who have created an 18 hole disc golf course in Stratford Park of all places. So having read that they were having one of their regular meetings today, I thought I would go and introduce myself, which turned out to be a brilliant idea.

I was made very welcome and decided to join in but only by taking photos today, because I knew that if I don't have a bit of practice first and loosen up my muscles and get a bit fitter, my head will try to force my body to do things that will hurt it. So I walked the course, chatted and took pictures which I know they will enjoy having. One of the group is Dan Brown, who is also a local photographer, and normally takes the pictures and videos which can be very useful and fun. So it may be good for him to have pictures of himself in action too.

The course winds through a stunning arboretum, which is looking particularly gorgeous at present, and then around and over the small Painswick Brook, which feeds the lake which is a form millpond, before going through denser woodland and then out to the more open grassland spaces.

I had to leave before they had finished their round, so I suggested that I would take a group photo and told everyone that I would put it on my blip journal and copy the link to their Facebook site. I'm also going to circulate the action pictures of them all throwing their discs in various ways. Perhaps one day I will blip some discs flying as well, and even show you what a golf hole looks like. Other blippers from Finland have been showing disc golf action here for some years and Finnish players have been renowned for their prowess.