“Hazy Shade has carved out quite the niche market and they’re a solid business,” said Josh Domer, who plays disc golf recreationally.
Hazy Shade, owned by Jeremy and Leslie Pennucci, is also the only specialized store for disc golf in the area. Some big box stores sell discs here and there, but nothing as particular as you will find at Hazy Shade.
“Disc golf is one of the fastest growing sports in America,” said Josh Barnhill, who has been an employee at Hazy Shade for over a year. “It’s an inexpensive sport and most public courses are free. It’s one of those sports that you hear about through word of mouth and that’s why it has been taking off like it has.”
Hazy Shade is also the the first disc golf store in the area to feature an indoor driving and putting range built inside.
“We are the biggest brick and mortar shop in the United States for disc golf,” Barnhill said.
“Disc golf can trace its history back to the late 1960s when friends would go out with full size Frisbees and point at a target and say that’s the mark,” said Greg Hall, who has been a manager at Hazy Shade for about five years. “Since the economy took a hit, disc golf has seen a rise in popularity the last six to seven years because it is a family friendly activity and it’s relatively cheap.”
New discs at Hazy Shade run from $8.50 to $18 and used discs range in price from $2 to $9. Most sets of discs that people carry in their bags fall under three categories: driver, mid-range and putter. On average, disc golfers usually have 18 to 21 discs in their bag.
Two of the most popular courses to play in the greater Dayton area are the courses at Belmont Park and Fairborn.
“The Fairborn course is a lot more scenic, it has a good mix of woods and field, where Belmont is pretty much all wide open spaces,” Domer said. “Fairborn is definitely the more challenging course with lots of long tees and challenging shots including some water hazards.”
If you’re getting into the sport to hang out with friends, Belmont might be the course to start.
“Belmont has always seemed to be a more social course, lots of locals and generally more traffic due to its location,” Domer said. “Belmont is a great course for beginners due to the lack of obstacles.”
Hazy Shade puts on Ohio’s biggest Bring Your Own Partner (BYOP) tournament every year during the last weekend in August. It takes place at the Belmont Park course and they usually draws around 400 people. The United States Disc Golf Championship (USDGC) is held in Rock Hill, South Carolina where Beavercreek resident Jeremiah Kraus came in 14th in the Open Flight class of 2014. He took home $985.
Visit http://www.hazyshade.com/courses to search for a disc golf course near you.
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