YOUTH: Mini Disc Golf

Some churches have great yards or lots of outdoor space. If you don't, this game can easily be played in a local park. It's a combination of Croquet, Ding, and Disc Golf so I call it Mini Disc Golf. It's a great game because there's no special equipment needed. All you need are "wickets" made with garden stakes and plastic cups, and flying discs. You can use a standard croquet course or create one that suits the age level of the group.

Sample "wicket" or goal.

• Lay out your course. Make sure the challenge level is appropriate for the age group or you can use a version of a regular croquet course. See samples below.
• Put up your "wickets" or goals. You'll need sturdy 5 ft garden stakes (can be found for about $1.50 each) and plastic cups. Plant two stakes the diameter of a large disc plus two fist lengths apart with a cup upside down on top. A difficult course would have more narrow goals. The stakes only have to be deep enough to stand up against a disc bump.
• The goal is to finish the course with the fewest points, similarly to golf.
• Scoring:  Every stroke or throw to the next goal is a point. If the disc is thrown through the goal without touching the sides it's a point. Hitting the goal without unseating the cup is 2 points. Hitting the goal and unseating the cup is 3 points. You can decide if you want to allow entering the goal from behind if somebody overshoots or if they have to come back around, or if they have to re-shoot the goal from the beginning, depending on the age of the players. 

This would be a simple but fun game for any church picnic!

Sample Mini Disc Course

Basic Croquet Course Layout