We finished running errands in Indio, California, and had a couple of hours before our supply order would be ready to be picked up. We looked online and found a disc golf course in nearby Palm Desert and decided it would be the perfect way to pass the time.

Palm Desert Disc Golf Course plays around the Hovley Soccer Fields. We don’t usually play nine-hole courses, but on this day, it was the perfect size for the time that we had available to play. We parked at the end and walked around the field’s perimeter until we found the first tee.

As we walked, a group of large white birds flew over. They were gorgeous against the brilliant blue sky. When we reached the first tee, we noticed there was another parking lot there as well. I was excited to see spectacular mountain views surrounding the course.

The first tee is on a ledge behind beautiful rose bushes near the bathroom and a picnic area. It requires a throw over the soccer field and then left to the basket, which sits on a hill behind the landscaping.

The second hole plays down the soccer field’s side, across the horseshoe pits, and around a corner. The hole could be tricky if people are playing horseshoes.

The third hole plays directly across the soccer field, with the parking lot out of bounds. A group was playing on the field, so we skipped the hole.

The next four holes play down the other side of the fields. Trees and light poles come in to play on all four holes. Five has a mando, which requires you to throw through a gap in the vegetation, and six has a mando to the right of two trees. The seventh basket is at the corner of the field in a group of four palm trees.

There is another mando at the eighth hole, and the basket sits behind a tree. I second-guessed myself when choosing which disc to use for my second shot and ended up short. I rethrew, using the disc I originally picked and landed it right next to the basket. The short shot ended up adding a stroke to my score.

The final hole plays from the corner of the field back to the first tee. There are several trees in the way, and trees surround the basket.

As we walked back to the truck, the group playing soccer by the third hole was packing up. We were happy to be able to play the hole after all. When Chris threw his disc into the soccer goal near the basket, the whole group shouted “Goal!” It was a fun way to finish our game.

We did not play that well. Chris was eight over, and I was twelve, but we had a lot of fun. Add the gorgeous weather and fantastic view to that, and it made for a perfect day.