Ed Austin Park (Fore Palms)
Jacksonville, FL
This was the first stop ā even before I knew there would be a trail.
Ed Austin Park is busy. Flat. Open. A place where pedestrians cross fairways, dogs wander through putts, and the field never really empties. Itās not flashy, and it doesnāt try to be.
The first time I played here, I didnāt think, This is special.
I just thought, Letās see how this goes.
I learned quickly that Fore Palms has a way of teaching patience.
You wait for walkers to pass.
You reset when the line isnāt there.
You throw again.
The tee pads are mixed ā concrete, brick, cobblestone ā and that alone keeps you on your toes. Some days the course feels smooth. Other days it feels like a pain in the butt. And both can be true in the same round.
I started going early.
Around 8 a.m., when the park is quiet and the light is soft.
Thatās when the course feels like itās yours.
By the time Iām wrapping up, the crowd starts rolling in.
The noise rises. The pace changes. The field fills.
This course didnāt just teach me how to throw.
It taught me how to play around life ā not instead of it.
Looking back, this is where the Disc Golf Bug Trail really began.
Not with a destination.
Just with showing up.
š Bug Takeaway
Every journey has a first course.
It doesnāt have to be perfect ā it just has to be yours.
This was just the first stop on the Disc Golf Bug Trail.
Thereās more ground to cover.
