FORT GEORGE MEADE, MD – It’s Friday afternoon after a long work week and all he wants to do is decompress and enjoy some much-needed “me time”. While he has options, he knows no other activity will give him more satisfaction than playing Disk Golf.
For the last five years, Staff Sgt. Ryan Sparks’ “happy place” has been playing Disk Golf. He has dedicated countless hours perfecting his game. For those who have never heard of this sport, it’s basically golf with a frisbee-like disk instead of balls and clubs, and baskets instead of holes.
For Sparks, a Defense Information School instructor, this hobby is his happy place. It’s time out of the week he’s not necessarily relaxing, but recharging.
“It has honestly become my release,” said Sparks. “When I’m having a really rough time, a bad day, or my wife notices I’m not doing well, she’ll actually ask me if I want to go play some disk golf.”
Sparks says that having a release like this is important for everyone to have.
Not only is this a hobby for Sparks, but he regularly plays in nationally ranked tournaments trying to move up the ladder and doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon.