Joshua Spires, a homeschooled 6th grader in Santa Fe, competed in his first golf tournament last year, but there were no clubs, balls or holes. He plays disc golf, a sport similar to the traditional game but with small Frisbees and metal-basket targets.

According to the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA), disc golf was formalized in the 1970s. It is fast growing, at about 15 percent every year, and there are more than 2,000 courses in the United States. The object is to complete each hole in the fewest number of strokes or throws from tee to target. After teeing off, you toss again from where the previous throw landed.

Joshua first tried it about three years ago, becoming interested because his dad played. "Sometimes I play seriously and sometimes I don't," says Joshua, who loves being outside-for the challenge and fun as much as for the competition. This game has no fees, no carts, and no bad tee times, and it's definitely easier to learn than traditional golf, but there still may be some player frustration. Sometimes you can't see the hole from the tee and every course has its narrow fairways, trees, bushes, and even streams.

You don't need any fancy disks or official baskets to get started-many people play in the woods with old frisbees and designate trees as targets-but like any sport, when you get more serious, so does the gear. The official courses with marked tee boxes, score cards, maps, and elevated metal baskets are great, and you'll see avid players carrying around distinctive duffels with a dozen or more discs.

Joshua owns 14 discs and his favorite is a driver called The Beast. He recommends that you put your name and phone number on your disk. If you don't know why, you'll find out after playing a course with thick ground cover like his favorite, Arroyo Chamisos Disc Golf Course.

Joshua loves this new course in Santa Fe, which starts behind the Chavez Center, but there are courses throughout the state. The PDGA (www.pdga.com) lists 19 in New Mexico, including three in both Santa Fe and Albuquerque. Come summer, you can play at ski areas like Angel Fire, Taos Ski Valley and Ruidoso.

But the best place for your family to get into the sport may be at Two Gray Hares Disc Golf Course in Vadito, 20 miles southeast of Taos. This top-notch and family-friendly course – complete with 18 holes, a driving range, and tee pads for all levels – charges $3 for the day and loaner discs are included in the price.

Bill and Sue Leslie, owners of Two Gray Hares, were introduced to disc golf 11 years ago when a course went up at Sipapu. "Sue was working in the ski area's store and wanted to know more about the sport in order to talk to players who came in," says Bill. "She convinced me to try it."

The Leslies love sharing their passion for the sport. They teach an introductory class for $20, which includes instruction, course fee, and discs (587-2087). Two Gray Hares also has a pro shop with a wide selection of discs. Bill explains that the discs are smaller, flatter and heavier than a typical frisbee and that these high-tech aerodynamic marvels start at about $10. "Just like ball golf, there are specialized discs for different situations," he says. "Drivers are made for long throws but tend to turn more and are not recommended for beginners. The mid-range and multipurpose discs don't fly as far but fly straighter than the drivers. Putters are made of softer, grippier plastic to help catch the metal chains and fall into the basket."

Many courses, like Two Gray Hares, have two or three sets of tees and children and beginners can tee off from the shorter ones. The rules for disc golf are the same for all ages and you can check them out on the PDGA Web site. They are extensive and particularly clever, like if a disc lands over 6.5 feet up in tree, it is considered out-of-bounds, and the player incurs a one stroke penalty and plays the disc from the ground.

From school age to old age, as the PDGA puts it, disc golf is a great lifetime sport. The youngest player Bill has seen at Two Gray Hares-just throwing a disc-was 2 years old. Their youngest tournament player was 6 years old.

Bill says the game is perfect for families and here are some of his tips for parents and kids:

• Find a course that's not too long and make it fun for everyone. If the tee pads are too much, create your own tee area. For example, younger kids can carry the disc closer to the basket.
• Ask a player to give you some pointers. Disc golfers are typically happy to provide basic instruction and answer questions, even the pros.
• Use light discs (140-160 grams) in the beginning, preferably a putter or multipurpose disc in bright colors.
• Teach your children courtesy rules like not running out in front of anyone throwing.
• Don't worry about the score. Bring scoring into play as the family progresses.