Disc golf offers a cheap source of summer recreation – no green fees, expensive equipment or polo shirts required.

In Ames, “frolfers” have the luxury of two free 18-hole courses provided by the city and the university. The goal is to throw the disc into the designated chained basket in as few throws as possible.

Beginners would be advised to start out at the Carroll Marty Disc Golf Course, 1500 Gateway Hills Park, just south of the Towers residence halls, adjacent to the Ames-ISU Ice Arena.

The course plays somewhat easier than the ISU Disc Golf Course, located just north of Frederiksen Court off 13th Street, which is far more wooded and technically challenging.

The Carroll Marty Disc Golf Course is a mix of mostly open fairways and some wooded holes.

The Ames Park Recreation Administrative Office is located at Gateway Park. Golfers can get scorecards and purchase discs from the office from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

Only an $8 disc is needed to hit the fairways, but players usually carry different discs to drive and putt. Dissimilar to a conventional flying disc, discs used in disc golf are made of thick, hard plastic.

Jax Outdoor Gear, 4723 Lincoln Way, and Sports Page, 2801 Grand Ave., offer an expansive selection of discs.