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Dru Nielson planted his feet inside the three makeshift blue lines that represented a tee box.

A sway to the left, then to the right, followed as he prepared to fling the solid plastic disc in his hand.

A shift in his weight preceded a flick of the wrist, and the disc was released.

It sliced through the crisp Saturday morning air, searching for its chain link destination.

Everything was going right. The disc had the speed, the height and it was on course.

That is, until the wind picked up.

The disc was pushed off its initial course and sent sailing into a tree.

"Aw, man," Nielson said disappointedly but with a laugh.

Turns out, Saturday's disc golf tournament during the Moffat County Fair is much like the real thing played on the links.

Trees are a player's nemesis.

At least to Nielson.

"There are trees everywhere," he said. "It's a short course, but you have to go over and around a whole lot of them to get to the hole."

The second annual disc golf tournament brought more than 20 participants out Saturday morning to the grass area at the Fairgrounds, looking for a leisurely game of the Fair's newest sport.

"Yeah, there are few holes behind some trees," Fair volunteer Doug Field said. "We have limited space here for the course, so we had to make it a little interesting for the players."

Field and event organizer Carol Haskins laid out the course Friday evening with temporary chain link baskets serving as holes and some blue spray paint to mark the starting points, or tee boxes.

"It's not so bad," Field said. "We have nine holes out here that are pretty close. The players can sort of go for it that way."

Nielson was paired with friend, and first-time disc-golfer, Seth Musgrave.

"I'm just out here enjoying the fair festivities," Musgrave said.

"It isn't too bad. I'm staying right there with him," he said pointing to Nielson.

"We're just out here having fun," Nielson said, "enjoying the beautiful weather."

Larry Mailo and his 12-year-old son, Derek, also were found floating discs around the fair's grass area.

Derek takes the game a little more serious than many of the others on the course Saturday. He came prepared with his own collection of discs, complete with a disc-golf carrying bag.

"We play a lot at" Loudy-Simpson Park, Larry said. "It's a lot of fun."

Derek strolled to where his tee shot landed, changed discs, and calmly deposited his second shot in the chain basket.

Birdie.

"I like this game for the competition," Derek said. "I've been playing it for a long time. It's kind of like normal golf but way easier."

As long as you stay out of the trees.

John Vandelinder can be reached at 875-1793 or jvandelinder@craigdailypress.com