Throw Coast Disc Golf

If you are local to this area, you know that we have been called “The Port City,” “Cape Fear Region,” and even “Hollywood East” when the film industry was at its peak.  But did you know we are also the “Throw Coast?”

I found that out when I went to speak to Nicholeen and Ryan Frusti, owners of The Throw Coast, at 1026 Appleton Way (off of Village Road, just a few stores down from Z’s barbershop,) a new business in town that caters to one of the most popular sports in North Carolina — disc golf.

Like many people coming into the shop, I wasn’t prepared for the explosion of colors, the variety of displays, the long, shiny wood bar (stocked with more than 40 rotating beers, ciders, seltzers, THC beverages, and a few wines) and the themed pinball machines that just scream “fun!”

This isn’t just a pro shop. This is a community center where pinball tournaments happen on Thursday nights and disc golfers sharpen their putting skills in the indoor putting and disc golf simulator area, using, Nicholeen explained, “top-of-the-line TechDisc technology that helps players understand their throw speed, angles, and accuracy” — all available to the community six days a week.

“Our goal was to create a place that feels like a second home for the disc golf community,” said Nicholeen. “And we’re proud to say it’s becoming exactly that.”

Before meeting the Frustis, I didn’t know much about disc golf.  I knew that Leland had a disc golf course on Village Road, very near the shop, but I didn’t realize how wildly popular the sport is or that there are championship and professional level players.

Ryan introduced me to the sport by explaining the layout of the disc displays. “On the bottom rows, you’ll find your putters — used for short, controlled shots into the basket," he said. "Above that are your approach discs, like mid-range irons in golf, designed for controlled distance. Then come the fairway drivers, and at the top, your distance drivers — the discs you pull out when you need to cover big ground, like a drive off the tee."

Each disc, Ryan explained, has a specific purpose, and even among drivers, there are different speeds to match different throwing styles. “We have 14 different speeds of discs," he said. "The higher the speed number, the more arm strength and velocity you need. Someone using a 14-speed disc should be throwing close to 65 miles per hour.”

He continued, turning over a disc and showing me some small numbers, “These are the flight numbers,” he explained. “They tell you how the disc is meant to fly. Some are built to fly straight, some curve to the left, and others to the right.” He smiled and added, “Imagine you’re out on the course and there’s a tree in your way — you need a disc that curves around it. We’ve got discs that can do exactly that. If you throw them right, they’ll fly the line you need.”

One of the best things about disc golf is that it can be played by all ages.  It is a low-level impact sport, good for older people or those recovering from an injury who may have some mobility issues. This is a sport that is accessible to all people.  There is even a pro division for people over 70 years old.  Nicholeen added, “You will meet the most friendly, sincere people on a disc golf course.  They are inclusive and helpful.  It’s a whole different vibe from a country club — you feel welcome and encouraged, no matter what your level of play.”

“The sport started in California, but North Carolina is the number one state for disc golf,” Ryan said.  “We have well over 450 courses in the state.  We just found out that our little course here in Leland is the 24th most played course out of all of those in the state.  There is a huge draw to play in North Carolina because of our nature and year-round weather.  Charlotte is another popular disc golf region thanks to the leadership of the Parks and Recreation Committee, who were disc golfers.  In this area, there are 15 to 20 courses within an hour’s drive that you can access.   There is some cool technology out there for disc golfers, one of them is actually an app called, ‘Udisc’ where you can find disc golf courses all around the country.  Udisc showed us that last year, there were three and a half new disc golf courses being put in per day. If you look at our area and the number of courses we have, you can see why this area is called, The Throw Coast, hence, our name.”

Ryan and Nicholeen use their shop not only to promote the game, but to help people improve their skills. “Sometimes we will use the practice and simulator area for events like putting week,” Ryan said. “You can come in and just practice. The simulator we have, Tech Disc, shows people the speed, distance and angle of their throws.  It’s a try before you buy kind of thing.  It’s an excellent training tool.  What you see on the screen is actually how you are throwing.” He continued, “we have a shop teaching pro, Carson Ham, and our shop manager, Hastin McGill, who routinely help newer players who want to play competitive style disc golf and give lessons on Tuesdays and Sundays.”   

Not far from the simulator is a row of pinball machines.  Ryan said, “Our goal was to create a space for the entire community, not just disc golfers.  We created the 36-foot bar area and then the pinball arcade.  We collaborated with our friend, Eric, from  Flippin’ Balls Entertainment to rent the equipment and add a whole new element to our shop.  This is the only pinball arcade in Leland.  We have really strived to create a family fun environment.”

Every Thursday night, the Cape Fear Flipper Club hosts a tournament at Throw Coast, bringing together both avid pinball fans and disc golfers looking for a little mid-week fun. “It’s amazing how much overlap there is between the two groups,” Ryan said. “Both communities really value skill, practice, and just having a good time.”

Their Flight Plan Takes a Turn, Landing Them in Leland

It was family that brought Nicholeen and Ryan to this area.  They moved from Northern Michigan to Cancun, Mexico and lived there for three years to, in their words, “re-live their twenties!”

When one of their daughters got married and moved to Charlotte, the pull to be closer to family, and get back to life in the U.S., grew stronger. During the height of the COVID pandemic, Nicholeen and Ryan made a trip to Wilmington to help their daughter and son-in-law find an investment property. What began as a three-week house-hunting trip turned into something much bigger.

Nicholeen described moving here to be near family as “planting seeds.” Those seeds have since grown to include their two granddaughters, Charlotte Azalea, now three years old, and Magnolia Honey, who recently celebrated her first birthday. Today, the Frustis proudly call Leland home.

Both Nicholeen and Ryan have entrepreneurial spirits.  They have owned a digital marketing company for many years and Ryan does design work for ProCoast, a disc golf apparel company offering custom and branded jerseys, but they wanted to own something that they could grow themselves. It was Ryan’s design work that gave birth to the idea of opening a disc golf pro shop.  They signed the lease for their space on April 11, 2024 and opened on June 15 — just 63 days later.

But opening the shop was just the beginning.  They want to continue to grow the sport in this area and  are active supporters of the Leland Disc Golf Club, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to growing the sport and supporting youth initiatives. The Frustis said they see the shop as a natural extension of their passion.

They’ve also taken a hands-on approach to helping newcomers, offering private lessons, organizing events, and supporting local school initiatives to introduce disc golf into physical education programs.

“Our dream was to create something lasting, not just for players today, but for future generations who will discover disc golf here in Leland,” said Nicholeen. “We want kids to grow up seeing disc golf as part of their community, just like Little League or soccer.”

Throw Coast Disc Golf is nearing its first anniversary, and the Frustis said they have plans for the future, including expanding the event schedule, growing their amateur and professional shop-sponsored teams, and launching more community-focused programs throughout the year.

They hope to host larger disc golf tournaments in partnership with nearby parks, and are looking at ways to bring even more entertainment options into the shop.

Like many of us, Nicholeen and Ryan came to Leland and fell in love with the area.  They are committed to bringing something of real value to us, something that feels like home but is a step to a global brand, which can only be a good thing for all of us.

If you haven’t stopped into The Throw Coast, you are missing an opportunity to learn about a fun sport and meet two dynamic people.

The Throw Coast is closed on Mondays, but open from 11 am to 9 pm Tuesday through Saturday and from 11 am to 7 pm on Sunday.  Call them at 910- 399-5077 for more information. You can also contact them at www.nicholeen@throwcoast.com, or www.ryan@throwcoast.com.

Leland is the “throw coast,” get out there and throw!