Despite resembling a prizefighter of sorts, Eric McCabe uses his ability to throw plastic to earn his knockouts. (photo by P.J. Harmer)

It seems fitting to have played a round of disc golf with 2010 PDGA world champion Eric McCabe in Canastota, New York.

Canastota is home to the International Boxing Hall of Fame. It’s also home to one of Central New York’s hidden gems when it comes to disc golf — Oxbow Falls Park.

I say this spot is fitting because when McCabe stepped out of the car driven by Syracuse-area pro Eric Trippany, my first thought about McCabe was not “disc golfer.”

If I didn’t know better, I’d have thought McCabe was in Canastota for a prize fight. See, with his reddish beard and smaller stature, he seemed more like a welterweight fighter than a disc golfer.

Picture the famed pugilists from Boston — that’s the first thing I thought when I saw McCabe.

All that seemed to be missing were McCabe’s fists to be taped up and some old-school trainer with a deep and growling voice (such as Mickey in the Rocky movies) hollering advice…

“Get ’em EMac. You’re a machine! Knock him out!”

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