What is the 'identity' of disc golf?

[bucky926]

This question has bugged me for awhile now. The recent vids of Avery playing with Brodie caused me to post this. In those vids, Avery is trying to sell disc golf as an athletic sport. There's nothing wrong with that, but what is our identity?

Are we trying to reach the holy grail and have people utter that coveted word 'sport' after the phrase disc golf? Do we want to enhance the hippy culture? Do we want to reflect ball golf? Does the PDGA accurately represent who we think we are or what we want to become? Sorry for the slew of questions, but I'm curious as to what you think.

My opinion is long and speaks to the sport as a whole as well as my local club. If you feel like checking it out, click the link to my blog. Don't worry, this isn't shameless self-promotion. I'm actually very interested to see what everyone has to say.

[Dottedmind]

Hippy sport.

[lion]

I believe it is no longer a hippy sport, more modern and to revolutionary to just be considered a hippy sport. The sport always feels like its on the verge of something buigger,no?

Originally Posted by tobin0405

Hippy sport.

[BrotherDave]

[bucky926]

Good Lord, that is the most accurate picture of disc golf I've ever seen. haha that made my night

[Mike C]

How others view my hobbies is the last thing on my mind.

[Oklahyzer]

Originally Posted by BrotherDave

I think you nailed it from the public's perspective. Hell, I'd have to admit that for the most part, that's my perspective from what I see as a disc golfer, too.

The great thing about it is that disc golf really does attract all kinds of people. I've played pickup rounds with guys visiting from out of town - one was a petrochem engineer, one was a pilot for AA, and another was an attorney. Those Top Three are the ones that seem to stick around for the long haul and in the greatest numbers, though. Is what it is.

[Oklahyzer]

Originally Posted by Mike C

How others view my hobbies is the last thing on my mind.

Absolutely.

[bucky926]

Originally Posted by Oklahyzer

Absolutely.

I want to agree with this and I wish that disc golf would just be that thing I do to go out and get out for awhile.

But we aren't in a bubble. How our communities and our society view the sport or hobby or game is going to effect us. For instance, say disc golf gets the full on PDGA golf mentality. Those free courses can easily turn into pay-to-play which may not seem like a big deal, but 3 bucks a round and 50+ rounds a year is a lot more than most of us would ever think of paying to just go shoot a round. What about country clubs and dress codes? Yearly greens fees?

Or say the hippy vibe keeps going and your community realizes that disc golf is just a way for kids to go smoke pot in the parks. Other park users get pissed about this and soon courses get ripped out because of it.

Say we take the athletic route. Now you go to the course and there are dozens more people decked out with full bags, walking off shots, checking the wind on each throw, and taking a good amount of time to make sure they shoot well because now we're a competitive sport. Casual rounds become exercises in dodging groups and just trying to get a round in. The courses host tournaments much more often so casual play gets limited by contant practice, tournaments, and then more practice for the next one.

Of course, these examples are extreme, but the game/hobby/sport is going to grow and it will change how we play. So my question of identity isn't solely selfish and wishing for the acceptance of friends. I'm more interested in how the sport will change and how the game will be altered. We have to remember that disc golf isn't separated from our society, it is a part of it and will change accordingly

[scarpfish]

Originally Posted by bucky926

Are we trying to reach the holy grail and have people utter that coveted word 'sport' after the phrase disc golf?

Some are trying and some don't really care.

Originally Posted by bucky926

Do we want to enhance the hippy culture?

Some do. I don't.

Originally Posted by bucky926

Do we want to reflect ball golf?

Some do. I don't.

Originally Posted by bucky926

Does the PDGA accurately represent who we think we are or what we want to become?

See the latest T. Hizzle postings for more information.

So that sums it up. I'd say that we really don't have an identity.