What are some creative ways you've seen or used for fund raising that may be of use to individuals or disc golf clubs working on a new course?
It seems that trying to raise funds for a new course would be quite a bit more difficult than for a existing course. Having a course in place allows the opportunity to hold a fundraising tournament, collect donations to play, and collect club dues for weekly minis. Not to mention the regular players that might feel inclined to put money forth to replace that broken sign or cracked tee pad. Although, without a course in place it could be much more difficult to raise the needed funds to build one.
In this situation you might look to your local courses and clubs. Using the same methods mentioned above to collect funds and putting it to a new course instead of course maintenance. Seeking out local businesses or individuals to sponsor a hole in exchange for advertising at that hole is also a widely used method. As the course nears completion it might be possible to presell entry for the inaugural tournament, even offering some incentive for those that pay early. In addition to the money that you raise, you will also be spreading awareness and building interest in an upcoming course.
This all seems to become so much more difficult when looking at more rural areas that don't have avid golfers or other courses nearby. Leaving you with possible, but much more unlikely options. With the right incentives crowd funding websites, such as kickstarter, could be useful. It might even be possible to convince your city or town to help fund a new park. It seems to reason that clearing the fairways and installing baskets first would allow you to raise funds in more traditional ways in order to pay for tee pads and signage.
Pay to play courses are not very popular in this part of the country, but with the right business plan taking out a loan could be an option.
While writing this I started to realize that it all seems to come down to generous golfers that want to grow the sport. Everybody that joins a yearly club, pays weekly club dues, and enjoys the local tournaments are partially responsible for every new tee pad, sign, and basket that you see at your favorite courses. Also, don't forget your local tournament directors and course managers that keep everything running.
The best thing that any of us can do for this sport is to be generous and helpful. Donate to your local clubs, whether it be by paying yearly dues as a member, playing the weekly minis, or just showing up on a work day to keep the course looking nice and appealing. Give away an old disc and convince a new friend to join you for a round, every new golfer has the potential to make a big difference in this growing sport.