Disc Golf Vs. GOLF or Ball Golf

[harr0140]

Since I am primarily a golfer and secondarily a frolfer (disc golfer) I am very interested in peoples response to this poll. Given the fact that Golf is hundreds of years old with a tremendous history I am wondering how many of you refer to golf as golf, and how many of you refer to golf as ball golf. I understand the distinction between the two on forums as somewhat necessary to avoid confusion, but being a golfer I will refer to golf as golf, disc golf came second so it should yield to golf. Perhaps thee should be a transition to frolf as an accepted sport instead of disc golf to avoid confusion. I shudder to think this would cause this site to change its name to frolf course review. Please contact your local representatives or post on this poll. THIS IS JUST FOR FUN OBVIOUSLY.

 

[timg]

I can't stand the term frolf.. it just sounds goofy. Disc golf all the way. As for the golf/ball golf thing, I tend to switch between the two depending on who I'm talking to or if I need to make a distinction for whatever reason.

It's kind of like hockey vs. street hockey. Sure, you could say "Ice Hockey" but the ice is normally assumed. I think DG/BG is the same way.

 

[Mark R]

To me, it's disc golf and ball golf. However, I'll use the plain term
'golf' when talking to a non-disc golfer.

 

[borndasaur]

To me, it's disc golf and ball golf....

Ditto and I try to explain the difference in terms. The non-believers then look at me like this

 

[Lewis]

I agree with Tim. "Frolf" really does sound goofy. Unless I'm talking to a disc golfer or about disc golf, I'll usually just say "golf" for the original sport. I like the hockey analogy, and we could name other versions to enhance the point: field hockey, boot hockey, broom hockey, etc. They're all variations on hockey, but if you just say "hockey," people know what you mean.

There's a similar problem with the word "football." To most of the world, "football" is what we in the States call "soccer." So we have to translate our game for them as "American football," or "gridiron." Then there's Aussie rules football, often called "footie," and Rugby football, usually just called "rugby." They're all derived from the original sport, and thus claim the same name, but we have to have ways to distinguish them.

And there's tennis vs. table tennis (ping-pong is what you play with your little brother when you're six years old). Polo vs. Water Polo. I'm sure the list could be extended.

 

[harr0140]

Dont forget about playing pool, versus swimming in a pool, versus Pocket Pool!

 

[Lewis]

I think what we now call "pool" was once called "pocket billiards."

 

[magictenor1]

This has already been said but it depends on where I am and who i am talking to. In most normal conversations I would just say Golf but here or with other Dg'ers I would say ball golf. I never say frolf and had never even heard the term until on this site. I do often say Frisbee golf because most people at least know what a frisbee is.

 

[ERicJ]

You left out option #3 on the poll:

On a side note, if it makes you feel better about our sport's kid-brother relationship with the old ball & club game, just start calling it "ballf." I forget where I first saw that -- maybe it was here on DGCR -- but hey, I like the sound of it.

ERic

 

[solomon.trenton]

I can't stand the term frolf.. it just sounds goofy. Disc golf all the way. As for the golf/ball golf thing, I tend to switch between the two depending on who I'm talking to or if I need to make a distinction for whatever reason.

It's kind of like hockey vs. street hockey. Sure, you could say "Ice Hockey" but the ice is normally assumed. I think DG/BG is the same way.

seconded. i typically only say ball golf around fellow dgers for the distinction as i play both.

 

[tamahawk]

I can't stand the term frolf.. it just sounds goofy. Disc golf all the way. As for the golf/ball golf thing, I tend to switch between the two depending on who I'm talking to or if I need to make a distinction for whatever reason.

It's kind of like hockey vs. street hockey. Sure, you could say "Ice Hockey" but the ice is normally assumed. I think DG/BG is the same way.

seconded. i typically only say ball golf around fellow dgers for the distinction as i play both.

agreed, don't like the term frolf. for me, i just refer to disc golf as golf, most people know that the "disc" is implied when talking to me, or i will specify for clarity (ball golf/disc golf) depending on who the conversation is with.

 

[bazkitcase5]

agreed, don't like the term frolf. for me, i just refer to disc golf as golf, most people know that the "disc" is implied when talking to me, or i will specify for clarity (ball golf/disc golf) depending on who the conversation is with.

seems I am in the majority - just quoting for reference

 

[jedwards]

I can see I am going to have to post this again to clear the air...

http://www.frolf.com/

Take a gander at their FAQ section (among other things) and you'll quickly see the difference between people who use the term "Frolf" and "Disc Golf". Weirdos

 

[Ty9339]

how does it always get back to the term frolf? i understand using BG instead of just golf but i never call disc golf, "golf", so i never say ball golf. and i do not agree with the hatred for the term frolf, to me its just a name, or slang term people use, and you can't control people and the terms they use, so whether goofy or not i think disc golfers should just accept it as a term some people use. some of the best "frolfers" i know use the term frolf everytime they talk about disc golf. i know i've strayed off topic here but i love reading these forums, and it just urks the heck out of me when i see people have a little hissy over a word (even though i'm pretty much doing the same thing) instead of continueing the great conversation going on before the word is used.

although i think the website posted above is very cool

 

[m1ke]

Count me in as hating the term "frolf" to refer to disc golf.

When referring to the original sport I use the term "plain golf," but I'm deliberately using a loaded term in response to several members of our DG group who play both sports and call it "real golf." When explaining DG to someone who's never heard of it, I usually contrast it with "regular golf."

 

[nexanimal]

"FROLF" should be banned

FROLF is such a strange term -- even most disc golfers would have no idea what I was talking about if I used the term. To me, it sounds like "rolf" -- a particularly painful type of massage in which the fascia is manipulated...

WRT golf or ball golf, I usually use "ball golf" regardless of who I am talking with. When the eyebrows go up, I explain that there is more than one type of golf, and my preferred method is with a disc instead of a club. Usually the ball golfers just laugh, though once in a while someone who is a card-carrying member of the Church Of Golf may be mildly offended. Who cares? The laughs generally outnumber and outlast the outrage.

-nex

 

[timg]

how does it always get back to the term frolf? i understand using BG instead of just golf but i never call disc golf, "golf", so i never say ball golf. and i do not agree with the hatred for the term frolf, to me its just a name, or slang term people use, and you can't control people and the terms they use, so whether goofy or not i think disc golfers should just accept it as a term some people use. some of the best "frolfers" i know use the term frolf everytime they talk about disc golf. i know i've strayed off topic here but i love reading these forums, and it just urks the heck out of me when i see people have a little hissy over a word (even though i'm pretty much doing the same thing) instead of continueing the great conversation going on before the word is used.

although i think the website posted above is very cool

Nobody is having a hissy.. it's just something a lot of us disagree with. I don't think it's our place to accept it just because some people use the term. If I started walking around calling ball golf "bolf" I don't think most golfers would roll over and be like "ok, bolf it is!". I think with organizations like the PDGA and DGA it's pretty clear the proper name for the sport is "Disc Golf".

 

[garublador]

It depends on the context. I use both.

 

[Ty9339]

i'm not arguing the proper name, and i'm not saying that you need to start calling disc golf, frolf. but i feel it comes off snobby to say a term that some people use for a sport, is silly or goofy or has no place with in the sport. i'm not asking the PDGA to rename itself, and i'm not banging down websters door trying to get Frolf in the dictionary. its slang, like a large part of most of America's vocabulary. and as for the Bolf idea, i think that one just might fall into my lazy vocab. but i'm not trying to start a forum fight, thats just pointless. i just feel like its a term that isn't going anywhere because of the similarities in the two sports, and because of that its just easier to let it go instead of call it silly or goofy. because even though you don't mean any harm when you tell the person who says frolf that you think its a goofy term, they may take it the wrong way and possibly get a sour taste for the sport. and no matter how you feel about what people say, the advancement of the sport is way more important, then what people call "Disc Golf".

 

[timg]

Looks like this is a case where agreeing to disagree would be best I wouldn't say "frolf is goofy" to someone but I would nicely correct them as to the proper name for the sport. If enough people do that and the sport gains traction, the term "frolf" might die a graceful death.