returning marked discs

[SD86]

Fortunately, I can call the owner and if they want it back I can drop it off at Disc Stalker. They're very good about holding discs, and I've picked up a couple I'd lost that were left there. Other drop off points are a nearby rec center, school or library.

Yes, sometimes people are jerks about keeping discs, but c'est la vie, c'est la guerre.

 

[Mr. Butlertron]

Leaving a disc in the open and hoping for it to be reunited with the owner is maybe the most naive thing I've ever heard, unless you live in a place like the Shire.....or Japan.

 

[The Shide]

'Round these parts, a returned disc is an absolute rarity. Too many greedy a'holes. Out of the many dozens of discs I have lost over the years, about 5 have been returned to me. Out of all the discs I've found, I've been able to return all but a few, for one reason or another.

I get the mentality of saying "F it! No one returns my discs, so any I find I'm keeping." We're supposed to be the better persons & do the right thing. If you find a disc with a name/number on it, try to get it back the rightful owner.

Integrity, it's doing the right thing even when you think no one is watching. In my mind, it's just flat out stealing to not return someone's disc. We are a brother/sisterhood & should have each others backs. Peace, out.

 

[nose down]

Leaving a disc in the open and hoping for it to be reunited with the owner is maybe the most naive thing I've ever heard, unless you live in a place like the Shire.....or Japan.

I realize this now. In real golf I have left a club on a hole many times and never once has anyone stolen it. I'm sure someone could, but usually it is a tight knit community. I have seen other discs just sitting in the practice basket before. At the time I had nothing but good experiences from friendly people so i figured it would be like the golf community. I've had groups behind me return discs to me a couple times. I always ask people on the course if I find one as well. I've had people tell me they know the person and would return the disc which now I have doubts. They usually just seem so friendly, but who knows maybe they have no idea who's disc that was and just keep it. Even on here everyone is saying they would return a disc if at all possible. Discs are so cheap and people mark them up so much that I honestly didn't imagine that even anyone that would steal would benefit from a disc that is marked someone else's. Why cart around stolen property that is clearly marked as not yours. Now I feel like I owe the people that I put their disc in the basket...

From now on I will call/text and hide the disc. I had already thought about doing this before. I don't think I'd feel comfortable meeting up with any random person that lost a disc. Especially after realizing the type of crowd that plays.

 

[JedV]

Or there's option 3. Just leave the disc where you found it if you don't know the name. Let someone else deal with the return.

 

[Mr. Butlertron]

Good on you for trying to do the right thing OP. Any dg community would be lucky to have more players with your honesty

 

[Thunder94]

If i find one that is inked I have always returned them. Drove to a guys work once to return one and turned down a tip even. All good karma I told him. Lost one 2 weeks later that was inked and searched for it in a shallow creek, no luck. Found 3 other ones that day with no ink. Never did get a call on mine. I had one returned that I lost back on Christmas eve and met up with the guy and we played a round. I even bought him a beer afterwards. Marking your property does not guarantee it will be returned but it does better your chances. ..some. Just don't leave it in plain sight for the owner to retrieve.

 

[armiller]

Or there's option 3. Just leave the disc where you found it if you don't know the name. Let someone else deal with the return.

Or until someone else takes a free disc.

I guess I'd rather pick it up. My rate of returning discs I pick up is considerably better than getting back discs I've lost. And it's not that difficult, although there's definitely some inconvenience. As a side note, I find it entertaining that the guy most excited to get his disc back had a beat up Pro D XL. I could barely read the number.

Discs found with ink: 12
Calls/texts: 11 (the other, I accidentally lost immediately after finding it...my bad...)

Returned to discer: 2
Returned to discer-acquaintance: 3
Still in my apartment waiting for rendezvous: 2
"Keep it!": 4

 

[ilmcgee]

If I find one with a number, I bag it, don't throw it, and call the number. In my experience, most don't want it back. I've had ones where it is now someone else's number, and they're like wtf is disc golf.

BTW, what is protocol if owner is out of state, no way to return disc in person, but they want it back? Should they pay shipping? Do I? IMO, they pay.

 

[Afropirg]

It's gotten to the point locally if you don't find your disc.....consider it gone.

One of the local courses had their lost disc box broken into multiple times. The club has basically told people to stop putting discs in there cause of the casuals (non-club members) stealing them. It has been tampered with so much that it doesn't shut to well.

I personally will text a picture of the disc if it has a number on it with the course it was found as soon as I find it. If by the time I'm ready to leave I don't hear back, I'll post something on the courses Facebook page stating I've found a disc. If after that I don't hear anything back it goes in my box of discs.

 

[Quinum]

If I find one with a number, I bag it, don't throw it, and call the number. In my experience, most don't want it back. I've had ones where it is now someone else's number, and they're like wtf is disc golf.

BTW, what is protocol if owner is out of state, no way to return disc in person, but they want it back? Should they pay shipping? Do I? IMO, they pay.

This has been my experience as well.

Also, they should pay the shipping if meeting up is not an option and they want the disc back. IMO.

 

[zud00]

I have found a few discs while playing a course out of town. I called or texted the number and wasn't able to get a response or ahold of the owner until I had already left the course. I mailed the disc to the owner and paid the $4 out of my own pocket. I find it easier that way than going through the hassle of trying to get a few bucks from them. And I do it in hopes that I too will get a call back on some of my lost discs. But that's not usually the case.

 

[ilmcgee]

This has been my experience as well.

Also, they should pay the shipping if meeting up is not an option and they want the disc back. IMO.

I think some don't want it back because they aren't sure who they are meeting, as stated earlier. Some because it has already been replaced, everyone hates losing plastic but the up side is buying new. Some don't want it back because it might be held for ransom, expecting to pay to get it back. Personally, I would never ask for anything in return and would feel silly taking anything for doing the right thing. On the other hand, I would have loved to get called on a couple that I lost and would have offered a new disc in exchange, or cash. Which leads me to, I've never been called on the few I've lost with ink, so I stopped inking.

 

[MaineDisc]

If you find a disc and call the number when you get done and the phone is disconnected or out of service, what do you do?
I have a disc sitting on my shelf at home, I called the owner 3 times and the number is "no longer in service". What would you do?

 

[Hampstead]

I don't have the time or desire to deal with the hassle of trying to return a disc. If I find one on the course, I leave it there unless I recognize the person's name on it.

 

[dashiellx]

If you find a disc and call the number when you get done and the phone is disconnected or out of service, what do you do?
I have a disc sitting on my shelf at home, I called the owner 3 times and the number is "no longer in service". What would you do?

If you're uncomfortable keeping it, donate it.

 

[dtuba]

If you find a disc and call the number when you get done and the phone is disconnected or out of service, what do you do?
I have a disc sitting on my shelf at home, I called the owner 3 times and the number is "no longer in service". What would you do?

Keep it.

Hey, you made the effort. Nothing else to be done.

 

[ilmcgee]

If you find a disc and call the number when you get done and the phone is disconnected or out of service, what do you do?
I have a disc sitting on my shelf at home, I called the owner 3 times and the number is "no longer in service". What would you do?

The disc is yours now. Whether you want it, donate it to friend or someone else, or sell it, is your choice.

 

[T_Mac]

I always text the number and if I get no response will text again and if still no response, I call, mostly to see if the line has been disconnected which it usually has been but sometimes not. I've found around 10 discs in my 3 years of playing and I'd say the number of people that say keep it is a little over half. I've also had several instances where the person was still on the course and just met me on whatever hole I was on, that's my favorite thing. It is sometimes a hassle to get a disc back to someone, but it feels good when they are very appreciative to get it back.

Unfortunately I've lost about 10 discs as well with only one call back. That disc was a DX Teebird that was beat to hell. I lost it at McCormick DG course and nearly a year later one of the guys that runs Buxton Woods (private course) called me about it. Those courses are about 40 miles apart. I told him to keep it. Lesson is I guess that many people have no moral compass and, in my experience, don't call you back. Probably the same d-bags who leave bottles and cans all over the place. Kinda sucks but that's why I really pay attention to where my shots land and if it's a favorite disc, I'll spend a while looking. Kinda sucks it has to be this way though.

 

[4ormal]

I don't mark up my discs because I don't expect they will get returned if I lose them. I don't lose many discs and if I do it is usually in a place that they will never be coming back. On the flip side I've returned discs to owners, but more often then not it becomes a hassle of getting ahold of them. Nowadays I just let somebody else deal with it. I don't like the bad juju of having a disc with somebody else's name in my bag.