MrDarkHorse
Eagle Member
So... I've been playing disc golf seriously for about 3 months now. I think it's a great sport, and I'd like to see it grow. I thought I'd share some insight as a relative outsider with my experience and observations.
I'm sure many people have similar experiences, but it's easy to get friends hooked on disc golf. In just the 3 months I've been playing, I've taken about 15 friends out with me, 10 of which have ended up buying their own discs. My wife has her own, and my 6 year old son even saved up some money to buy himself a Shark recently. It's infectious, and easy to get started. I live in the Austin area, so there are plenty of courses nearby to play in.
I wish there was an easier way to spend time with experienced/skilled players and ask them for pointers and critique. That's one of the things that led me and many others to seek out this site. People here have been very helpful and willing to share videos and critique my own videos and I think that's been helpful.
On the course, my experience with other players has been somewhat mixed. I've met some pretty cool people on some random pickup rounds.
But trying to find some "better" players to rub shoulders with was more difficult. I eventually found a local disc golf club, which I went ahead and joined, but my reception there hasn't been as good as I was hoping. The first mini I played in, other players seemed reluctant to be around me. (one of the guys in my group confided that they probably thought I was a cop)
I was also hoping for a little more "let's help out the new guy" reception, but instead everybody kind of kept to their little groups. At one point on the course, my group and another group (I don't think they were ams, but I'm not sure, we were never introduced!) ended up throwing at the same basket from different tees. It was extremely windy, so when I picked up my putter I held it for about 10 seconds during a big gust cause I didn't want to try to putt into that. I turned to the other group waiting and said apologetically "sorry, I'm gonna wait out this gust" to which the guy in front responded sternly "watch your time".
In conclusion, the percentage of players I've run into seem to be about 25% guys who just want to drink and/or smoke pot, 30% guys who seem to be taking everything a little too seriously and are kind of douchebags, 20% casual players or newbs throwing Grooves on 150' holes, 24% good guys about on my level that seem like good guys I'd enjoy spending an afternoon with, 1% women.
So I guess I'll just keep grinding it out on my own. I'll probably eventually go back and play in one of the local club minis, but honestly I could probably use some more rounds in casual play before I need to go throw my money away at people who don't really care to make me feel welcome anyway.
What are other people's experiences? I know I'm not the only new guy around here.
I'm sure many people have similar experiences, but it's easy to get friends hooked on disc golf. In just the 3 months I've been playing, I've taken about 15 friends out with me, 10 of which have ended up buying their own discs. My wife has her own, and my 6 year old son even saved up some money to buy himself a Shark recently. It's infectious, and easy to get started. I live in the Austin area, so there are plenty of courses nearby to play in.
I wish there was an easier way to spend time with experienced/skilled players and ask them for pointers and critique. That's one of the things that led me and many others to seek out this site. People here have been very helpful and willing to share videos and critique my own videos and I think that's been helpful.
On the course, my experience with other players has been somewhat mixed. I've met some pretty cool people on some random pickup rounds.
But trying to find some "better" players to rub shoulders with was more difficult. I eventually found a local disc golf club, which I went ahead and joined, but my reception there hasn't been as good as I was hoping. The first mini I played in, other players seemed reluctant to be around me. (one of the guys in my group confided that they probably thought I was a cop)
I was also hoping for a little more "let's help out the new guy" reception, but instead everybody kind of kept to their little groups. At one point on the course, my group and another group (I don't think they were ams, but I'm not sure, we were never introduced!) ended up throwing at the same basket from different tees. It was extremely windy, so when I picked up my putter I held it for about 10 seconds during a big gust cause I didn't want to try to putt into that. I turned to the other group waiting and said apologetically "sorry, I'm gonna wait out this gust" to which the guy in front responded sternly "watch your time".
In conclusion, the percentage of players I've run into seem to be about 25% guys who just want to drink and/or smoke pot, 30% guys who seem to be taking everything a little too seriously and are kind of douchebags, 20% casual players or newbs throwing Grooves on 150' holes, 24% good guys about on my level that seem like good guys I'd enjoy spending an afternoon with, 1% women.
So I guess I'll just keep grinding it out on my own. I'll probably eventually go back and play in one of the local club minis, but honestly I could probably use some more rounds in casual play before I need to go throw my money away at people who don't really care to make me feel welcome anyway.
What are other people's experiences? I know I'm not the only new guy around here.