Disc Golf driving range

[Lazerface]

No. golf balls and golf discs are not apples to apples. It would be like having a ball golf driving range where you did not use your clubs.

I don't think the generic muscle memory argument holds water. It could do more harm than good.

Now, an existing disc golf retailer that has a range and a "tester" disc that has not been beat up from the various molds would be really cool! Even better would be several in each mold along the entire "beatness" spectrum. That would be disc golf shop utopia.

 

[Atvizory2000]

Would I use it? Yes. Will you make money on it? No. Unless you were throwing into a foam pit, or something that wouldnt cause the discs to wear. Maybe a body of water? I dont know how much damage that water causes to a disc at high speeds. Then you could have a giant net to retrieve all the discs at the end of the day.

 

[dbaledge]

Would I use it? Yes. Will you make money on it? No. Unless you were throwing into a foam pit, or something that wouldnt cause the discs to wear. Maybe a body of water? I dont know how much damage that water causes to a disc at high speeds. Then you could have a giant net to retrieve all the discs at the end of the day.

a body of water is an interesting concept but the collection would be difficult

 

[dbaledge]

No. golf balls and golf discs are not apples to apples. It would be like having a ball golf driving range where you did not use your clubs.

I don't think the generic muscle memory argument holds water. It could do more harm than good.

Now, an existing disc golf retailer that has a range and a "tester" disc that has not been beat up from the various molds would be really cool! Even better would be several in each mold along the entire "beatness" spectrum. That would be disc golf shop utopia.

As an avid "ball golfer" I couldn't agree more. golf balls don't get beat in and fly completely different from one another. Also I want so badly for a try before you buy situation to exist.

 

[MarkDSM]

So you would only get Wind in One Direction then?

Pass. Would only use that as a goof. i'm in a windy area and using wind as a part of practice is a huge deal.

 

[DinosaurThunder]

Convert a small section of a golf dome to be disc golf only - throwers can see most of the flight, easy to pick up discs for owner of dome and "crappy days" won't impact business.

 

[SonicGuy]

The market isn't big enough, the community as a whole is cheap, and the overhead will be to great. 10 tee pads at say $10 a piece is obviously $100 however say you give each person 50 discs for $10 and you buy each disc for $15, you're spending $740 a person in discs. Times 10 people that's $7400 in discs being thrown at a time, you would have to see 740 customers before you break even, and the disc will need to be replaced before you see 740 people. All of this is at hypothetical numbers, however people will want bang for their buck, my professional business opinion is that it isn't sustainable.

As far as the business model...

How many throws would a champ teebird be worth? I would hope that it would go at least 1000 throws on a flat field without ever hitting a tree. I would guess it would last much longer. Let's say I get each at $7 wholesale (I sure hope I could do better). That means a range stack of 100 costs me $.70 in replacement cost. Every penny over $.70 goes to pay for the other overhead, being mortgage, utility, and payroll. Let's say mortgage and utilities add up to ~$1,500 /month. Payroll is going to run me ~$3,000. Let's add in $500 incidentals to make a nice round $5,000 /mo to work with. Under these worst case scenario figures, I would need 39 stacks sold per day on a 7 days a week model before I start chipping into my capital outlay.

So yes, bad business in today's market. Ten years from now, who knows? You could easily lower payroll and negotiate lower discs costs, and pricing in my mind would be $5/50, $7/100, $10/200. Under optimal pricing, I could lower the required patronage to ~25 paid customers. And obviously there will be concessions in the shack.

 

[SD86]

Too many schoolyards near me that I can throw on for free, and throw my own discs. I've used a rangefinder to get distances on some of them, so I have that, also.

The only benefit that there might be for me would be to try discs I haven't tried before. So disc rental for that purpose might work.

 

[SonicGuy]

Question for the "never" guys; how much time do you generally have for a field session?

I usually have about 30 minutes. That means about time for two times down and back on a field, if I book it. I could easily throw 100 discs at a range in that time without the running in between sucking my legs out.

 

[DavidSauls]

I'm the worst target customer for this. First, because I don't throw far enough that walking to my discs is a chore. Second, because my old arm won't throw enough consecutive drives to make it worthwhile.

But it would work better if, instead of stock discs, you let me throw my own, and had a teenager with a go-cart buzzing around the range, scooping up discs and returning them to the tee boxes. I could throw a bunch, and chill a few minutes waiting for their return.

 

[Broken Shoulder]

Just throwing in a field with no obstacles champ/star plastic is going to last a long, long time. You're likely going to lose more to theft than to wearing out your inventory.

You'd have to do concessions, probably. You could get away with a trailer or something like a shed in that case. But, maybe you go big and have a retail store also. If people like some of what they tried, they can buy a brand new one.

Get a liquor license and serve booze and have a spot for putting leagues.

Contract pros to do lessons?

Rent tripods so people can record their sessions?

Spitballing.

 

[SonicGuy]

Just throwing in a field with no obstacles champ/star plastic is going to last a long, long time. You're likely going to lose more to theft than to wearing out your inventory.

Didn't even think of theft, disc golfers are a pilferous bunch. That could be expensive...

You'd have to do concessions, probably. You could get away with a trailer or something like a shed in that case. But, maybe you go big and have a retail store also. If people like some of what they tried, they can buy a brand new one.

Get a liquor license and serve booze and have a spot for putting leagues.

Contract pros to do lessons?

Rent tripods so people can record their sessions?

Spitballing.

All solid ideas. Booze being the best :thmbup:

 

[bradharris]

I am interested if you practice putt with your non putting putters. I know that I use every putter available to me to build more reps. If you do use putters not currently in your bag, how do you justify it for putting practice but not driving?

Yes, for the same reason that I do field work with discs that are not in my bag. They are still my discs and could be "promoted" to the bag at any point, either through loss or just general shuffling. It's also helpful to know generally what level of wear each disc has, background that isn't available in a loaner stack.

 

[SonicGuy]

Yes, for the same reason that I do field work with discs that are not in my bag. They are still my discs and could be "promoted" to the bag at any point, either through loss or just general shuffling. It's also helpful to know generally what level of wear each disc has, background that isn't available in a loaner stack.

Wait, what? So when you practice put, you are consciously picking up each disc, mentally noting which mold it is, and paying attention to how worn it is? Doesn't that take away from your putting practice?

 

[bjreagh]

When I visited Discnation many years ago, they had a testing driving range, but I believe it was intended for you to try out their discs before buying them. And it may have been artificial turf.

Which makes me wonder if the range was turf, how that would affect wear on discs.

Batting cages are typically sloped to catch the balls after hitting. A slick sloped surface maybe?

Or a conveyor. Or some device to "scape" the surface periodically. Though kid on golf cart seems to be the cheapest suggestion so far.

If you wanted to carry just basic molds, you could probably get a decent deal with the companies buying in bulk. Would people be satisfied throwing DX TeeBirds and Valks only for example. Then you get the whole understable vs overstable choice. Would the driving range offer all types, or just something very neutral.

I have a lot of backyard and have amassed lots of discs, so I have a practice set up that is pretty good. Not sure how much, or if, I would pay. And for how many throws- as you would likely want a lot, but it can also be tiring throwing 100 drives in a row. Sometimes I like the walk to get my discs to let my body/arm reset.

Interesting discussion at least.

 

[bradharris]

Wait, what? So when you practice put, you are consciously picking up each disc, mentally noting which mold it is, and paying attention to how worn it is? Doesn't that take away from your putting practice?

I can glance at each disc and I have general familiarity with it because I've practiced or played on the course with it. Same with discs I throw in the field. And if I don't have a good feel for how it flies, field or putting practice is a great opportunity to learn about it, regardless of whether it sees the bag or not.

My point being that, for me, practice (putting or driving) is as much about learning the discs in my library as honing my form. Some of those discs never make it to the bag, but there's still value in getting to know them in case I find a use for them later, or need a quick replacement.

The driving range concept means I would be focusing entirely on my mechanics, which may be better practice, but isn't nearly as much fun.

 

[DiscFifty]

Put some big funnels* at various distances to throw the discs in for prizes or money and now you're onto something. But otherwise...everyone has a local field they can throw their bag at.

* Of course the funnels would light up, make alot of noise, etc, etc, when a disc goes in.

 

[Reniger]

Like most people have stated, it's pretty easy to find an open field to do your own practice, and I would much rather use my own discs that I know. Moreover, I don't want a generic stack of "range drivers" that have various states of wear, most likely wouldn't be my selected mold/plastic/weight...

Crap. I already voted "maybe" and the more I think about it, no way. I've got plenty of open spaces for practice where I don't need to worry about not getting the right discs, others watching, or paying to do it. I'll stick with my stacks of discs and open, empty fields.

ALL SET, THANKS!

 

[SonicGuy]

My point being that, for me, practice (putting or driving) is as much about learning the discs in my library as honing my form.

Interesting, I couldn't disagree more, but I'm sure that is a common approach. Thanks for the input!

 

[roggenb3]

That is within the range of what I was thinking. I would personally be willing to pay $5 for 50.

What kind of disc variety would you need to have available?

Not much. It'd be nice to have the discs I actually throw, but I wouldn't expect a place to have Tanks and Soles in their putter section.

If you just had US/OS for putter, mid, fairway, distance that would be enough. 8 molds.