Disc Golf, Foot Golf, *stick* golf - How Much Would You Pay?

[Old_Fella]

Reading these replies has been really interesting, and I have to agree with some of you that perspective is definitely in order.

When I said that "There is no way in hell I would pay $20" for disc golf, for me I still say that this holds true. But I get why others may be completely willing to pay $20.

Ultimately, I got into DG because it was free/minimal cost.

I can't afford to pay and LOVE the fact that I can run to a local course and play every day.

My only fear is that as DG grows in popularity and better courses come along, the free ones will ultimately fade away. I think a public park with free DG is good for the sport and I just don't want to see all those fun "free" DG courses turn themselves into "pay-to-play" courses just because they can.

The accessibility (low barrier to entry) of DG is one of it's biggest assets. And I think it's one of the reasons the sport is growing so fast.


So, in the end, long live great free-to-play and bring on the ridiculously beautiful, amenity filled, pay-to-play courses! Hopefully there will be a need/room for both!

 

[knettles]

I know. It could happen. They will take over our courses. Or, they will pick up a disc and ditch the stupid ball once they realize how awesome disc golf is. Could go either way:\

Definitely not worried about that. At least in the hillier/more wooded areas.

 

[Vorpaljesus]

I'd like to keep DG just the way it is. I'll never be world champion and I will never make a living playing this game. I don't care about "growing the sport". I love it as a hobby.

10 bucks for a day pass at a course is about all I'm willing to pay.

Foot golf sounds idiotic. To me.

As a Metropark employee, I get ball golf rounds at 5 bucks, I might start taking advantage of that just because my friends play and the mental game is probably similar.

My most frequently golfed course is Hudson Mills, and I've payed basically 80 bucks a year for unlimited park and DG access for the last couple years since I started. That's the way I like it and I think the courses are damn well maintained for the price.

Yes I'd pay maybe 20 bucks two-three times a year for a day pass at a GREAT DG course, it would have to be an experience.

Just my opinion.

 

[zgmc]

Definitely not worried about that. At least in the hillier/more wooded areas.

I'm still thinking we need to go on the offensive here...

 

[davetherocketguy]

That's where you lost me. It's called Golf. It existed before disc golf and foot golf.

Can we please end this annoying trend of trying to qualify golf with an additional adjective?

No.

And here's why..It's a matter of context. If I am in a group of disc golfers I refer to disc golf as just golf. My card mates are golfers. From within that context if I want to talk about other forms of golf then I add the qualifier such as "stick golf" or "ball golf" or whatever.

If I am on the links then it is completely the other way 'round. As I am pulling out my 3 wood I refer to it as golf. Of course I don't refer to myself as a golfer in that context...more like "hack."

 

[davetherocketguy]

Definitely not worried about that. At least in the hillier/more wooded areas.

Yeah, I've always wondered the suitability of foot-golf on hilly terrain. Courses that would be impossible IMHO off the top of my head for foot golf would be places like, Rum Village, George Wilson, Hickory Hills. I've never been there but from the pictures I've seen there is no way it would work at Bucksnort DGC. I just don't see how it could be implimented on anything other than flat-ish terrain.

 

[pmatt1969]

Not paying more than 5 bucks to play some place unless it is on vacation. And golf is ball golf. Not disc golf.

 

[DavidSauls]

Would you pay $20 for a round of disc golf at a local golf course?

For myself, the answer is "no". Well, maybe once or twice as a novelty.

In part because I live in an area with some fine free courses. The disc-golf-on-ball-golf course experience would have to be pretty fabulous to attract me.

Along with the shared amenities come shared use, and having played such courses before, I'm not a big fan of being mixed in with (ball) golfers.

I'll hedge and say that if they built a really fabulous, 4.5-5.0 level course, I'd probably play every once in a while.

I have played a few fabulous disc golf courses for which I'd pay $20 a day. So it's conceivable that someone could build the course that would draw me a couple of times per month at that price. I'm not sure $20 a round would, though.

 

[ScottyLove]

I've paid over $400 to play a single ball golf round and used to pay around $2500 a year for my not very exclusive ball golf country club. Since I found disc golf, I've not picked up the sticks in over 3 years. It's not that I don't think I'd enjoy it, but I'm just so addicted to disc golf I'd rather go throw.

I've only paid to play disc golf recently at AmWorlds in MN and it was only $5. I'd have paid $25 or more for Blue Ribbon Pines easily. Those folks are missing out on some $$ if you ask me.

I have ZERO interest in foot golf even as a past soccer player. Just don't see the point.

So... yeah, I have no problem paying for disc golf if the experience was similar to what I used to have in ball golf. I think it would be good for the sport.

 

[jfrosty42]

Last time I wen foot golfing, I paid $16 for all you can play. We played 36.

 

[dragonlord]

I myself got into DG mainly because of the free to play aspect but I could be convinced to pay to play if it was on a daily basis not round by round. I am not well off financially and could not afford to pay a lot but $10-$20 per DAY I could handle occasionally. Even at this price though I would not do it on very regular basis. I do like the idea of a yearly membership to play all you want if the course is nicely maintained too.

 

[[email protected]]

Hypocritically cheap as well. They'll pay absurd amounts of money for OOP or limited run plastic (oftentimes getting ripped off), and then bitch and moan about the cost of a round.

So true!! A typical day in the life of a DG'er on the way to the course includes, $10ish in gas, $9 six pack of craft beer, $5 pack of smokes, a possible stop to the local "dealer" for a cool $60ish, a $7 stop at subway for a sandwich and chips, a quick $28 stop at the local DG pro-shop to replace the two discs that were lost on the last round, and a DG'er is in for a solid $40 to $100. This is before the on line purchase of the $120 bag, and $300 worth of plastic in the bag. All of the aforementioned businesses making money on your many purchases, but GOD FORBID the actual destination of your trip (the DG course) who has thousands of $$, countless hours of backbreaking work, and the responsibility of the liability, and clean up of your visit make ANY $$. How does this make ANY sense?

 

[elmexdela]

I've only paid to play disc golf recently at AmWorlds in MN and it was only $5. I'd have paid $25 or more for Blue Ribbon Pines easily. Those folks are missing out on some $$ if you ask me.

i wouldnt pay more than $10 for brp. 5 is just right. there are way too many great free courses in the TC that i could make a whole day trip out of. brp you have to go in the morning or its going to be crowded and take 5 hours to play a round if you hit up the afternoon/evening.

plus dg has never been about the money.

 

[davetherocketguy]

Truth...Paul speaks it.

 

[Darth Anovin]

If you are not willing to pay for nice things, you won't get them.

^^^ This. I've never played a P2P course, but this is why I would. There just happen to be none close to me. With that said, I can't speak from personal experience. But my gut tells me that P2P courses tend to keep away some of the riff-raff. Like dudes that leave empty beer cans or Gatorade bottles 10 feet from a trash can. Or the dudes that draw "disc chargers" on benches. Am I wrong?

 

[sandtiger]

I paid $15 for a year pass into Prides Creek and its about an hour and 15 minutes from my home. So its not like I can just drop everything and go out and play anytime I want. I support the pay to play if the courses are well maintained and they offer a yearly rate. If a local course decided to charge $3 a day but offered yearly rates of say $30 I would have no objection to paying it.

Also death to foot golf. This is what I think of when I think foot golf.

 

[zgmc]

Last time I wen foot golfing, I paid $16 for all you can play. We played 36.

TAke him out boys! Surprised you got past 1!

 

[elmexdela]

Or the dudes that draw "disc chargers" on benches. Am I wrong?

if im paying money to play, you bet your ass im expecting some disc chargers. how else am i going to crush some long drives?

 

[joecoin]

It won't end, no matter how stupid it is, because of the insecurities of the people who are afraid that the use of the unqualified "golf" for its actual meaning somehow makes "disc golf" sound inferior.

That, or its like the people who continually refer to Mexico as "Old Mexico" without realizing how silly it makes them sound.

The next time I'm in the state of East Virginia, I'll mention that the last time I was in Original Mexico I played some original golf.

Anyhoo, I'd pay to play on decent courses that were disc golf only. No other activities allowed.

 

[DatRedDude]

I posted this in another thread a while back.

Was in my car on way to golf listening to a local sports radio show. They had a pro on from a local course. Here is the biggest difference between disc golf and foot golf. Foot golf actual has partnered with the PGA of america. The whole plan is to take those players and get them to play golf. They arent targetting the disc golf player. They want people with disposable income. If you are willing to pay 20$ to play foot golf you are likely to try golf. Disc golfers are absurdly cheap and spoiled in this area. I prefer to pay to play. I dont have to see your butts(i smoke myself) and ur empty cans sitting at the base of every tree i pass. Disc golf has spoiled players being in public parks and free to play. Not painting with a broad brush as i know a large % of players arent disrespectful litter bugs.

I play a lot of golf. The more you pay for a tee time the nicer the course the better chance you wont have to deal with johny jeans with his tank top on holding up the whole course.

Fuzzy zeoller once said the way a golf course charges is for evey million dollars the developer has in the course it cost the golfer ten dollars per million.