How did you find disc golf? What does it mean to you now? Where do you see it going?

[dandther]

I got a 119 gram World Class Frisbee in 1975 or so, and read about "Frisbee Golf" in the little book that came with it. Not too long after that I heard that the county had put a Frisbee Golf course in a park about 3 miles from my house. I started riding my bike there and playing with my 119g Frisbee...almost 50 years ago. I have been playing every summer since then (but now I play with much better discs).

 

[redflyer717]

I played French Creek during a youth group camping retreat in the early 2010's. I'm pretty sure we just played with frisbees. Then during the pandemic my friends and I got cheap frisbees and tried out a course at a park near us. After the first go around I went online and got some cheap DX discs and had a much better time.

Disc golf saved my mental health during the pandemic and still continues to be a great source of therapy/soul care. It's a great way for me to get out in nature without distractions and is my primary form of exercise. It's also how I met my current boyfriend/future husband. We realize our playing ability is a gift and something we want to share with others.

I hope the sport has healthy and sustained growth. More outside sponsors realizing it's potential would be nice. I think we're going to reach a point where the FPO/MPO splits off into FPO1/2/3 etc. and MPO1/2/3.

 

[Biggie_Robs]

Mid 90s in college, at the first course in Mississippi. It was pretty bare bones, but it was a safe-ish place to meet up with friends and smoke some weed. Throwing one disc rounds before it was cool, lol. Miss that Cheetah.

 

[zontar]

A son I never knew I had discovered me when he was 31 and I was 50. he happened to play a lot and got me back into it after not playing in years.

not making that up!

 

[Ryal]

I found out about disc golf in early 2017 when a buddy of mine at work eagerly told me about it. I didn't actually play my first round until a few months later on Fathers' Day when Dad and I were trying to think about a fun but affordable activity to do. I made sure to tell my work buddy about it afterwards, and he was gratified to hear that he helped introduce some new players to the sport.

Since then, disc golf has become a nice excuse for me to travel to places I would have never seen otherwise. I always take at least one full week off from work so I can drive to a fresh part of the country and play as many new-to-me courses as I can. Currently, I've played at about 220 courses mostly in the northeastern United States.
But perhaps more importantly, disc golf has become a way for my father and me to bond. Everytime I visit my parents, my dad and I always make time to play-- whether it's one or two rounds at the rinky-dink 9-hole a few blocks away from where he lives or one of the 18-hole courses within driving distance. Plus, every Fathers Day I commemorate the start of our disc golfing journey by taking him to a big name course that he's never been to before. This year, I'm thinking of showing him Muddy Run down in southeastern PA!

As for where I see the sport of disc golf going...? It is undeniably growing in popularity. Slowly, but it's growing. It can be a fun activity for literally anybody. More families are seeing it as an inexpensive way to spend time outdoors with the kids for a few hours. And it's even getting some airtime on the sports networks. Sponsorships are gradually getting more prevalent, too (for better or worse). The Pandemic is responsible for generating a massive new wave of casual and competetive players, which has the result of slightly more crowded courses and, by extension, tournaments. Higher demand for new courses and more tournaments will need more volunteers to imagine, design, shape and maintain the courses and events. I predict a higher number of courses everywhere but also a higher number of neglected courses. Pay-to-play may gain traction as the way forward, too. As a course gets too popular, it may get tougher to maintain.

Overall, the sport of disc golf is destined for healthy growth if it doesn't reach too far too fast.

 

[Casey 1988]

I played French Creek during a youth group camping retreat in the early 2010's. I'm pretty sure we just played with frisbees. Then during the pandemic my friends and I got cheap frisbees and tried out a course at a park near us. After the first go around I went online and got some cheap DX discs and had a much better time.

Disc golf saved my mental health during the pandemic and still continues to be a great source of therapy/soul care. It's a great way for me to get out in nature without distractions and is my primary form of exercise. It's also how I met my current boyfriend/future husband. We realize our playing ability is a gift and something we want to share with others.

I hope the sport has healthy and sustained growth. More outside sponsors realizing it's potential would be nice. I think we're going to reach a point where the FPO/MPO splits off into FPO1/2/3 etc. and MPO1/2/3.

We are almost at a point on Disc Golf Pro Tour where MPO plays one weekend and FPO plays same course right after next weekend or other way around for some events, doing a Disc Golf Pro Tour Male and Disc Golf Pro Tour Female. Only other option is 2 different courses used at all stops and switching is forced using one course for FPO and other course MPO all 4 days.

 

[DavidSauls]

In the mid-90s a cousin found it, showed my brother, who showed me. Like many people I've met, we were instantly addicted and playing every day. Oddly, it took us about a year to realize there were other courses than the one in our city (Why would someone manufacture discs for just one course? We didn't think to ask!) The cousin who started this only played a year or two, but today I, 3 brothers, and some of their sons, play a lot.

The landscape has changed immensely since that time. There were only 2 courses in South Carolina (Charlotte was incredible because it had TWO courses in the same city), and we'd make long daytrips to courses 3 hours away in Georgia and North Carolina to play elsewhere. On our home course, there was only 1 other group we'd regularly see. Tournaments were pretty special, with only a handful available each year.

Where's it going? I'm not sure about the pro tour. Video coverage has improved dramatically, and the calendar's pretty full. Locally, one trend I anticipate is a lot more private courses to complement the public courses. 20 years ago my brother and I bought land and started building one, which was pretty rare at the time; now I see and hear of a lot more people doing it.

 

[Tuskanini]

I've been playing since 1985 when I close friend of mine invited me to play. I was hooked immediately and joined the PDGA. I used to play in leagues and tournaments but I'm only playing at a recreation level now. My favorite memory was getting Stead Ed to sign my "Am worlds" disc in 1999 in Kansas City. I still own two memorial discs with his ashes in them. I played mostly in the upper midwest (Minnesota & Wisconsin), but retired to Florida a few years ago and play here now. I have turned at least 15 people on to disc golf since I've been here and plan to continue getting folks involved.

 

[Tuskanini]

I found out about disc golf in early 2017 when a buddy of mine at work eagerly told me about it. I didn't actually play my first round until a few months later on Fathers' Day when Dad and I were trying to think about a fun but affordable activity to do. I made sure to tell my work buddy about it afterwards, and he was gratified to hear that he helped introduce some new players to the sport.

Since then, disc golf has become a nice excuse for me to travel to places I would have never seen otherwise. I always take at least one full week off from work so I can drive to a fresh part of the country and play as many new-to-me courses as I can. Currently, I've played at about 220 courses mostly in the northeastern United States.
But perhaps more importantly, disc golf has become a way for my father and me to bond. Everytime I visit my parents, my dad and I always make time to play-- whether it's one or two rounds at the rinky-dink 9-hole a few blocks away from where he lives or one of the 18-hole courses within driving distance. Plus, every Fathers Day I commemorate the start of our disc golfing journey by taking him to a big name course that he's never been to before. This year, I'm thinking of showing him Muddy Run down in southeastern PA!

As for where I see the sport of disc golf going...? It is undeniably growing in popularity. Slowly, but it's growing. It can be a fun activity for literally anybody. More families are seeing it as an inexpensive way to spend time outdoors with the kids for a few hours. And it's even getting some airtime on the sports networks. Sponsorships are gradually getting more prevalent, too (for better or worse). The Pandemic is responsible for generating a massive new wave of casual and competetive players, which has the result of slightly more crowded courses and, by extension, tournaments. Higher demand for new courses and more tournaments will need more volunteers to imagine, design, shape and maintain the courses and events. I predict a higher number of courses everywhere but also a higher number of neglected courses. Pay-to-play may gain traction as the way forward, too. As a course gets too popular, it may get tougher to maintain.

Overall, the sport of disc golf is destined for healthy growth if it doesn't reach too far too fast.

220 is an incredible commitment! Keep it going!

 

[Hampstead]

Had hippie parents and was throwing frisbees as a kid. Started playing object golf for fun, no idea that actual courses existed. Played my first course in '90. Used a frisbee. '92 or '93 played again with friends from work. Couldn't get used to golf discs at first. They didn't feel right. Couldn't throw them well. Played with them enough that I got used to the weird discs. Been playing ever since. It's my walking meditation. A opportunity to be in the woods.

Like anything else, it's getting more polished and further away from its roots. So it goes. I don't pay too much attention to that side anymore.

 

[wproct]

I discovered disc golf when I was around 66 years old. I had started an exercise program including a lot of walking about 10 years prior. My walking would often take me through a nice city park that had an 18 hole disc golf course. As I walked through and observed players enjoying the game I thought this looked like a nice hobby/activity that would give me the same benefits as just walking and looked like a lot more fun. I bought a few discs and started watching a bunch of videos on youtube about the sport. I quickly became an avid fan and since I was retired I was playing almost daily, fortunately I have a very understanding wife. Now I am 79 years old, still playing and plan to continue as long as my health and body will allow. I will say that I have met some of the best people playing disc golf.

So, disc golf has become my number one interest. I only see disc golf growing more and more in the future as an activity, but I see it also growing in popularity as a spectator sport in people following their favorite professional players.