I take personal issue with your new signature. I obviously wasn't invited to whatever fake internet vote was taken to award you that title.
I challenge you to a tree-off in front of at least 3 other DGCR ace members...
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The 2020 Boost: Catalyst or Bubble?
- Thread starter ChrisWoj
- Start date
I challenge you to a tree-off in front of at least 3 other DGCR ace members...
- Joined
- Jun 13, 2020
- Messages
- 638
I agree with a lot of what was said here. I consider myself kind of part of the 2020 boost, and kind of not. Before last year I had been playing a few rounds a year with friends, dating back to 2012 or so. I owned my own Aviar plus a handful of (unmarked) distance drivers that I had found on local courses. I wonder how many other "new" players were just infrequent players prior to 2020, and how many of them may revert back to that.
Never have I seen this many players on the courses I frequent. Not a good sign for us oldtimers who like to take it slow.
art_vandelay
Eagle Member
It's more than just the pandemic driving growth though. You've got guys like Brodie Smith stepping into the game. He has an incredibly large, young, athletic following some of which will follow him over from Ultimate. If one or a few key influencers or celebrities happened to start talking up the sport we could see another bump. It's like when things go viral on the internet....you reach a critical mass and then boom an explosion. Nobody really knows what's going to happen but I have a feeling we are in for a stretch of above normal growth.
dehaas
* Ace Member *
I lump that under the Covid boom I guess. No tournaments for a couple months and pros start posting more stuff to YouTube. No tournament footage to watch so everything dg related gets watched because there's nothing else to do.
Insert a bunch of Simon trick shots, Brodie does Brodie, and the rest is history.
Insert a bunch of Simon trick shots, Brodie does Brodie, and the rest is history.
rjnoodlearm
Bogey Member
- Joined
- Jan 19, 2020
- Messages
- 64
Growth will continue
I think the sport will continue to see strong growth for two reasons:
It's a great game and it's easy to play. By "easy" I mean just about everyone who can walk can play and probably some who can't.
PDGA membership growth may fall back to earth but most disc golf players are not PDGA members. The PDGA frankly doesn't offer much to most players. A magazine full of pictures and a ratings system aren't compelling reasons for most players to cough up $50.
What the bizarro year of 2020 did was force many people into trying the sport because they suddenly had so few choices.
What I see on the courses now are many very casual players but they seem to be having a great time.
Over time I expect those casual players to primarily use the easier public courses while those who take it a bit more seriously will gravitate toward more challenging options.
I think the sport will continue to see strong growth for two reasons:
It's a great game and it's easy to play. By "easy" I mean just about everyone who can walk can play and probably some who can't.
PDGA membership growth may fall back to earth but most disc golf players are not PDGA members. The PDGA frankly doesn't offer much to most players. A magazine full of pictures and a ratings system aren't compelling reasons for most players to cough up $50.
What the bizarro year of 2020 did was force many people into trying the sport because they suddenly had so few choices.
What I see on the courses now are many very casual players but they seem to be having a great time.
Over time I expect those casual players to primarily use the easier public courses while those who take it a bit more seriously will gravitate toward more challenging options.
BillFleming
* Ace Member *
Do you have your name on a tree because you keep hitting it just about every time you tee off on that hole?
I had my initials carved on one but the bark fell off from subsequent beatings.
BillFleming
* Ace Member *
Ooooo, I have competition! Watson Lake DGC in Prescott, Arizona....13th hole, first available tree to the left of the tee box. I have that tree so many times, there was a sign on it saying:
Bill's Disc Golf Target
With the word Target crossed off and Tree written above it. It was attached with a bungie cord that eventually weathered and broke. The sign hasn't been replaced yet.
A friend said their name should be on it also and I asked them how many times they hit the tree....they said they hit it 4 times....I replied....that's how many time I MISSED it.
Just do what I do--aim for it. At least if you hit it, you feel good about throwing a good shot.
I figure the bubble is the catalyst.
Years | Active Members | % Increase | Numeric Increase
2015 | 30,454 | ?.?%? | ???
2016 | 35,662 | 17.1% | 5,208
2017 | 41,067 | 15.1% | 5,405
2018 | 46,457 | 13.1% | 5,390
2019 | 53,366 | 14.9% | 6,909
2020 | 71,016 | 33.1% | 17,650
2021 | 92,585 | 30.4% | 21,569 (Current of 7/27/2021)
2021 | 103,370 | 45.6% | 32,354 (Year End Projection)
I doubt we'll continue to see the doubled/potentially tripled growth rate of 2019 for more than another year or two, so it's a bubble. However I think that bubble is the catalyst for keeping larger numeric increases moving forward.
Years | Active Members | % Increase | Numeric Increase
2015 | 30,454 | ?.?%? | ???
2016 | 35,662 | 17.1% | 5,208
2017 | 41,067 | 15.1% | 5,405
2018 | 46,457 | 13.1% | 5,390
2019 | 53,366 | 14.9% | 6,909
2020 | 71,016 | 33.1% | 17,650
2021 | 92,585 | 30.4% | 21,569 (Current of 7/27/2021)
2021 | 103,370 | 45.6% | 32,354 (Year End Projection)
I doubt we'll continue to see the doubled/potentially tripled growth rate of 2019 for more than another year or two, so it's a bubble. However I think that bubble is the catalyst for keeping larger numeric increases moving forward.
