There are few parks employees who see folks smoking; you think everyone fires up as soon as they see a lawn mower coming through? For those parks employees that do see this activity; you would be surprised how many are also same breed. I wish everyone would quit talking about the smoking aspect. This site is quickly becoming one of the most viewed disc golf sites in the country/world. All of the talk of smoking is simply going to give a police visitor ideas....
Disc golf courses bring huge numbers of park participants into the parks. This is not what all parks and rec want; but, for those that do; the sport fills up their park in ways that no other activity can. I am partially responsible for an @200 team softball complex. Obviously, we fill that place up; often seven fields deep; five nights a week. So, on many nights, we are providing services for @600 persons. However, from a staffing stand point, we must provide @20 persons each night, plus the support staff of the grounds crew, administrative persons at the main office, etc.
Many of our local disc courses are seeing numbers per day that are nearly the same; and it's year round; while softball is only @6 months. No staff is needed for disc; expect for park's maintenance staff (and the park would be maintained regardless of disc in most cases). A disc course costs @20,000 to install (worst case scenario). Think of the cost of the lighting and field grading, and building concessions area, scoreboards, etc., that goes in to building and periodically upgrading a softball complex.
The numbers make disc a much higher return on community participation in the parks system. And, both softball and disc contribute to parks and rec agenda, by bringing together rich/poor, male/female, young/old, etc.... Add to this, the fact that many disc courses are taken care off with participation of disc clubs (which sometimes also happens in softball for instance; but is much less often the case than with disc); thus, lessening the load of the park's staff.
There is a good amount of drinking involved with softball participation. Without going too much into the argument between the two; I personally would rather see smokers enjoying an event, than drinkers. I have to deal with drinkers and don't enjoy that aspect at all (yes, I realize discers drink as well).
Clubs take care of vandalism more than parks departments do at the courses. Often, even to the point of replacing stolen baskets. Clubs often add benches, etc. There are also many instances of disc courses discouraging bad elements from over running a park (i.e. gang situations or gay meet up activity).
One final note for those who think the smoking aspect is obvious....it's obvious to you; but, most courses have a wooded section that tends to be utilized for these activities, and if you were not a discer yourself, just part of the general public, would you ever see this?
