Disc golf (frisbee golf)

Disc golf (also known as Frisbee golf) is a sport in which participants throw flying discs at a series of targets. The sport's structure and most of its basic rules follow those of traditional golf. The primary differences are using discs instead of a ball and clubs and aiming at poles with baskets instead of holes. Just as golf has different clubs designed for different distances, trajectories, and terrain, disc golf offers a selection of discs. Depending on the level of play, participants are allowed a certain amount of discs, and casual players may sometimes use only one throughout a round.

Disc golf is one of the youngest sports with international popularity. The first organized disc golf rounds took place in the 1960s. Professional leagues were not firmly established until the late 1970s, and the game took on its modern form by the mid-1980s.

Brief History

Disc golf's exact origins are difficult to pinpoint. Many reports of people playing golf with flying discs, often in informal situations, appeared in the mid-twentieth century. In the 1960s, George Sappenfield was a recreation counselor. While golfing, he realized that kids could enjoy many of the benefits of golf without the investment of equipment and lessons. Years later, he became the parks and recreation supervisor of Thousand Oaks, California. He pitched his idea to Wham-O, and executive "Steady" Ed Headrick was intrigued. Wham-O provided the Frisbees and targets for two major events.

Meanwhile, a community in Rochester, New York, independently established regular disc golf competitions in the early 1970s. When they heard that Frisbee-related games were extremely popular in other regions of the United States, they sent out invitations for a national disc golf tournament. The tournament was a success, and the amount of disc golf players and courses grew rapidly over the next few years. It drew Headrick and Wham-O's attention, and the company began promoting it on a regular basis. In 1975, Wham-O sponsored the World Frisbee Championships, which consisted of several events. Disc golf was among them, which helped raise its profile.

As the sport became more popular, Headrick left Wham-O to form the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) in 1976. He campaigned vigorously to raise awareness and recruit members. There was a small asking fee, and the funds went to help establish official courses across the country and organize tournaments. With a unified organization, the sport gained more credibility and saw an increase in top-level players.

Headrick maintained almost complete control of the PDGA, however, which caused more issues as membership increased. The growing number of players had various ideas and requests and wanted more of a say in the organization. Headrick enforced that only Wham-O discs could be used in PDGA competition, which many critics saw as an unfair monopoly. By the early 1980s, the PDGA restructured and gave several players leadership roles within the organization. With a more democratic process in place, the organization and sport grew more popular than ever.

In the 1990s, PDGA leaders established a system of player ratings and divisions. Players were rated based on their performances in official competitions, and they were placed in divisions depending on their rating and geographic location. This helped create more competitive balance in the sport.

Overview

Disc golf's rules follow the rules of traditional golf in many ways. Disc golfers start out at a designated point, or tee. If they cannot see their target from the tee, usually some type of sign directs them. They can throw from anywhere in the tee area. For their next throw, players must throw from the point at which their disc stopped after the previous throw. Players continue to make throws like this until their disc lands in the target's basket. They then count the amount of throws they took, and mark it down as their score. Some areas, such as water, are considered out of bounds. If a disc lands there, the thrower adds an extra throw to his or her score. He or she can take the next throw either from the start of the previous throw or from the nearest in-bound point to his or her disc, depending on the venue. At the end of the round, the scores from each "hole" (a term carried over from traditional golf) are added together, which provides the player's score for the whole round. The goal is to achieve the lowest score possible.

Discs are divided into three main categories: short-range putters, medium-range discs, and long-range drivers. The different varieties help throwers control distance. Throwers also can use several techniques. The most basic are backhand and forehand throws, which have different benefits depending on the thrower's position and comfort. Less common throws include the overhead throw, which can be used to avoid shorter obstacles. In some situations, throwers may intentionally roll their discs along the ground, and certain discs are designed to aid this technique.

Disc golf shares many of the same appealing attributes as traditional golf. Both allow participants to spend time outdoors in quiet settings amid pleasant scenery. Different courses offer a variety of terrain, obstacles, and other challenges. Although disc golf provides an opportunity for participants to get exercise, it is a very low-impact sport, which means a wide range of people can enjoy it. Disc golf can be played alone or with a group. While people compete against one another other, more skilled players do not hinder the performance of less skilled ones in any way, and people of all skill levels can strive to beat their own scores.

In addition, disc golf has advantages over traditional golf. Golf has a steep learning curve and requires substantial practice to sharpen and retain skills. Disc golf is usually easier for beginners to get to a point at which they can at least progress at a reasonable pace. Another advantage is cost. Golf requires an investment, with the purchase of clubs and bags, and even smaller, cheaper courses almost always have entry fees. Discs are significantly cheaper, and many disc golf courses are free.

Professional disc golf lacks the popularity of golf or other professional sports. It is not played at the Olympics, and it lacks major television coverage. However, the PDGA consists of nearly forty thousand members and is growing. Disc golf is popular at the casual level, with many parks supplying free courses to the public.

Bibliography

"Brief History of Disc Golf and the PDGA." PDGA, www.pdga.com/history. Accessed 18 Jan. 2018.

"Glossary of Disc Golf Terms." Innova Disc Golf, www.innovadiscs.com/home/disc-golf-faq/glossary-of-terms/. Accessed 19 Jan. 2018.

Gregory, Michael Steven. Disc Golf: All You Need to Know about the Game You Want to Play. mTrellis Publishing, 2003.

"History of the Frisbee." WFDF, www.wfdf.org/history-stats/history-of-flying-disc/4-history-of-the-frisbee. Accessed 19 Jan. 2018.

"How to Play Disc Golf." Disc Golf Association, www.discgolf.com/homepage/how-to-play-disc-golf/. Accessed 21 Jan. 2018.

Menickelli, Justin, and Ryan Pickens. Definitive Guide to Disc Golf. Triumph Books, 2016.

"Official Rules and Regulations of Disc Golf." PDGA, 1 Jan. 2018, www.pdga.com/rules. Accessed 19 Jan. 2018.

"Rules Hub." USGA, www.usga.org/rules-hub.html. Accessed 20 Jan. 2018.

"Ultimate Frisbee and Disc Golf History." Ultimate Disc Sport, ultimatediscsport.com/. Accessed 20 Jan. 2018.

"Upcoming Disc Golf Tournaments in the United States." Disc Golf Scene, www.discgolfscene.com/tournaments. Accessed 18 Jan. 2018.