Disc golf (also known as
frisbee golfFlying discs are disc-shaped objects, which are generally plastic and roughly 20 to 25 centimeters in diameter, with a lip. The shape of the disc, an airfoil in cross-section, allows it to fly by generating lift as it moves through the air while rotating...
) is a
disc gameFlying disc games are games played with flying discs . Some of the games, such as Ultimate and Disc golf, are sports with substantial international followings.-History:...
in which individual players throw a flying disc into a basket or at a target. According to the
Professional Disc Golf AssociationThe Professional Disc Golf Association is the governing body of disc golf. It conducts championships, gives awards, and offers memberships to enthusiasts.From the organizational bylaws, the PDGA exists:...
, "The object of the game is to traverse a course from beginning to end in the fewest number of throws of the disc." Disc golf is inexpensive and is physically accessible for all ages and athletic ranges and therefore attracts a diverse range of players. A great majority of established disc golf courses are free.
History
The early history of disc golf is closely tied to the somewhat mysterious history of the recreational flying disc (especially as popularized by Wham-O Inc.'s trademarked Frisbees) and may have been invented in the early 1900s, but it is not known for sure. Modern disc golf started in the late 1960s, when it seems to have been invented in many places and by many people independently. Two of the best-known figures in the sport are George Sappenfield and
Ed" Headrick who coined the term "Disc Golf" and who introduced the first formal disc golf target with chains and a basket, the Mach 1. He created the first disc golf course at Oak Grove Park in
Pasadena, CaliforniaPasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States; and is a satellite city of Los Angeles. Famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and the Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home of many leading scientific and cultural institutions, including the...
. In 1975, Headrick formed the first disc golf association, the PDGA, which now officiates the standard rules of play for the sport. The sport has grown at a rate of 12-15 percent annually for more than the past decade, with nearly 3,000 courses in the US and over 3,000 globally. The game is now played in over 40 countries worldwide, primarily in North America, Western Europe, (including the Isle of Wight) Japan and Australasia. In 2009, approximately one out of every five rounds of golf played in the United States will be disc golf rounds.
George Sappenfield and early object courses
In 1965, George Sappenfield, a
CaliforniaCalifornia is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...
n, was a recreation counselor during summer break from college. While playing golf one afternoon he realized that it might be fun for the kids on his playground if they played "golf" with frisbees. He set up an object course for his kids to play on. Other early courses were also of this type, using anything from lamp poles to fire hydrants as targets. When he finished college in 1968, Sappenfield became the Parks and Recreation Supervisor for
Thousand Oaks, CaliforniaThousand Oaks, commonly referred to as "T.O." by residents, is a city in southeastern Ventura County, California, in the United States. It was named after the many oak trees that grace the area, and the city seal is adorned with an oak....
. George introduced the game to many adults by planning a Disc Golf Tournament as part of a recreation project. He contacted
Wham-OWham-O Inc. is a toy company currently located in California, USA. They are known for marketing many popular toys, including the Hula Hoop, the Frisbee, Slip 'N Slide, Super Ball, Super Stuff and Trac-Ball.-Corporate history:...
Manufacturing and asked them for help with the event. Wham-O supplied frisbees for throwing, and
hula hoopA hula hoop is a toy hoop that is twirled around the waist, limbs, or neck.Although the exact origins of hula hoops are unknown, children and adults around the world have played with hoops, twirling, rolling and throwing them throughout history. Hula hoops for children generally measure...
s for use as targets. However, it would not be until the early 1970s that courses began to crop up in various places in the Midwest and the East Coast (some perhaps through Sappenfield's promotion efforts, others probably independently envisioned). Some of Sappenfield's acquaintances are known to have brought the game to UC Berkeley. It quickly became popular on campus, with a permanent course laid out in 1970.
"Steady Ed" Headrick and the growth of the modern game
The first standardized target course was put in by "Steady Ed" Headrick, a flying disc innovator known as the
"Father of Disc Golf", in what was then known as Oak Grove Park in
Pasadena, CaliforniaPasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States; and is a satellite city of Los Angeles. Famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and the Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home of many leading scientific and cultural institutions, including the...
. (Today the park is known as Hahamonga Watershed Park). This park is immediately to the south of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which supplied at least a few of the earliest players. Ed worked for the
San GabrielSan Gabriel is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 39,804 at the 2000 census. It is named after the Mission San Gabriel Arcángel, one of the original Spanish missions in California.-History:...
,
CaliforniaCalifornia is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...
-based
Wham-OWham-O Inc. is a toy company currently located in California, USA. They are known for marketing many popular toys, including the Hula Hoop, the Frisbee, Slip 'N Slide, Super Ball, Super Stuff and Trac-Ball.-Corporate history:...
Corporation and is credited for pioneering the modern era of disc sports. While at Wham-O, Headrick redesigned the Pluto Platter reworking the rim height, disc shape, diameter, weight and plastics, creating a controllable disc that could be thrown accurately. Headrick marketed and pushed the professional model Frisbee and "Frisbee" as a sport. Ed Founded "The International Frisbee Association (IFA)" and began establishing standards for various sports using the Frisbee such as Distance, Freestyle and Guts.
Headrick coined and trademarked the term "Disc Golf" when formalizing the sport and invented the
Disc Pole Hole, the first disc golf target to incorporate chains and a basket on a pole.
Headrick founded the
Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA),
Disc Golf Association (DGA), and
Recreational Disc Golf Association (RDGA) as governing bodies for professional, competitive amateur, and family-oriented play, respectively, and worked on standardizing the rules and the equipment for the quickly-growing sport. Headrick abandoned his trademark on the term "Disc Golf", and turned over control and administration of the PDGA to the growing body of disc golf players in order to focus his passion for building and inventing equipment for the sport. Upon his death, Headrick was cremated and his ashes were made into a limited number of discs per his wishes. The discs were given to friends and family, and some were sold with all proceeds going toward funding a nonprofit "Steady" Ed Memorial Disc Golf Museum at the
PDGA International Disc Golf Center in
Columbia County, GeorgiaColumbia County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 89,288. A 2008 Department of Commerce Survey shows a population of 115,766. The de jure county seat is Appling. Appling is an unincorporated area, making Columbia one of only three counties in...
. One of the discs that contains Headrick's ashes will be permanently placed on the roof of the center. When asked why this was to be done, by a member of the local media, PDGA Executive Director Brian Graham quoted an old Frisbee adage, "Old Frisbee players are like old Frisbees ... They don't die, they just land up on the roof."
Rule differences between golf and disc golf
- In disc golf, it is acceptable for a player to 'fall' in front of their lie after the release. This allowance does NOT apply to putting. A throw is officially considered a putt in disc golf if the lie is marked within what is known as 'The Circle'. This is a circle with a 10-meter (33 feet) radius, with the pin at its center. Within the circle, after putting, a player must not advance beyond the marked lie toward the pin until establishing balance and control, normally by picking up the marker disc. However, like golfers putting from the fringe, rough or fairway, most disc golfers still use a putting motion on shots that are longer than 10 meters, often called "being out of the circle" or "being outside." The player may follow through on these shots and many players develop a jump putt where the golfer jumps towards the target. This allows a combination of the accuracy that putting provides and more power on the putt.
- Falling putts (when the player follows through [as described above] on a putt 10 meters or shorter) and foot faults (when a player does not release the disc behind their mark or within the required distance of the mark, when a player has a part of their body touching the ground on release past their mark or when their tee shot is released from off the teeing area) are penalized in a unique way. The first offense is not penalized a stroke, but the golfer is required to re-throw the shot and then is warned for the offense. Any subsequent fouls, however, are penalized one stroke and the golfer must re-throw.
- Disc golf doesn't have "hazards" as defined in golf. Bodies of water, park roads and areas of cement are typically defined as out-of-bounds in disc golf, however, sometimes these are not. Most courses define these areas as out of bounds or in bounds on tee signs at each hole, however, there is no universal standard for these. As in golf, any out-of-bounds shot is a one stroke penalty, however, the rules for spotting the lie for the next shot are quite different than those in golf. If a throw lands out of bounds, unless defined by the hole, the thrower has the option of playing from the previous lie, or playing from the approximate spot where the disc crossed into the out-of-bound territory. If they choose to play from where the disc crossed out-of-bounds, they may take a one-meter relief from the out-of-bounds area, even if it puts them closer to the pin. The rules do not permit a player to have a supporting point touching out of bounds on release so this is the reason for the relief. If a player lands within a meter of the out of bounds and is in bounds, they are still granted this relief for the same reasoning. This relief is an option, the only rule regarding this is when the disc is released. Most golfers use this rule to their advantage to make putts closer or to improve their lie. Some holes may require a throw from a Drop Zone. If that is the case, the thrower moves to the drop zone to play the next shot. A disc is considered out-of-bounds if it is completely surrounded by out-of-bounds or is touching the out-of bounds line. If the disc cannot be found, there must be "reasonable evidence" that the disc went out-of bounds for the penalty to apply.
- Another difference is the optional penalty for a disc that lands more than 2 meters above the playing surface. The course designer may specify that on particular trees, holes, or the whole course, a disc landing above 2 meters will receive a one throw penalty. This is known as the 2-Meter Rule. If not specified, there's no penalty for a disc landing any height above the ground. In golf, it's likely a player will need to take an unplayable penalty if their ball lands above the ground. On the other hand, balls are much less likely to remain stuck above ground than discs are as they fly through trees. When the disc is stuck above ground (including on top of baskets and those that land in the wrong basket) are to be marked directly below the disc. Even if the disc is not retrievable, as long as the player can identify it, they are not penalized (assuming the 2-meter rule is not in effect). A tournament director has the option of enforcing the 2-meter Rule regardless of whether or not the course enforces the rule. Many casual disc golfers often choose whether to play with the 2-meter rule at the beginning of a round.
- Disc Golf holes may also have what are known as 'mandatories' or what are commonly called "mandos". These are obstacles that a disc must pass in a certain way. For example, a tree may be marked as a 'right mandatory', meaning a disc must pass that tree on the right side. Failure to hit a mandatory is a one-stroke penalty, and the thrower must play from their previous lie or a drop zone if provided. Mandos are usually put in place to force a player to play down a fairway instead of down another fairway to help with safety.
Safety: Disc golf is usually played in a public park, thus bicyclists, hikers, children playing and campers are often on the course. On some courses, such as on a college campus, athletic activities often take place on fairways. Disc golfers have to be very careful to avoid pedestrians, and it is a generally accepted rule that pedestrians have the right-of-way.
Driving is one of the more dangerous aspects of disc golf as it pertains to pedestrians. Players should always be aware of their surroundings before a drive. It is common to yell "
Fore"Foré!" is shouted as a warning during a golf game when it appears possible that a golf ball may hit other players or spectators. The mention of the term in an 1881 British Golf Museum indicates that the term was in use at least as early as that period...
" before a drive on holes from which the target cannot be seen from the tee pad. Groups that have finished the hole yell "clear!" to signify they are clear of the target area. If a player is about to drive and want to know if there are players in the target area, they may yell "clear on hole 12?", and if players are in the target area they may yell "no" or if they have vacated the area they will yell "clear on hole 12!". Players use these terms to alert other groups when finishing the hole as well as approaching groups to find out if the hole is ready for play. This also gives pedestrians a chance to react if they do not realize they are on a disc golf course.
Discs
The golf discs used today are much smaller and heavier than traditional flying discs, typically being about 8 or 9 inches in diameter and between 150 and 180 grams. Also, general-purpose flying discs, such as those used for playing guts or
ultimateUltimate is a limited-contact team sport played with a 175 gram flying disc. The object of the game is to score points by passing the disc to a player in the opposing end zone, similar to an end zone in American football or rugby...
, have a simple edge to them, whereas disc golf discs have extended lips. They also have a much smaller diameter and thinner profile, making them much more aerodynamic.
There are a wide variety of discs, divided into three basic categories: putters, all-purpose mid-range discs, and drivers.
The putters are designed similarly to discs you would play catch with: e.g., a Wham-o brand Frisbee. They are designed to fly straight, predictably, and very slowly compared to mid-range discs and drivers. Mid-range discs have slightly sharper edges that enable them to cut through the air better. Drivers have the sharpest edge and have most of their mass concentrated on the outer rim of the disc rather than distributed equally throughout. Drivers are the hardest type of disc to learn how to throw; their flight path will be very unpredictable without practice.
Drivers are also often divided into different categories. For example,
Innova discsInnova is a company founded in 1983 to produce equipment for the growing number of disc golf players. The company started with one disc, the Eagle, which was designed by Dave Dunipace and featured a beveled edge. Innova claims that the Eagle was the first disc intended specifically for the sport...
divides their discs into Distance Drivers and Fairway Drivers, with a fairway driver being somewhere between a distance drive and a mid-range disc. New players will find that throwing a distance driver accurately will require experience with disc golf disc response. It is better to begin play with a fairway driver and later incorporate distance drivers. Discraft divides their drivers into 3 categories: Long Drivers, Extra Long Drivers and Maximum Distance Drivers. The greater the distance of the driver the less control the disc golf player has on the disc. Therefore, an inexperienced player would most likely prefer to use a Long or Extra Long Driver while an experienced player would go for a maximum distance driver if they were seeking longer throws.
Natural action of the disc:
For a right-handed, back-hand thrower (RHBH), the disc will naturally fall to the left.
For a right-handed fore-hand thrower (RHFH), the disc will naturally fall to the right.
For a left-handed, back-hand thrower (LHBH), the disc will naturally fall to the right.
For a left-handed, fore-hand thrower (LHFH), the disc will naturally fall to the left.
Overstable: A disc that is over-stable will increase the natural angle of the disc; discs that are more over-stable are not usually recommended for beginning players.
Understable: A disc that is under-stable will push against the natural angle of the disc; discs that are more under-stable are usually recommended for beginning players.
Weight of the disc: Golf discs typically weigh between 150 and 180 grams (5.3-6.3 oz.), and measure about 21–24 cm in diameter. PDGA rules prohibit discs weighing more than 200 grams, or more than 8.3 grams per centimeter of diameter.
Course components
Four basic components go into a course design, disc pole holes, tonal poles, tee signs and tee pads.
Disc pole holes are the main and most important components of a disc golf course. A disc pole hole comprises a center pole, chain holder and a basket. A set of chains hang down from the chain holder surrounding the center pole. Surrounding the pole below the chains is a circular basket that serves to catch a disc thrown at the chains. The disc pole hole is also commonly known as a basket or a catcher. In some cases a tonal pole, a pole without chains and a basket, will act as the target. When the disc strikes a tonal pole, the pole makes a noise, indicating that the disc has been "caught" by the chains. The approximate dimensions of a tonal pole represent those of a full disc pole hole (if the disc strikes the tonal pole, that same shot would have fallen in the basket on a disc pole hole). When the disc drops into the basket or strikes the tonal pole the player moves to the next tee.
For each hole, a tee pad provides a firm and level foundation to start play from, “tee off”. Tees are usually composed of poured concrete slabs, decomposed granite, or more recently dense rubber pads. Some courses have alternative tee pads for a given hole. Similar to traditional golf, one tee is often closer to the target, allowing multiple players of different skill levels a better chance of competitive play.
Located at each tee, tee signs are the map to the hole. They give important information like the distance, par, the preferred flight path, hazards and out of bounds.
Scoring
Stroke playStroke play, also known as medal play, is a scoring system in the sport of golf. It involves counting the total number of strokes taken during on each hole during a given round, or series of rounds...
is the most common scoring method but there are many others, including
match playMatch play is a scoring system for golf in which a player or team earns points for each hole in which they have bested their opponents; this is as opposed to stroke play, in which the total number of strokes is counted...
,
skinsA skins game is a type of scoring for various sports, most notably golf but also for curling and bowling.-LG Skins Game:There is an annual skins game for male professional golfers which takes place in November or December each year after the end of the official PGA Tour season. It is recognized by...
,
speed golfSpeed Golf is a sport started in California in 1979 by American runner Steve Scott and which involves completing a golf course in the lowest combination of strokes and time...
and captain's choice, which in disc golf is referred to as "doubles" (not to be confused with partner or team play).
In every form of play, the goal is to play as few strokes per round as possible. Scores for each hole can be described as follows:
Term on a
scoreboard |
Specific term |
Definition |
| -3 |
Albatross (or double-eagle) |
three strokes under par |
| -2 |
Eagle (or double-birdie) |
two strokes under par |
| -1 |
Birdie |
one stroke under par |
| 0 |
Par In golf, par is a predetermined number of strokes that a scratch golfer should require to complete a hole, a round , or a tournament...
|
strokes equal to par |
| +1 |
Bogey |
one stroke more than par |
| +2 |
Double bogey |
two strokes over par |
| +3 |
Triple bogey |
three strokes over par |
A
snowman (perhaps 4 over par on a par 4-hole) is an informal term in some countries for a score indicating that 8 shots were taken at a single hole.
Doubles play is a unique style of play that many local courses offer on a weekly basis. In this format, teams of two golfers are determined. Sometime this is done by random draw, and other times it is a pro-am format. On the course, it is a 'best-disc' scramble. Meaning both players throw their tee shot, and then decide which lie they would like to play. Both players then play from the same lie, again choosing which lie is preferable. The World Amateur Doubles Format include best shot, alternate shot, best score(players play singles and take the best result from the hole) and worst shot (both players must sink the putt).
Tournaments
Disc Golf tournaments are popular around the world. As with traditional "
ball golfGolf is a precision club-and-ball sport, in which competing players , using many types of clubs, attempt to hit balls into each hole on a golf course while employing the fewest number of strokes. Golf is one of the few ball games that does not require a standardized playing area...
", there are many championship tournaments. One of the largest is the
United States Disc Golf ChampionshipThis is a list of United States Disc Golf Champions, that is, all the men that have won the United States Championship of the PDGA . The USDGC is held annually at the beautiful Winthrop Gold Course, on the campus of Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina...
.
Texas has more disc golf courses than any other state and has always been a hub and leader in disc golf. Every year, the largest teams tournament in the world is held in
Austin, TexasAustin is the capital of the U.S. state of Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 15th-largest in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in the nation...
by John Houck.
http://www.circularproductions.com/texas_teams.html
The 2009 PDGA World Championships was held in Kansas City, July 25 to August 1, 2009.
http://www.pdga.com/world-championships
Women in the sport
While there are more male than female players, the Women's Disc Golf Association exists to encourage female players and arrange women's tournaments. A
PDGA survey states that out of its 11,302 members in 2006, 8% are female, or about 900. In PDGA competition, women have the option to play in
gender-protected divisions.
Several companies have started programs to help attract women to the sport, including Innova, who has dedicated a section of their website for ideas on getting women involved. There are also Disc golf companies such as Disc-Diva, that have started up with a primary, though not exclusive, focus on women in the sport, promoting accessories geared towards women and using catch phrases like, "You wish you threw like a girl." Sassy Pants is another group that focuses on getting more involvement from women in the sport, advocating for sponsorship of women to enter tournaments.
External links