Disc Golf

Everything You Need To Know About Disc Golf

If you’ve never heard of disc golf, that’s okay. In Australia, disc golf is relatively new, but it’s one of the fastest-growing sports in the world. Once you give it a go, you’ll quickly understand the ever-growing hype. The team at Disc Connection are all long-time disc golf enthusiasts, and many of us have competed in professional competitions. So, when you come to us, you can guarantee you’re getting the very best expert advice. We’re here to outline everything you need to know about disc golf to get started in the sport.

What Is Disc Golf? A Brief History Of The Sport

While still finding its feet as a sport in Australia, disc golf isn’t new to the rest of the world. It’s been around since the early 20th century.

• 1927. The first game of disc golf was played in Bladworth, Saskatchewan, Canada. A group of four elementary school buddies played a game throwing tin lids in a 4-foot wide circle drawn into sandy patches on their school grounds. They called the game Tin Lid Golf and played regularly until the friends when their separate ways. From there, disc golf was forgotten until the mid-century, when one of the original four began to organise it as a sport or tell others about it.
• 1960s. There is much debate about who came up with the idea of modern disc golf as we know it today. It’s believed that there were multiple groups of people playing independently throughout the 1960s across America. Many people attribute the idea to George Sappenfield, who was playing golf one afternoon in 1965 when he thought perhaps kids could play golf using frisbees. However, there is evidence of disc golf being played as early as 1964, so we can’t be sure where the sport started.
• 1970s. Ed Headrick, an American toy inventor, is known as the father of the modern-day frisbee and disc golf. After he worked to redesign the flying disc known as a frisbee, he focused on a new interest, a sport he coined and trademarked ‘disc golf’. The first disc golf basket was designed and patented by Ed and his son Kevin in 1977. In the late 1970s, Ed also started the Professional Disc Golf Association and asked the top 100 players in America to join.

• 1980s. Ed Headrick continued to innovate and grow the sport. This time he organised the ‘$50,000 Disc Golf Tournament’, which saw people from all over the world aiming to qualify to compete. 144 pros competed, and the competition quickly became an annual event. As the decade rolled on, more people became interested in the sport, forming more associations. Companies began manufacturing discs specifically for disc golf, so players could move away from their former loyalty to Wham-O discs.
• 1990s. For the first time, player ratings and handicaps were introduced to keep competitions fair and competitive. The system was trialled in the 1998 PDGA Disc Golf World Championships, and it stuck.
• 2000s. Over the first decade of the new millennium, the popularity of disc golf exploded. As a result, the number of people registering with the PDGA has grown year upon year for more than 20 years.
• Present. Disc golf has started to attract more media attention and continues to have a huge base of passionate players worldwide. So, watch this space.

How Do You Play Disc Golf?

The rules of disc golf, also called frisbee golf in Australia, are pretty similar to the rules of regular golf, so it’s not too difficult to pick up regardless of how inexperienced you might be. The aim of the game is to have the least throws.

• Get your equipment together. The only thing you need when you’re starting out is a disc. There are a range of different disc golf discs for different throws, but don’t get too ahead of yourself; just start with one. We recommend the Discraft Archer or the Innova Sidewinder if you’re looking for a great beginner disc.
• Find a course. There are plenty of great public disc golf courses around Australia. So find one close to you and head on out. Don’t forget to bring a piece of paper and a pen for scoring.
• When you get to the course, find the first hole. Before you tee off, make sure you write down the par. The par indicates the maximum number of throws you should take for each hole. Ideally, you want to throw lower than the par, but if you have to throw more than the par, just add it to your score.
• Grip your disc. Every disc will have a different grip, and you should figure out which is best for you before you throw. Most people put their four fingers around the bottom rim and their thumb on top of the disc. Alternatively, you could put your pointer and middle finger on the inside of the bottom rim and their thumb on top.
• Time to throw. Step up to the tee and make sure your foot doesn’t pass the edge. Then, throw your disc and keep an eye on it to see where it lands.

• Find your disc. Your next throw will be from where your first disc landed. Reevaluate where the basket is and throw accordingly.
• Putting. When you get closer to the basket, you may want to switch to a putting disc if you have one. Disc Connection has a wide range of putting disc golf discs in Australia, so head to our store if you want to have one handy for your next game. Otherwise, you can keep using the disc that feels most comfortable to you. You might want to change your grip as well, as people who put their pointer finger on the rim of the disc claim to have more accuracy.
• Finish the hole. Once the disk is caught in the chains of the disc catcher or rests in the basket, the hole is finished. Collect your disc and head on over to the next hole.

Why Play Disc Golf?

You might be wondering why disc golf is so popular and why the sport is rapidly gaining traction in Australia. The team at Disc Connection can think of a few reasons.

• It’s one of the most affordable sports. All you need to play is one disc, and they can be as cheap as $10. Most disc golf courses in Australia are public and free to play, so you don’t have to worry about breaking the bank to get involved.
• It’s a social sport. When you enter the world of disc golf, you’d better be prepared to make plenty of new friends. Disc golf in Australia is full of bright, friendly, wonderful people looking to share their passion for the sport.
• It’s straightforward to learn. Almost anyone can play disc golf. The rules aren’t too complicated, and everyone has the potential to become a professional. From older adults to young children, disc golf is for everybody.
• Get outdoors. One of the greatest benefits of disc golf is that it’ll get you out of the house! You’ll spend your weekends soaking up vitamin D and enjoying the fresh air outdoors.

For All Your Disc Golf Equipment, Head To Disc Connection

At Disc Connection, we live and breathe disc golf. We’re passionate about this rapidly-growing sport, and as our name suggests, we love connecting people with discs. We aim to provide the widest range of high-quality disc golf equipment at the lowest prices in Australia. With over ten years of experience in the sport, the Disc Connection team can help new players get started, and seasoned players find the latest and greatest discs, bags, baskets, and accessories. For everything disc golf Australia, head to Disc Connection.