Any disc golfers here?

AmericanEagle · #1 05-20-2020, 05:12 PM

A work buddy introduced me to his passion, disc golf. Basically combining frisbee with golf. I’ve never tried it, but he was kind enough to give me a few of his discs, so now I am practicing. It is a lot harder than it looks!

fazool · #2 05-20-2020, 06:25 PM

Long before the sport was mainstream, back in college I played with friends.

We had one fantastic course at a state park.

No store carried discs - you had to know someone or buy them mail-order.

Loved it. Haven't played it in 25 years but I still love it more than "real" golf!

bil · #3 05-20-2020, 09:03 PM

My son got me started playing a few years ago. I try to play once a week at least. We have 3 courses more or less local to us. I am not very good but I enjoy it, its a great way to get out and get some fresh air.

A side benefit of one of my other hobbies - scuba diving - is the ability to dive in the pond at hole 15 of one of our courses and gather up all the discs that inevitably end up in the drink!

Fogducker · #4 05-20-2020, 10:37 PM

What is the physical difference between a disc and a Frisbee. I'm sure that a toy company is sitting on the name Frisbee but is there a size/weight thing or what?

Fog

tinnitus · #5 05-21-2020, 10:04 AM

Golf discs are typically smaller diameter and have a lower profile/height.

There is weight, too. The big official name-brand Frisbees most people use to play catch weigh 135-165 grams and sort of float on the breeze. They're easy/forgiving to catch, and not useful for disc golf.

Most golf discs are a lot smaller and can weigh as much or more. Their rigidity, compact density and sharply angled rims help resist the effects of cross-winds. Thrown hard by someone with skills, a "driver" becomes a projectile capable of streaking well beyond 100 yards. I do not recommend playing catch with a golf disc, especially if you like using your hands for other things like playing guitar.

This is just basic info. Google "disc golf" and you can spend days sifting through hundreds of brand names, thousands of models, weights, specific materials, etc., etc., etc. There are countless sites about courses, rules, tutorials, aerodynamics/physics, professional player profiles and so on. More than most brains can absorb.

If you're just getting started, I recommend getting a basic/cheap 3-disc set at any sporting goods store - with a driver, mid-range and putter. The important thing is to get out there and start throwing.

Play with others, hopefully better/more experienced than you. Compare discs, compare throwing techniques, play as many courses as you can find. Soon you'll start buying different discs ($8-22), figure out your best throws for distance and accuracy and a million other variables.

It's not super expensive if you don't rush out to buy everything you see. And it's fun.

fazool · #6 05-21-2020, 11:12 AM

our family goes on a long family walk about every other day.

You've convinced me to make a disc golf game one of the walks - so I'll have to buy a bunch of discs as I haven't seen mine in decades.

Earl49 · #7 05-21-2020, 11:40 AM

We got into playing disk golf while living in Anchorage about fifteen years ago. There were a number of courses springing up in parks, and it was a fun way to get out for fresh air. When we moved to Boise we found several nice courses here too, in major city parks. We even found that Costco was selling nice metal goals for a reasonable price, and have two of them now in our large back yard for practice.

I played for quite a while, but as my knees got really bad it became tough to walk an entire course. Knee replacements solved that. Now that I've had major rotator cuff surgery (from a household fall, not anything from disk golf or tennis) it appears that my throwing career is done. I should try a few light tosses to see. The weather will be really nice here by this weekend. Last summer I walked the local course in the nearest park, but only to walk it - not to play.

Dru Edwards · #8 05-21-2020, 01:55 PM

Hey AE, I've only played Frisbee (disk?) golf once. There was a course when I lived in Columbus Ohio and I went with a friend. It wasn't for me. But, if it's a way to get out and do some walking that you wouldn't otherwise do then go for it.

KevWind · #9 05-21-2020, 05:12 PM

It is interesting how things evolve.

Back in the late 50's early 60 my friends (like numerous other kids) and I would take apart the old strap on your shoe metal street skates with the metal wheels. We would then screw the front 1/2 on one bottom end of a 2 ft 2x4 and the back 1/2 on the other end and try to stand on it and go down the hill. it was doable but very unstable . Thus the origin of the skateboard started .

Then in the late 60's when we went camping a favorite game was Frisbee golf, over broken terrain. We would fling it as far as we could towards some distant target ( A tree or big rock etc. ) and however many full power throws it took to get the the basic distance to the target , became the "par" for that leg, and so on until we had 8 or 10 targets and a make shift course. It was not until about 10 years ago that I saw and actual Disc golf course with metal posts driven for the targets/holes

AmericanEagle · #10 05-21-2020, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevWind

Then in the late 60's when we went camping a favorite game was Frisbee golf, over broken terrain. We would fling it as far as we could towards some distant target ( A tree or big rock etc. ) and however many full power throws it took to get the the basic distance to the target , became the "par" for that leg, and so on until we had 8 or 10 targets and a make shift course. It was not until about 10 years ago that I saw and actual Disc golf course with metal posts driven for the targets/holes

Disc golf has a metal basket with chains, on a short metal pole.

https://www.innovadiscs.com/innova-t...atcher-pro-28/

langerr · #11 05-22-2020, 07:51 PM

I’ve been “discing” for years - much more natural than ball golf and MUCH cheaper also. I am not a professional level player but still enjoy the game very much. This listed website is FANTASTIC - lets you search for courses in any area of the country you happen to be in, has realistic disc golf course reviews, and also has a very informative forum.

https://www.dgcoursereview.com/mobil...e.php?mode=upd

Disc golf can be as competing as you want it to be, or it can be super casual. I highly suggest you give it a try in your area. For me, it ranks up there with guitar ...

KevWind · #12 05-23-2020, 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AmericanEagle

Disc golf has a metal basket with chains, on a short metal pole.

https://www.innovadiscs.com/innova-t...atcher-pro-28/

Ya the course I saw did have a brown metal basket on top of the metal posts, but if I remember it was like 2 ft. square and no top unit with chains ? But this was a while back and I was just driving past and didn't really look close . Also I think they were throwing some kind ring shaped type frisbee