A golf course is basically known by most people but some confuse it with a disc golf course. Some may think that it is actually the same but there are varying features that make both courses unique from one another.
In this article, you will be able to discover more about a disc golf course. There are also tips on how to find a disc golf course where you can play the sport near you. If no disc golf course is near your area, there are some ways on how you can build your improvised course. Furthermore, it will feature some disc golf courses.
How to Find a Disc Golf Course Near You
Technology has been a great help especially in finding disc golf courses near your area. Through the use of technology, you can find disc golf course directories that contain information about the courses, difficulty level, and physical features where you can play disc golf.
DiscGolfCourses.com has been one of my favorite directories. It is a website that allows you to find suitable courses during your vacation or going from one place to another. UDisc App is another good application that serves as a great source of information about every disc golf course in the world.
The Basics of a Disc Golf Course
Disc golf has been found to be similar to golf. It only varies with the use of a Frisbee. What separates it from golf is the experience it gives to most players. Manipulating the disc flight, proper positioning to avoid obstacles such as trees, hazards in both land and water are just some of what most players may encounter during the course of the game. The sport is a good form of recreation too for it provides a scenic view. It is also a good challenge for it allows the mind to think before executing a throw.
It started in the 1970s. The main goal of the sport is to finish the hole in the least amount of throws possible. The starting point of players is a tee area wherein they need to throw to the hole. A metal basket called a Pole Hole is the most common type of hole used. However, other people prefer the much cheaper option by using trees and poles as a hole.
A fairway is designated for the players which can be used to get to the hole. Upon trying to complete a hole involves many obstacles that can hinder the players’ completion. Some of the most common obstacles are terrain, shrubs, bushes, and trees.
The putting area or the green is the last area of the disc golf course which is commonly a few feet around the basket. Oftentimes, there is a different kind of grass or turf surrounding the hole or a typical terrain as the rest of the hole. The inside the circle is the area within 10 meters (33 feet) of the basket. Throwing within the circle can change the disc golf rules as it requires the player to show balance and it is prohibited to step forward for putts inside the circle.
Disc golf can be a great source of different emotions as they are anticipated in every game. There will be times when you throw with all your might and have a masterful drive and there are times when you will miss a shot putt. Victories and defeats can always occur in many disc golf courses which can leave excitement, happiness, anger, sadness.
Disc golf courses can be found in the city, suburbs, rural areas, and any place where a pole can be stuck on the ground. Endless options are present for a disc golf course.
Disc Golf Green Fees
One of the differences between golf and disc golf is that disc golf does not have a fee associated when playing on a course.
Players can walk during a disc golf game and do not need a cart. The people in the course are only a few which makes amazing tee times possible. Most importantly, it is economically friendly which allows people to play regardless of their financial status.
How Many Disc Golf Courses are in the United States of America?
There are more than 6,500 disc golf courses in the United States of America wherein 7 to 10 million people play disc golf sport. For professional disc golfers, almost 400 courses on a year-to-year basis.
These courses are expected to be used for more decades to come.
How to Build a Disc Golf Course
If you are thinking of building your own disc golf course, remember to consider the design itself. A course’s design can really make or break your disc golf course. Time needs to be spent planning out your course’s layout. Even if you have the best equipment, none of it will truly matter.
When creating your course, create fun holes that have wonderful views. Imaginative holes give players the opportunity to try new throws. With a proper course flow, you can use the natural beauty around you to create something magnificent.
Some of the equipment you will need includes tee areas, signs to direct you around the course, and of course the disc golf basket These baskets can be cemented in the ground, or you can even purchase portable temporary baskets that can be moved around, if you are looking for new hole ideas.
Is Disc Golf a Sport?
According to the Oxford Dictionary, a “sport” is “an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.”
This definition classifies Disc Golf as a sport both for individuals and as a team.
Walking around the course and throwing the disc around from hole to hole makes players have physical exertion.
The National Collegiate Disc Golf Championships create teams of 6 plays who can be substituted during the tournament to help their team win. Of course, this substitution can only happen between rounds, but the team dynamic is still important here.
Disc golf also has a doubles format wherein a team competes together to achieve success. It provides a great relief to pressure because players know they can rely on each other if things start to go out of hand whenever a throw occurs.
