Anyone play Disc Golf?

[Sunny]

Curious if anyone plays disc golf (“frisbee” golf may make more sense to you if you haven’t seen it on a real course).

I’ve been a perpetual beginner forever, having actually played frisbee golf as a kid throwing frisbees at objects, thinking I made up my own game. But even with the baskets, official courses, and discs coming into the sport over the decades I keep coming back to it, stepping away, coming back.

With the gym closed and OK weather the last 2 months I’ve actually played more rounds this year than probably the 10 previous years combined, so trying to get more / better distance and accuracy and actually looking at form videos, trying to improve.

 

[MuirWannabe]

I’m like you were before the last 2 months. Have several disks and have always enjoyed playing when I do. But that’s been maybe once every couple of years.

Our little city actually has two nice disk golf courses. One of them is supposedly renowned in the US. I should get out and play it more. Perfect activity during the social distancing times.

 

[RunningBum]

My GF and I were just talking of doing this. I have a few discs that someone who played a whole lot gave me when I was playing a little.

 

[Sunny]

. Perfect activity during the social distancing times.

It has been for us. My wife actually is my caddy. She’ll hopefully want to throw later on but now seems content to just go on the walks and she likes the wooded courses best.

I did start not actually putting about a month into it. Inside of 10 feet I’d make 95/100 putts so count that as 1, anything outside of that I just count as 2 if it is a putting distance. I highly doubt Covid can stay on the chains, especially in the sun, get on my disc, then my hand but eh, better safer than sorry I guess.

Though if it is for birdies I have my wife hold a disc out to the left of the basket and I try to hit that disc instead, lol. A few times from distance the discs go in and I just spritz them with hand sanitizer and wipe them off.

But other than that probably over the top worry, social distancing is quite easy. There are at times groups of 4-5 younger players, but people keep their distance and we haven’t had any issues at all.

 

[mattbaxx]

DW and I just got out on Friday for our first round in a few months. Local parks have been closed for Covid, and were scheduled to reopen yesterday, but we snuck out a day early for my birthday.

I've played since the late 70s when everything was object courses. We've now played 300+ courses, in all 50 states and 10 Canadian provinces. It's great exercise, especially as we age, and often great scenery. Almost always free. We love disc golf!

 

[Sunny]

We've now played 300+ courses, in all 50 states and 10 Canadian provinces. It's great exercise, especially as we age, and often great scenery. Almost always free. We love disc golf!

Sneaky exercise too. Since you are having fun you don't even notice it. The other day a storm popped up out of nowhere so we cut our round short. We were clear across the course and I couldn't believe how long that walk felt! Mostly mentally, but still!

So any favorite courses you remember? I've started logging my scores in the UDisc app now and it has a neat map display showing you ones you've played or wishlisted.

 

[mattbaxx]

I use DGCourseReview.com to record courses bagged but don't log scores. A while back, after 240 or so, they were starting to get a little muddled in our memories. So I put this somewhat random list together. I might adjust it a bit given a whole lot of new courses last summer but at least it's a place to start.

Top Ten 18-hole courses - In no particular order

Flat Rock DGC, Massachusetts
Farragut State Park, Idaho
Whale Rock DGC, California
Delaveaga DGC, California
Golden Gate Park DGC, California
Horning's Hideout, Oregon
Rankin Lake DGC, North Carolina
Diamond X, Montana
Anderson Valley Brewing Co, California
River's Edge DGC, Ontario, Canada
______________________________________

Top Twenty

Oak Grove Park DGC, California
Bijou Community Park DGC, California
Rocklin DGC, California
University of OB, California
Trap Pond State Park, Delware
Lemon Lake County Park, Indiana
DR Disc Golf, Maine
Mountain Crest Park DGC, Nevada
Pharaoh's Tomb DGC, Virginia
Lucky Mud - Raven DGC, Washington
______________________________________

Top Ten 9-hole courses

Parque de la Raza DGC, California
The Brewing Lair DGC, California
Smuttynose Brewing DGC, NH
The Attraction, Oregon
High Plains DGC, Connecticut
Napili Park DGC, Hawaii
Hellyer DGC, California
Tortilla Chucker DGC, Kansas
M.A.R.C. Disc Golf, Nova Scotia
Pine Tree Meadow, British Columbia
______________________________________

The Worst of the Best (because even the worst disc golf course is the best place to be)

California School for the Deaf DGC
Billish Park DGC, Texas
Gallo Park DGC, California
South Bay Community Center Park, CA
Mercey Hot Springs DGC, CA

 

[mattbaxx]

dgcoursereview.com does map too

Here's where we've been:

 

[Sunny]

Wow, all over. Thanks for the list of some of your favorites. In Iowa myself, looks like you’ve hit a few near here. When Covid is over I think it’d be fun to do a few road trips and include disc golf. My wife wants me to do tournaments, but not so sure about that. More of a rec player. But it’d be an excuse to go on trips too I guess, lol.

 

[Starsky]

I haven't played in forever, but I love the game. I used to live very near Morley Field, but now it's a lot further away.
I bought a great 'portable' disc golf basket last year - an MVP Black Hole Pro HD - and it's been very fun to practice putting and general disc control in the backyard while quarantined. I've improved my putting a lot since getting it. I spend at least a few minutes every day practicing..
I also have a golf net for hitting into, and it works great for practicing disc golf drives too. One thing that really helped me was getting a disc golf glove to protect my hands. It makes it a lot easier to throw harder.

 

[Uncle]

Two hobbies that consume most of my time converging on this thread! Scheming for early retirement and disc golf. I've played for many years - nice mix of competition, exercise, and outdoors.

 

[Sunny]

Two hobbies that consume most of my time converging on this thread! Scheming for early retirement and disc golf. I've played for many years - nice mix of competition, exercise, and outdoors.

And when you reach ER, more time to play!

I've been out near daily now for the last several weeks doing different courses. Not getting any better than rec player skills, but it has been fun and good exercise.

 

[Texas Proud]

I did not know about this until a few years back when I saw some people playing next to the soccer field that my son played a few away games...


The interesting thing that I saw when I talked to one guy that was good was he had a few different disks... not sure how many but I would say 4 or 5... said you used them like real golf, distance etc...



Had wanted to go do it but never did...


BTW, tried to get my daughter and friends to play soccer golf... they are great soccer players and thought it would be fun but they never seemed interested..

 

[Sunny]

I've seen soccer golf, but yeah you never know what will catch on and what won't with people.

As for the discs, that is true. There are drivers, mid-ranges, approach discs, putters, etc. and even super overstable discs that'll always go left for a right hand back hand throw.

The distance difference comes in how streamlined the profile of the disc is...if it is snub nosed and round it won't fly as far compared to one that is more aerodynamic. Then you have all the different types of plastics that make them fly differently too.

Pros can throw their drivers 600 feet, midranges 400 feet, putters / approaches 300. Mine go 250/225/200, lol. Some putters are more grippy to catch the chains better.

You can start out with just one disc, likely a midrange like an Innova Shark or Discraft Archer. Or if you want, a low speed driver, midrange, and a putter. Stick with just those 3 discs until you have a lot of rounds in and/or you are throwing for over 250 feet.

Low speed driver as high speed drivers isn't how fast the disc will fly, you are the motor after all. So to throw a high speed disc you need to have a high speed throw, which often takes good proper form developed over a few years or a lot of althletism.