Post "growing the sport" disc golf

[SonicGuy]

So let's say that we all "grow the sport" (whatever that really means) to the fullest extent. Disc golf is now a major pastime played by millions of Americans and millions more worldwide. There is a legitimate pro tour where our best players don't have construction jobs. Are all of us playing right now happy with that world?

With growth comes challenges. I live in MN where there is a healthy supply of disc golf courses. Already it is challenging to fit in a round during peak hours. With more players comes more pressure on courses, and there will come a point where we will need to charge players and set tee times just like ball golf.

Do I really want to pay $30 for a tediously paced 3 hour round of disc golf? Do you? Is there an alternative that avoids this problem?

 

[mgamache8]

If there becomes more interest, then I would assume that means more courses/more holes per course. While I wouldn't see the number of courses increase evenly with the number of holes, I think it should increase enough where I wouldn't see it becoming as big of a problem as with ball golf. Mainly because ball golf courses take up HUGE amounts of space and require a fairly flat terrain and constant maintenance, disc golf only requires a handful of acres that can be around the edge of a park or in heavy wooded areas. And I think we're a decent way away from disc golf becoming really popular. In my opinion, we need to start young and put small courses at schools and get DG into PE classes. Once the kids get interested in something, so will the parents. I would love to see the sport grow a ton, but it shouldn't come with the problems of ball golf

 

[Jay Dub]

There was a local news story here that talked about a big upgrade to a local park. A new disc golf course was a part of that "top priority" upgrade.

That will be course #36(maybe 40th?) in this area. (I keep losing count)

We be fine.

 

[mgamache8]

Where do you live!?!? I'm in NY and we have a few nice local courses, but nothing like that!!!

 

[joecoin]

There was a local news story here that talked about a big upgrade to a local park. A new disc golf course was a part of that "top priority" upgrade.

That will be course #36(maybe 40th?) in this area. (I keep losing count)

We be fine.

Define "area" please.

 

[Um...]

Bleh, so much to say about this, but for now I'll just subscribe and see what others have to say...

(FWIW, I'm in the camp of keeping disc golf a funky, niche thing to do, with the hope to keep the inevitable snobbery and entitlement that comes with growth to a minimum.)

 

[Jay Dub]

Define "area" please.

The Greater Cincinnati/Northern Ky area. All under the same disc golf club and has been for over 30 years.

 

[SonicGuy]

There was a local news story here that talked about a big upgrade to a local park. A new disc golf course was a part of that "top priority" upgrade.

That will be course #36(maybe 40th?) in this area. (I keep losing count)

We be fine.

So will you be fine in 20 years if playership grows by 20x? There would be a point where cramming in more disc golf courses will not be a sustainable model, and tee times will need to be implemented.

 

[SonicGuy]

For reference MSP has just under 3x more ball golf holes than disc golf (about 1200 disc golf holes). I am willing to bet that ball golf is many factors more than 3x more popular than disc golf. So currently we have less players per hole than ball golf and we have high wait times and overcrowding during peak hours. I cannot see new course construction keeping up with the new players.

 

[Jay Dub]

So will you be fine in 20 years if playership grows by 20x? There would be a point where cramming in more disc golf courses will not be a sustainable model, and tee times will need to be implemented.

What makes you think that?

 

[SonicGuy]

What makes you think that?

Conjecture. How many courses do you think that your metro can sustain? Is it basically unlimited?

 

[Jay Dub]

Conjecture. How many courses do you think that your metro can sustain? Is it basically unlimited?

Yes.

 

[DavidSauls]

So will you be fine in 20 years if playership grows by 20x? There would be a point where cramming in more disc golf courses will not be a sustainable model, and tee times will need to be implemented.

Only possibly an issue in places with very limited land.

Elsewhere, if there's enough demand, there'll be private pay-to-play to supplement the free parks. There's no reason to think this will cost $30 per round---the expenses of a disc golf course are a fraction of those of a golf course, and there are a lot more places they can go.

I'm not worried at all.

 

[dashiellx]

It's all a plot by the Central Bank (Federal Reserve) to get more money out of us via fees and taxes to play. Sonic is a government shill.

 

[SonicGuy]

So are we hung up on the $30? Forget the exact dollar value, focus more on the model.

 

[SonicGuy]

Yes.

Interesting. Maybe your perspective will change once your disc golf region matures a little bit. Or maybe your metro really does have that much unused land. In MSP I cannot see a way for disc golf construction to keep up with demand. Paging Mr. Kennedy/West?

 

[brutalbrutus]

I'm already paying $10 a year for parking at 2 of the oldest dilapidated courses in ohio and only play them a couple times a year...

 

[brutalbrutus]

Interesting. Maybe your perspective will change once your disc golf region matures a little bit. Or maybe your metro really does have that much unused land. In MSP I cannot see a way for disc golf construction to keep up with demand. Paging Mr. Kennedy/West?

Hamilton County Park District has tons of unused land. They also have the courses I referred to above. They could put 10 brand new gold level courses in those parks and nobody but golfers and hikers would even know they are there.

And that's only one county... We are a small city surrounded by farmland and trees.

 

[SonicGuy]

Hamilton County Park District has tons of unused land. They also have the courses I referred to above. They could put 10 brand new gold level courses in those parks and nobody but golfers and hikers would even know they are there.

And that's only one county... We are a small city surrounded by farmland and trees.

And their funding would pay for it? Here in MN it seems hard enough for cities to fund trash removal...

 

[Improbably]

I'll stop weedwhacking and removing thorns at my favorite course and the crowds will disappear!