High School Disc Golf

[smarkquart]

You have no idea how much time I've spent dreaming up the course layout for a man made indoor disc golf course inside a blimp hangar. I'm talking man made hills, fake trees/obstacles, netting to separate different holes, etc. It would be like a giant miniature golf course, but with full sized disc golf. Incredibly fun, but probably way too expensive to ever be an efficient business.

This is a very common business plan many of us dreamed up while going to the store to buy a lottery ticket.

I have it all figured out and everything, all I need is approximately 5-7 million dollars to get going and plenty in the bank because my ideas are in no way going to be financially viable as an actual business. However, those "night" rounds with UV lights everywhere would be surreal.

 

[Doofenshmirtz]

Everyone wants to "grow the sport" but in reality you all are going to be sorry when you get what you wished for.

Wish list:

• Fewer (or just smaller proportion of) players who carpool to disc golf tournaments because they can't afford the gas money - because they spent it all on weed.

• More players who are experienced with some form of athletic competition outside of disc golf and can accept losing just as graciously as winning.

• More high-quality, private courses with daily fees of at least $20.

• More courses.

I can assure you that I will not be sorry if I get what I wish for.

 

[Johnyfo8]

I started a club at Southwest H.S. in Fort Worth this year and it has been pretty fun and rewarding so far. I only have 5 kids that have played before and I have shown 7 - 10 how to play the sport and throw a disc. Hopefully it will catch on and we can get it UIL approved.

 

[jeremyhilss]

Sounds awesome, wish you luck!

I do want more people to play; the more that play, the more courses go in the ground, and to an extent, that could ease the congestion in areas with a growing player base.

I do like the current tight knit community dg offers, but more people playing more courses seems like a great thing to me.

 

[araytx]

I am a disc golfer. I've been playing 10 or 11 years now, pretty seriously for about the last 7 or 8. I love disc golf as both a sport and lifetime activity. I served as a school district superintendent in Texas for 8 years before retiring from public education last year. I had two full terms on the UIL Legislative Council and was on the Athletic subcommittee during my time there (2011 to 2016). I understand the process fully, and can give you some insights. If you want to hear these insights, please feel free to pm me and we can talk further.

A. Ray

And by the way, I didn't start playing until my mid 40s, so I seriously sympathize with you on that. Played other sports my whole life.

 

[jabruce]

I am a disc golfer. I've been playing 10 or 11 years now, pretty seriously for about the last 7 or 8. I love disc golf as both a sport and lifetime activity. I served as a school district superintendent in Texas for 8 years before retiring from public education last year. I had two full terms on the UIL Legislative Council and was on the Athletic subcommittee during my time there (2011 to 2016). I understand the process fully, and can give you some insights. If you want to hear these insights, please feel free to pm me and we can talk further.

A. Ray

And by the way, I didn't start playing until my mid 40s, so I seriously sympathize with you on that. Played other sports my whole life.

Thank you! I will definitely be in touch

 

[Big Nasty]

I wouldn't mind seeing disc golf Incorporated into PE curriculum, but honestly that's about it. The bureaucratic rigamarole involved with varsity athletics and the informal nature of the sport just don't mesh well.

At the high school I work at a "recreational" section of p.e. is available for students to choose as their p.e. class. The class includes archery, bowling, and disc golf throughout the school year. When the weather allows in the spring and fall, the kids jump on a bus at the beginning of the period and go down the road to a course and shoot around for more or less 45 minutes. I'm not sure how many kids enjoy it enough to pick up the hobby but it definitely exposes more kids to our sport.

 

[F. Howl]

I don't want to have to book tee times like ball golfers.
#shrinkthesport

 

[jabruce]

My name is Justin Bruce. I've been starting a grassroots campaign to actually, "Grow the Sport". I created a social outlet on Facebook, Texans 4 High School Disc Golf. Also, I presented this idea to the Texas UIL Legislative Council this past June.
They decided to monitor the sport of disc golf to find out how much of an interest there is in our schools before taking action on this item.
That is the reason I am writing. Now that the council is monitoring the sport for popularity, I'd like to ask for your help and support.
Now is the time to contact the Texas UIL and explain why the next generation needs this sport in schools. If the Texas UIL confirms disc golf as a high school and junior high sport, other states will be more welcoming to the idea. I'm asking you to help take disc golf to the next level.
I'm a father of two boys, 3 year old and a newborn. I grew up playing every sport offered at our small school in Bryson, TX. I want my children and other student athletes, regardless of gender or physical ability, the opportunity to discover this lifelong sport we all love.

Below is the proposal I presented to the UIL.

Also attached is a link to the Texas UIL. Please let them know how disc golf has affected your life, and why the next generation should have the opportunity to discover it.

Thank you for your time
Jb

This is the link to the Texas UIL. https://www.uiltexas.org/machform/view.php?id=30
It says, "Suggest a UIL rule change", fill out the corresponding form and submit.


Texas UIL Proposal for Disc Golf

Disc golf is a sport that is played similarly to traditional golf (ball golf). It is played alone or in a team format. It is scored by par, and a majority of courses are scored as par 3, 4 and 5's. The player will use discs (Frisbees) instead of clubs and balls. They will throw the disc at a metal basket with chains (instead of a hole in the ground). In a typical disc golfer's bag there will be a multitude of drivers, mid-range and putters. The difficulty of a course can range from recreational to championship level.

The first disc golf course was installed in 1975 by "Steady" Ed Headrick. Since then, Texas leads the nation with 408 courses. According to DGCourseReview.com, there has been an average of 400 new courses installed each year nationally (between 2007-2017); totaling over 7,700 courses worldwide.

Disc golf has a number of skill levels. A player can have fun playing recreationally, play in college or pursue a professional career. The National Collegiate Disc Golf Championships are held every spring in North Augusta, NC. On the professional stage, there is a State, National and World Championship.

Numerous schools in Texas have already been introduced to disc golf via the Educational Disc Golf Experience (EDGE) program sponsored by INNOVA disc golf. EDGE has been developed to provide schools and other youth programs with a sound program of teaching disc golf fundamentals.

Furthermore dozens of high schools have already implemented disc golf clubs in their extracurricular activities: Guyer High School in Denton, Wylie High School in Abilene and Decatur High School to name a few. More than 40 courses in Texas are on the property of schools, colleges and universities and countless others are nearby.

These programs show that there is a need for disc golf in our schools.

Along with having over 400 courses in Texas, we are represented with talent in all fields related to disc golf. Jay and Des Reading (Wimberley area) are world class professional disc golfers and ambassadors to the sport. They donate their time with the EDGE program and provide clinics around the world. The Reading's are advocates for the placement of disc golf in the elementary, intermediate and high school levels. Their combined experience would be extremely beneficial to our student athletes.

John Houck is the #1 Premier Master Disc Golf Designer in the world and he lives in Austin, Texas. This guy has too many accolades to read, so I'll just name a few: He has designed and co-designed over 150 courses, designed the #1 rated courses in the world for the last 6 years. He designed and consulted in 19 states and 2 Provinces in Canada and was elected to The Disc Golf Hall of Fame in 1998. This Texan is the best of the best when it comes to disc golf course design.

Paige Pierce is a professional disc golfer from Plano, Texas. She is a four-time World Champion, and has been consistently ranked in the top four professional women between 2011 and 2016. In addition to Pierce's four World Championships, she also holds two Mixed Doubles World Championships. Paige began playing disc golf with her father at the age of 4.

These people are more than willing to help grow the sport. They want Disc Golf to be played and taught in our schools. They are exceptional at what they do, and they want to see the sport they love enjoyed by all ages.

Disc Golf deserves a place in our high schools. It offers many benefits to both schools and students. It can promote a healthy lifestyle. On the average 18 hole course a player can walk up to three miles and never know it. It is a sport that can get kids out of their virtual worlds and into a socially active environment. You gain the skills of personal competiveness, focus and mental strength. In addition, the costs are extremely affordable. A player can buy a disc for around $10 and there are rarely green fees. The usual cost to install a 9 hole course is around $3000. There are local clubs and businesses that will be more than willing to help install or donate money. However, installing a course is optional since there are so many free to play.

Disc Golf offers something new to kids who are turning away from traditional sports, and to parents who are concerned for the safety of their child in a high contact sport. It can be played by any person regardless of gender, age, body type or athletic ability. Once learned, it can be played for the rest of a student's life.

I hope that you will consider Disc Golf as a program in school.

 

[araytx]

As I stated upthread (2 years ago) I retired as a school superintendent in Texas, and I sat on that committee for 5 years. One of the best things about Texas's University Interscholastic League (the governing body for public school sports and extra-curricular competitions) is that we (they) will hear a proposal from anyone. If you can go online or mail in a form, your proposal will get heard.

However, there are inherent issues internally that are working against it happening as a sanctioned UIL sport. A BETTER idea would be to begin it as a club sport in your area, maybe even limit to clubs by specific high school, then form your own leagues and run your own championships among those who volunteer. Then after a few years see how it has grown. Disc golf, by its nature, is gonna struggle to get UIL sanctioning through the proposal system, without demonstrated interest by the schools themselves. Remember: the schools govern the UIL, not the other way around. You have to convince the school superintendents how their investment of money and time is gonna benefit their schools.

 

[ThrowaEnvy]

I agree that one of the coolest things about this sport is being able to get away from all the "mainstream masses", enjoy the outdoors, and watch your discs glide. If we grow it too much, it just won't be the same.

That's one way of looking at it... the other side is that as interest grows in the sport and popularity the more likely it is that the parks department will slice off some green space for Discgolf as it becomes more and more popular. Think of how hard it was to pitch that 15 years ago compared to now.. Just in my area there is one course thats shut down and 5 or 6 new ones in 15 years. We've gone from 4 accessible courses to 9 or 10, not to mention all the private courses..

I live on a 14 mile long Island with 2500 permanent residents, 10000ish in the summer.. There's 5 private courses I know of, 1 main public course, a semi public course built by the middle school kids on private land and there's talk about a permanent install at the ball golf course as their membership is declining over poor greens (lack of water in summer). Growing the sport means more places to play but yeah lots of fun times on long weekends people want to come up here and play to Dodge the crowds.