How Did You Discover Disc Golf?

[nolangherity]

it was kind of like kim jong ils first round of golf

 

[Brokensaint]

November, 2007. Married, 2 kids in school. I'm a restaurant manager, working super late, sleeping away my days. Pretty much felt awful, like I was wasting my life away sleeping and working, rarely seeing my kids or wife, never seeing my friends. Made a point every so often to do without sleep and go hang out with my long-time best friend. This time he tells me he'd gotten a couple of disc golf discs from a guy he worked with, had gone out a few times to play, said it was pretty fun. I practically spat "Frisbee golf? Seriously?" He maintained that it was pretty fun, showed me his 5-6 discs (dx Innova stuff, Orc/Valk/Shark...cool D and D stamps) convinced me to come out with him. So it's early November and we go out to Endicott park. Fall weather and foliage in full effect. Tried to throw backhand, couldn't figure out the throw, so started flicking and BAM! It felt so good! And every time I threw, I immediately thought Wait! I can do that better! Finished that round, went to work, went out the very next day and bought 4 discs (Valk/Teebird/Stingray and Aviar) and a Lightning Bag. Played 3-5 days a week, usually 2-3 rounds a day the rest of the school year. When spring came, I brought my kids out, got them to play. Now I have 4 kids, three of whom play (#4 will be 2 in Feb. He's been my stroller partner already). My friend and I road trip 4-5 times a year to play, bringing the 2 older boys with us. We've been to KC, Lemon Lake, Cincinnati, Kentucky, Omo... Its a family thing.
(The wife has come out a few times, but its not her thing. But it does buy her quiet time)
So, still a restaurant manager, schedule still sucks, but I don't sleep my days away, I hang out with my buddy and my kids (and my wife, but that's a different forum) doing something reasonably healthy and very fun.
DX plastic: $8
Quality of life: Priceless

 

[MacDaddy]

The voices made me do it.

You hear them too...??

 

[Dieno]

First Round =- my buddy at about 68 had won a bus trip for two to Victoria, Vancouver Island, just a day trip with a load of older ladies heading to the city to Christmas shop ... we jumped on with them. My bud had played Pender Island before was excited to show me the game. The bus drops us off at the rec center and we start to play - he had acquired 2 blue whamo DG putters and away we went. 2nd hole was over a small lake but i didn't think I could toss it that far so I layed up. There were some folks in front of us and they had just finished putting, just leaving the green area, and I throw and dagnabit if it didn't just smash the chains and drop in. the folks around the basket were amazed and I've been playing ever since.

We came home to our small town and had a a course in the ground within about a month. Since then I've built 6 courses. We got disc golf in the BC Senior Games twice, played the Memorial, gone on two long dg road trips down the left coast, played Juneau Alaska and it's been a riot.

 

[MacDaddy]

You hear them too...??

No. Actually, I was in college in Sacramento and some friends and I would occasionally throw our Wham-O's (I favored a 141-Pro) at various trees, trash cans, light poles and targets around parts of campus. Then we found out about the "new" Shady Oaks disc golf course in Orangevale, went to play there and saw these guys throwing 2/3x as far with "golf discs". Had to get some immediately and have been playing ever since! Was pretty much a hacker for awhile, but joined the PDGA in 1989 (#5556) and played in the first ever PDGA Am Worlds in Whichita, KS. in 1990 (actually, the first two), the second was in Detroit, MI. in '91. I was the Course Director (chief weed whacker, hammer & shovel guy) at the '92 Am Worlds in Indy. And in 1993 and 1994 was the PDGA Administrator. For 33 monthly episodes during 1993, '94 and '95, I was Co-Producer and Director with Mike Osburn of a cable access show (sponsored by Innova) called Disc Golf Television, or DGTV. I have been playing and promoting disc golf ever since. Started designing courses part time in 1992, and now I'm lucky enough to be designing & installing disc golf courses full time. In the last two years, I have 9 courses in the ground, with several more in the works for next year! :hfive:

 

[bikinjack]

I think the first time I ever heard of disc golf was back in the mid 90's whenever Hornet's Nest was built. There is a BMX track there and my bike shop had a pretty big BMX team at the time, so I heard about it at some point while at the track. Fast forward a few years and one of my parts suppliers at the shop starts carrying golf discs, and I decided to bring some in, and I had to try it out...

 

[thrembo]

This book got me started:

The 1st basket course that I played was West Park, in Joliet IL 1979.

 

[1978]

I was grilling fish I caught in a nearby pond in a basket that I lined with foil and someone told me it wasnt for that.

 

[Dthunderchicken]

Can I prerube midnightbiker or would that be blasphemy?

Go ahead. He can take it.


As for my discovering Disc Golf, believe it or not I read an article in the local paper, in August of 1973. A temporary course was set up in a local park. It used Hula Hoops as goals. (They even had a picture in the paper.) A bunch of us went to check it out and it sucked. You had to nail your approach in order to have a good chance to hole out. We played one round and went back to playing "Target Frisbee". Where we had two 4x4s that we'd set cans on and try to knock them off.

 

[SteezeOG]

In high school I was doing off season conditioning for football. A couple upper classmen who I lifted with said they played disc golf during the spring and summer after school and practice. So I went with them to walmart and got a dx shark. (This was 1996 or 1997 DX plastic was still awesome) and we drove to Jones Park which only had one much shorter course at the time. I played with them, bought a banshee, cyclone, and cheetah, and continued to play for a while before giving it up after being the only one left playing I knew. I got back into it a couple years ago when some current friends started playing. Unfortunately my old bag of OOP awesomeness was lost when I moved from Texas so I had to start over. Had I just stuck with it and never stopped playing I would be much better. I remember seeing Emac out at the park back in the late nineties. Dude is dedicated. Very happy for his success I know many nasty weather days he was out playing. I play with one of the guys who got him started now, Jim. Awesome guy who I can BARELY beat when he plays left handed. He's right handed. I suck lol.

 

[joshuajames]

Played first round in 1998. Had a college buddy who had played a few times. A bunch of US decided to drive the hour to the nearest course, which had just opened.

I sucked big time, but was hooked. We started going about once or twice a week.

Played on and off for about 8 years, then started taking it more seriously about 4 years ago.

I plan on playing as long I'm able, which should be at least a good 30 years. Would love to make a 50 year sport for me!

DG satisfies my needs for spending time outside, exercise, competition, and personal growth. Love it!

 

[joshuajames]

Sorry double post

 

[Hampstead]

I was maybe 10-years-old and we were staying at a campground in Michigan. Thanks to my hippie parents, i had been throwing a frisbee most of my life. While riding my dirt bike I saw a basket, found out what it was for, went and got a frisbee and started playing.

 

[TylerM]

My wife's uncle took me to Chandler Park in Tulsa. When I got back home with the Avenger and Spider his son gave me, I quickly found my home course. Six friends and I played together (with one disc each) on Thanksgiving day two years ago in 20-30 degree weather with about a 35 MPH wind. It was a blast!

 

[JedV]

I bought a house in a neighbourhood that has a course 5 minutes walk away.

DG has been the best part of the deal! :hfive:

 

[BogeyNoMore]

Was driving through Hines Park when I saw people throwing "frisbees" at baskets at Cass Benton Hills DGC. I thought, "That looks like something fun to do with the kids."

If you'd told me then, "You're gonna spend $$$ on plastic, gladly blow $20 in gas + park entry and/or pay to play fees to play distant courses, join a league, pay for PDGA membership, play in tournaments... hell, you'll even end up planning vacations and roadtrips around the game....I'd have said you're absolutely crazy.

As it turns out, I'm the crazy one.

 

[Johnny Conservative]

My nephew invited me to play, and I did. I was immediately addicted.

 

[Deadshot Jack]

Didn't know what I was missing!

I heard about the sport about 8 years ago from my ex-wife's cousin, who was living with us at the time. After she moved out I found a DX Viper new in the bag and kept it with all my other sports equipment, always wanting to try it out, but it wasn't a priority. Fast forward to July of this year, I happen to make an off hand remark to a co-worker about having this disc, and he tells me he's been playing for about 5 years! We went out about a week later to Leverich Park in Vancouver, WA. I had my DX Viper and my buddy gave me a DX Aviar. I was horrible, but immediately hooked for life! Like I said, that was July, I now own almost 50 discs! :\ Man, I wish I would've gave it a go years ago! I've already introduced 2 new people to the sport, given them discs to start with, participated in a work party at a local course, and I'm planning a small, recreational tourney in the springtime to help promote my local course. DG for life! :hfive:

 

[RUSSELL]

a course opened nearby. summer of '80 i believe. but there were no discs- just frisbees.

 

[mkpjr37]

How I got into it

Lou Bailey had me come out and play almost 2 years ago 70 discs and a pdga membership later im hooked and love this game, teach all who ask take time to show them and respect this game...