InMyBag: Disc Golf Social Media Platform

[aclinton]

Hey guys! This is my first post on here so go easy with the criticism, haha.

I've been playing disc golf for a couple years now, and in that time period I have been able to see our sport grow to new levels. As the sport continues to grow, I think the players could benefit from a solid, accessible platform for sharing and communicating about what's going on within the disc golf community.

In this age of instant notifications and ability to access huge amounts of information, one thing I have found missing in the disc golf community is a higher level of instant connectivity with my fellow disc golfers and the pros such as McBe4st, Will, and Ricky. What if I told you that I currently have a working prototype for such a platform to allow you all to do just that?

I've spent the better part of this year working on what I am calling InMyBag. It's a free app for Android (iOS coming soon) and a desktop version of the app is in the works (I do have a day job, haha). The app is going to be jam packed with TONS of features. The most exciting of which is notifications on events such someone you follow getting an ace, finding a disc, or losing a disc.

How am I going to get the pros to use this app? I am currently talking with one of the top disc golf manufacturers/sponsors who shall remain nameless for the time being, and they have expressed a desire to work with me on this app and distribute it out to their players.

What I need you guys to help me on:

I need to know what features you want and expect out of this. I tried to cover all the features I would want to see in this app as a fellow disc golfer, but everyone has their own opinions.

If you think this app is worth supporting, please fill out this survey below to make this happen!

SURVEY

Thanks for giving this a read and happy hucking!

 

[ru4por]

I am not really your target audience, I don't own or use a cell phone, but my trepidation would revolve around reinventing the wheel. I don't find I have much of a gap in disc golf platform accesibility. Between the discussion and course review capabilities of here (which several top pro's make use of, McBeth, MJ and Holly Finley amongst the ones off the top of my head) and the tournament and communication abilities of Disc Golf Scene. DGS is certainly a more regional tool, made use of in the Midwest and Michigan. I am not able to access the survey here at work, perhaps it is not working, not sure. Good luck to you on your adventure and I will be sure to check it out.

 

[dontBLAMEtheDISC]

Yeah discgolfscene.com has pretty much all that maybe if you work with them to take make an app that works in conjunction with the site. And get more pros to use it.

 

[onemilemore]

Good luck with the venture! That said, between the lively scene on here, Reddit, and multiple Facebook groups, a lot of connectivity is pretty well-established. I'll be curious to see how this goes.

 

[aclinton]

Thanks for the awesome feedback, guys, I appreciate any and all criticism!

 

[Jenga54]

Took the survey.

I find it interesting that DGCR is the place to go for posting something like this, since DGCR has all this functionality already plus a forum to get feedback. The only thing that DGCR doesn't have is an iOS app, but there is an Android one so I can't speak to it.

Personally I don't use the disc thing on here, but some do. I use DGCR almost exclusively for the forums and the course reviews/maps/hole pics when searching new courses to play. I get email notifications on new posts to my threads and I can read them instantly from that notification on my phone, and I can click and respond which works pretty slick.

I follow pros on Facebook and Twitter, which I use anyway, and those are highly developed social media apps that are maintained by hoards of people, and billions of users.

I just bought like 8 new discs to try in G-Line and GStar for the winter months, and I didn't give one thought to taking the time to upload the specs into an app no one will look at... I haven't even gotten around to updating my signature with disc model and color... ... an honest opinion but one that may be valuable in the long run.

Maybe DGCR could use a hand getting the iOS app up and running? You've got a huge user base already using this platform (including the top pros you're looking to get on your new thing) and all the functionality you discussed is right here on DGCR, forums with updates, discs in your bag, stuff open to buy/trade/sell. The only thing not on here is the "follow" feature - which is where Facebook comes in to play. I'm not going to dump Facebook/Twitter, so this would be an additional thing added to my phone screen.

 

[Anon]

The most exciting of which is notifications on events such someone you follow getting an ace, finding a disc, or losing a disc.

If this is the most exciting aspect of this app....

 

[aclinton]

Jenga54, thanks for the honest reply. My main drive behind creating this app was a way to see what discs the pros were using at any given time. None of them do in my bag videos for every course, and I don't know about the rest of you, but I would love to know exactly what they are using for each tournament throughout the year. Most of the other features I was going to add to InMyBag, I was only going to do because every other social media platform related to disc golf had them. But it sounds like everyone is pretty happy with the capabilities offered by this site and other similar ones, which is just fine too. No need to reinvent the wheel, haha.

 

[aclinton]

So, I guess the question I should be asking, is anyone else interested in having access to what any of the pros have in their bag at any given time for a particular course? If not, I can just stop development of this app and fine something else to devote my time to.

 

[kevdiv48]

So, I guess the question I should be asking, is anyone else interested in having access to what any of the pros have in their bag at any given time for a particular course? If not, I can just stop development of this app and fine something else to devote my time to.

Nope

 

[Jenga54]

Jenga54, thanks for the honest reply. My main drive behind creating this app was a way to see what discs the pros were using at any given time. None of them do in my bag videos for every course, and I don't know about the rest of you, but I would love to know exactly what they are using for each tournament throughout the year. Most of the other features I was going to add to InMyBag, I was only going to do because every other social media platform related to disc golf had them. But it sounds like everyone is pretty happy with the capabilities offered by this site and other similar ones, which is just fine too. No need to reinvent the wheel, haha.

So, I guess the question I should be asking, is anyone else interested in having access to what any of the pros have in their bag at any given time for a particular course? If not, I can just stop development of this app and fine something else to devote my time to.

Ahhhhhh

This makes way more sense to me - And yes I would love to know. Might be hard to get them to take the time to update their app, dunno.

I made a lot of comments on a YouTube stream comment box to Smashboxx about this, and requested that if at all possible announce the discs being used/thrown. Terry did a pretty darn good job in the last few live streams saying what discs the guys were throwing if he could see them (pats myself on the back)

As DG grows in popularity and Live streaming capability, I see a huge potential for better on-screen graphics - I've seen some cool ones with player name/age/home town etc (at the Memorial maybe?). I can envision on-screen graphics showing what disc was just thrown - it makes the viewing experience awesome - and GREAT publicity for the manufacturer as you watch these guys throw the same molds you do, or soon do!

 

[Anon]

Might be hard to get them to take the time to update their app, dunno.

I think that is the main issue here. I cannot see a pro taking the time to update an app after every throw during a tournament. Nor their caddy.

If anything they are more focused on Instagram/Twitter/FB which already has a much larger audience to expose their brand/message to. I'm thinking how Will's gf/fiance always seems to be updating social media while he plays. I'm not sure if the audience of people that care exactly what disc was used would make it worth the time.

I think keeping track of discs is better left to somebody like Terry on the mic of the live broadcast. He seems to get a pretty good idea of what the folks on his card are throwing before the round and can easily relay that info without intruding on anybody during actual play.

 

[aclinton]

Ahhhhhh
This makes way more sense to me - And yes I would love to know. Might be hard to get them to take the time to update their app, dunno.

This is why I am going to the manufacturers/sponsors directly and getting them onboard first. I already have one whom I am currently working with. I hope to get other manufacturers/sponsors on board after establishing InMyBag in the disc golf scene.

 

[aclinton]

If anything they are more focused on Instagram/Twitter/FB which already has a much larger audience to expose their brand/message to. I'm thinking how Will's gf/fiance always seems to be updating social media while he plays. I'm not sure if the audience of people that care exactly what disc was used would make it worth the time.

I think keeping track of discs is better left to somebody like Terry on the mic of the live broadcast. He seems to get a pretty good idea of what the folks on his card are throwing before the round and can easily relay that info without intruding on anybody during actual play.

Yeah you bring up a good point. It can be time consuming to upload all your discs with their stats. I've got a few people who have taken the time to upload quite a few discs on the app, but I can't expect that everyone, especially the pros, will want to do that.

 

[heartman]

the only reason I'd be interested in this, would be if top pros used it on a consistent basis


"oh damn, Paul took his Thunderbirds out for more PD's"

"MJ added another Comet ...go figure"

... especially during tournies, like at USDGC/The Memorial where pros might be losing a disc or two a round

 

[Anon]

Also... and I'm not sure if this even exists at the top level any longer... but aren't some pro's pretty cagey about what they are throwing and might not want to just give that info out during the heat of action? Maybe that was more of a 'mind games' thing back in the day.

 

[aclinton]

Also... and I'm not sure if this even exists at the top level any longer... but aren't some pro's pretty cagey about what they are throwing and might not want to just give that info out during the heat of action? Maybe that was more of a 'mind games' thing back in the day.

Haha, yeah that's also a good point. I can definitely see some of the players who are extremely superstitious not wanting people knowing what they are throwing.

 

[aclinton]

the only reason I'd be interested in this, would be if top pros used it on a consistent basis


"oh damn, Paul took his Thunderbirds out for more PD's"

"MJ added another Comet ...go figure"

... especially during tournies, like at USDGC/The Memorial where pros might be losing a disc or two a round

Right?! That's the very reason I started developing this idea into an app, haha.

 

[DanJon]

Most pros can't be bothered to update what they're throwing with the exception of a few.

And honestly it might get predictable after awhile for most players.

500' hole? Throwing a Destroyer.

Longer fairway shot? Throwing a Teebird.

Upshot? P2 or Nova.

 

[skizzle34]

I think if you could get the pros to update their bags this is something I would watch very closely. If you could add the ability to specify what exactly the disc is used for (for example Mcbeast bags like 6 destroyers) that would be helpful as well. It would be interesting to see how their bags change for tournaments like GBO which tends to be windy and USDGC with all of the OB ropes. I don't think knowing exactly what disc they are throwing every hole is a reasonable thing to expect at this point. You could always make it possible for them to share practice round thoughts or a game plan for how they are going to attack specific holes but it may be hard to get them to share those specifics.

I want to thank you for being willing to try to push the progression of how we connect to our game. I think DG is the perfect avenue for some like this because what we bag is so personal and varies so widely. I am excited to see where this goes.