No respect for DG?

[DiscNutt123]

Why does disc golf not get the respect that other sports get? How is throwing a disc into a basket any less respectable than hitting a ball into a hole or shooting a ball into a hoop? I don't understand why people laugh at disc golf, it takes a lot of skill and practice to be semi-good and an every day dedication to be the best...seeing as there only a handful that are top players in the world. It's really frustrating and personally I'm sick of it. So what in the heck do we, as disc golfers, do to gain the respect from the public and get them to see disc golf as a real sport?

 

[jkdisc]

who's laughing?

 

[ElementZ]

I've found that Germans are actually super interested in the sport and it's growing very, very fast.

I think Americans still associate it with the 70s, but we're slowly but surely growing out of that.

 

[DiscNutt123]

They think it's a joke more so than just blatantly laughing.

 

[Connor Jones]

Who cares? Do you play to appear cool? Just play and have fun.

 

[smarkquart]

The other sports mentioned above had rough beginnings as well. Golf has been around how many hundreds of years; baseball since the mid 1800s, football and basketball almost just as long. Disc Golf since the 1970s. It will get there if you represent in a manner that you want it to be perceived as.

The biggest first step for those who want to legitimize the sport is to call it Disc Golf instead of FROLF or Frisbee Golf because of the connection of a frisbee being a recreational toy. It might be decades before Waffle Ball will become an Olympic event as well. And no, I am not looking for a further discussion of disc golf versus frisbee golf.

 

[DiscNutt123]

Not at all. I'm not saying this for myself, I'm saying it for the sport in general and the future/growth of it. All I'm saying is there is hardly any public (non disc golfers) respect for our sport and I'm wondering what we could do to change that.

 

[yearofrolling]

We probably get no respect because we're all a bunch of pot smokin' hippies, right?
It just takes time and good publicity to overcome stereotypes.

 

[Connor Jones]

Just play, be well mannered and carry yourself with dignity. People see and respect that no matter what's going on.

 

[SteezeOG]

I enjoy it still being a little underground. The first go round I had with DG was in high school for a few years. (95-97) No one was playing in this town except a few. (EMac being one) Now I can't hardly get any peace in the park so it's growing here for sure. I find a lot of people just stopping and watching. They don't really know anything other than the old frisbees to play catch with. They always ask questions and I think that's a good thing. Just wish the dumb ones wouldn't stand in the fairway staring at you. So clueless.

 

[eegor]

Who cares? Do you play to appear cool? Just play and have fun.

Just play, be well mannered and carry yourself with dignity. People see and respect that no matter what's going on.

Wisdom. Conner has it.

 

[Connor Jones]

Just imagine what'll happen when I can drink legally. I'll be spouting wisdom left and right, or something like that.

:|



:|?

 

[KniceZ]

I've only been playing for a year so I'll share what I see. Most of the players are young males that tend to dress and look sloppy and don't look like athletes. And unfortunately I have seen my share of "hippy" activity.

Heck, I've been playing the world's most popular sport (soccer) for over 30 years and it's just now starting to be a little respect in the US. I'm not too worried about what others think - disc golf is growing and it's a great reason to get out in a park with friends. Just enjoy!!

 

[ChampionKirby]

There are very few people now a days who actually respect it in my opinion. You might not realize it but littering and smoking on the course can be disrespectful to a lot people. Smoking especially when there are little kids. I played in a sanctioned C tier tourny yesterday in which two players were drinking beer when there were two eleven year old juniors playing with them. I mean really?

 

[dmbrun2]

Just play, be well mannered and carry yourself with dignity. People see and respect that no matter what's going on.

this

 

[aPfaff]

Heck, I've been playing the world's most popular sport (soccer) for over 30 years and it's just now starting to be a little respect in the US.

I wouldn't be to sure.

 

[KniceZ]

I did say a little - at least now most HS's have a team. When I grew up almost nobody even knew what it was!!

Oh-well, soccer and disc golf around the only uncool things I do - at least according to my kids. But like I said, I'm not too worried about what others think.

 

[bholy08]

I wouldn't be to sure.

Says the bmx kid...what's so special about riding a bike? I've been doing that since I was 3

 

[Martin Dewgarita]

I recently attended an official city meeting attended by parks officials and the CVB. My job was to promote the sport and convince them they needed a course. I was very impressed by the impression that they had on the sport. The parks officials that had experience with the course did not say "it's a bunch of littering hippies" on the contrary, they had nothing but positive things to say about us disc golfers. One woman had a son that played and she was very excited about promoting the sport in the community and getting the school and students involved in the new course. Now all they need is some land..

Rural Minnesota seems to respect DG.

 

[DiscNutt123]

I recently attended an official city meeting attended by parks officials and the CVB. My job was to promote the sport and convince them they needed a course. I was very impressed by the impression that they had on the sport. The parks officials that had experience with the course did not say "it's a bunch of littering hippies" on the contrary, they had nothing but positive things to say about us disc golfers. One woman had a son that played and she was very excited about promoting the sport in the community and getting the school and students involved in the new course. Now all they need is some land..

Rural Minnesota seems to respect DG.

This is what I'm hoping for EVERYWHERE. I moved from Dallas/Fort Worth, where there is some respect for DG, to Midland/Odessa where there is almost none....and it sucks. I'm about to start a club/league in Midland to show the city there is some serious interest in the sport in the area. Once it gets off and running, maybe the city will let us get our first 18 hole course in Midland (Odessa already has one).