Ideas for course "Grand Opening"

[zud00]

I'm installing a 9 hole course in my home town. The concept of the game is new, and mostly unkown by residents. I would like to have a Grand Opening "Ceremony" where I would invite people of the community to come out and check out the course and play.

One thing I plan to do is get custom stamped discs for all the sponsors and people who have helped install the course. I'll take a few minutes to recognize each one of them and give them a disc (more than likely to display at their business). :clap:

I would also like to get 50 stamped discs and give them away to whoever shows up.

And then of course, let every play a round. I have about 25 discs for people to borrow and plan on having club discs available for purchase.

Does anyone else have any ideas of other things to do, prizes, games, contests for people who have potentially never played the game?

 

[bradharris]

People that don't know anything about disc golf already are not going to be motivated to show up for a "grand opening."

Most likely, your only attendees would be those that already have some sort of time or financial investment in the course.

With the course in the ground, you'll pique the interest of a few people and the community around the course will grow, but it takes time.

 

[CrowLegs]

Have some players there to help out. Maybe there are some forum member who are close enough to show up and take some groups around the course.

Maybe some kind of CTP or something for new players as well?

 

[Whooey]

People love food, so maybe burgers and dawgs too along with cold drinks?

Advertise, first 25 people get a free stamped disc. People love free stuff.

People have kids, maybe get a bounce house or something to attract people driving by.

 

[tbird888]

If the weather were a little more conducive, I would've suggested a barbecue to get people out who don't disc golf with some disc themed variants of picnic games available. Cornhole but with made putts (3 points) and chainouts (1 point). After a round of that, they should be itching to try the course.

 

[Stardoggy]

Dancing girls.

 

[kingjames1014]

Advertise! put flyers all over town, start a facebook page, maybe put some flyers around at the different local courses in Marion and Huntington. Get players out there and the locals will stop by wondering what all the commotion is about.

 

[Aim For The Chains]

If the weather were a little more conducive, I would've suggested a barbecue to get people out who don't disc golf with some disc themed variants of picnic games available. Cornhole but with made putts (3 points) and chainouts (1 point). After a round of that, they should be itching to try the course.

:hfive:

Free food is your only hope.
People love to eat and will bring others along for the feasting.
.. then it becomes an experience like TB touched on'

 

[scarpfish]

Call the local newspaper and have them do a story.

 

[cmcolomb]

yea, gotta offer things other than DG to non-DG-speaking humans

 

[Broken Shoulder]

Get one of those dunk tanks. Instead of throwing a ball at the lever, have people throw discs at it. Also, free food.

 

[zud00]

Have some players there to help out. Maybe there are some forum member who are close enough to show up and take some groups around the course.

Maybe some kind of CTP or something for new players as well?

I am going to try to have some of the guys from our league in Huntington (20 min away) come so they can play also and hopefully they can help introduce the basics to groups who go play a round.

I had thought about food. I will definitley consider it.

I have already started a FaceBook page. And I plan on putting it in the local papers.

I had thought about buying a starter set (3 discs) and have some sort of contest like a CTP or putting contest and only letting people who have never played take a shot at it.

Good ideas here, keep 'em coming...:hfive:

 

[jchoate7]

That's awesome that you have a Facebook page but make sure with that Facebook page you "like" the businesses' pages that supported you and also "like" the businesses around town. This will help expose you. The newspaper, and even the news, are great places to start. Pitch the idea to them, who knows they might just be hurting for a 5 min segment that day.

 

[optidiscic]

People that don't know anything about disc golf already are not going to be motivated to show up for a "grand opening."

Most likely, your only attendees would be those that already have some sort of time or financial investment in the course.

With the course in the ground, you'll pique the interest of a few people and the community around the course will grow, but it takes time.

And beware often when this is done you are simply providing a platform for your opposition

I've seen it happen when a group invites newspaper etc

On day of event the paper covered the protestors who quite often will outnumber the actual disc holders on grand opening lol

It's best to be patient and respectful and just play

Disc golf doesn't need anything else to grow

It's fine on its own

 

[tom12003]

Don't forget TV

Most local TV stations save a few minutes every day for local happenings. I've helped do two of these with the FOX station in Washington DC.

The first one (in 2003 and held at Bluemont in Arlington VA) was purely on DG in general--we had 3-4 30-second live teases and 2 5-minute live segments on the morning news; trying to "teach" the cute community affairs reporter DG. It helped that it was on a federal holiday which greatly increased the viewing public. The result was that for the next 2 weeks our courses were extremely crowded with newbies.

The second (in 2008) coincided with the opening of a new course (Giles Run in Fairfax VA) and involved about the same format (3-4 teases and 2 5-minute live segments on the FOX morning news and the same cute reporter). As the course was much harder, it didn't result in a dramatic increase in newbies but definitely gave the county park authorities some air time and a good feeling about DG.

All you need to do is make contact with these local stations; you'll be surprised on how hungry they are for something different. If you can get them to bite, try to schedule a TV spot a few days before your "Grand Opening". Hopefully you'll be surprised on the turnout!