Disc golf is one of the fastest growing sports in the world. An estimated 8-12 million players have played disc golf, with over two million estimated to be regular players. According to the PDGA course directory at the end of 2015, there were over 5,500 disc golf courses in 40 countries with new courses being developed and installed on a regular basis.
Disc golf is played much like traditional golf. Instead of a ball and clubs, however, players use a flying disc or Frisbee®. The sport was formalized in the 1970’s, and shares with traditional golf the object of completing each hole in the fewest strokes (or, in the case of disc golf, fewest throws).
There are two important historical events in the month of August for the game of disc golf:
• On August 2, 1974, the disc golfers in the Rochester, NY decided to make their annual City of Rochester Disc Golf Championship a big national tournament to find out just how many other people around the country were playing disc golf. They called the event the American Flying Disc Open, and to attract the attention of the Frisbee community; they put up a brand new 1974 automobile to be awarded to the winner!
• The first patent (#4,039,189) was issued on a chain catching device to Ed Headrick on August 12th, 1977 which changed the future of our game and is the standard for today’s disc golf baskets.
We are requesting a Saturday for Disc Golf Day so communities and families can get outside and play disc golf all day in celebration of the Day. In addition to the historical reasons August is also a great month for outdoor events around the country, holding it too early or too late in the year when many states are still in winter conditions could deter participation in the day.