ACTIVE FOR LIFE A healthy, affordable and fun activity What Is ? The History Of Disc Golf Disc golf is played like traditional golf. Instead of using a ball and clubs, players The Discoblus throw a flying disc, or ®. The sport, which was first played formally in the Disc golf in one form or another has been with us since the beginning of time. 1970’s, shares with ‘ball golf’ the goal of completing a hole in the fewest number The early cavemen in their search for weapons to extend their ability to slay of strokes – or throws! food probably found rocks before clubs. If they could kill something from a safe distance it would be much safer than a club or a sharp stick. How Do You Get Started? Disc golfers begin play by throwing a disc toward an elevated target, often Test of skill where a necessary pastime, closest to the target sounds familiar! called a Pole Hole™. As a player progresses through the hole, he or she must Flat rocks had a different flight and flew further than round objects, skipping throw each consecutive shot from the spot where the previous throw landed. flat stones on the water, throwing shields, eureka! Then came the discus that Trees, shrubs, and terrain changes provide challenging obstacles for the golfer. Discoblus threw which certainly resembled a Frisbee®. At the finish of the hole, the “putt” lands in the elevated target and the hole “Scaling” is complete. In the early steel age sharpened rings where thrown with devastating effect. Similar To “Ball Golf” They flew with accuracy, caused serious injury and looked like the modern Disc golf shares many of the same joys and challenges as traditional “ball” golf, Aerobie. Then came the ancient word “scaling” (to throw a thin flat object), so whether you’re sinking a long putt or hitting a tree halfway down the fairway. that its edge cuts through the air. Pie pans, film can lids and toy flying saucers However, there are a number of key differences. First, disc golf rarely requires were the predecessors of the modern Frisbee® which was invented in 1964 a green fee or dictates that you rent a cart. With disc golf, you never get stuck by Ed Headrick, US Patent 3,359,678. He also formed the International Frisbee with a bad “tee time.” Disc golf is typically played in public parks and can be Association which had over 112,000 members by 1972. enjoyed by people of all ages, male or female, regardless of economic status. “Steady” Ed Early targets Anyone Can Play Disc Golf Since that time Disc Golf evolved from man’s natural competitive nature. Early Disc golfers range from school age to old age, making disc golf an excellent games used targets of trees, trash cans, light poles, chicken wire baskets, pipes, lifetime fitness sport. Whether players are specially-abled or disabled, disc golf and coeds. The game was formalized when Headrick invented the first Disc Pole is so easy to learn that no one is excluded. Hole, catching device, consisting of 10 chains hanging in a parabolic shape over Permanent disc golf courses are located in 20 countries worldwide – and over an upward opening basket, US Patent 4,039,189, issued 1975. 1500 courses can be found throughout the United States and Canada. Canada The First Course has 72 Courses and 21 of them are in Ontario. The first formal Disc Golf Course was designed and installed that same year in Why Should You Play Disc Golf? Oak Grove Park, (Pasadena, California), by Headrick and was an instant success. More people are taking up recreational activities in an effort to improve He also founded the Professional Disc Golf Association in 1975, which he turned their health and quality of life. With its combination of upper and lower body over to the players in 1983. conditioning, mental concentration, and manual dexterity, disc golf is a great Currently, Ed has designed over 200 courses. There are almost 1200 Disc Golf choice for a “lifetime sport.” Courses in the United States with around 3,000,000 regular players and over Another great attribute of disc golf is its low cost. A pro quality disc costs 20,000 professional members of the P.D.G.A. There were over 390 sanctioned around $10 and it only takes one to play. A round of disc golf only takes one to tournaments this year* culminating in a Worlds Championship held in Augusta, two hours to complete and is often free to play at a local public park. Of course GA, with 350 participants and a purse of $64,000.00. (*as of 2006. PDGA). there’s also the sheer fun of the game, no matter what your age or skill level. Play disc golf, the sport of the future! Evolution Of The Disc Pole Hole™ Catching Device The First Catching Device The Disc Pole Hole has evolved consistently since the first Mach I. For the past two decades the products have been established and accepted worldwide as the industry standard for the sport of Disc Golf. The hardware is Hot-Dipped Galvanized from head to toe and guaranteed for 20 years against rust and corrosion. To protect your discs, all of the chains are Hot-Dipped Galvanized and hand polished. Many manufacturers now build catching devices for disc golf courses. Let he who is without stone, cast the first disc. Disc Golf In 8 Simple Rules Disc Golf 1. The Intention Of The Game Disc golf is the flying disc variant of the game of golf. Instead of with a ball Disc golf is the flying disc variant of the game of golf. Instead of with a ball and (many different) golf-clubs this game is played with a flying disc. Players and (many different) golf-clubs this game is played with a flying disc. Players traverse a course making as few throws as possible in reaching objects placed traverse a course making as few throws as possible in reaching objects strategically throughout the area. Many terms you will encounter in ball golf placed strategically throughout the area. Many terms you will encounter in are also familiar in disc golf. For example: tee, hole, hole in one, putt, approach, ball golf are also familiar in disc golf. For example: tee, hole, hole in one, putt, birdie, par, drive. Disc golf is often played in a public park where many obstacles approach, birdie, par, drive. Disc golf is often played in a public park where such as trees and water are to be met. As such it is a recreational sport in the many obstacles such as trees and water are to be negotiated. open air, for people of all ages and of all skill levels. 2. The Course The Course Disc golf courses are typically composed of 9 or 18 holes. On each hole The Tee And The Target players attempt to reach a target, starting at the tee. Distances vary between A disc golf course is typically composed of 9 or 18 holes. On each hole players 60 and 150 meters. Almost anything can serve as a goal: a tree, a lamppost attempt to reach a target, starting at the tee. Distances vary between 60 and or a dustbin. In official tournaments disc trapping targets are used. A target 150 meters. Almost anything can serve as a goal: a tree, a lamppost or a dustbin. is a round metal basket on a pole. Above the basket some loose chains are In official tournaments disc trapping targets are used. A target is a round metal attached. These stop the disc in its flight and make it fall down into the basket on a pole. Above the basket some loose chains are attached. These stop basket. The target is then reached only when the disc falls into the basket. the disc in its flight and make it fall down into the basket. The target is then 3. The Tee reached only when the disc falls into the basket. The tee is the throwing are to begin play and is usually an area marked with a Out-Of-Bounds throwing line. Every hole has specified boundaries. These are mostly natural and follow the 4. The Next Throws landscape, like a road, a flower-bed or a lake. When your disc lands outside Immediately after teeing off, the player whose disc is the farthest from the the playing field it is out-of-bounds. Players get a penalty of one throw and can target, throws again first. The next throw is played from the position where continue at the position where the disc left the playing field. If the disc falls into the previous throw came to rest. Before picking up the disc the player (or water, the next throw is taken from the bank at the point where it left the caddy) places a marker-disc (a mini-disc of about 10 centimeters) in front of playing field. the thrown disc. The player puts his or her foot behind the marker-disc for the The Course Of The Game next throw. The Tee 5. Out-Of-bounds The tee is the throwing area to being play and is usually an area marked with There are specified boundaries. These are mostly natural and follow the a throwing line. At the first hole it is decided which order players throw by the landscape, like a road, a flowerbed or a lake. When a disc lands outside the names on the scorecard. After that the result of the preceding hole determines playing field it is out-of-bounds. Players get a penalty of one throw and can the order; best score throws first, and so on. continue at the position where the disc left the playing field. If the disc falls into water, the next throw is taken from the bank at the point where it left the The Fairway playing field. After the first throw from the tee the player whose disc is the farthest from the target, throws again first. The next throw is played from the position where the 6. The Putt previous throw came to rest. Before picking up the disc the player (or caddy) The final throw at the target from a short distance is called a putt. The hole is places a marker-disc (a mini-disc of about 10 centimeters) in front of the thrown completed when the disc comes to rest in the basket (or target). disc. At the next throw the player’s front foot must be on the ground within thirty 7. Different Discs For Different Situations centimeters behind the marker-disc. A ball golfer can choose from several clubs. A disc golfer can choose from A Disc Which Doesn’t Land On The Ground several discs, each with specific flight properties. For each throw he or she Play must continue from the position where the disc lies on the ground. However can pick a disc which seems to be appropriate. Most golfers carry five to ten it can occur that the disc is not on the ground if, for example, it remained in discs; among them special drivers, approach discs and putters. the branches of a tree. In this case, if the disc is less than two meters from the 8. No Referee ground, play can continue from the position right below the disc. However, when Fair play is an important aspect of all . Like other sports, disc the disc is more than two meters from the ground, there is a penalty of one golf is played without a referee. The players themselves are responsible for throw. The player then positions the disc directly below where it came to rest the course of the game. and continues playing according to the out-of-bounds rule (see above) Different Discs For Different Situations Disc golf players will find themselves in many different situations, each requiring a different approach. In some cases a long distance may need to be covered, at other times the disc must be thrown with a large curve around a tree. Where a ball golf player can choose from several clubs, a disc golf player may choose from several discs, each with specific flight or “rolling” properties. For each throw players may pick the disc that seems to be appropriate. Of course you can play disc golf with an ‘ordinary’ disc. However you will notice that the special disc golf discs are more suitable for this sport. For instance you can easily cover a long distance with a “driver” or putt with a ‘putter’. For approaches from 40 – 60 meters you can use an “approach’ disc. Remember that these special disc golf discs are not made for catching. You can injure yourself when you try! So be careful. Also as a player, make sure there is no possibility to injure another person before you throw. Officials Like all flying disc sports, Disc Golf is played without an official. The players themselves are responsible for the course of the game. For more information on disc golf, local disc golf courses, or other resources, Visit the Ontario Disc Sports Association website at www.ondisc.org