The Rationale of Disc Golf A collection of quotes and thoughts from various Frisbee fanatics: The basics: Disc golf is a fun, inexpensive, healthy & friendly game that can be enjoyed by people of all ages & abilities. It's one of those childhood games that can be enjoyed with more seriousness, vigor & style as an adult & still offer that child-like glee every time you play. The game is similar to traditional golf, the difference is the equipment; players use a flying disc and advance towards an elevated basket. When their "putt" lands in the basket, the hole is complete. The combination of distance & accuracy while negotiating trees, wind & the terrain offers plenty of action during the course of a game. The rules are simple to grasp, allowing beginners to immediately have fun challenging themselves & their friends. Few objects have more joy attached to them than the flying disc; we love to see gravity defied & are obsessed with flight. Disc golf is a year-round, wholesome & inexpensive pastime that excludes no-one, making it one of the greatest lifetime fitness sports available. The equipment: The term "Frisbee" is a registered trademark, so "disc" will have to suffice. Each type of disc weighs about the same as a freestyle frisbee (150-180 grams) however, golf discs are made of a denser plastic with narrower edges for greater aerodynamics. There are hundreds of discs to choose from depending on the players' style & level of experience, but they all fall into one of three categories; driver, midrange & putter. The other major component of disc golf equipment is the basket. It's constructed of galvanized steel & is the key to disc golf fun, being the true indicator of completing a hole & providing a satisfying "ching" sound as the disc strikes the chains before dropping into the basket. Finally a safe teeing area is critical to an enjoyable day of disc golf. They are typically made of rubber mats & provide stable footing for "driving" the hole. Why play? Players are drawn by the same pleasures as traditional golf; the fresh air in a beautiful landscape, the camaraderie of friends & the challenge & excitement to project an object towards a target. Disc golf provides full body conditioning while promoting physical & mental abilities that allow very little risk of injury. Perhaps the greatest factor behind disc golf's broad accessibility is its low cost & time requirements. A typical round of 18 holes takes only 11/2 hours, most discs retail for $15-$20 & most courses are free to play. These factors open up the game to countless residents & families who cannot afford many of today's other recreation activities. Community & park benefits: Structured disc golf programs range from youth camp activities to professional tournaments. Schools have introduced disc golf into their phys-ed agenda, & weekly or monthly events are organized by local players. Once a course is installed & the golfers interact, it's not unusual for a club to materialize soon after. Group competition leads to the formation of one or more leagues & small tournaments; an enthusiastic club takes pride in the care of the course, engaging in clean-up, maintenance & charity work related to local events. You can foster a club by listening to players' suggestions, encouraging communications through a message board & by donating small prizes (such as discs with your logo) An 18 hole course can serve over 70 people at any given time; this creates extra traffic in under-utilized areas, providing a year-round human presence. Once goodwill is established, the players will be swiftly on your side & you'll generate tourism & lock into a strong, symbolic relationship that can grow into an additional benefit for you & the community you serve. Environmental issues: Disc golf is a uniquely environment-friendly sport. A course does not require any alteration of the existing landscape; rather it utilizes areas that are otherwise underused, including thick woods & slopes. There is virtually no noise pollution; the only environmental impact is foot traffic, & that can be minimized with the careful placement of alternate tee & basket locations. Also, the tees are level with the ground & the baskets are a dull metal colour, making the visual impact small as well. Costs & space requirements: The benefit-to-cost ratio of a disc golf course is like no other sport. The material costs of a course include baskets, tee signs & tee boxes. Amenities to consider would include; washrooms, trash cans, water fountains, message board, picnic tables & a concession/disc sales area. Once a course is in place the maintenance costs are relatively low; mowing & trimming is generally required 5-6 times per year. The final cost will be affected primarily by the quality of materials, the amenities chosen & the caliber of layout. The total effective length for an 18 hole course ranges from under 4000' (recreational) to over 8000' (championship) a rough estimate would be 1-2 acres per hole.