Disc golf
Disc golf (also known as frisbee golf) is a sport in which the player tries to throw a small plastic disc into a metal basket in the least amount of throws possible. The rules of the game are similar to that of traditional golf, played with clubs and balls. Most of the disc golf courses in the United States are located in public parks and are free to play. According to the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA), the disc golf is "designed to be enjoyed by people of all ages, male and female, regardless of economic status."[1]
History
The game of disc golf emerged after the invention of the Frisbee by "Steady" Ed Headrick in 1964. Early courses, called "object courses", began to pop up around the country using pre-existing objects such as lampposts, fire hydrants, and telephone poles as targets. The formalization of the game came when "Steady" Ed Headrick in 1975 when he created the first Disc Pole Hole, which consisted of 10 chains hanging over an open basket. The first permanent course was installed in Oak Grove Park, Pasadena, California the same year. Headrick also created the Professional Disc Golf Association in 1975, which he turned over control to the players in 1983, and it is still the governing body of the sport today.[2]
The sport has experienced tremendous growth since its inception. In 1985, the World Flying Disc Federation helped internationalize the sport by holding the first World Championships outside of the United States in Helsinki, Sweden. In 2001, disc golf made it's debut at the World Games in Akita, Japan.[3] Today, in the United States alone, there are over 2,000 courses.[4]
Gameplay and Rules
A round of disc golf is played in a similar manner to that of a traditional round of golf. Each course will have 9 to 18 holes, with each hole containing a tee area, where you start, and a basket, where you finish. Each hole has a designated par value, which is typically 3. On a typical par 3 hole, the player will first throw, or drive, from the tee area into the fairway, followed by an approach shot, and finally a putt. As a player progresses through the course, they must remain behind where the disc has landed while throwing their next shot. The hole is finished when the disc comes to rest within the basket or the chains above it. The goal of the round is to finish the course with the fewest amount of shots possible.
Notes
- ↑ http://www.pdga.com/information.php
- ↑ http://www.discgolfassoc.com/patents.html
- ↑ http://www.worldgames-iwga.org/vsite/vcontent/page/custom/0,8510,1044-166343-183561-18054-62405-custom-item,00.html
- ↑ http://www.pdga.com/course/courses_by_state.php?admin=&SearchZip=&SearchCity=&SearchState=&SearchCountry=UNITED+STATES&Search=Search