What is there to lose?

Disc golf is a game which you can enjoy for your entire life. Some sports like football and basketball can be played for your entire life, but you may not perform at a high level when you get to be 40 years old. As a young boy, I dreamed of playing a professional sport, but now that I am almost graduating college, I have realized that dream is unreachable. Most people enjoy playing sports for the competitive nature of it as well as the fun of the game. So, even though you may lose your athletic skills as you get older, disc golf is something you can compete in and enjoy at an older age.

Ball golf is similar to disc golf because you can play the sport at any age, but can you play for free? Most disc golf courses cost no money to play and you can play as many rounds as you want too. The cost of buying discs is typically the only money you will spend playing and during a round you may find lost discs! Any person, especially college students, love to hear the word "free," so what do you have to lose?

Keeping a healthy lifestyle and exercising on a regular basis is important; however, sometimes this may cost some money. Disc golf is a great way to get exercise and it does not cost very much to play. There are sports such as basketball and soccer which give you more of an aerobic workout, but disc golf is not tiring and it will help keep you more active. Sometimes people do not enjoy working out or exercising by themselves. So, disc golf gives you an opportunity to get exercise with your friends and have fun while you do it.

Video of the week

Disc golf is a fun recreational activity that everyone of all ages can enjoy. The best part about disc golf is that it costs no money to play because most courses reside in parks. However, people in the disc community may not realize the importance of maintaining the course as well as the surrounding area of the park. In this edition of video of the week, I found a video about a disc golf course, in Austin, which may be in trouble.

Pease Park is a popular disc golf course in Austin. The course offers a fair challenge to players and people in the surrounding area enjoy coming to the park to do more than play disc golf. Recently, there has been a problem with the maintenance of the course and the city has a plan to shutdown the disc golf course. The ground is getting torn a part and people have been complaining about hard the dirt around each hole's basket. Also, many trees are getting worn down because discs keeping hitting them. Since the park has not been maintained properly, the city is forcing the park to shut down the course and improve the grounds.

Many people do not think of these issues because they do not work for park districts and maintain disc golf courses. Therefore, it is important for the disc golf community to take this problem seriously and help maintain the park surrounding disc golf courses.

Women in Disc Golf

There are many aspects of disc golf which I want to teach my followers, however, there are some topics which may not get much hype. For example, women in the sport. The purpose of this post is to explain how and why there are few women in disc golf. Also, I want to tell you about a top female player in the sport.

A PDGA survey announced that only 8% of its members are women, which totals about 900 out 11,000. Even though there are more women than men, the Women's Disc Golf Association was created to arrange women's tournaments and encourage women to play the sport. Several top brands in disc golf, such as Innova, designed sections of their web site to help get more women involved with the sport. Also, there are companies whose only focus is women's disc golf products. Disc-Diva is a company which gears all of its products, discs and accessories, toward women and they like to use catch phrases that intrigue women.

Elaine King is a 5-time disc golf world champion. As a disc golfer, King has made major contributions to the sport and helped increase the number of women playing. In addition to the multiple tournaments she has won, King became PDGA commissioner in 1990 during a critical period in the sport. She has been recognized for her play as well as her gracious personality. In 1997, King was inducted into the disc golf hall of fame.

Getting Out of Trouble

During a round of disc golf you may find yourself in trouble. Whether you have played the game for a long time, or just starting out, it is important to save strokes by getting out of trouble. There are many situations on a course where you may think it is impossible to escape the hole with a par. However, here are a few techniques which may help you from those daunting situations.

Lets say you tee off and your disc goes way to the right. As you approach your disc, you find it lying right next to a tree and it seems impossible to get your disc close to the basket. First, practice your throwing motion and see if you can make a clean backhand or sidearm toss. It would not be a good idea to throw the disc next to the tree and swing your arm into it, and seriously injure yourself. So, rather than throwing the disc right next to the tree you should take a long stride, to the right or left, and see if you can freely swing your arm. This way you can avoid injury and have more power with your shot.

Another common situation where you may find yourself in trouble is not being able to see the basket from the fairway. If you cannot see the basket, pick a target in front of you which will help you aim your disc. By picking a target, you will be more accurate with your toss. Sometimes you may not be able to see the basket because it is too far left or right, and there may be something in the way. Therefore, you may throw the disc as a roller. This means depending on the way you grip the disc, as well as angle it, you will be able to avoid the objects and get your disc closer to the basket.

Disc Golf Hall of Fame

Similar to most sports, disc golf has its own official hall of fame. In 1993, Laverne Wolfe founded the hall of fame and he was the chairman of the first board of directors. Wolfe also created a collection of memorabilia, called the hall of fame museum, which describes the history of the sport. The museum is displayed at many major tournaments, but in the future it will have a permanent home at the Augusta National Disc Golf Center.

To be inducted into the disc golf hall of fame, existing members of the hall of fame nominate members of the disc golf community. Disc golf fans have the opportunity to vote for a nominee on the final ballot through the People's Choice Nomination Selection. Hall of fame inductees are judged by their favorable standing and having an honorable reputation within the disc golf community. To be eligible as a nominee for the disc golf hall of fame, you must have at least 15 years of service to the PDGA. Probably the most recognized member of the disc golf hall of fame is Ed Headrick. After all, he did invent the flying disc as well as the pole hole.

Currently, Al Guerrero is managing the hall of fame and authorized this web site which has a lot of information about the disc golf hall of fame. 2004 inductee, Marty Hapner, hosts the site too. If you are a true disc golf fan, you would appreciate all the hard work the disc golf hall of fame has done to preserve the history of the sport and recognize those people who have made an impact on the disc golf community.

Video of the Week

I found this video the other day of Ed Headrick, the father of disc golf, on the Johnny Carson Show. For those of you who may not know who Johnny Carson is, he was the man who started late night talk shows. He was famous for not only his late night talk show, but he would go overseas and tell jokes to our troops. So, if someone was on Johnny Carson's show back in the day, it was a big deal.

Headrick was not only the creator of disc golf, but he also created many other toys such as the supernal and the wheel bar. His most well-known invention, of course, was the frisbee. This old video footage shows Headrick explaining to Carson how to throw the frisbee. They have a few laughs when Headrick throws the frisbee at the drummer and the drummer is not able to throw the frisbee back with much accuracy.

I was surprised to see this video because I never thought Headrick got much credit for his creation of disc golf; more so, he got his dues for his toys. This was a good step in the right direction for disc golf because Headrick was now more recognizable for his appearance on Carson's talk show.

I feel like disc golf needs a leader, or some kind of figure to make the sport more popular. As of right now, there are many professional disc golfers that try to promote the sport to the rest of the world. But, disc golf does not have a person like Tiger Woods, who may be recognized on other planets in our solar system. Ken Climo is a famous professional disc golfer, and is probably the best the game has ever seen, but he is a lot older and does not play very often. Therefore, the disc golf community and the PDGA should step up and improve the popularity of disc golf.

Eat, Sleep, and Breathe Disc Golf

Most of my blog posts have been geared toward the beginning or average disc golfer. However, I want to write this post for the more experienced disc golfer, or professional. For those of you who sign up for out of state tournaments and enjoy going on tour, you understand how tiring and time consuming it can be. Therefore, it is important to be well-prepared before you go on tour because it may cost you during the tournament.

To be well-prepared means having your clothes, toiletries, and equipment packed and ready to go before you leave. By having all your belongings ensures that all your focus will be on disc golf and thinking about the strategies you will have during the round. Make sure to have all your discs and bag because you may lose a disc during a round and not having all your discs could be costly.

Another tip to keep in mind is go home! If you go on tour often, make sure you have a home base, somewhere you can recover from all the stress and effort you put into the tournament. Going home to see your loved ones makes everything better, so no matter how you finish in the tournament, your family will always love you. Also, most professional disc golfers go home because they need a source of income and having a job is important. When you go on tour you spend a lot of money and it is crucial to be able to support yourself as well as your family by having a job at home.

When you go on tour, see if others are going too. Its good to plan ahead and see if your friends other disc golfers you know are going to the same tournament. This could save money on gas as well as spending the night in a hotel. Rather than travelling a thousand miles for every tournament. Maybe you and your friends could plan on playing tournaments that are centrally located or closer to your home. This benefits you as well as your family too.

Website Review

This post is dedicated to reviewing a disc golf website. If you have been following my blog. and website you know that I have listed several resources that will help you with your game. Some of the websites have been a basic understanding of the game, such as terms and rules of the game, and others have included tips on how to improve your game. This website I found has the best of both worlds and Stuart Hicks has provided disc golfers with a great resource.

The first page is a glossary of terms, similar to my disc golf terminology post. It was good for Hicks to put this at the top of the site because beginners need to understand the different ways to throw the disc as well as how the disc flies in the air. Next, Hicks explains the invention of the frisbee or disc and then explains how disc golf was created. Since, disc golf is a recent invention, most people want to know the history of the game, and Hicks did a great job explaining things in detail.

Now that you understand the terms and history of the game, Hicks has provided his guests with the basics of the game. This includes the equipment you can use, the basic rules of the game, and how to choose the right disc for you. I like that Hicks has separated these areas, but put them in one section. It helps readers understand the importance of each topic. The last major page is throwing techniques. Hicks did a great job explaining the different ways to throw the disc by displaying charts and pictures.

You Think You Know But You Have No Idea

One of the first things you should plan for in designing a disc golf course is the spacing. It is a good idea to pick an area where you can put a bathroom, parking lot, possibly a country club, and start from there. As you begin to design a disc golf course, keep in mind that length is not important because having an entirely long course is no fun. Disc golf requires you to have control shots in your repertoire and shortening up some holes as well as adding new hazards can increase the difficulty of your course. When designing a course, there should be no chance of a disc injuring other people in the park or landing in a private area.

After the decision has been made on where the holes will be placed, the next thing to do is draw the layout of the course and decide on the pars for each hole. Along with the placement of the holes, it is important to determine where the tee areas will be and the exact distance of each hole (measured in feet). Rather than having multiple basket placements per hole, it is easier to design a course with more than one tee area because this helps separate the beginners from the more advanced players.

Unlike ball golf, in disc golf there are no greens around the basket. Instead architects like to put hazards close to the basket because it makes putting a lot more challenging. If you are an average to above average disc golfer, having a free putt with no hazards in the way is very easy.

One of the last things architects do before the course is completed is deciding on what the tee area will look like. Most courses I have played consist of cement tee areas, but supposedly most professional disc golfers dislike them. Other types of tee areas include grass or gravel. The location of the course as well as the length of each hole can have a major impact on the material used for the tee areas.

Video of the week

From now on I have decided to add a "video of the week" post to my blog. Rather than just explain facts of the game and tips to help you, I thought it would be fun to post a video each week, which may or may not be instructional. Even though there are many videos posted on youtube related to disc golf, I have found the videos which will attract my followers the most.

This week's video is instructional and it was created by Team Discraft. Yes, I know that I have stated in earlier posts that I prefer Innova over Discraft, however, Discraft's website has posted several videos which help people throw the disc better and improve their game quickly. So, as I searched through some of their videos, I came across one related to putting because putting is the most important skill to have in disc golf. Similar to ball golf, if you want to lower your scores you have to decrease the number of putts you have in a round.

Mark Ellis, a Discraft team member, teaches you the basics of putting. First, you learn the proper way to grip the disc. For a putter you can use a fan grip, with your index finger on the edge of the putter. This helps give you more control with the disc and increase your accuracy with the putt. Next, how you stand in relation to the basket can have a huge impact on how far you will throw the putter. Make sure you try to center your body directly in front of the basket and if you are right-handed, put your right foot in front of your left. During the throw, it is crucial that you transfer your weight from your back foot to your front. Finally, the release point of the disc will definitively affect the direction of the putt. If you throw the disc too low it will come up short of the basket and if you throw the disc to high it will go over the basket or the wind may take it a different direction.

Remember the Basics

Up to this point, there have been some topics that I have covered, which I feel should be reviewed again to make sure you keep the basics of the game in mind. By refreshing some of these topics, I feel you will improve your game faster and you will correct any problems you may be having recently.

Remember there are 3 different discs to use! - Keep in mind that you have three discs to choose from in your bag. Take advantage of the mid-range disc and putter on shorter holes because this will help keep your disc more accurate off the tee. Depending on the brand of disc you own, there are different drivers to choose from, so make sure that it feels comfortable and the stability of the disc is not weighted too much on one side. It is important to choose the right disc for the right situation, but the technique of your throw will be the key to your success. Also, weather conditions play a major factor in choosing the right disc, so be prepared.

Understand the Disc Golf Terms - Being able to play the game well is great, but it is also very important to understand the basic terms of the game because in competition it may be crucial. There are several ways to throw the disc and most people use either the backhand throw or sidearm. The backhand throw is like throwing a frisbee and the sidearm throw is like throwing a baseball sidearm. The "tomahawk" or "hammer" throw is basically throwing your disc overhand on a vertical, 90 degree angle. In the air a disc may be "stable" or fly straight in the air. But, it may be understable, which means the disc turns to the right and if the disc is overstable it will turn to the left in the air. Other important terms include the type of scoring system that is used. A "birdie" is considered to be one under par and a "bogey" is one over par. If you are lucky enough to get two strokes under par that is called an "eagle" and 3 strokes under par is called "double eagle." Two strokes over par is "double bogey" and it goes up from there.

I prefer Innova over Discraft

Most professional athletes, or people who play sports on a regular basis, prefer one brand over another. Whether it's the quality or durability that keeps people loyal to a certain brand, the main issue is determining which brand feels more comfortable for you. Most well-known brands make more than just one product; they make many products for multiple sports. In the case of disc golf brands, most of them only make discs. Therefore, I feel Innova produces better discs than any other brand (i.e. Discraft) in disc golf.

I prefer Innova over Discraft because Innova was the first disc I ever used. The Innova disc is more comfortable when I play because I know how the disc feels. When I purchased my first disc, Innova had a chart which helped me find the right disc as a beginner. The chart explained which discs were harder to throw and gave me options to choose what kind of material I wanted my disc to have. Discraft, on the other hand, had a small amount of discs for sale and there was less of a variety to choose from.

Another reason why Innova is ahead of Discraft is that Innova discs hold world records. There are two major records which Innova discs own: the longest drive and the most world disc golf championships have been won using Innova discs. So, as a beginner or someone who has played the game for awhile, it is obvious that the Innova brand is recognized around the disc golf community and many professional disc golfers use their discs.

Ken Climo is one of the most well-known disc golfers in the world. He holds the record for most disc golf championships and the Innova company is proud to have him on their team. If you do not know already, Climo's name is on multiple Innova discs and these discs are a top seller in today's market. Although Discraft has its own professional team, they do not put their champions' name on their discs and they only create unique names for them.

Disc Golf Trophies

Winning a trophy is a great reward when you finish at the top of a competition or tournament. For most disc golf tournaments you will either win some amount of prize money or a medal. However, what if there was something you could win, that may be more unique and meaningful than those two things. For instance, how about a wooden or aluminum trophy?

At DisplayYourDisc.com you can order trophies, made of wood or aluminum, that represent your accomplishments. These trophies are completely handmade and you can put whatever you want on them. All of the trophies are made in the shape of a disc, and these people shape the trophy in the form of the disc you use.

Most of the trophies or discs that are made, were ordered for finishing high in competitive events, however, some discs can be ordered for clubs or teams. These handmade, unique discs can be great a gift for any team because it will bring back memories of being a part of something special.

If these trophies couldn't get any better, if you order them online there will be FREE shipping and handling. There are tournament packages that can be ordered by 5, 10, or 15. Obviously, the more you want to engrave on the disc, the more the cost, but these trophies are still a great price because there is a lot of work that goes into making each one.

On the site, there is a references section. This page displays comments that customers have written about the trophies they ordered. All of the comments were good and all the customers were satisfied with their product.

I feel that money is a great prize for everything, but having this handmade trophy will bring back great memories you shared with a team or it will represent all the hard work you did in finishing a top a tournament.

Buy this practice game now!

Whether you are a beginning disc golfer or an experienced one the Halex Disc Golf Challenge is perfect for you. For a great price, you will receive three discs as well as three targets. The targets consist of three different sizes, shaped like a circle, with a net attached to catch the disc, and an adjustable pole to change the height.

This product is good for practicing when you cannot make it to the course. Whether you want to play in at your home or a park by your house the Halex Disc Golf Challenge is easy to set up and use. Have a little competition with your friends by setting up different targets around your house or in a park, and you should set up the holes around trees or other standing objects to make the holes more difficult. The game is also a great way to practice because rather than throwing a disc in a basket, you have to throw it into a small circle hole.

Not only is the Halex Disc Golf Challenge is easy to set up and use, it is small enough to not take up and storage space in the garage and its easy to transport. The targets easily come apart and can be put in a nice storage bag. Also, games like this sometimes are heavy to carry and hard to transport. Not the Halex Disc Golf Challenge, because it is very light weight and it will not take up a lot of room in your trunk.

Overall, this product is great for all disc golfers because it is a great way to practice with your friends and have a little competition with them at the same time. Also, at an affordable price, the Halex Disc Golf Challenge is perfect for transporting around and it takes up very little time to set up.

Interesting Disc Golf Facts

Here is a list of some interesting disc golf facts that I thought some of you may enjoy:

1. Disc golf started becoming popular and more formalized in the late 1960's. During this time public courses were being built and associations started forming for the sport.

2. Toward the end of 90's, Iowa had the most disc golf courses, per capita, in the United States

3. The first permanent disc golf course, with metal baskets attached to a pole in the ground, in the world is located in Pasadena, California.

4. George Sappenfield is one of the most renown figures of disc golf because he created the term "Disc Golf" and he invented the first target, with chains and a basket, called the Mach 1.

5. "Steady Ed" Headrick was another important figure for the game of disc golf because he formed the first disc golf association, the PDGA. All competitive or tournament play is officiated by the PDGA.

6. A PDGA survey was conducted in 2006, and out of its 11,302 members, 8 percent are women.

7. In 2001, the top money winner of disc golf, Cameron Todd, received 25,000 dollars.

8. Disc golf has grown rapidly in the United States as well as worldwide by an annual rate of 12-15 percent in the last decade.

9. As of August 2009, there are close to 3,000 disc golf courses in the United States and over 3,000 courses worldwide. Disc golf is played in more than 40 countries around the world, primarily in North America and Western Europe.

10. From a study done in 2008, approximately one out of every five rounds of golf played in the United States, in 2009, will be disc golf rounds.

Find a disc golf course near you

When I started playing disc golf, my friends and I only played a few courses in our area because we didn't know of any others. After doing a little research, I was able to find more courses near my hometown and I wish we could have played them years ago.

Most people who play disc golf for fun do not care where they play because they just enjoy having a good time with friends and family. These disc golfers usually play the same few courses in their area and do not want to search for new courses that may be more fun and challenging. Well, if you are an avid disc golfer who wants to find new courses in your area than go to the PDGA course directory.

This webpage is designed to help beginning as well as experienced disc golfers find courses in their area. Once you have reached the course directory page, you can type in your zip code, city/state, or country and the site will automatically search for courses near you. Another option the webpage provides is an advanced search tab where you can search for courses based on the rating, the type of tee area, the number of holes, etc. This is a very important feature for the beginning disc golfer because you may want to start out playing a 9 hole course or one that may be a shorter than most. Also, if you are a PDGA member and have a login name to the website, you have the ability to add a course to their directory.

If the PDGA course directory is not helpful for you, there are other websites such as Disc Golf Course Review. This website is not as official as the PDGA, but it rates the courses in a more unique format and it gives updated information on courses too. When you land on the their homepage, you will be able to look at old versus new courses as well as read reviews about which courses are being played most often and the condition they are in.

Once I started playing disc golf on a regular basis, I started getting tired of the courses we were playing because I knew how to play every hole on the course and it was becoming less and less of a challenge. Therefore, if you are like me and want to find new and more challenging courses in your area I highly recommend using the PDGA course directory.

Disc Golf on Conan O'Brien

As I searched for videos related to disc golf, I stumbled upon a very funny video. Many late night talk shows have celebrities as guests and they come to get interviewed. One late night talk show that I used to enjoy was Late Night with Conan O'Brien; however, recently Mr. O'Brien took over for Jay Leno on the Tonight Show, so Late Night with Conan O'Brien does not exist. This video that I have posted is from Mr. O'Brien's old show.

As I stated before, most late night talk shows have celebrities as guests, but one of Conan's guests on this night was Dave Feldberg, a professional disc golfer. He came on the show to teach the audience about the game of disc golf and how to throw the disc in different ways. Mr. O'Brien had some funny jokes to make about the sport, but he explained how disc golf had expanded to the Bay Area.

Most of the video was funny because Mr. O'Brien was able to involve the audience during the appearance of Mr. Feldberg. If you don't know, Mr. Feldberg is well-known throughout the disc golf community and he has won many tournaments in his career. I feel like this was another step in the right direction for disc golf. Conan O'Brien is a very popular talk show host and if the sport can be recognized on a show like that, than maybe more people will start to play.

via videosift.com

Disc Golf is the name of the game

From this point forward I am officially calling frisbee golf, "Disc Golf." After searching the web I have discovered that the game is called disc golf and has been for a long time. Most of my friends and I call the game "Frolf" because it combines the words "Frisbee" and "Golf." I came across this page which explained that frisbee golf is no longer the appropriate name for the game because the term "Frisbee" is trademarked, similar to the brand "Kleenex."

I understand that this may be confusing for some of you, but from now on I will be more consistent with the name "Disc Golf." In my opinion, disc golf seems more professional rather than frisbee golf. Disc golf even seems more appropriate because players do not throw frisbees, they throw discs. Discs are also shaped differently than frisbees because discs have sharper edges and different weights.

As of right now I have not made many changes to my blog or web site pertaining to the name "Disc Golf," but I hope to soon. One thing to keep in mind is that when you go out and promote the sport to your friends and family, you should remember to use the name disc golf rather than frisbee golf. Rather than referring to disc golf as a game, I want to start calling it a sport. It takes a lot of athleticism and hand-eye coordination.

The Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) is the most important resource for finding updated information about the sport. So, why not start referring to it as disc golf. Everytime I research information about the sport I search under "Disc Golf" because the results that pop up give me the best information about a specific topic. Therefore, I suggest using "Disc Golf" when researching for information about the sport.

Frisbee golf video game

The Nintendo Wii is an exciting and unique gaming system that is fun for the whole family. If you have not tried playing a game on the Wii I highly recommend it because it will change your view on video games. One of my favorite games on the Wii is the Tiger Woods series of games. Every year EA Sports comes out with a new Tiger Woods game, however this years game is a little different. In Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10, there is a special feature called "Disc Golf" where you get to play frisbee golf using the Wii remote with the Motion Plus device connected to it.

The best part about the game is how real it feels and looks on the screen. When you use the Wii remote it feels like you are tossing a frisbee in real life. In the game there are 3 discs that you can use: a driver that goes 150 yards, a mid-range that goes 75 yards, and a putter that goes 20 yards. Another great feature the game has is your ability to choose the way you throw the disc. There are 3 types: backhand, forehand, and hammer. Similar to frisbee golf, there are hazards that surround the course such as sand and water, and if you land in one you receive a stroke penalty.

There are a couple things about the game that I do not like. One thing is that you play on an actual golf course. I would have liked the course to be in a park, a forest, or wide open field because that is where most frisbee golf courses are located. Another issue I have with the game is the way they measure the distance of the holes. In frisbee golf, the holes are measured in feet whereas in the video game it is measured in yards.

Overall, I feel like this is another step forward in the sport gaining popularity. The Tiger Woods video game is very popular around the world, so if more people purchase the game, the more people will have the opportunity to try the unique disc golf game. Here is a video that I have posted along with this post that demonstrates how the game is played.

Frisbee golf magazine

As I was searching around the web the other day, I came across some material that I felt would be very beneficial to frisbee golfers. Flying Disc Magazine is great for all frisbee golfers because it gives readers tips on how to play better and it has interesting stories about the world of frisbee golf. I posted a link to the web site which has many great features such as a video of the week, photos, power rankings of players, and blogs you can check out.

When I started learning how to play frisbee golf, I didn't have a lot of guidance on how to help my game. Now that I have come across all these books, magazines, and videos on the web, I wish I had the opportunity to look at some of these things earlier. Therefore, I hope that my followers will take the initiative to look over some of the reading material I have posted for you as well as some of the links.

I feel very strongly about people that give up on something too quickly because it did not come easy for them. This magazine that I have shared with you is something that I feel will help beginning frisbee golfers because it will get you more interested in the game itself, not just learning how to play better. Along with tips and news about the game, you will be able to learn more about professional frisbee golfers such as Ken Climo, who I mentioned in one of my previous posts.

If you want to subscribe to the magazine there is an opportunity to do so on their website. Also, there are many advertisements throughout the web site that will take you to other popular frisbee golf web sites that may help you out.

Frisbee golf on the rise?

Ever since I was a young boy sports has been a passion of mine. I loved watching all sports on TV and I dreamed of one day being a professional athlete. Well now I am a senior in college and I feel like that dream is out the window. However, frisbee golf is something that you can play for a lifetime and it is never too late to get started playing.

Recently, I read an article on ESPN that talked about this program devoted to promoting the sport of frisbee golf to kids between grades 3-12. To the followers of my blog, you need to read this article because it talks about everything I am trying to accomplish with promoting the sport. Not only does this article talk about well-known frisbee golfers, but it explains rules of the game, the history of the game, and where the game will be in the next 5 years.

Another important figure that was mentioned in the article was Billy Crump. This man is considered to be "the" announcer for the PDGA. He is a major promoter of frisbee golf and he goes around trying to get sponsors to support the game. His story is very similar to any person starting out playing the game, and I hope to one day follow in this man's footsteps. He started out playing the game and when he realized he would not make it as a professional he decided to just report on frisbee golf and promote it across the country.

The mission of my web site and this blog is to gain popularity of frisbee golf. I want to reach out to the younger generation because they will have a better opportunity to gain more interest of the sport. The article I posted compared frisbee golf to traditional golf, and it explained that maybe sometime down the line frisbee golf will take over traditional golf!

Frisbee golf resources

As a beginning frisbee golfer, I wanted to learn more about the sport by searching the web, however, I was unable to find many resources that were helpful. Therefore, I want to help my followers by posting some links that I feel will help your frisbee golf game. Most of the links I have posted give helpful tips on how to play as well as a variety of discs and equipment you can buy.

1. http://www.disclife.com/ - DiscLife.com contains many features, but the best part is how frequently it updates news in the disc golf world. On their main page they have an entire section devoted to disc golf resources and a PDGA section which gives you an option to become a member! Along with helpful tips, there are many different discs and equipment that are available for sale. Another great feature about the site that may interest professional or experienced frisbee golfers is how frequently it updates tournament schedules and results.

2. http://discgolf.com/ - this web site has been promoting frisbee golf on the web since the mid-90's. Even though the previous link posts articles about frisbee golf news, this site posts updates involving the frisbee golf world on a more consistent basis. Most of this site contains information about frisbee golf in the United States, but this is one of the first sites I have come across which features information on international frisbee golf. For the most part, this site has many resources that send you to other helpful sites, but they do have some pages that are great such as a listing of courses in your area and videos with helpful hints on how to play.

3. http://www.kenclimo.com/ - one of the figures of the sport is Ken Climo. Many beginning frisbee golfers may be unfamiliar with him, but he is one of the most respected frisbee golfers of all time. He created his own site with many different pages to navigate through. One page is devoted to his background and how he became the person he is today. Others include photos of him playing, a list of his favorite courses to play, the discs he uses, and a links page that will take you to sites that he believes will help you with your game. Some of you may know him because his name is across multiple Innova discs.

A BRAND NEW COURSE!

Yesterday I played a brand new frisbee golf course. As some of my followers know I am currently attending Illinois State University, so I have only been playing frisbee golf courses in the Bloomington-Normal area. Before I went to Forest Park (the new course), I only knew of two courses around my area: P.J. Irvin and Maxwell. Well yesterday I played one of the most challenging frisbee golf courses ever.

For those of you that live near the area, the Forest Park course is very close to P.J. Irvin. The course consists of 9 holes that are surrounded by trees. Unlike many courses, the 9 hole course has two tee areas for each hole, an "A" and "B," so when I went with my group of friends we went around twice. The most difficult part about the course was the amount of trees that surrounded the basket as well as the fairway. Even the tee area, about 20 feet in front of the tee, there were trees very close togther, which made it difficult to get the frisbee in the fairway.

Even though I enjoyed playing the course, there is still room for improvement with this course. Since it is new, there were no maps of the holes by the tee area and it was difficult to find the first hole. My friends and I walked around the entire park for a half hour trying to find the first hole. As well we could not tell what basket we needed to aim at because some of the baskets were close together.

Overall, I enjoyed the course because it was challenging and the park was a fun to walk around. Since there were four of us we played foursomes, which means we played with teams of two. In one of my next posts I will explain different games you can play with your friends. It will make your frisbee golf experience more exciting and competitive.

Analyzing a frisbee golf web site

The Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) is an organization for frisbee golf. Similar to the Professional Golf Association (PGA) the PDGA acts as a professional tour or league for frisbee golf. Anyone can become a member of the PDGA, and the web site they designed has a variety of features to learn all about the game and the professional players.

First, there web site is very crowded. The home page is filled with many advertisements, multiple tabs to click on, and videos to see. The horizontal bar at the top of the page has many different tabs to navigate through such as all about disc golf, membership, courses, and they even have a discussion tab where users can express their opinions about the frisbee golf world.

There are many different advertisements displayed along both sidebars. Some of the ads on the web site market specific companies in frisbee golf such as Innova and Discraft. Other ads on the home page are devoted toward specific tournaments in the United States as well as overseas in Europe. To help keep their web site profitable and up to date, they have many sponsors that get marketed such as the Disc Golf Association.

Another great feature on the web site are the multiple videos that are posted. The first video that is displayed on the main page is a promotion for a tournament that is coming up. Also, they have a small section they call "Video of the Week," where each week they post a new video that relates to frisbee golf.

Overall, I feel that the PDGA did a good job in building their web site. They have many different features that appeal to the beginning frisbee golfer as well as the experienced one. In the future, I hope to send an email to the PDGA and explain to them what I am trying to do with my web site and maybe they will advertise me.

Promoting my web site

I want to take this opportunity to explain to everyone a little bit about my web site. The project that I am working on as all of you know is to promote the game of frisbee golf. I feel that updating my blog everyday will not be enough to spread the word about the game to beginning frisbee golfers as well as experienced ones. Therefore, I have created a web site that will eventually have multiple articles related to all aspects of frisbee golf. By providing users with rules of the game to tips on how to play to well-known frisbee golfers, I want to increase the popularity of the sport all across the nation.

As of right now my web site is a work in process, but I hope by the end of the month I will have more information such as articles, links and videos to post for everyone. Some of the articles I write will involve everything about the game. The history of the game is something I am sure most experienced frisbee golfers know nothing about, so I plan on explaining where it originated and who some of the creators were. Most frisbee golfers enjoy playing the game for fun, but some play competitively, so I want to help those players with tips for certain shots and what discs to use. Also, frisbee golf is something that has expanded worldwide and I want to talk about certain players, courses, and equipment that is available overseas.

To help promote the sport on the web I need to use inbound and outbound links to my web site. My plan is to get the major companies involved such as Innova and Discraft. If they were to recognize my love for the game and what I am trying to accomplish than maybe I can spread the word easier. In addition to posting links on my web site, I plan on posting videos that I come across while surfing the web. For example, I have found multiple videos that explain how to increase distance with your drive and how to play under windy conditions.

I want to let all my followers of my blog know that my web site is a working process and if you have any suggestions on what you would like to see on my web site send me an email at frolfislife@gmail.com.

Promoting another post

I researched some blogs in the area of frisbee golf and I came across this one that is very similar to mine. His posts are related to helping amateur frisbee golfers as well as experienced players too. I want to promote one of his blog posts because I feel like it is a good tip for the beginning frisbee golfer. The first throw is a post that explains how to make your first toss on the frisbee golf course. It is important for an amateur frisbee golfer to get off to a good start so the first throw is vital. He suggests that the proper throwing technique will help the frisbee fly longer and more accurate. Rather than researching the right way to throw a frisbee, you could go to a frisbee golf course and watch people others throw. Another important part of the throw is the release of the disc and the grip you have on the disc. I feel that the post I am promoting is important for all frisbee golfers, and referring back to the basics can be very helpful.

A list of frisbee golf in Illinois

Here is a list of frisbee golf courses that I have played ever since I started. The list consists of difficult courses as well as courses that are designed for the beginning frisbee golfer. As I play more courses, I plan on making a list of the top frisbee golf courses in the state of Illinois. The courses are not ranked in order of how difficult or easy they are, but each will have a little description of how the course is setup.

1. Adler Park, Libertyville - This is the first course I ever played, as mentioned in one of my previous posts. Of the 9 holes on the course, some are short and some are long, but trees come into play on almost every hole. There are many hills throughout the course and the only hazard that may come into play is the Des Plaines River. The tees are made of concrete and there are plenty of facilities available nearby.

2. Willow Stream Park, Buffalo Grove - This is another 9 hole course that I believe is a little easier than Adler Park. There are a lot less trees that come into play on this course, but there are some longer holes, for example, there is one that is over 400 feet. Similar to Adler Park, there are no real hazards that come into play, but if it is windy, the course can be extremely difficult for beginning frisbee golfers.

3. Fairfield Park, Round Lake - As an 18 hole course, Fairfield Park is home to the longest hole in the state of Illinois at 845 feet (18th hole). The first 9 holes are more open and a little longer. The back 9 consists of shorter holes, except the 18th, and there are some trees and swamp that come into play. Unlike the first two courses, the tees at Fairfield Park are made of crushed stone, not concrete.

4. Maxwell Park, Normal - As a student at Illinois State University, this was the first frisbee golf course I played in the area. The course consists of 18 holes, some of which are more challenging than others. Most of the course is open, which makes it very difficult under windy conditions, and very few trees come into play. There is a creek that runs along most of the front 9, which can cause problems for the beginning frisbee golfer. Last week I played this course and recorded my best round ever, 17 under par!

5. P.J. Irvin, Bloomington - Of all the courses I have played this is by far the toughest. It is 18 holes filled with many trees and hills. There is out of bounds on many holes and some shots are blind, which means you may not see the basket when you tee off. It is considered longer than some of these other courses because most of the holes fall between 300-400 feet.

http://www.illinoisdiscgolf.com/ilcourses.html

The course I grew up on

Every disc golfer has the one course they grew up playing on. For me that course was Adler, in Libertyville, Illinois. As a beginner I believed the course was very demanding, but certain holes were easy. Every hole is considered to be a par 4, except for the last two holes. Most courses around my area are only 9 holes so sometimes my friends and I would go play a second round. Every hole has trees or bushes as hazards surrounding the fairways and baskets. The tee areas are all made of concrete and there are a few holes where the grass is now dirt. I would recommend the course to anyone that is starting out playing disc golf and wants a challenge to try and get better.

Disc golf terminology

Many beginning disc golfers have no idea what some of the terminology is of the sport. One type of way to throw the disc is called a backhand. It is the same way you throw a regular frisbee. The sidearm throw is the complete opposite of the backhand because you throw the disc with similar to a pitcher that throws a baseball sidearm. The tomohawk throw is when you throw the disc like you throw a baseball. When a disc is thrown it can do several things such as roll. A roller is a method used to make the disc roll on its side. The term "hork" is referred to the angle of the disc when it is in flight. Similar to golf when you are in close range to the basket the shot or toss is called a "putt." For more terms on disc golf refer to this website: http://www.discfly.com/Category~CategoryID~659.html

3 types of discs

Within a disc golfers bag you would find three types of discs: a driver, mid-range, and putt and approach. The driver is the disc that you tee off with and it is the lightest in your bag. Drivers are made to fly very far, so the experienced disc golfer may only use the driver for extremely long holes. Then there is the mid-range disc. This disc is used for shots in the fairway when you have a lot of distance between you and the basket. When researching about the different types of discs, most sites would say the mid-range is the most important disc you can have, especially on shorter courses. The putt and approach is the last disc in your bag and is generally used when you are closer to the basket. These are the heaviest as well as the most accurate discs you can have. Some disc golfers use the putt and approach to tee off on shorter holes.

My first round

If you do not know already, there are many different names that people call the sport: disc golf, frisbee golf, frolf, etc. So, from now on I am going to refer to the sport as disc golf. The first time I ever played disc golf was after school with two of my friends. They had only gone a couple of times so they were beginners too. Before my first shot or toss I was nervous because I did not want to hit a tree or only throw the disc 10 feet. Well, my nerves got the best of me and I hit a tree. Disc golf is very similar to golf because you must have lots of patience and focus throughout the entire round. I, however, were not so patient and did not take time before each toss. Throughout the round I made some great shots and holed some putts from very far away. My friends would give me advice during the round; for example, before I would tee off they would explain the right amount of steps to take and the motion of my arm while I toss the disc. In the end, I enjoyed my first round of disc golf and the next day I went to the store to purchase my first disc, an Innova Archangel.

Blog post ideas

I have made a list of 10 ideas for my blog posts:

1) Rules of frisbee golf
2) Different types of discs
3) Well-known frisbee golf players
4) Different frisbee golf courses
5) Where frisbee golf originated
6) Brands associated with frisbee golf
7) How to play certain shots
8) Different games
9) Other equipment besides discs
10) Professional Disc Golf Association

My ideas consist of teaching followers of my blog how to play frisbee golf as well as learn about the sport as a whole.

My first post

Hello everyone! For my first blog post I would like to talk little bit about my e-business. Imagine a nice summer day that is not too hot, but warm enough to wear a t-shirt and shorts. Now, what better way to enjoy that day by playing frisbee golf. A few years ago my friends wanted to go frisbee golfing, but I had never heard of it before. Golf is one of my favorite sports, so I wanted to give it a try and see what it was about. After my first round of frisbee golf I was disappointed with the way I played and I wanted to get better. Ever since then, every summer I go frisbee golfing with my friends and we have so much fun. Frisbee golf is becoming more and more popular as new courses are being built. I want to devote my e-business to teaching people of all ages how to play the game. Also, I want people who are avid frisbee golfers to come to my site and learn more about the game.