Late in 2015 I managed to break my shoulder by stepping into our laundry room without realizing the crawl space was open. Down I went–the only thing worse than the injury was not having a video of the fall to post online–it would have hit millions of views I’m sure!
The good news is that I was able to shift my focus (so to speak) to photographing golfers, rather than throwing discs. So, without further ado, I present Mundy Park Doubles in January, 2016.
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The life of a course can easily stretch into decades. The oldest course in Canada is Winskill Park in Tsawwassen. Installed in 1976, today’s players are throwing on the same baskets and tee pads installed 40 years ago.
With careful planning and quality equipment, the life of a disc golf course can easily exceed 50 years, providing a substantial return on investment for municipalities and parks.
The disc used in disc golf are not your traditional Frisbees. The drivers, while of similar weight, are smaller and denser, and can travel much faster and further (as far as 500 feet). As a result, great care should be taken to design a course that minimizes the likelihood that other players, or bystanders, will be hit.
Other park facilities (playgrounds, picnic tables, or paths) should not intrude on or around fairways. Fairways should not cross or extend into dangerous terrain within the park. Tee pads should not be placed close to putting areas or other tee boxes, and efforts should be made to inform casual park users about the course, its location, and proper etiquette.
Every designer wants to build the perfect course—one that is fun for all, yet tests the skills of even the best players. In many instances, designers are faced with competing goals due to differing player levels, serving all of the needs within the local community, and addressing players interests (from meeting with friends to formal competition). The perfect course takes all of these interests into consideration, but most importantly, it fits the land available. Where possible it falls within the existing flora and fauna; it does not sacrifice safety for convenience or hole count, and it considers the entire playing experience available, rather than emphasizing a signature hole or particular style of play.
Each course should be designed to meet the needs of the community in which it resides, with respect to land, play, and purpose. When a locality installs a new course it does so to serve the local player base, which will develop over time. As such, courses should be designed to be flexible and allow player growth. Courses frequently draw players to the community, and can serve as a substantial economic development tool if that is one of the goals of the community. A good designer takes the time to understand the needs of the client and community.
As with any sport, player development and growth takes time. The longer the course is in the ground, the more community members will explore the sport. As use increases, many community members will focus on more competitive play. A strong course is one that is able to challenge players across many skill levels, and help them progress for recreational to competitive play.
Today’s discs go much further and faster than the discs of even five years ago. As technology improves, a well-designed course will grow with the changing sport.
As mentioned before, a well-designed disc golf course fits the land available for play and is designed to be long lasting. To do this, courses should take into consideration sensitive environmental areas, like wetlands and watershed, and minimize potential impacts on flora, fauna, and soil erosion. Well-constructed tee pads, fairways, and putting areas help blend the course with the land, rather than bending the land to the course.
A high quality course considers all aspects of play. It includes signage to help players learn the rules and navigate the course, as well as educate casual park users about the game and ensure their safety. Trashcans and washrooms keep the course neat and clean. A designated parking area also keeps park users and neighbours safe, while increasing access. Where possible, municipalities can also generate revenue through food, beverage, and equipment sales, while also improving the player experience.
Because the course fits within existing property, it can be tempting to minimize maintenance costs. While disc golf courses require much less attention than sports fields, regular mowing of open fairways (monthly) is needed, as well as trash removal, storm clean up, and erosion control (adding mulch around baskets, for example).
One of the attractions of disc golf is the walk in the park aspect of the sport. Courses can be designed to include garden areas, waterways, and wooded paths. Many courses add works of art (sculptures, mosaic tee pads, benches) to the course to enhance the player experience.
The disc golf player community is a diverse community. It includes people of all ages, fitness levels, and skills levels. It even includes left- and right-handed players, whose discs fly differently. A well-designed course takes into consideration this diversity of ability and includes holes designed to meet the needs of all players likely to pass through the course. This means including short and long holes, with multiple approaches to the pin. Where present, waterways and elevation changes are used to enhance play, but are designed with accessibility in mind.
A good course challenges the player while respecting their throws. A well-designed hole presents players with a clear set of throwing options that will bring a well thrown disc to the desired landing area. Players missing the line should find themselves with a more difficult path to the pin.
The PDGA has approved a large number of targets for play, and offers recommendation regarding tee pad size and construction. While inexpensive options can be used to facilitate installation of a course, short cuts in equipment will result in increased expenditures down the line. Natural tee pads and tone-type or locally sourced targets should only be used as part of a phased installation plan.
Designer, Disc Golf Course Designers’ Guild
Grouse Mountain Disc Golf Course (with Leanne Fulton)
Walden Park (Original BCDS proposal | Disc Golf Course Review)
2008 BC Open (with David Cowley)
2015 Disc Cellar Open (with David Cowley)
City of Hope
City of Surrey
BC Open (BC Open History)
RPM Discs: Parliament (2022)
RPM Discs: Tribe (2021)
RPM Discs: Ambassador (2020)
Team Disc Cellar (2014-2018)
In a crazy weekend of wind-storm driven disc golf, the Mundy Park disc golf team won is fifth consecutive provincial title on August 30, 2015. Play had to be briefly suspended on Saturday due to a windstorm sweeping through the lower mainland dropping trees and branches throughout the course.
After day 1, Mundy Park held a commanding lead, with 13.0 points. The Islands were second at 8.0, and T-Town was tied with Queen Elizabeth, at 6. On day 2, Mundy stretched its lead to another record setting final, winning 14 of 17 matches and accruing a total of 27 points. The Islands secured second place with 16.5 points, while Tsawwassen avoided the relegation match by outlasting QE, 13.5 points to 11. QE will seek to earn back its JB Cup spot next summer.
Coincidently, day 2 was also the day I turned 50–best birthday ever!
The PDGA had a recent article looking at how age effects players over time, based on their PDGA ratings. The statistics were generated from current PDGA members for any 9-year stretch between 2002 and 2014, and who were born before 1980 (which would likely include my statistics). The chart below summarizes their findings.
The bad news–as we age our ratings drop by about 10 points every year, beginning around age 36. So, unfortunately for me, it looks like I’m doomed to a slow smooth slide into mediocrity.
Or does it?
Statistical analyses can be a lot of fun and give you important information, but they are also limited. Averages, for example, intentionally smooth out the noise in a sample. We don’t know how many 40 year old average 960, nor do we know what the lowest and highest ratings were in the sample. Averages also don’t tell you anything about why the average is the average (is the average rating of 960 for 40 year olds due to years of practice, innate skills, the fact that they’ve been alive for 40 years, etc.). Next, the authors relate the average age of the players to their average rating to examine the trend over time (linear regression). Because of the large number of data points they can assume that individual differences (in skill, hours of practice, years playing, etc.) cancel each other out (highly skilled players cancel out less skilled players) so that the trend of losing ten points every five years holds true for most players.
So am I doomed? Nope! As the author acknowledges, the trend for the sample does not necessarily hold for individuals: “Until men got to the 66-70 age bracket, at least some men in the study improved their ratings up to 50 points over their 5-year period.” And in truth, there are so few players in the calculations who are older than 66, we can’t accurately say anything about trends in their performance (they’re making judgements on the performance of seven or fewer players).
There are also ceiling effects in play that will flatten the trend lines over time. That is, as you improve your skills you improve your rating, but the closer to the top you get, the harder it is to improve (finding an extra stroke when you are shooting in the 40s on a course is harder than finding a stroke when you’re shooting in the 60s on the same course). Similarly, as players fall in the ratings, the bottom rating is bounded by a 700 (looking at the PDGA stats details for 2012, 100% of players rate above a 700). So–I can get only so good or so bad.
As I said–the individual story get’s lost in these averages. So, what’s my story? I’ve captured it on the graph below. You can see that I started low, and ended high, gaining 6 points every year (or averaging a 30 point increase every five years). I can map my peaks and valleys to life and skill events (for example, in the summer of 2006 I learned the power grip, in the summer of 2014 I injured myself).
Can I expect this trend line to continue (I’ll be 1000 rated by 2022!)? Probably not. As I mentioned earlier, the strokes are harder to come by as I’ve improved, and as the PDGA points out, I’m fighting age). That said, I don’t think I’m done yet, and I imagine we’ll see a shift the next time the PDGA calculates these age-related stats (the power of bubble plastic!).
The key message here is, write your own story. Practice, learn new skills and techniques, try new plastic, and think more strategically. There are always strokes to be found, if you know where to look. 🙂
We play disc golf for many different reasons–from low impact exercise and a walk in the park to high level competition and the desire to perfect our technique, and everywhere in between. Some of us (me included) enjoy travelling to new courses and events, seeking to test ourselves against different players and in different contexts.
As someone who has both played and TD’d high quality events, I know how much work TD’s put into presenting an event, be it for 25 players or more than 100. As such, I’m genuinely loath to criticize the events I attend, but a few recent events have led me to believe that bigger is now seen as better, and as a result, for many players the experience is suffering.
As a TD, I realize that the experience I create is what keeps players coming back. While many of us focus on the quality of the course, a good event is about much more than what happens between the bells.
There are four windows players experience when they engage with our events:
1. Promotion and registration
2. Travel and check in
3. The event itself
4. Event closing and concluding the experience
Each of these areas is where a TD can make an event special, or drop the ball and leave players frustrated and disappointed. When we take the players for granted–when we don’t respect their needs–we damage the profile of the event.
So what does this look like?
1. Promotion and registration
Players can’t attend events they don’t know about. Getting events up on the PDGA calendar is an important first step in promoting your event, but it doesn’t end there. In today’s world, a basic web site is practically free and systems like WordPress or Facebook allow anyone with basic word processing skills to publish a professional looking site in minutes. Initially players just want the basic facts:
A. When is the event?
B. Where is the event?
C. What will it cost?
D. When can I register?
More information (about payouts and player packs, for instance) may be helpful in demonstrating the added value in the event (the ways in which the player experience will be enhanced), but having a web site with just the basic information (and a place where players know they can go for more information) is extremely valuable to players, and a time saver for the TD (cuts down on all those calls and e-mails).
2. Travel and check in
If you’re trying the entice players from beyond your local clubs, you’ll need to make it easy for them to get to you. Whether you negotiate a deal with local hotels, travel agencies, or airlines, simply identifying the ways to get to your event (airports, ferries, trains, or driving maps) and places to stay (PDGA discounted hotels; local clubs or players willing to host visitors, etc.) makes it easier for traveling players to get to you, and shows that you care about the challenges and expenses they are dealing with.
3. The event
The event is more than what happens between tee off and putting away the putter after the last hole. It includes ease of check in; access to tee times and player meeting information; a timely start (be it tee times or shotgun start); efficient distribution of the player pack (if there is one); availability of course maps and information; a clear place to turn in the score cards; presence of on site amenities (washrooms, food and beverages) and later round information (start times, break length, etc.). A well run event respects the player by reducing their anxiety (how many of us check our start times ten times the morning of the event, just to make sure?) about pre and post competition needs, letting them instead focus on playing.
And make no mistake, playing is what they are there for. At one major event I heard the TD welcome players, both the world’s best players and those there to enjoy the warm weather. Nobody was there to enjoy the warm weather. Even if all we are doing is competing against ourselves, everyone is at your event to play and play well.
Which leads me to the issue of “cuts.” I used to be a fan of “cuts,” which would give us a captive audience for the last round. Perhaps this makes sense for local players watching a final nine, but if you’re bringing in players who are paying hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars just to come to your event, then limiting their play wastes their time and money. Remember that not making the cut costs a traveling player at least one night of hotel costs, meals, rental car, a day away from family and perhaps a day off work. Respect the investment that players make to attend your event and maximize their opportunity to play.
Finally, realize that no matter how well we play, around half of our pro or am players are leaving with only memories. Players packs can be a nice way of respecting the investment all players make when they register. That said, a players pack should be something players actually want–coupons to local businesses and items unrelated to disc golf generally aren’t valued (and I’ve got the survey results from my own event to prove it). Event logo discs and minis, shirts or towels, or bag tags are easy and inexpensive ways to recognize the investment participants make in attending your event. Custom stamped items also serve as advertising for future events, and so can both respect the player, reward the sponsors, and build for the future.
4. Concluding the event is just as important as starting the event. Planning carefully the time it will take to calculate payouts (preregistration is key in this respect); testing the course before the event so that you have an accurate estimate of the time it will take to complete; organization of trophies and post event activities (if there are any) all contribute to the player experience. Establishing a schedule in advance, including the projected end time for play, as well as a start and end time for awards (particularly if held off site), respects the players by letting them make better travel plans.
The last step in concluding the event is finalizing scores. The PDGA has worked hard to provide TDs with a wealth or resources, including an archival scoring system. Taking a few minutes a few days before the event to learn how that system works will help you upload scores in a timely way and respects the players, who are eager to see how their performance (good or bad) compared to other people in the event and their own past performance.
Concluding thoughts
As disc golf has become more popular, TDs have been pressured to expand events to accommodate all of the demand. This is one of those problems that is great to have, but the way we respond is important to the players and the event. If expanding the opportunity to play diminishes the quality of play, then we are again not respecting the player. Stuffing five players to a card on an already crowded course is not respecting the player. Adding an additional course to the event just to accommodate demand is not respecting the player.
There are ways to accommodate this increased demand–laddered registration is one (where registration is opened in stages based on TD priorities). Increasing the number of events (rather than simply expanding the events we already have) is another. Holding events on multiple days or separate weekends is another.
At the end of the day, we as TDs want to provide the best experience for our players that the weather and courses we have will allow. It isn’t about us or our courses or our city–it is about serving our customers–the players who are putting up hundreds of dollars to come play in our events. Respect the player.
Coming soon: “Respect the TD.” Creating a great player experience isn’t easy–today’s players should respect the TD and all the work that goes into putting on an event.
For anyone looking for a lesson plan to introduce disc golf to a new audience, I ran the clinic below for 5th and 6th grade students at an elementary school. In general, the kids had a great time, and it was useful to have a guide to follow.
A friend on Facebook asked me today what putter I use, so I figured I might as well add my comments (slightly expanded) to the disc review category. I use a Latitude 64 Sinus SP as my primary putter. I find it hits the chains and drops fast (meaning those am-side putts tend to stay in). It’s a very over stable putter, so it also tends to grab the chains pro-side too (wanting to hyzer in to the basket). Unfortunately, because it is over stable it needs to be thrown hard to keep a straight line, and it tends to hyzer out just before the basket on longer putts. The bad–it misses, the good, being on a hyzer line, it doesn’t blow by long very often, leaving a short come back putt. While I use the Sinus as my basic workhorse putter, I also use a DX Aviar for anhyzer putts since the Sinus is too over stable to hold the line.
All that said, it’s really the throw, not the disc, that makes a good putter. Commitment and confidence, as represented by a firm putt, will lead to far more success than trying to nurse or guide your throw into the chains. At the least, you need to get enough spin and speed on the disc to let it fly on the intended line. Throw too gently, and you’ll never get the line you need to hole out.
After a crazy last day that saw the team go from last place in the morning, to winning 14 of 17 matches during the day, Mundy Park took the Jim Brown Cup for the 4th consecutive year. A number of firsts: first team to win four in a row (covering a course hosted by every club) and the first team to move from last place to first place on day two. We also became the winningest JB Cup team, at five victories (QE is next with 4, the Islands 3).
Very seldom has a disc actually realized the hype surrounding it. Case in point, the fabled Quarter K by DiscWing. The quarter K was going to revolutionize the sport by using technology to design a state-of-the-art disc that would add distance to everyone’s game. Why do they call it Quarter K? Because you’ll be able to throw it a quarter of a kilometer (or 820 feet). While nobody really thought we’d all be able to throw that far, we were all lining up to try it, which is what makes the Tern all the more interesting.
The Tern is a newer disc from Innova that has quietly slipped into the market place with almost no hype, yet is taking those in-the-know by storm. The Tern showed up on courses and in stores–billed as a high speed easy to turn disc, ideal for a long-range roller or as a straight flyer for lighter arms. According to Innova, the Tern has three ratings, depending on the plastic:
| Plastic | Speed 1 to 13 |
Glide 1 to 7 |
Turn +1 to -5 |
Fade 0 to 5 |
| Champion | 12 | 6 | -2 | 2 |
| Star | 12 | 6 | -4 | 2 |
| Metal Flake G-Star (unofficial) |
12 | 6 | -3 | 2 |
While it’s been billed as great as a long range roller, it’s real strength is as a distance driver–easily surpassing my Wraiths in reliable distance.
When I first ran into the Tern last spring, I was impressed by its speed (it went fast!), but I was dismayed by its extreme flip (it went fast, in the wrong direction!). The high Glide and Turn ratings meant that the disc indeed turned radically out of my hand–an almost useless distraction from my regular long range driver (Pro or Star Wraiths).
Before I gave up on the Tern however, I threw one on a steep hyzer edge (outside edge of the disc dropped down), and watched, stunned, as the disc quickly popped up and ran on a straight line until, some 400+ feet away, it slowed down and faded back to the right (I’m a lefty, remember, so this is a natural fade for me). A little more field work to fine tune my throw and the Tern has replaced the Wraith as my go-to max-range driver.
That said, while the Tern is a great disc, it’s one that you do need to take the time to get-to-know. It’s a fickle disc because of its flippiness, especially if you tend to throw your drives flat and with a lot of snap (or spin). To get the most out of it, you need to be comfortable throwing discs on a hyzer edge and letting them stand up and fly straight. I like to compare the Tern to a Roadrunner or Sidewinder on steroids. As a result, for the Tern to be most effective, you also need a clear left or right fairway–if you only have a straight shot, the Tern is going to move side to side too much to be effective. Finally, to get the best flight path out of the disc, it needs the high speed spin, which means you need to be throwing it hard (and consequently, far). When I throw the disc “softer,” it loses the long stand up and fly straight flight path, and then tends to hyzer out early.
I’ve also been experimenting with the disc for long range anhyzer bombs (where the outside edge is flipped up so that the disc loops out on a long range flight curve that is the opposite of my normal throw). While it hasn’t replaced my Roadrunner for that throw yet, I can see its potential, particularly over long distances.
Bottom line:
The Tern is a great new distance disc–I’ve heard it described by many players as a game changer for the added distance it provides. Because of the extreme speed, glide, and turn ratings, with a reliable fade, the disc is also versatile. I’ve stepped up to long holes where both lefties and righties were throwing the Tern. While it is a wide-rim disc (as most high speed drivers are) it has less width than many–more like a Wraith than a Boss. If you haven’t tried it yet, its worth taking to a field and hucking–it could very well be the game changer you’ve been looking for!