Who is the father of disc golf?
“Disc Golf” as it is known today began with “Steady” Ed Headrick, the father of disc golf, modern day disc sports and the driving force responsible for the modern era of Frisbee sports.
Who invented the disc golf target?
Headrick coined and trademarked the term "Disc Golf" when formalizing the sport and patented the Disc Pole Hole, the first disc golf target to incorporate chains and a basket on a pole. He started designing the target because he was tired of arguing over what counted as a scoring disc with his friends.
Is disc golf a sport?
Disc golf is a rapidly growing sport worldwide, and is the 4th fastest growing sport in United States, behind mixed martial arts, roller derby, and parkour. DGCourseReview.
When was the first disc golf course built?
The first formal disc golf course was built in Oak Grove Park, (Pasadena, California), by Headrick in 1975 and was an instant success.By the time of his death, Ed has designed over 200 courses. Evolution of the Disc Pole Hole™ catching device.
Who came up with disc golf?
Ed Headrick, also known as “Steady” Ed Headrick, (June 28, 1924 – August 12, 2002) was an American toy inventor. Headrick served in combat in the Army in WWII and was a deep-sea welder. He is most well-known as the father of both the modern-day Frisbee and of the sport and game of disc golf.
Who made the first disc?
The DISC Model of Behavior was first proposed in 1928 by William Moulton Marston, a physiological psychologist, in his book Emotions of Normal People.
What was the first disc golf disc ever made?
The Eagle (U.S. Patent #4,568,297) was the first disc designed specifically for disc golf. Innova was formed in 1983 and production of their earliest golf discs began.
Who made the first disc golf basket?
Ed HeadrickHistory. Disc Golf Association's Mach 1 Disc Pole Hole disc golf basket was invented by Ed Headrick.
When was the disc invented?
Forty years ago the world got its first glimpse of what would become one of the most important music devices in history - the compact disc (CD). The CD was invented in 1979.
When did disc golf become professional?
19751975 was also the year that the first official (and permanent) disc golf course—Oak Grove Park Disc Golf Course—was installed in Pasadena, California.
Who owns Innova Disc?
Paul McBethAll the legal documents have been signed and it is now official: Four Time World Champion, Paul McBeth is the majority shareholder of Innova Discs. With Paul now in charge, Innova Discs will become McBeth Disc Golf.
Who invented Ultimate Frisbee?
Joel SilverIn 1968 Joel Silver introduced his idea of Ultimate Frisbee to the Columbia High School student council in Maplewood New Jersey, USA. The next year, the first game was played between two groups of students. They used a Wham-O Master disc. In 1969 a team had been formed at the school and they played in a parking lot.
Why is the I in DiSC lowercase?
For you curious, high C styles, the lower case "i" in DiSC is a Wiley trademark - originally a printers error. Being flexible and adaptable, Wiley and its predecessors; Inscape Publishing, Carlson Learning Company, Performax, decided to copyright the mistake and create their version of DiSC, using the small i.
Who started the disc golf industry?
Disc Golf Association In 1976 "Steady" Ed Headrick and his son Ken Headrick started the first disc golf company, the Disc Golf Association (DGA). [3] . The purpose of DGA was to manufacture discs and targets and to formalize the game for disc golf.
When was disc golf invented?
Disc golf was first invented in the early 1900s. The first game was held in Bladworth, Saskatchewan, Canada in 1927. Ronald Franklin Gibson and a group of his Bladworth Elementary School buddies played a game of throwing tin lids into 4-foot wide circles drawn into sandy patches on their school grounds. They called the game Tin Lid Golf and played on a fairly regular basis. However, after they grew older and went their separate ways, the game came to an end. It was not until the 1970s that modern disc golf would be introduced to Canadians at the Canadian Open Frisbee Championships in Toronto and Vancouver, BC.
What is a disc golf tee box?
A disc golf tee (commonly referred to as a tee box or the box) is the starting position of a hole. The PDGA recommends that the tee box be no smaller than 1.2 meters wide by 3 meters long. The tee box is usually a pad of concrete, asphalt, rubber, gravel, or artificial turf. Some courses have natural turf with only the front of the tee position marked or no tee boxes at all and players begin from a general location based on the course layout.
What was the first disc golf target?
Ed Headrick's Flying Disc Entrapment Device Patent 4039189. The first disc golf target made with chains that became the standard for disc golf. In 1977, Headrick and his son Ken developed the modern basket catch for disc golf, US Patent 4,039,189, [4] titled Flying Disc Entrapment Device, which they trademarked "Disc Pole Hole". The Disc Pole Hole created a standardized catching device that had a chain-hanger that held vertical hanging rows of chain out and away from a center pole. The vertical rows of chain came together forming a parabolic shape above and angling down towards a metal basket that attached to and surrounded the center pole, and could catch a disc from all directions.
How many holes are there in disc golf?
Disc golf courses. Most disc golf courses have 9 or 18 holes, and exceptions most often have holes in multiples of three. Courses with 6, 12, 21, 24 or 27 holes are not uncommon. The PDGA recommends that courses average 200–400 ft (61–122 m) per hole, with holes no shorter than 100 ft (30 m).
What is the most common type of target in disc golf?
Targets. A disc resting in a basket, the most common type of target. Main article: Basket (disc golf) Although early courses were played using trees, fence posts, or park equipment as the target, standard disc golf baskets are by far the most common type of target on modern courses.
How many disc golf courses are there in the world?
There are disc golf courses on every continent, including 24 in Latin America, 8 in Africa, and one in Antarctica. The Åland Islands have been defined as the world's largest single disc golf park, with one course in each of the 16 municipalities of Åland. Country. DGC.
Who invented disc golf?
"Steady Ed" Headrick and Dave Dunipace are two inventors and players who greatly impacted how disc golf is played. In 1976 Headrick formalized the rules of the sport, founded the Disc Golf Association (DGA), the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA), the Recreational Disc Golf Association (RDGA) and invented the first formal disc golf target with chains and a basket. Dave Dunipace invented the modern golf disc in 1983, with the revolutionary change of adding a beveled rim, giving the disc a greater distance and accuracy. Dave was one of the founders of Innova, a well-known disc manufacturer. In 1982 Ed Headrick turned over control of the PDGA to the players and Ted Smethers to be run independently and to officiate the standard rules of play for the sport.
When did disc golf start?
Modern disc golf started in the early 1960s, but there is debate over who came up with the idea first. The consensus is that multiple groups of people played independently throughout the 1960s. Students at Rice University in Houston, Texas, for example, held tournaments with trees as targets as early as 1964, and in the early 1960s, ...
How many qualifying events were there for the disc golf tournament?
The tournament was groundbreaking, first and foremost because of the cash involved, its massive payout right in the title, but also because the competitors had to qualify for an invitation. 72 qualifying events were established around the country, bringing in the best disc golfers from across the United States.
Where was Frisbee Golf played in 1968?
In 1968 Frisbee Golf was also played in Alameda Park in Santa Barbara, California by teenagers in the Anacapa and Sola street areas. Gazebos, water fountains, lamp posts, and trees were all part of the course.
Who was the first coordinator of Frisbee Golf?
Two early coordinators of the sport are George Sappenfield and Kevin Donnelly, who, through similar backgrounds and the help of Ed Headrick at Wham-O, were able to individually spread the sport in their California cities. Donnelly began playing a form of Frisbee golf in 1959 called Street Frisbee Golf.
Who was the park supervisor for Conejo Recreation and Park District?
When he finished college in 1968, Sappenfield became the Parks and Recreation supervisor for Conejo Recreation and Park District in Thousand Oaks, California. Sappenfield planned a disc golf tournament as part of a recreation project and contacted Wham-O Manufacturing to ask them for help with the event.
When Did Disc Golf Start?
Disc Golf began as a game formerly called Frisbie Golf at Yale University in Connecticut. Not to be confused with the name Frisbee™, but more on that later.
Disc Golf History
The history of “Disc Golf” as it is known today began with “Steady” Ed Headrick, the father of disc golf and modern day disc sports and the driving force responsible for the modern era of Frisbee sports.
Early Frisbee Targets
Since that time disc golf evolved from man’s natural competitive nature. Early games used targets of trees, trash cans, light poles, chicken wire baskets, pipes, and coeds.
The First Disc Golf Course
The first formal disc golf course was designed and installed that same year in Oak Grove Park, (Pasadena, California), by Headrick and was an instant success. He also founded the Professional Disc Golf Association in 1975, which he turned over to the players in 1983.By the time of his death, Ed has designed over 200 courses.
The First Disc Golf Basket
The Disc Pole Hole has evolved continuously since the first Mach I. For the past two decades our products have been established and accepted worldwide as the industry standard for the sport of Disc Golf. All of our hardware is hot-dipped galvanized from head to toe and guaranteed for 20 years against rust and corrosion.
Who invented disc golf?
Like ultimate Frisbee, nobody invented disc golf. It evolved from ball-minded athletes who slightly altered the rules and play of similar sports where a flying disc replaced a ball. The Berkeley Group and Victor Malafronte established an 18-hole course on the California UC Berkeley campus in 1970. Learn more here!
When did disc golf start in Canada?
Wham-O’s $50,000 Disc Golf Tournament, in 1979 , was a turning point for disc golf. The tournament was in Huntington Beach, California.
Who invented the disc golf?
1975 Ed Headrick organizes the Disc Golf Association (DGA). 1975 "Steady Ed" Headrick and his son Ken invent and patent a standardized Frisbee catcher called a "Disc Pole Hole.". In 1975, they install the first permanent disc golf course at Oak Grove Park in La Canada, Calif.
What was the name of the disc that was used for disc golf?
Early 1960's Copar Company of Chicago markets a disc called the Sky Saucer that included a rulebook for the game of "Sky Golf" (looks more like Frisbee croquet). 1964 Wham-O introduces the "Official Pro Model" to be used for all disc sports, including disc golf.
What was the first disc sports magazine?
1973 Flying Disc World becomes the first magazine for disc sports. Dan Roddick wins a brand new 1974 Datsun B-210 at the disc golf portion of the American Flying Disc Open in Rochester, New York. The modern era of disc golf competition begins.
Where was the first Frisbee Club?
The first "Frisbee Club" is formed in Rochester, New York and disc golf is played on a regular basis. 1971 Bill Schneider is teaching the first accredited Frisbee course at Sacramento State University in California.
When was the first Frisbie match?
In 1954, the first "Frisbie Match" was held at Dartmouth College. Morrison then improves his invention with a second disc, the Pluto Platter, with the now famous phrase "PLAY CATCH - INVENT GAMES" engraved on the back. Disc golf was one of those invented games!
Where was disc golf first played?
This disc sport is now played at over 600 colleges in 32 nations. 1969 The first official disc golf tournament was held at Brookside Park in Pasadena, California. The goals were natural objects marked with a ribbon. Later, George Sappenfield organized several Frisbee golf events in Southern California.
When was the first Frisbee game played?
1968 The U.S. Navy spends nearly $400,000 on unsuccessful tests of many flying discs to keep flares aloft for longer periods of time. The first game of Ultimate Frisbee, a disc sport similar to football, was played in 1968 at a New Jersey high school. This disc sport is now played at over 600 colleges in 32 nations.
Where does disc golf start?
A disc golf hole begins from a tee area and ends at a target, the most common of which is an elevated metal basket. As a player progresses down the fairway, he or she must make each consecutive throw from the spot where the previous throw landed. In group play, the farthest away player always throws first.
Why is disc golf so easy?
One disc allows the new player to focus on throwing technique, disc angles, and repetition which accelerates the learning curve. One disc is also easier for kids to keep track of when playing a course or in the classroom. Equipment responsibility is part of the game.
What is the difference between a golf disc and a Frisbee?
When compared to a Frisbee, a golf disc travels faster and farther which may make it more difficult to control.
How many discs are needed for disc golf?
The beauty of disc golf is that it only takes one disc to play. One disc is recommended in the classroom when first introducing disc golf. It makes it easy to teach and for the group or individual to learn. Implementing different discs too soon will work against the group, individual, and instructor.
What is the most popular technique in disc golf?
The most popular throwing technique in disc golf is the backhand throw. The backhand is what most people think of when they think of throwing a Frisbee.
How many people play disc golf?
The PDGA annually presents four separate world championship: Professional, Professional Masters, Amateur and Juniors. It is been estimated that 8 to 12 million Americans have played disc golf and that over half a million play regularly. The majority of these players participate at the amateur and recreational level.
How much has disc golf increased in popularity?
Disc golf has steadily increased in membership popularity by 15 percent over the last seven years. The game of disc golf has a 72 percent course growth rate, and tournament play has increased by 90 percent. These stats translate to an all-time high for disc selection and courses to play.
Overview
Disc golf is a flying disc sport in which players throw a disc at a target; it is played using rules similar to golf. Most disc golf discs are made out of polypropylene plastic, otherwise known as polypropene, which is a thermoplastic polymer resin used in a wide variety of applications. Discs are also made using a variety of other plastic dice golf types that are heated and molded into individual discs. …
Disc golf courses
Most disc golf courses have 9 or 18 holes, and exceptions most often have holes in multiples of three. Courses with 6, 12, 21, 24 or 27 holes are not uncommon. The PDGA recommends that courses average 200–400 ft (61–122 m) per hole, with holes no shorter than 100 ft (30 m). The longest holes in the world measure more than 1,500 ft (460 m) long. Course designers use trees, b…
Gameplay
The sport of disc golf is set up similar to a game of golf. A "round" is played on a disc golf course consisting of a number of "holes", usually 9 or 18. Each hole includes a tee position for starting play and a disc golf target some distance away, often with obstacles such as trees, hills or bodies of water in between. Players begin by throwing a disc from the tee, without crossing over the front …
Disc types
Disc golf discs are smaller than Ultimate flying discs or general-purpose recreational frisbees. They typically measure 21–22 cm (8.3–8.7 in) in diameter and weigh 130–180 g (4.6–6.3 oz). All PDGA-approved discs measure 21–30 cm (8.3–11.8 in) in diameter and weigh no more than 200 g (7.1 oz). Discs used for disc golf are designed and shaped for control, speed, and accuracy, while g…
Throwing styles
While there are many different grips and styles to throwing the disc, there are two basic throwing techniques: backhand and forehand (or sidearm). These techniques vary in effectiveness under different circumstances. Their understanding and mastery can greatly improve a player's game, and offer diverse options in maneuvering the disc to the basket with greater efficacy. Many players use what is referred to as a run-up during their drive. This is practiced to build more forw…
Scoring
Stroke play is the most common scoring method used in the sport but there are many other forms. These include match play, skins, speed golf and captain's choice, which in disc golf is referred to as "doubles" (not to be confused with partner or team play).
Regardless of which form of play the participants choose, the main objectives of disc golf are conceptually the same as traditional golf in the sense that players follow the same scorekeepin…
Tournaments
Tournaments are held nationwide and year long in the United States. Sanctioned Tournament play is communicated through the Professional Disc Golf Association Membership. The PDGA provides international, professional, and amateur disc golf tournaments as well as communicates event results, opinions and other information beneficial to the sport via electronic and printed media. I…
Popularity
Disc golf is a rapidly growing sport worldwide, and is the 4th fastest growing sport in United States, behind mixed martial arts, roller derby, and parkour. DGCourseReview.com, which tracks courses worldwide along with opening dates, shows a rapid increase in installed permanent courses with an average of more than 400 new courses added each year between 2007 and 2017. The sit…