who invented disc golf

When was disc golf invented and by who?

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.

Who invented the disc golf?

Ed HeadrickDisc golf / CreatorEd 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.

What was the first disc golf disc ever made?

The Eagle Takes Flight 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.Jun 24, 2021

When did disc golf become popular?

Around 2007, however, disc golf's popularity exploded unlike it ever had before. While it had taken 30 years to establish 1,861 courses in the U.S., the country saw 1,319 added in just the next six years. PDGA membership nearly doubled during that span.

What country invented golf?

ScotlandThe modern game of golf originated in 15th century Scotland. The 18-hole round was created at the Old Course at St Andrews in 1764.

Who was the father of disc golf in 1966 and 1975?

“Steady” Ed Headrick #001 is considered the Father of Disc Golf. Of his dozens of patented inventions, two of them hold infinite importance to our sport. The first was the Frisbee (U.S. Patent #3359678) in 1966 as an employee at Wham-O.

Where was Frisbee golf created?

Bladworth, Saskatchewan, CanadaDisc golf was first invented in the early 1900s. The first game was held in Bladworth, Saskatchewan, Canada in 1926.

What is the golden rule of disc golf?

Basically, the Golden Rule of Disc Golf is to have respect and manners while you're on the course and interacting with other players. Not only is it about treating other players how you'd like to be treated, but it's also about respecting their property, the course, and the game as a whole.Jul 11, 2020

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.

Is disc golf still growing?

We're happy to report the answer is a resounding "no." Welcome to the 2022 Disc Golf Growth Report powered by UDisc, where information from the world's leading player-powered disc golf app will demonstrate how much this sport continues to thrive. That's up from 3.5 per day in 2020—a 50% increase.

Is disc golf a real sport?

Disc golf is a sport played much like traditional golf, but rather than using a ball and club, players throw flying discs with various throwing motions. It has been played by an estimated 8 to 12 million people in the United States. Like all sports, injuries sustained while playing disc golf are not uncommon.Jun 25, 2015

Is disc golf gaining popularity?

It's easy to see why disc golf is growing in popularity, especially among those over 50. Its rules are simple, and it's easy on joints and muscles, inexpensive and promotes social connections. Players throw a disc at a target called a disc golf basket on a course with either nine or 18 holes.May 13, 2021

What was the first disc golf game?

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 game was formalized when Headrick invented the first Disc Pole Hole catching device, consisting of 10 chains hanging in a parabolic shape over an upward opening basket, US Patent 4,039,189, issued 1975.

Who is the father of disc golf?

Disc Golf History. “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. Disc Golf Association, (DGA) was established in 1976 by Ed Headrick to form a new international sport and to promote the installation and use ...

What is disc hole?

The Disc Pole Hole™ became the equivalent to ball golf’s “hole” and was installed in the first standardized target course (what was then known as Oak Grove Park Pasadena, California).

Who invented the Frisbee?

The roots of the sport begin when “Steady” Ed Headrick designed the modern day Frisbee (US Patent 3,359,678, issued 1966) while working for Wham-O Toys back in the 60’s.

Is disc golf safe?

If they could kill something from a safe distance it would be much safer than a club or a sharp stick.

When was disc golf invented?

Disc golf was first invented in the early 1900s. The first game was held in Bladworth, Saskatchewan, Canada in 1926. Ronald Brandon Cain 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.

Who was the first person to play 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. In 1961, while a recreation leader and then recreation supervisor for the City of Newport Beach, California, he formulated and then began organizing Frisbee golf tournaments at nine of the city's playgrounds he supervised. This culminated in 1965 with a fully documented, Wham-O sponsored, citywide Frisbee golf tournament spearheaded by "Steady" Ed Headrick at Wham-O. This highly publicized tournament included hula hoops as holes, with published rules, hole lengths, pars, and prizes; an event in which Walter Frederick Morrison, inventor of the Pluto Platter and Frisbee inventor "Steady"' Ed Headrick, was in attendance. In 1965, Sappenfield was a recreation counselor during a summer break from college during which, he set up an object course for his children to play on. 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. Wham-O supplied Frisbees for throwing, and hula hoops for use as targets.

Who invented the disc golf?

From Frisbees to Disc Golf. “Steady” Ed Headrick #001 is considered the Father of Disc Golf. Of his dozens of patented inventions, two of them hold infinite importance to our sport. The first was the Frisbee (U.S. Patent #3359678) in 1966 as an employee at Wham-O.

Who is Pete May?

After running the 2006 PDGA Professional Disc Golf World Championships in Augusta, GA as co-Tournament Director with another local disc golf celebrity, Pete May #12700, Graham decided to take a year away from disc golf.

When was disc golf invented?

Disc Golf. Disc Golf Association, (DGA) was established in 1976 by Ed Headrick to form a new international sport and to promote the installation and use of disc golf courses around the world. Ed coined and trademarked the term “Disc Golf” and he envisioned a game that would explode in popularity. “Steady” Ed traveled around ...

What was the first disc golf target?

The first disc golf target was Ed’s pole hole design which basically consisted of a pole sticking out of the ground. In 1977, Headrick and his son Ken developed the modern catching basket for disc golf, US Patent #4,039,189, titled Flying Disc Entrapment Device, which they trademarked “Disc Pole Hole”.

How many disc golf courses are there in the world?

Ed and his company DGA revised and obtained patents for basket designs until his death in 2002. Today there are over 7,000 disc golf courses installed throughout the world, the majority of them are DGA Disc Pole Hole baskets Headrick designed.

Who invented the Frisbee?

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.

What is the inner chain of disc golf?

Ed Headrick’s Inner Chain patent was another revolutionary step in the evolution of disc golf as a sport . As the sport grew and became more competitive Ed began designing smaller, heavier discs that could be thrown with more accuracy and speed. It was clear that smaller and heavier discs were becoming more popular and that they were going to replace the Frisbees for playing disc golf. Today most outdoor disc golf baskets make use of Headrick’s original inner chain invention.

Who invented the flying saucer?

It was this job which led him to re-evaluate Wham-O’s flying saucer which had been created by the American Inventor Walter Frederick Morrison. With the flying saucer, Headrick envisioned not a better selling toy, but a redesign and invention of something bigger.

Who is the founder of Ripley's Believe It or Not?

Ripley’s Believe It or Not! is an American franchise, founded by Robert Ripley, which deals in bizarre events and items so strange and unusual that readers might question the claims.

Competitive Disc Golf Origins

Two other important figures in disc golf history are George Sappenfield and Kevin Donnelly. They both worked as a recreation counselor at Fresno State University. They both had separate—but similar ideas—of playing golf using Frisbees. They got together and shared their ideas.

The First Disc Golf Course

1975 was also the year that the first official (and permanent) disc golf course—Oak Grove Park Disc Golf Course—was installed in Pasadena, California. At that time, the targets were nothing more than permanent poles placed into the ground as targets.

The Birth of the PDGA

This ultimately led to Ed founding the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA), as well. Membership quickly grew as the PDGA would become the governing entity driving the official rules and tournament sanctioning for disc golf. PDGA player ratings were not implemented until 1998, but that was another game-changing move by the organization.

When was disc golf invented?

Disc Golf is First Played in 1926. According to The Complete Book of Frisbee, disc golf’s earliest recorded history was in Bladworth, Saskatchewan, Canada in 1926. Ronald 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.

Where was the first disc golf course built?

Headrick designed and installed the first standardized target course in what was then known as Oak Grove Park in La Cañada Flintridge, California. (Today the park is known as Hahamongna Watershed Park). Ed founded “The International Frisbee Association (IFA)”. Headrick coined and trademarked the term “Disc Golf” when formalizing ...

Who was the first person to play Frisbee golf?

Frisbee Golf History in the U.S. Two early coordinators of the sport are George Sappenfield and Kevin Donnelly, who, through similar backgrounds and the help of Wham-O, were able to spread the sport in their California cities. Donnelly began playing a form of Frisbee golf in 1959 called Street Frisbee Golf.

When was the first Frisbee tournament?

The first official Frisbee disc golf tournament was held in Brookside park, Pasadena, CA, USA in 1969. They used hula hoops as targets.

Who invented the Frisbee?

Headrick abandoned his trademark on the term “Disc Golf,” and turned over control and administration of the PDGA to the growing body of disc golf players. “Steady Ed” Headrick began thinking about the sport during his time at Wham-O Toys where he designed and patented the modern day Frisbee.

Who is Ed Headrick?

Ed Headrick, Hall of Fame, Disc Golf and Frisbee Pioneer. Ed Headrick died in 2002 at the age of 78. As per Ed’s wishes, his ashes were incorporated into a limited number of discs.

Where was the first Frisbee Club?

1970–The first “Frisbee Club” is formed in Rochester, New York. Object disc golf is played regularly on the first object courses, in Rochester, NY, Berkeley UC campus in California and Queen’s Park, Toronto.

Who invented the Frisbee disc?

William R. Frisbie gave these discs their name in 1871 when he started the Frisbie Pie Company. Frisbees may have never taken off if it weren't for the Frisbee Pie Company. This bakery was a mere 25-minute drive from Yale, and the students would bring their pies back to campus.

When was the first college game played?

The first college game ever played took place between Rutgers and Princeton on November 6, 1972. Today, the sport is still growing and becoming more popular. In fact, Ultimate Frisbee was recognized by the Olympic committee in 2015.

What is a discus?

A discus is a heavy disc thrown for sport by ancient Greeks. These discs were made of unwrought bronze and iron and weighed roughly five pounds. They were created by pouring molten metal into sand. Greek poet Homer first mentioned throwing a discus in The Iliad around 700 BC.

Where is Wham O located?

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/. Todd Richards, a signed free agent for the San Francisco 49ers, revived the Wham-O name. The new company is located in California and employees have "Frisbee Fridays" in the parking lot. 2018.

What were the rage in the 1970s?

Frisbees were all the rage by the mid-1970s and companies took notice. These flying discs were the perfect way to advertise since everyone loved them and they brought excitement to events. Popular brands like Coca-Cola, Budweiser, and Frosted Flakes printed their logo on custom Frisbees.

Who is Alyssa from ACDC?

Alyssa is the Lead Copywriter at Quality Logo Products. As a promo expert, she's uncovered the world's first custom tote bag, interviewed the guy behind rock band ACDC's logo, and had a piece published by the Advertising Specialty Institute, a leader in the promotional products industry.

Is a frisbee a toy?

The Frisbee has been a thing since ancient Greece. Let's get into its history and talk a little bit about pie tins along the way! This inexpensive and simple genius of a toy has become as all-American as baseball and hot dogs. Throwing a Frisbee is a natural and spontaneous joy.

Overview

Disc golf was first invented in the early 1900s. The first game was held in Bladworth, Saskatchewan, Canada in 1926. Ronald Brandon Cain 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. I…

Early pioneers of the sport

Creation of the modern game

See also

External links