Flying saucers: disc golf can bring personal and community benefits to rural America.

For the past decade, there has been an increase in rural populations in the United States that has changed the character of these areas. Comprised of small, amenity-based communities with a higher quality of life than its metropolitan counterparts, these locations are popular to tourists seeking both natural and cultural resources. Park and recreation specialists are charged with the task of providing quality recreational opportunities to attract visitors, while protecting these valuable resources. They aim to preserve and promote the unique local community character, but they need to do this with limited economical resources. How can recreational specialists continue to provide quality recreational experiences? One solution is seen in another growing recreational trend in rural America: disc golf.

Referred to as "Frisbee golf," the sport is played similar to its ball brother, but uses specially designed flying discs thrown at metal "pole holes," or elevated baskets, that serve as targets. Disc golf can be played by one or more players of any age or gender, taking several hours to complete an 18-hole course. Courses are designed to take in the natural lay of the land to challenge the player, including a variety of obstacles, such as ponds, dog legs, and trees--each planned to alter a throw. Due to their relatively simple design, disc golf courses can be found anywhere, from open fields, to beaches and forests across America--and they are growing, especially in rural areas. (see the sidebar The Growth of Disc Golf).

Why the Recent Growth and Popularity? The small body of literature on disc golf suggests disc golf provides much more than meets the eye. It provides players with tangible and intangible benefits. Recreational benefits suggest that an activity at a given setting creates psychological outcomes that serve as the motives for participation and lead to changed conditions, such as improved health. When taken in a broader context, this can lead to additional, community-based benefits.

Arguably, the number one limiting factor to developing a disc golf course is cost. Fortunately, courses are easily constructed, costing a community about $500-$1,000 per hole. Although that may sound expensive, this is a mere fraction of the cost involved in the creation and maintenance of a lighted tennis court or full-size regular golf course.

In many cases, communities note that the presence of a disc golf course has been related to environmental improvement. The De Laveaga Disc Golf course in Santa Cruz, Calif., was once an illegal dump and haven for ATV use. Thousands of tons of trash were removed from the site during course creation, and the course continues to sustain itself as trash-free and limited ATV use. Research from other courses suggests it is common for disc golf to revitalize an underused park with deteriorating facilities. Prior to the course development, a local park in Richmond, Va., was a hangout for drug deals--an unsafe area for locals to play. After the course was established crime decreased. Vandalism can be deterred by bringing "good traffic" in the park to push out the "bad traffic."

Like ball golf, disc golf has social benefits. Though it can be played alone, disc golf is a group activity--families can play together as part of a local park trip, family outing or picnic. Many local disc clubs emerge and hold weekly contests and mini-tournaments. These weekly leagues provide a means for new and old members alike to share experiences. Additionally, these clubs not only serve as a surrogate steward for the course, helping in routine maintenance and organizing events, but players form social bonds through the love of the sport. In Tusla, Okla., the success of their disc golf courses can be attributed to their local disc golf club, a state-accredited, non-profit organization. The club is comprised of "a lot of players that cared about (the sport) and kept with it regularly."

Similarly, as is the case with ball golf, disc golf provides a means of low-impact activity. Disc golf can be played by anyone of any age or gender. Players can match their pace to their capabilities making the sport a lifetime activity. Along with the physical aspects of the game--walking a course (no carts here) and throwing the disc--many courses are in park settings, which add its own associated psychological and physical benefits.

Finally, the simple act of "being away," especially from one's work environment, can help reduce the stress of every day life and alleviate mental fatigue. This is especially poignant at disc golf courses in rural settings that have abundant natural resources. In West Virginia, a new disc golf course was established near West Virginia University. This course provides an example of how a community has come together during the construction of a course.

The creation of the course involved collaboration among multiple partners including the town of Fairmont that provided the land; Marion County Park and Recreation Committee, a non-profit organization that handled paperwork; donations and oversaw the course creation, the Seth Burton Memorial Fund, the major funding body; and the Marion County Disc Golf Group, a local group dedicated to the promotion and understanding of disc sports. In addition, other local schools and community organizations (such as the Boy Scouts) have helped put on local tournaments, used the course in physical education classes and for summer camp activities. Through these types of partnerships, community relationships can be strengthened.

Even the play of disc golf is extremely affordable, with only an $8 disc needed for novices. From the upkeep side, disc golf is even easier, involving little more than routine park maintenance, such as trash removal and cutting grass. The director of the Kershaw County Parks Department, which maintains a course in Camden, S.C., says, "The course is not a big maintenance problem--it really takes care of itself."

Additionally, disc golf courses can create revenue for communities and in time pay for themselves. In Georgia, members of the Augusta Disc Golf Association have created a course at Wildwood Park, which will soon be the home to the world headquarters of the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) disc golf championships. The estimated economic gain from this one event is $1.8 million to the community. The typical disc golf course will not come near that figure, but there is still room for a positive economic impact, through events or user fees. A typical tournament can draw anywhere from SO to 100 participants into a community for a day or a weekend. Some communities have instituted a nominal fee, such as $1, for out-of-county users. Cliff Towne, of the PDGA, says that getting locals involved is crucial to securing out-of-town funds. "If you build a good, attractive course, it will attract visiting players from all over the region. If you also support and encourage disc golf entrepreneurs [such as] local or regional clubs to hold some events--people will come and drop tourist money in your community," he says.

Additionally, what sets disc golf apart from ball golf is its intimacy with nature. Many courses are a part of the landscape, through woods and parks, and designed with the terrain and natural obstacles. Ball golf courses, on the other hand, are designed and landscaped. In many cases if it were not for the pole holes, a passerby wouldn't even realize he or she were in a disc golf course.

This is why many course stewards are willing to show a new disc golfer the ins and outs of a course. This not only helps orient the new golfer to the course, but increases the social interaction between golf members while promoting the sport. Both of these factors, social cohesion and maintenance of landscape character, help explain why rural communities are quickly establishing courses. Through social interaction disc golf players learn not only about the course itself, but about the locale, and can extend the word-of-mouth marketing of the course and charter community. In interacting with the natural landscape of the course, a community can exhibit and sustain its natural character. Together, disc golf can help foster a sense of place and community.

Survey oF Persona/and Community Benefits

Though literature about the sport suggests these benefits, the recreation manager is left unsure if a disc golf player is realizing these benefits, how important these benefits are relative to each other, or if the suggested community benefits are valid. To help answer these questions, we created an online survey in the summer of 2004, and with the aid of the PDGA, asked 225 course stewards in the United States to rate both their perceptions and how the greater community have benefited from the local disc golf course. (see Table 1 below)

Our survey suggests people play disc golf for four primary reasons: to be in nature, get exercise, be with other people and for personal challenge. These are similar to the expected benefits of ball golf, but at a fraction of the cost in course development and equipment. In almost every case, course stewards felt the disc golf course improved the greater community through increasing community activity with relatively low resource impacts. However, the suggestions that a disc golf course can improve safety, bring in money and play a role in school curricula are not universally supported by survey takers.

Though all polled somewhat agreed with these community benefits, the large variation in responses suggests these factors need to be taken in context to the greater community. That is, if there is little crime in an area, a course will not have much effect in reducing what isn't there. If there is poor marketing of events or a course has no associated tournaments, it will not generate as much economic stimulus to the community. Lastly, the sample of disc golf courses in this study may not have included many that are in or near schools, and therefore less likely to play an active part of curricula.

Suggestions For Communities

If a recreation manager is considering creating a disc golf course, there are several steps he or she should take. First, consult the PDGA. The PDGA Web site (www.pdga.com) contains a consortium of information valuable to any manager. They can offer guidance on course design, principals of environmental ethics, and contacts to nearby professionals to aid you in the process of course creation.

Despite the low cost of disc golf, there are still some costs including pole holes, tees and signs for course layout and orientation. These can be offset by applying for grants, such as the Innovation Grant Program or federal or state grants promoting public health or recreation. In applying for grants, letters of support from the community, environmental impact statements, management plans and budget should be included. A number of sources can help with this, including the PDGA, Innova Discs (www.innovadiscs.com), and DiscLife (www.disclife.com), which contain sample proposals and estimated costs.

Establish a local disc golf club and seek out organizations that are willing to spend their time, talent and even money to improve the quality of the course while maintaining its local character. Locals can include interested disc golf players, businesses, non-profit organizations and schools, among others. Involve them early in the planning process and include their knowledge and ideas in the planning process. Local partners can help make the course a success for years to come by organizing events and promotions.

Consider the benefits people seek while playing disc golf. They play to be in nature, with friends and family, and as a source of exercise and challenge. This means adopting a sustainable management plan to maintain the naturalness of the park while promoting its local character. Try to involve interesting park features, such as waterways and scenic vistas that make your course stand out from the rest.

Lastly, remember to have fun. The first rule of disc golf is to encourage good spirit and fellowship among all who play disc golf while sustaining the environment. Disc golf is a fun, challenging and affordable sport that can be played by people of all ages and skill levels while fostering a sense of place and community. Many communities are experiencing its growth and benefits--maybe yours will too.

Table 1. Personal and Community Benefits of Disc Golf

Personal Benefits ([dagger])                          Mean [+ or -] SD

Enjoy nature                                          5.3 [+ or -] 0.9
Exercise--physical fitness                            5.2 [+ or -] 1.1
Be with other people                                  5.0 [+ or -] 1.1
Achievement                                           5.0 [+ or -] 1.1
Escape daily routine                                  4.8 [+ or -] 1.2
Meet/observe other people                             4.8 [+ or -] 1.1
Seek stimulation                                      4.8 [+ or -] 1.2
Teaching--sharing skills                              4.7 [+ or -] 1.3
Tranquility--privacy                                  4.6 [+ or -] 1.3
Slow down mentally                                    4.6 [+ or -] 1.3
Escape physical pressures                             4.5 [+ or -] 1.4
Physical rest                                         4.1 [+ or -] 1.4
Escape role overloads                                 4.1 [+ or -] 1.5
Learning--discovery                                   4.1 [+ or -] 1.5
Family togetherness                                   4.0 [+ or -] 1.6
Independence--autonomy                                4.0 [+ or -] 1.6
Introspection                                         3.9 [+ or -] 1.5
Nostalgia                                             3.6 [+ or -] 1.6
Agreeable temperatures ([double dagger])              3.6 [+ or -] 1.6
Security                                              3.3 [+ or -] 1.5

Community Benefits *                                  Mean [+ or -] SD

The course provides a good means of low impact
  activity                                            4.7 [+ or -] 0.7
The course is an improvement to the area              4.5 [+ or -] 0.8
The community is better because of this course        4.5 [+ or -] 0.8
This course is of low cost to maintain                4.4 [+ or -] 1.0
This course was a low cost to create                  4.2 [+ or -] 1.1
The course enhances the aesthetics of the area        4.2 [+ or -] 1.0
This course brings families together                  4.1 [+ or -] 0.9
The community is more active because of this course   3.9 [+ or -] 1.0
There are low resource impacts related with this
  course                                              3.8 [+ or -] 1.2
This course brings the community together             3.6 [+ or -] 1.1
This course brings money into the local economy       3.5 [+ or -] 1.2
Crime has been reduced because of this course **      3.3 [+ or -] 1.1
This course plays a role in area school curricula     3.0 [+ or -] 1.4

([dagger]) Scale 1-6: 1 (Not important to me) to 6 (Extremely important
to me)

([double dagger]) Significant difference between groups, p<0.05
(Non-MSA=3.8_1.4 vs. MSA=3.4_1.7)

* Scale: 1 (Completely Disagree) to 5 (Completely Agree)

** Significant difference between groups, p<0.05 (Non-MSA=3.2_1.1 vs.
MSA=3.5_1.2)

Note: The authors would like to thank the Professional Disc Golf Association for support and access to their database in the creation of figures used in this article.

RELATED ARTICLE: The growth of disc golf.

Since the first, formal pole-hole course was established in Oak Grove Park, Calif., in 1975, courses have continued to grow at an average of 17 percent (approximately 50 courses) between the years 1980 and 1999. Since then, the number of courses has doubled. As of July 2004, there were 1,572 courses in the world on most major continents.

Disc golf is considered one of the fastest growing sports in America (Rothstein, 1996). Since the inception of the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA), there have been 24,100 members with an annual growth rate of 10 percent. Overall, the PDGA estimates 7 to 10 million people have played disc golf at least once, with around 5 million regular players (PDGA, 2004a). As one PDGA member and disc golf professional stated in July 2004, "[Disc golf] really is taking off. It's getting so there are a lot more players who can go on tour and make a living now. You used to be able to count those players on one hand." (Benson, 2004).

Within the United States, there is a trend toward growth in non-urban areas (based on 2000 U.S. Census Metropolitan Statistical Areas, which have at least one urbanized area of 50,000 or more inhabitants). Since the mid 1990s, non-urban courses have been growing at nearly 1.5 times the rate of their urban counterpart and currently over half of all courses are in non-urban areas.

In fact, since the first trimester of courses were created between 1975 and 1984, courses have been steadily moving away from city boundaries and into the country, with the largest increase in course located more than 50 miles from cities. The result is disc golf is being introduced into, and embraced by, rural communities.