So you’ve been seeing courses pop up all over the country, discs flying everywhere, and weird terms like hyzer being thrown around casually. Yes, disc golf is here and it is here to stay. However, despite its rapidly growing popularity, one may ask themself, “is it really that much better than regular ball golf?” In our opinion, the answer is yes and these are the reasons why you need to check it out for yourself!
It is cheaper!
Not only is it cheaper to get started, but it is cheaper than golf in nearly every aspect of the game. Everything from the required gear to where you play is going to hurt your wallet less to play disc golf than it is regular golf, especially if you’re a beginner.
For discs, starter packs such as THIS ONE are very inexpensive and will be enough to get going with. As your game improves and you begin to start expanding your disc collection, you’ll be pleased to know that most discs are just $10-$30 a piece depending on quality, THAT’S IT!
In fact, you could probably buy a nice backpack carrying bag and fill it with quality discs to capacity and spend less money than someone would on a new driver club for ball golf!
Optional gear such as towels, carrying bags, and disc markers are also VERY inexpensive with several options available for less than $100.
Once you have the discs you need and are ready to play, prepare to pay no greens fees, cart fees, or membership dues for a round or 2 or 3 of disc golf.
That’s right, it’s free!
(well, most of the time)
There are courses far and in between where you need to pay to play, but with the amount of courses available to the public at no cost at all, it is easy to find a place to play without spending a penny.
No dress code!
Sure, if you want to play in some khakis and a polo, you are absolutely free to do so!
But if you just got off work or done at the gym, don’t feel obligated to go change, whatever you’re wearing will be perfectly acceptable!
Easier to learn!
No one is a professional at anything their first go around, but if you can throw a Frisbee, you can play disc golf.
You won’t be a Paul McBeth (google his name, he’s pretty good at disc golf), but you will be able to have fun and not be frustrated from an early stage.
And the good news is, you will see a rapid improvement in skills in a relatively short amount of time as you learn to improve your technique.
Many ball golfers will spend hours of time and money trying to improve their game with practice and lessons with very slow progress to catch up to those who have been playing for years.
In disc golf, I have seen several amateur players become extremely good players in a very short amount of time, so stick with it!
Play when you want!
Now sometimes you may be able to show up to a golf course and play when you want if there is no one else around, but many times, a scheduled tee time is a must if you want to play.
Not with disc golf.
Simply show up and find a hole that no one’s on and get after it, no need to schedule.
Not only that, but if you didn’t want to play a full round and just want to fine tune your skills, simply head to an open area such as a park or field and let the discs fly.
If you were really feeling it, you could play without a course at all! This is known as object golf, you can learn about it HERE.
Additionally, because you have no scheduled time to play, you can play as long as you want. This means it’s completely fine to just play a few holes that you want to practice, a 9 hole round, an 18 hole round or more!
A full 18 hole course will typically take less than 3 hours even with a larger group so it wouldn’t be hard to fit in a quick round.
No Bulky Equipment!
If you really wanted to, all you need to play a round of disc golf is a disc OR two, which means you could always have a few easily tucked away in your vehicle out of the way if you happen across a random course.
Even if you opt for a full on disc carrying back pack, it is much easier to tote around than a bulky and cumbersome bag of golf clubs. You could throw your disc golf bag in your trunk and still have plenty of room! Compared to having a back seat or trunk full of golf clubs and disc golf is the clear winner here.
Much less formal!
While there is still some expected etiquette on the disc golf course, the disc golf setting is typically going to be much less formal than regular golf, starting with the dress code as mentioned earlier.
You’ll still be expected to wait your turn and not rush parties ahead of you, but the general feel of the game is going to feel much more relaxed, even when playing with a bunch of friends.
You may still be intimidated when playing near other, more experienced players, such as when at a tournament, but that’s just human nature. You will soon realize, however, that most players are more than willing to help a new player learn the ropes, especially when asked.
So what are you waiting for? Get out and play!
Obviously this article is meant to be fun, and plenty of individuals go out and play golf everyday and have an absolute blast. That being said, EVERYONE should try disc golf at least once. It’s cheap to play, easy to learn, and will not take you much time to play a nice relaxing round.
If your interest is piqued and you want to learn the basics of how to play disc golf, be sure to check out our article, Disc Golf for Beginners, to get yourself in the game.
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