Disc golf in the United States

Overview of disc golf practiced in the United States From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Disc golf is a popular sport in the United States played at the recreational, club, and international competition levels.

Governing bodyPDGA
Registered players53,669 (December 2020)[1]
Quick facts Governing body, Registered players ...
Disc golf in the United States
Putting at the Ellsworth Air Force Base disc golf course in South Dakota
Governing bodyPDGA
Registered players53,669 (December 2020)[1]
National competitions
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Popularity

In 2018, the PDGA counted 36,993 active members, 6,316 courses, and 3,068 disc golf tournaments in the United States. In 2021, PDGA counted over 50,000 active members and 9,454 courses.[2]

Courses

The world's first permanent disc golf course is the Oak Grove Disc Golf Course, which went into the ground in 1975 at Hahamongna Watershed Park (formerly known as Oak Grove Park) in Pasadena, California.[3]

Approximately 75% of the world's disc golf courses are located in the United States. Some of the most notable ones include DeLaveaga, Maple Hill, Blue Ribbon Pines, Brewster Ridge, Diamond X, Borderland State Park Borderlands State Park and Milo McIver.[4] Iowa, Kansas, and the Dakotas have the most courses per capita, whereas Massachusetts, Ohio, Connecticut, Wisconsin, and Delaware have the most courses per square mile of dry land. Texas, Wisconsin, and Minnesota have the most courses overall.[5]

As of February 2020, there are 7,379 known disc golf courses in the United States on the official PDGA Course Directory.[6] Below is a listing of lists of disc golf courses in the United States by state and territory. 3,281 of them (49%) are full-size courses with 18 holes or more, and 3,093 of them (46%) are smaller courses that feature at least 9 holes.

More information State or territory, Courses ...
State or territory Courses as % of U.S. courses per capita (/1M) per 10,000 km2 of dry land
Alabama 111 1.5%
 
22.1
 
8.5
 
Alaska 37 0.5%
 
50.5
 
0.3
 
Arizona 71 1%
 
9.9
 
2.4
 
Arkansas 112 1.5%
 
37.2
 
8.3
 
California 321 4.4%
 
8.1
 
8
 
Colorado 198 2.7%
 
34.3
 
7.4
 
Connecticut 31 0.4%
 
8.6
 
24.7
 
Delaware 12 0.2%
 
12.1
 
23.8
 
Florida 168 2.3%
 
7.8
 
12.1
 
Georgia 131 1.8%
 
12.2
 
8.8
 
Hawaii 14 0.2%
 
9.6
 
8.4
 
Idaho 96 1.3%
 
52.2
 
4.5
 
Illinois 277 3.8%
 
21.6
 
19.3
 
Indiana 172 2.3%
 
25.3
 
18.5
 
Iowa 288 3.9%
 
90.3
 
19.9
 
Kansas 254 3.4%
 
86.5
 
12
 
Kentucky 111 1.5%
 
24.6
 
10.9
 
Louisiana 57 0.8%
 
12.2
 
5.1
 
Maine 70 0.9%
 
51.4
 
8.8
 
Maryland 46 0.6%
 
7.4
 
18.3
 
Massachusetts 57 0.8%
 
8.1
 
28.2
 
Michigan 298 4%
 
29.6
 
20.4
 
Minnesota 329 4.5%
 
57.7
 
16
 
Mississippi 95 1.3%
 
32.1
 
7.8
 
Missouri 176 2.4%
 
28.6
 
9.9
 
Montana 59 0.8%
 
54.4
 
1.6
 
Nebraska 107 1.5%
 
54.5
 
5.4
 
Nevada 35 0.5%
 
11.3
 
1.2
 
New Hampshire 32 0.4%
 
23.2
 
13.8
 
New Jersey 38 0.5%
 
4.1
 
20
 
New Mexico 50 0.7%
 
23.6
 
1.6
 
New York 130 1.8%
 
6.4
 
10.7
 
North Carolina 263 3.6%
 
25.2
 
20.9
 
North Dakota 59 0.8%
 
75.7
 
3.3
 
Ohio 264 3.6%
 
22.4
 
24.9
 
Oklahoma 160 2.2%
 
40.4
 
9
 
Oregon 134 1.8%
 
31.6
 
5.4
 
Pennsylvania 195 2.6%
 
15
 
16.8
 
Rhode Island 4 0.1%
 
3.6
 
14.9
 
South Carolina 113 1.5%
 
22.1
 
14.5
 
South Dakota 76 1%
 
85.7
 
3.9
 
Tennessee 149 2%
 
21.6
 
14
 
Texas 448 6.1%
 
15.4
 
6.6
 
Utah 79 1.1%
 
24.1
 
3.7
 
Vermont 42 0.6%
 
65.3
 
17.6
 
Virginia 129 1.7%
 
14.9
 
12.6
 
Washington 128 1.7%
 
16.6
 
7.4
 
West Virginia 66 0.9%
 
36.8
 
10.6
 
Wisconsin 344 4.7%
 
58.4
 
24.5
 
Wyoming 40 0.5%
 
69.3
 
1.6
 
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Organizations

California

Colorado

  • Mile High Disc Golf Club – Arvada

Louisiana

  • Shreveport-Bossier City Disc Golf Union (SBDGU) – Shreveport

Minnesota

  • Minnesota Frisbee Association (MFA) – Minneapolis
  • Mankato Area Disc Golfers United (MADGU) – Mankato
  • Rochester Area Disc Golf Association (RADGA) – Rochester

North Carolina

Oregon

Pennsylvania

  • Pittsburgh Flying Disc Society (PFDS) – Pittsburgh

South Carolina

Texas

Manufacturers

  • Innova – Largest brand, makes the most amount of molds
  • Discraft – Most popular brand, sponsors a legion of top pros
  • House of Disc (Once Trilogy Discs):
    • Dynamic Discs – The largest of the four brands in Trilogy, based in America. Discs are manufactured in Sweden as part of "House of Disc".
    • Latitude 64 – Based in Europe. Part of "House of Disc" brands. Discs manufactured in Sweden.
    • Westside Discs – Based in Europe. Originally a Finnish-based company purchased by Latitude 64 as part of "Trilogy Discs". Discs manufactured in Sweden.
    • Kastaplast – Based in Europe. Originally a Swiss company purchased by "House of Disc". Discs manufactured in Sweden.
    • Discmania – Offshoot of Innova, created their own brand and were purchased by "House of Disc" (Once Trilogy Discs) in 2024. Discs manufactured in Sweden.
  • MVP Discs (+ Axiom Discs and Streamline Discs) – Most popular disc golf company due to the attraction of James Conrad's "Holy Shot" to win the 2021 World Championship in Ogden, Utah, the signing of charismatic YouTube personality Simon Lizotte in 2023, and elite pro Eagle McMahon in 2024

Mass Media

Magazines

Notable disc golf magazines published in the United States include DiscGolfer, the official publication of the Professional Disc Golf Association, as well as Chasin' the Chains Magazine and Physics of Flight Magazine, both by Dynamic Discs.[7][8]

Podcasts

Notable disc golf podcasts recorded in the United States include PDGA Radio,[9] Ultiworld Disc Golf's The Upshot,[10] Showmez,[11] and Disc Golf Answer Man, co-hosted by Eric McCabe.[12]

Streaming

  • Disc Golf Network – 6,500 subscribers and 4,000 concurrent viewers during the Disc Golf Pro Tour[13]

Competitions

Notable American disc golfers

See also

References

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