Disc Golf - The Ageless Game

Frisbee is the ageless game and one of the disciplines in the sport of frisbee is Disc Golf. Disc Golf is played by millions of people all over the world and in 2020 has seen a huge amount of growth in large part because it's easy to physically distance, it can be played year round, and it's relatively inexpensive to get started.

Frisbee, but especially disc golf, is a great sport for developing physical literacy. The disc itself is incredibly versatile since there are more than 150 unique throws. Installing a disc golf course is relatively inexpensive compared to a tennis or basketball court, a (ball) golf course, or a skateboard park. In fact, disc golf can be played in a park using trees as objects (typically called object golf). The standard target is a disc golf basket, which comes in multiple versions including portable and permanent baskets.

If you've never heard of disc golf, have always wanted to learn more, or are looking at taking your disc golf program to the next level, then this session is for you!

Join Frisbee Rob as he walks you through the history of disc golf, the basics including the rules and the throws, the more advanced including skills and games, and a sample curriculum for your PE program from a single day to a multi-week plan.

Frisbee Rob is a motivational speaker and frisbee ambassador. He has been to more than 400 schools and taught frisbee to more than 130,000 students throughout 5,000 workshops. He has 6 Guinness World Records holder, 13 World Championships, and the Canadian Distance Record.

Find out more at https://frisbeerob.com.

Transcript

1. Disc Golf The Ageless Game Presented by: “Frisbee Rob” McLeod
2. Session Plan • About Me • About Frisbee • Disciplines • Physical Literacy through Frisbee • Types of Discs • About Disc Golf • History • Current Climate • Disc Golf in Schools • Disc Golf Module • Frisbee Club • Questions
3. About Frisbee Rob • Video link: https://youtu.be/W0PEVa0H9b4
4. About Frisbee Rob • 6 Guinness World Records • 13 World Championships • Canadian Distance Record • Creator of the Unplugg’dChallenge • Co-author of The Davy Rule children’s book • Board Member of the World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF) and Overall Committee Chair • YouEQ Consultant
6. About Frisbee • As long as there have been flying objects, frisbee has existed • Pie tins • Ice cream lids • The name “frisbee” came from the Frisbie pie company in Bridgeport, CT • Wham-O slogan • “Play Catch. Invent Games” • Frisbee trademarked in 1958 • International Frisbee Tournament (IFT)in 1958
7. About Frisbee • WFDF is a federation of 93 member associations, which represent flying disc sports and their athletes in more than 91 countries. The World Flying Disc Federation (“WFDF”) is the international sports federation responsible for world governance of flying disc (frisbee) sports, including Ultimate, Beach Ultimate, Disc Golf, Freestyle, Guts, and Individual Events. • As the international governing body for the sport of flying disc, WFDF has the responsibility for sanctioning world championship and other international flying disc events, establishing uniform rules, and setting standards for and recording of world records. It acts • to promote and protect the “spirit of the game” of flying disc play; • to encourage flying disc play throughout the world and foster the establishment of new national flying disc associations, advising them on all flying disc activities and general management; • to promote and raise public awareness of and lobby for official recognition of flying disc play as sport; and to provide an international forum for discussion of all aspects of flying disc play.
8. Flying Disc Disciplines • Accuracy • Beach Ultimate • Disc Golf • Discathon • Distance • DDC (Double Disc Court) • Freestyle • Guts • Overall (Accuracy, DDC, Disc Golf, Discathon, Distance, Freestyle, and Self-Caught Flight) • Self-Caught Flight (SCF) (MTA (Maximum Time Aloft) & TRC (Throw Run Catch)) • Ultimate | Wheelchair Ultimate
9. Disc Golf • Video: https://youtu.be/gJaxph0J6FE
10. Physical Literacy through Frisbee
11. Physical Literacy through Frisbee • Multiple Targets • Yourself (Self Caught Flight, Freestyle) • A friend (Freestyle, Catch, Ultimate, Speed Flow) • A dog (Canine Disc) • A target (Accuracy, Disc Golf, Discathon) • For distance (Distance, Self Caught Flight, Disc Golf) • At someone else (Guts, Double Disc Court) • Frisbee Skills in Other Sports • Learn to catch from playing baseball, softball, football, juggling, etc. • Learn to run through track & field, soccer, football, lacrosse, etc. • Learn to throw from baseball, softball, football, track & field, etc. Fundamental Movement Skills
12. Types of Flying Discs • Golf Discs • Ultimate Discs • Frisbees • Mini Discs • XDiscs • Dog Discs • Guts frisbees • DDC frisbees
13. History of Disc Golf • First known instance was in Bladworth, Saskatchewan, Canada in 1926 • First popularized at the Rochester Flying Disc Open in 1976 • PDGA established in 1976 • More than 170,500 members
14. State of Disc Golf in 2021 • Paul McBeth signs 10 year, $10 million contract in Feb 2021 • Disc Golf > Hockey in Finland (more than 250,000 players) • UDisc Report from 2020 • 50 million rounds played in 2020 • 60% of all disc golfers play once a month • Every 1.6 seconds a round was started on UDisc in August 2020 • Over 11,500 courses in the world (70% build in the last decade) • 91% of courses are free to play • Source: udisc.com
15. Disc Golf in Schools • Accessible • Low cost • Adaptable • For any ability • Ageless • For any age
16. Disc Golf Module - Basics • Like golf but instead of hitting a ball into a hole, you throw a disc at a target (basket) • Go over basic rules including etiquette (don’t stand too close to the thrower and make sure no one is in your way when throwing) • If you don’t have a disc golf basket, use a tall cone, portable basketball net, or anything else that can be used as a throwing target.
17. Disc Golf Module - Rules Objective of the Game Disc Golf is played like traditional golf, but with disc golf discs instead of balls and clubs. One throw (stroke) is counted each time the disc is thrown and when a penalty is incurred. The goal is to play each hole in the fewest strokes possible. The player with the lowest total strokes for the entire course wins. The hole is completed when the disc comes to rest in a disc golf basket. SAFETY FIRST Never throw when players or other park users are within range. Always give park users the right of way. Be aware of your surroundings and environment at all times. Tee Throws Each hole begins with a tee throw. Tee throws must be completed within or behind the designated tee area. Lie The lie is the spot where the player’s previous throw has landed. Mark each lie with a mini marker disc or leave the thrown disc on the ground where it landed. The player’s subsequent throw is made from directly behind the marked lie. Throwing Order The player with the least amount of strokes on the previous hole is the first to tee off on the next hole. After all players have teed off, the player whose disc is farthest from the hole always throws first.
18. Disc Golf Module – Rules cont’d Fairway Throws Fairway throws must be made from directly behind the lie. A run-up and normal follow-through, after release, is allowed, unless the lie is within 10 meters of the target. Any shot within 10 meters of the target requires that the player maintain balance and not move past the lie until the disc comes to rest. Mandatory A mandatory, or mando, is one or more designated trees or poles in the fairway that must be passed to the correct side as indicated by an arrow. If the disc passes to the wrong side of mandatory, either play from the previous lie or from a marked drop zone area if applicable and add a one throw penalty. Completion Of Hole A disc that comes to rest in the disc golf basket or suspended in the chains constitutes the successful completion of that hole. Out Of Bounds If any area of O.B. is visible between the disc and O.B. line, then the disc is considered O.B. A throw that lands out of bounds, must be played from a point up to 1 meter in bounds from where the disc crossed over the out of bounds line. Permanent water hazards, public roads, and most park boundaries are almost always out of bounds. Full PDGA rules: https://www.pdga.com/rules
19. Disc Golf Module - Throwing Grip • The grip will determine what throw is being thrown. For every throw, the grip of the disc must be tight, so that you can get the most amount of spin and power. Spin • To make the disc fly, we need to put lots of spin on the throw. We do this by snapping/flicking our wrist. Spin gives the frisbee lift and helps create glide. Power • Power control is important no matter what disc you’re throwing. We do this by slowing down our motion or using less force from our arms and/or legs.
20. Disc Golf Module – Throwing cont’d Once you have the 3 steps figured out, you’ll want to get into an athletic stance. Stance • Every throw is different, and the stance for every throw is different as well. • For the backhand, you’ll step with the same foot as your throwing hand (right/right). • For the forehand, you’ll step with the opposite foot of your throwing hand (left/right). • Step towards your target and release the disc towards your target.
21. Disc Golf Module – Throws Backhand • Place thumb on top of the disc with 4 fingers underneath the disc. It’s as though you are shaking hands with the disc. You do not want the index finger along the rim for the backhand. Forehand/Sidearm/Flick • Fingers in the shape of a gun - two fingers underneath, thumb pinches on top of the disc. • Squeeze disc predominantly with those 3 fingers, but also with other two fingers to stabilize disc in your hand. • IMPORTANT: focus on keeping the forearm and palm up to the sky when throwing.
22. Disc Golf Module – Throwing cont’d • Troubleshooting • Wobbling Disc • Use more wrist snap and less arm movement. You can throw the disc further than you think with just a snap of the wrist. • Disc not going straight • Point at the target you’re throwing to after you release the disc. • Disc not staying level • Keep disc flat throughout the whole throwing motion. For the forehand throw, keep palm and forearm flat up to the sky.
23. Disc Golf Module - Putting • As if you’re playing catch with the target throwing a backhand • Have everyone stand in a circle around the target and do a few rounds (3-4) where you go around the circle one at a time, getting students to putt at the target. After each round, take one step further back to increase the challenge. • Ring of Fire: After you've done a few rounds, do a group Ring of Fire, where everyone will putt at the same time. You can keep going further away after each round and challenge them. Try not to go too far away because you want to keep this a putt. • Option: Elimination version of Ring of Fire. After each round, only those who have hit the target remain in the game - keep going until only one student is left. • Option: Putt with a forehand • Option: Putt throwing the disc under their leg or with the opposite hand
24. Disc Golf Module - Driving • Have students stand about 200 feet from the basket/target and really challenge them to throw it as far as they can. For this activity, you want students to work on their max distance. • Work on backhand/forehand. • Try to have one student at a time go and unless you see something major, don't suggest too many corrections. • Mention that the world record is about 3.5 football fields (1108 feet) and mention that the roller world record is about 12 football fields (1.1 km). For sure there will be some throws that turn into rollers, so this is a good opportunity to talk about how a roller could be a good throw, depending on the ground conditions, and the hole placement.
25. Disc Golf Module - Playing • Depending on the number of students you have, create 2-4 holes so there are 5-8 students at each hole. If you need to create more than 2 holes, use trees or other targets in the area. • Set up each hole with 2 cones as the tee box and make it flow so they can go around the circuit. You could each have 2 tee boxes for each basket, depending on the number of students who show up. • Utilize the staff/volunteers - have one go with each group. • Have each hole long enough that there will be a drive, approach, and a putt. Or a long drive and a putt. • Have some fun with it - after going through a few times, have each group make up their own hole and have the other groups play the new course.
26. Disc Golf Module - WrapUp • Find out all about the courses and tournaments. • Briefly mention the PDGA and how if they're traveling anywhere in the world, they can find the closest course by going on the PDGA website – pdga.com • Alternatively – UDisc – udisc.com
27. Frisbee Club • Get kids playing, exploring, creating • Connect with other schools to have a Frisbee Meet or Disc Golf Tournament • Frisbee, especially Disc Golf, is great for Physical Distancing • Connect with me if: • You’d like to build a course in your field/town • You’d like to buy discs/baskets • You’d like me to design a customed PE Workshop for Frisbee/Disc Golf
28. Questions? • Contact • rob@frisbeerob.com • Resources • Ageless Game – agelessgame.com • Frisbee Rob – frisbeerob.com • Throw Run Catch – throwruncatch.com • Flying Disc Week – flyingdiscweek.com • Frisbee Club – frisbeeclub.com (coming soon) • Throwing Proficiency – throwto.me