The following is a continuation of Day 12 to Day 15 of the 30 Day Disc Golf Plan, which is intended as a crash course for beginner players to rapidly improve their game.
If you’ve never been to disc golf course and are a bit nervous of the etiquette try and go with someone who’s played before or choose a beginner friendly course. If you want to get some practice in before you go, grab some discs of Amazon or a local shop, or if you own some frisbee discs take them to a park
Playing disc golf in a local park with your own portable disc golf basket is a great way to get into the sport and enjoy the game in a more casual setting. Disc Golf is getting so popular that some recreational parks already have installed baskets. You can just throw discs and put your jacket down as a marker. Just throw some discs and don’t worry about having a real target.
Look for a local park that has open spaces, ideally with some trees or other obstacles to add variety to the game. Avoid areas with a lot of foot traffic, as you don’t want to interfere with other park users.
Set up the basket
Portable disc golf baskets are designed to be easily set up and taken down, so finding a good spot to play shouldn’t be too difficult. Once you’ve found a spot, simply unfold the basket and secure it in place. Make sure it is firmly anchored and won’t tip over when you’re throwing your discs.
Establish a tee pad: A tee pad is the starting point for each hole. You can simply use a patch of grass or dirt as your tee pad, or you can create a more permanent tee pad using gravel or sand.
Mark your holes: Mark the position of your basket on each hole, so that you can keep track of where you’re playing. You can use a simple flag or marker, or simply memorize the position of the basket.
Start playing
Begin playing by throwing your disc from the tee pad towards the basket. The objective is to throw the disc into the basket in as few throws as possible. Keep track of your score and the number of throws it takes you to complete each hole.
Playing disc golf in a local park with your own portable basket is a great way to get started with the sport and have fun with friends and family. Just be sure to follow park rules and regulations, and always be mindful of other park users.
If you want to leave the confines of a park or you’re just ready to go to a real course here are some factors to help you choose where to go.
Difficulty
The difficulty of a course can vary greatly, with some courses being designed for beginners, while others are challenging even for experienced players. Consider your skill level and choose a course that matches your ability.
Course length and layout
Some disc golf courses are long and spread out, while others are shorter and more compact. Consider the time you have available and the level of physical exertion you’re comfortable with.
Course type
There are several types of disc golf courses, including traditional courses, woods courses, and open courses. Traditional courses are typically found in parks and have a mix of open and wooded holes. Woods courses are set in forested areas and require more accuracy and precision. Open courses are wide open spaces that are best suited for players with strong distance drives.
Course maintenance
Look for courses that are well-maintained, with clearly marked fairways and tees, and baskets that are in good condition.
Here are some open style courses, they may not be near you but the idea is to give you a general picture of the layout and what to expect.
Fountain Hills Disc Golf Course
This is a 27-hole course located in Fountain Hills, Arizona, that is known for its wide-open spaces and long holes. It features mostly flat terrain, with a few rolling hills, and is best suited for players with strong distance drives. The course is well-maintained and offers a mix of challenging and more straightforward holes.
Selah Ranch
This is a large very famous disc golf resort located in Quitman, Texas, that features a number of different courses, including an 18-hole open-style course. Selah Ranch is known for its wide-open fairways, rolling hills, and challenging wind conditions. The course is well-maintained and offers a mix of long and short holes, with plenty of opportunities for players to test their distance drives.
Milo McIver State Park
This is a popular disc golf destination located in Estacada, Oregon, that features an 18-hole course set in a wide-open park with rolling hills and mature trees. The course is well-maintained and offers a mix of long, challenging holes and shorter, more straightforward holes.
Maple Hill Disc Golf Course
This is an 18-hole course located in Leicester, Massachusetts, that is known for its wide-open fairways and rolling hills. The course is well-maintained and offers a mix of challenging and more straightforward holes, with plenty of opportunities for players to test their distance drives.
La Mirada Disc Golf Course
This is a popular 18-hole course located in La Mirada, California, that is set in a large park with wide-open fairways and rolling hills. The course is well-maintained and offers a mix of long and short holes, with plenty of opportunities for players to test their distance drives.
One of the main reasons to play discs golf is for the trees, most courses have trees to some extent as these natural obstacles are what makes the game so fun and challenging. (Read my post here on how to avoid them).
Moraine State Park
This is a popular disc golf destination located in Portersville, Pennsylvania, that features an 18-hole course set in a dense forest. The course is known for its tight, twisting fairways and challenging rough, and requires a high level of accuracy and precision from players. The course is well-maintained and offers a mix of long and short holes, with plenty of opportunities for players to test their accuracy and control.
Kensington Metropark
This is a popular 18-hole course located in Milford, Michigan, that is set in a dense forest with tight fairways and challenging rough. The course is well-maintained and offers a mix of challenging and more straightforward holes, with plenty of opportunities for players to test their accuracy and control.
Zilker Park
This is an 18-hole course located in Austin, Texas, that is set in a dense forest with tight fairways and challenging rough. The course is well-maintained and offers a mix of long and short holes, with plenty of opportunities for players to test their accuracy and control.
Governor Stable Disc Golf Course
This is a popular 18-hole course located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, that is set in a dense forest with tight fairways and challenging rough. The course is well-maintained and offers a mix of challenging and more straightforward holes, with plenty of opportunities for players to test their accuracy and control.
Hyzerville
This is a popular 18-hole course located in Peoria, Illinois, that is set in a dense forest with tight fairways and challenging rough. The course is well-maintained and offers a mix of long and short holes, with plenty of opportunities for players to test their accuracy and control.
A traditional disc golf course is a type of disc golf course that typically features holes that are shorter in length and require more accuracy and control than distance. Traditional courses are often set in parks or wooded areas, and they typically have tight, winding fairways with plenty of obstacles such as trees, bushes, and rough. These courses often have a more old-school feel, and they tend to favor players who have a well-rounded game and can execute a variety of shots with precision.
In comparison to more modern disc golf courses, traditional courses may not have as many opportunities for players to let loose with long distance drives. Instead, they challenge players to carefully navigate through tight spaces and hit precise lines, making accuracy and shot-shaping skills key components of success on these courses.
Not all disc golf courses have trees. Disc golf courses can vary greatly in terms of their layout and the types of obstacles they include. Some courses are set in dense forests and have a lot of trees, while others are set in more open areas and have few trees or other obstacles.
Disc golf courses can include a variety of obstacles such as trees, bushes, rough, water hazards, and man-made structures like bridges and retaining walls. The type and number of obstacles on a course can affect the difficulty of the course, as well as the variety of shots required to play it effectively.
While trees are a common obstacle on many disc golf courses, they are not a requirement. Some courses may feature more open fairways and longer holes that allow players to focus more on distance and accuracy, while others may have shorter holes that require more finesse and shot-shaping skills.
Ultimately, the design of a disc golf course is up to the course designer and the park or area where the course is located. The goal is to create a challenging and fun experience for players of all skill levels, and different courses may emphasize different aspects of the game to achieve this goal.
Here is a list of some of the more traditional style courses.
DeLaveaga Disc Golf Course
This is a popular 18-hole course located in Santa Cruz, California, that is considered one of the first and most famous disc golf courses in the world. The course is set in a hilly, wooded park and features a mix of tight fairways, challenging rough, and rolling hills. The course is well-maintained and offers a mix of long and short holes, with plenty of opportunities for players to test their accuracy, control, and distance drives.
Patapsco Valley State Park
This is a popular 18-hole course located in Baltimore, Maryland, that is set in a hilly, wooded park with tight fairways and challenging rough. The course is well-maintained and offers a mix of challenging and more straightforward holes, with plenty of opportunities for players to test their accuracy, control, and distance drives.
Flip City Disc Golf Course
This is a popular 18-hole course located in Shelby, Michigan, that is set in a hilly, wooded park with tight fairways and challenging rough. The course is well-maintained and offers a mix of long and short holes, with plenty of opportunities for players to test their accuracy, control, and distance drives.
Oak Grove Park
This is a popular 18-hole course located in St. Louis, Missouri, that is set in a hilly, wooded park with tight fairways and challenging rough. The course is well-maintained and offers a mix of challenging and more straightforward holes, with plenty of opportunities for players to test their accuracy, control, and distance drives.
H.B. Clark Park
This is a popular 18-hole course located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, that is set in a hilly, wooded park with tight fairways and challenging rough. The course is well-maintained and offers a mix of long and short holes, with plenty of opportunities for players to test their accuracy, control, and distance drives.
You don’t need to go t a fancy smancy disc golf course like any of the big names I just mentioned, that’s just a bit of background info on the big movers and shakers in the industry. Your local park or backyard can get you started or even a beach.
There are plenty of disc golf courses across the county (9000). Just pick your local and who knows in a years time if you decided to stay at the sport you can take a vacation to some of the bigger courses. Or head across Europe. Finland is massive for disc golf, it’s the second biggest country after the U.S. that loves the sport. Well it has the most courses outside the U.S. (1000)- so they gotta love the sport also.
Finish the 30 day plan if you can.
Disc Golf Beginners Guide Day 4 – Mid-Range Discs
The Aviar by Innova: A Beginner-Friendly Disc Golf Putter
The Best Disc Golf Mid-Range Discs To Throw
The Best Sling Bags For Disc Golf
Also if you need a good pair of shoes and don’t know what to buy check out this post here on “How To Pick The Perfect Disc Golf Shoes For You ” and if you want to be resourceful and find an alternative shoe route onto your course then this is a good one to read ” The Best Trail Running Shoes You Can Adapt For Disc Golf”