National Disc Golf Day
About National Disc Golf Day
When is National Disc Golf Day? This holiday is celebrated on the first Saturday of August
Disc Golf is a sport that just about anyone can play. People of all ages love it. It’s a fun thing to do on a warm and sunny summer day. Today is National Disc Golf Day. Once called “Tin Lid Golf”, you can play this game practically anywhere, even in your backyard. Many parks have a disc golf course where you can play for free. You’re up for a challenge, right!? Often referred to as “Frisbee Golf”, many courses are in wooded areas, making it more challenging than an open field.
When we think of flying discs, Frisbees first come to mind. However, there are many other disc designs popular when playing the sport. The avid disc golfer may have several different kinds of discs in his golf bag. There are many different kinds of drivers, mid-range discs, and putters. If you become an avid at this sport, you will need to get a golf bag to hold all of the various discs. For the rest of us, just a regular frisbee will do.
FYI: Frisbee” is a trademark of Wham-O Company. And they protect their trademark. That’s why this sport is called “Disk Golf”.
The History and Origin of the Disc Golf Game
According to legend, disc golf has its roots in Canada during the 1900s. In 1926 at the Bladworth Elementary School in Saskatchewan, Canada threw tin lids at a target circle drawn on the ground. Variations of the game evolved over the years, with many people in the U.S. and Canada playing different versions of the game. Modern disc golf arrived in the 1960s. At the time, college student George Sappenfield created the current version of Disc Golf while working as a recreation counselor. It followed the basic rules and principles, and even the terminology of golf. He believed kids would enjoy playing golf with a frisbee. He tried it out with the kids at the camp where he worked in the summer. They loved it.
Sappenfield later discovered Kevin Donnelly, another recreation counselor, was also promoting Frisbee Golf. The two approached toy company Wham-O to create a Frisbee Golf Contest. Hired by Wham-O, Sappenfield met Ed Headrick, who became another early promoter of the sport. Headrick went on to create and patent the first professional Disc Golf Course in 1975. In 1976, Headrick also created the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA). From these roots, the sport took off in popularity, eventually spreading around the world.
Disc Golf Trivia
- in 2019, there were over 50,000 members of the PDGA.
- It is currently the fastest-growing sport in the world.
- For the Record: On September 12-13, 2014, Michael Sale from Spotsylvania, VA set the world record of most holes played in 24 hours at an amazing 2,900 holes.
- This sport was once called “Tin Lid Golf”.
- There are over 6,000 official Disc Golf courses in the United States.
- Ancient Greeks thew a disc, called a “Discus” in ancient Olympic games. The goal of this game is strictly distance.
- Professional disc golfer Paul McBeth won four straight World Championships (2012-2015).
How to Celebrate and Participate in National Disc Golf Day
Participation in this day is easy. And, it’s fun. Here are some ideas on how to celebrate and participate in National Disc Golf Day:
- Get a group of family or friends together and go golfing.
- Buy frisbees and give them out to people.
- Add to your collection of discs to play the game.
- Buy a disc golf cart with wheels to carry around all of those discs.
- Introduce someone to the game who has never played before.
- Set up a temporary course for physically impaired individuals. Yes, it can be played indoors from a wheelchair.
- If you live in the city, set up a temporary course in an empty lot. Invite and encourage neighborhood youth to play.
- Hold a disc golf tournament complete with prizes.
- Help to spread the popularity of Tin Lid Golf.
- Take pictures of your group playing the game and place them on social media.
Today's Quotes
“A hobby a day keeps the doldrums away.” – – Phyllis McGinley
“May the course be with you.” – – Author Unknown
History and Origin of National Disc Golf Day
In 2016, the Minnesota PGDA created National Disc Golf Day to commemorate the American Flying Disc Golf Open. It also promotes the sport of disc golf.
We did not find any documentation confirming this to be a “National” day. There are no congressional records or presidential proclamations.
Definition of “National” Days – and why it is so important to distinguish and identify true national days.
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