There is plenty of room for both sports and the proof is in the numbers. DG courses continue to be installed at a fast pace and ball golf courses have difficulty staying afloat. Let’s look at some common elements between the two games.
Equipment cost – 50 dollars for an entry level bag that includes three discs. For clubs, balls and carts, ball golf costs $500 Although $500 seems like a low price, it’s still 10x the actual cost. Why pay more when the two sports are very similar?
Green fees for disc golf are free, while ball golf costs a lot. Green fees and country club memberships for golf do not come free. Some private DG courses may charge a small fee, such as $5 per day for a full-day of play. However they can be a great deal.
Playing a round takes approximately 45 minutes. There is plenty of time to have lunch. Nine holes of disc-golf can take about nine hours. Many commercial business parks have DG courses installed on their campus for employees. If there is a course nearby, weekends players can meet up with friends to play 18 holes. They’ll be back home in no time. Compare this to the average time it takes for 18 holes in ball golf, which can take up to 4-5 hours.
Walking is better than riding. 98% of disc golfers prefer to walk their course, as they are measured in yards and not feet. While 90% of golfers use their carts for driving the course, 98% choose walking. Walking to play Disc Golf is a good way of getting some exercise.
A sport for the whole family – Disc Golf is a family activity that can be enjoyed over and over again.
From an environmental perspective, consider all of the fertilizer and herbicide needed for maintaining a golf course. The high carbon footprint of disc golf is much lower than that of ball golf due to droughts and the chemicals used on fairways and greens contaminating streams and rivers. Many disc golf course are placed in parks with mowed areas or areas that don’t need any mowing.