Promotion to Increase Senior Participation in the Sport of Disc Golf

As previously announced, the PDGA Senior Committee, led by chairman Don Dillon, has embarked on a project to nationally reach out to encourage more members of the increasing senior population to enjoy the benefits of playing recreational and competitive disc golf. This project was divided into two parts. The first part was called the “Bottom-Up” approach where PDGA members are involved and the second part was called the “Top-Down” approach where national senior organizations are contacted and encouraged to inform their members about the benefits of disc golf.

The PDGA is pleased to announce that a document has now been produced by Don Dillon to assist members in their efforts to get more seniors involved in disc golf. This document is a small booklet with 6 chapters and 2 appendixes. It is available as a PDF file for download at the link below and consists of 16 pages.  We hope this will stimulate the membership into taking an active role in this significant promotion to encourage a happy and healthy senior population as well as an enhancement to the sport. It would be extremely helpful if the membership would report their efforts and success to the Senior Committee.

The chapters read like this:

WHY YOU (a PDGA member) SHOULD BE INTERESTED?
Here we have various reasons how adding more seniors to the sport will enhance your experience, provide additional dollars and labor for new courses, provide additional attention to the sport: etc.

WHY SHOULD SENIORS BE INTERESTED?
In this chapter, lots of medical information is provided from various national institutions, three university Professors, and other publications. This information explains specifically why exercise will help reduce the aging effects on the body and mind. The information either directly addresses the sport of disc golf activity or implies how other activities involved in exercise associated with disc golf will benefit the seniors.

SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO REACH SENIORS
This chapter offers suggestions on approaches and where to find seniors and how to approach organizations that involve seniors. It also suggests a course for enlightening seniors about the sport and why it is good for them.

CONSIDERATIONS CONCERNING SENIORS AND DISC GOLF
The physical and mental considerations of aging present special conditions which must be recognized and understood when making presentations and conducting demonstrations or instruction clinics to seniors. This chapter mentions some of these considerations, throwing strength, disc weight, number of discs required, nomenclature: etc.

SOME THOUGHTS AND SUGGESTIONS ON DEMONSTRATION AND LESSONS
Again, working with seniors requires special consideration of their ages and abilities. We all will have different ideas about how to go about teaching seniors to play disc golf. It is important to realize that they may not be interested in competition and working as hard as it is needed to win. A younger person must use teaching techniques that do not require the strength of a young person or the same goals of a younger competitive player. Demonstrations and lessons must be tailored to what is available and appropriate for the students

IDEAS FOR THE HANDS ON CLINIC
Here are some ideas about conducting the teaching sessions to take into account some of the thoughts in the previous chapter. No doubt, you will think of other lesson plans and teaching goals. What is suggested in this chapter is not set in concrete but merely suggestions to get you thinking. The ideas came from personal experience and may differ from what others have had.

Be on the lookout for a new Senior page that is currently under development at PDGA.com. Questions and comments on this document as well as other disc golf issues related to seniors can also be directed to Don Dillon at [email protected].

Promotion to Increase Senior Participation in the Sport of Disc Golf

http://www.pdga.com/files/documents/Senior%20Disc%20Golf.pdf