Any ideas on how to get a community interested in disc golf?
Any ideas on how to raise money for a course in a community with no exposure to disc golf?
Thanks in advance.

Hi, IP.

I'd probably try to contact other local disc golfers first - if there are a few of you working together, you're all better off and you can at least share the effort of trying to get something going. (At the least, you'll find folks to go object golfing with).

Unless you can find someone with private property, any course would have to involve some Authority with whom you'll have to get cozy, and probably attend meetings, submit proposals, and such. Its always good if you can identify appropriate potential locations on your own, since the Authority has no clue. Find those downloadable course proposal documents on the web and make use of those.

Once you have a location and approval you can put together some sort of a public event to publicize your interests and the game. Enough nearby players with enough portable baskets, and you could do a tourney. A few baskets and a few helpers and you could do a "learn disc golf" program for the locals. A lot depends on your imagination and energy, and the circumstances of the community/location involved.

A likely source of support would be nearby clubs (whose members might welcome another course nearby) or state organizations. Even if cash isn't available, maybe you could scrounge up some free discs to give away to newbies, for example. The other parties with an interest in getting disc golf established would be the disc/basket manufacturers, and they might have useful resources or offer specials for such promotional purposes.

On reflection, I think raising money is a back-seat issue to getting a location and or official interest from the Authority (whose budgets make the "costs" of a disc golf course seem rather small, in many cases).

Of course, you could also put Disc Golf Live on local community television...

Joe

Fly 18 can do it all.

I promote disc golf in my city by taking flyers from the local store, "Disclusive", and distributing them everywhere I can!

I'd go with everything that Joe (Disc_Golf_Live) said. He's right on as far as trying to get a course on public land.

Another option, if you have the means or the guts to take the risk, is to purchase a piece of property and build your own course. Make it pay for play at a fair price and advertise, advertise, advertise. You may not make your investment back in the first year (or two or three), but with perserverence, it will work. Most of the courses in the state of Maine are a great example.

What you absolutely DON'T want to do is use Fly18. Any company whose founder and owner is quoted in a national newspaper article saying:
"Golf has allowed golfers to walk on with cutoffs and tank tops," Mr. Swinea says. "If you're willing to go that low, why not allow disc golf?"

can't be good for promoting the sport where it has previously been non-existent. You'd be far better off going it on your own.

Just my $.02

--Josh

Thanks all,
Sorry I havent responded sooner, I was away for the weekend. Joe, I already have DGL on TV here in Williamstown and I'm anxiously awaiting the second episode. I do have an in with the city, I know the director of public works. The problem is that I haven't been able to find anyone in the area who is aware of disc golf yet. I am working on my friends, but without a course its tough.
The bar that my fiance manages will play DGL on sunday nites for me, and I hope that raises some interest.

I am definitely thinking about making my own private course, Josh and I will be the first to let you know how it works out.

I have my own issues with Fly 18 and after hearing that quote, I really don't know what to do for that guy. It seems like he enjoys the sport, but just doesn't get the fact that it isn't a lower form of ball golf. Ce La Vie.

I think I'm going to start by proposing a practice hole at a public park that has enough room and is frequented by a large segment of the population and then work on the course. I do have two likely public locations, one has 15 1/2 acres with a lot of elevation and the other has 30+ acres with two rivers running through. What I need to do is drum up support for my club, Shade of Greylock Disc Golf, because right now there is only one member.

Thanks again all and may your plastic fly true. :D

Hey, Jay.

I knew you were already putting DGL on the local channel, but the shameless plug department of DGL insisted I put in a shameless plug. Its hard to fight Management, so I just gave in.

Nice to hear about the fiance's bar playing DGL, too. If the venue has space outside, maybe a putting area could be set up on Sundays as well...

Keep up the effort at finding locals to join you in your quest. I'm sure they're out there. You just haven't found each other yet.

Joe

Joe, your website says that the new episodes are done, when will they come out?

For everyone wondering about Disc Golf Live, its an awesome production made for community television stations. It just takes a couple of minutes to get your local station to put it on their scedule, and then you have disc golf on TV. You can get more info at www.discgolflive.com. (http://www.discgolflive.com.)

How's that for a shameless plug Joe? :D

Jay, you're too kind...

I got your copy and a bunch of others to the P.O. last Saturday a.m. and they're travelling first class. Should hit your mailbox tomorrow at the latest.

Thanks for helping support DGL!

BTW, it occurs to me that since you're working in the social services, a DG event of some sort might be a good potential fund-raiser for your or some other local community org. You might be able to garner some significant publicity using DG locally as a novel fundraising approach. Just a thought.

Joe

I believe the potential is there. The time to develop it is my main problem, but I'll just keep plugging away.
You did give me an idea though. The local University keeps wanting to help out the Louison House, so maybe I can kill a few birds with one stone, and get their help setting up a course for a fundraiser for our program here.
Thanx :)

For all to know this interview with Wall St Journal lasted 2 months.The writer was looking for mudd and found little.The owner of Emerald has nothing but good things to say about disc golf on his course he bought me out last year and is doing over 400 rounds per month.The Quote was one golfer asked for his money back when he found out disc golf was being played there.Do you think he wanted that printed?Some of the Quotes came from a golf course that is expermenting with disc golf with temp baskets.The design is 2 baskets per hole that is not golf.This will hold up play, ask some golfers who play behind them.Imitation is flattery....This is no imitation it wont last long.They will get what they paid for.I have a book deal and movie in the making and I can say what I want on both.Andy Whorhall said we all get our 15 min I hope to have 2 hrs it will take that long.PROMOTIONS and Fly 18 building disc golfs premier courses for the world to play on.Vision Purpose F18 ;)

So in all that rambling, is there anything that resembles a coherent statement?

I'll put up the whole paragraph from which the quote came from. Please tell me this is not the best statement you could come up with on the positives of disc golf, be it on a ball golf course or not.

The biggest push to pair the two sports has come from an Orange County, Calif., company called Fly 18, and its founder, Reese Swinea. Mr. Swinea got his start four years ago at Space Coast National Golf Course in Titusville, Fla., and has since set up baskets at about 10 courses in California, Indiana, Oregon and Texas. Mr. Swinea helped set up disc-golf holes at the par-56 Emerald Isle in California about a year ago, and now the course says it books about 400 disc-golf rounds a month. "Golf has allowed golfers to walk on with cutoffs and tank tops," Mr. Swinea says. "If you're willing to go that low, why not allow disc golf?"


The quote above was attributed directly to YOU, Reese, not some other golfer. Please explain how a statement like that is going to move disc golf forward?

--Josh

REALITY :o

So in all that rambling, is there anything that resembles a coherent statement?

I'll put up the whole paragraph from which the quote came from. Please tell me this is not the best statement you could come up with on the positives of disc golf, be it on a ball golf course or not.

The biggest push to pair the two sports has come from an Orange County, Calif., company called Fly 18, and its founder, Reese Swinea. Mr. Swinea got his start four years ago at Space Coast National Golf Course in Titusville, Fla., and has since set up baskets at about 10 courses in California, Indiana, Oregon and Texas. Mr. Swinea helped set up disc-golf holes at the par-56 Emerald Isle in California about a year ago, and now the course says it books about 400 disc-golf rounds a month. "Golf has allowed golfers to walk on with cutoffs and tank tops," Mr. Swinea says. "If you're willing to go that low, why not allow disc golf?"


The quote above was attributed directly to YOU, Reese, not some other golfer. Please explain how a statement like that is going to move disc golf forward?

--Josh



I believe it allows more freedom for ball golfers.
You will see me , riding in a golf cart at a ball golf course, wearing a collard shirt. Playing Disc Golf or not.

Please remember when Skiers used to hate Snowboarder's when they used their slopes.

Snowboarding is now in the Olympics.

Skiers are doing trick's in Halfpipes designed for Snowboarders.

You just can not limit the possibilities...................

Life is meant to be enjoyed , not restricted. :cool:

Keep playing hard. :mad: :D