How Disc Golf Has Changed Since the 1980s

From its initial creation in the 1970s, disc golf has grown exponentially. From the invention of the Disc Golf Pole Hole in 1975 to the development of the PDGA in 1976 — both of these feats were accomplished by “Steady” Ed Headrick. The 1970s also saw the creation of the first disc golf-specific frisbees, the first official disc golf course, and the first official disc golf company all within the first decade of its existence. But, what happened to disc golf and its creator, “Steady” Ed Headrick, since its initial creation in the 1970s? And where is disc golf heading in the future?

The Evolution of the PDGA in the 1980s

After developing the basis for the foundation of modern disc golfing and founding the PDGA in the 1970s, “Steady” Ed Headrick spent most of the early 1980s traveling the country promoting disc golf, selling discs and baskets, and installing courses.  He did this all while simultaneously running the PDGA and processing memberships, writing newsletters, and recruiting new members. It was during this time that “Steady” Ed decided to hold the first Disc Golf World Championships and the first PDGA pro tour.

In 1984, “Steady” Ed eventually relinquished control of the PDGA to a group of players. This was a key moment in PDGA and disc golf history alike — players would now begin to assume leadership roles in the organization. The first formal all-member election for the first PDGA board of directors was held in late 1986, which would gradually allow the PDGA to grow into around 10,000 members by the 1990s. This led to the increase of popularity of the sport, with new disc golf-specific companies developing, such as Champion Discs (now known as Innova), which was founded in 1983. Dave Dunipace, one of the founders of Innova, invented the modern disc golf disc in the same year. This revolutionary change of adding a beveled rim and making the frisbee smaller allowed the disc to be thrown with greater distance and accuracy.

Changing the Game – Introduction of PDGA Player Ratings in the 1990s

By the late-1990s, disc golf and the PDGA were growing rapidly, hosting more tournaments and events every year. Now they needed some sort of handicapping system, similar to traditional golf, in which to define what divisions players could compete in. In 1998, Commissioner Jim Challas and Disc Golf Hall of Famer, Chuck Kennedy, were discussing potential ways to avoid having to adjust the scores like golf’s traditional handicapping system.

“The problem was, there wasn’t a uniform way to move someone from one Amateur division to another. That was the basis driving my thoughts, twisting a handicap system into a rating system that could help fix this problem.”

-Chuck Kennedy

With a system in place that promoted fair and competitive divisions, the rating system was led by Chuck Kennedy, who is still leading the system today, where he is constantly working to ensure the Player Ratings are as fair and as accurate as possible.

Disc Golf’s Expansion into the 2000s

As disc golf expanded and became more popular in the 2000s, the number of PDGA memberships increased and continued to increase exponentially every year. Since 2000, the number of disc golfers has increased from 6,230 active members to 71,016 active members in 2020.

PDGA Active Members | Image: PDGA

With the number of disc golf players growing, the number of PDGA-sanctioned disc golf events grew as well. In 2020, the PDGA ended the year with a total of 3,437 PDGA-sanctioned events, despite a global pandemic, compared to 335 events in 2000.

PDGA Events | Image: PDGA

The increase in popularity of disc golf in the 2000s led to higher demand for disc golf-related products such as discs, baskets, and bags, which sparked the “disc golf revolution” of the 2000s. This also led to the establishment of disc golf power-houses such as Dynamic Discs, Discmania, Latitude 64°, and MVP — all of which were founded between 2002 and 2010. Similarly, brands such as GRIPeq and Upper Park, which only produce disc golf bags and accessories, were created out of necessity due to the influx of new players and demand for disc golf products.

Since 2015, disc golf has received more popularity and mainstream media attention than ever before due to various factors such as dozens of features on ESPN’s Sportscenter, viral videos, and James Conrad’s “Holy Shot” at 2021 Disc Golf World Championships. The COVID-19 Pandemic of 2020 affected every industry except disc golf, which has exploded in popularity throughout the pandemic. While other sports were being postponed and canceled, many turned to disc golf, which resulted in this small sport being shown on major TV networks, as well as massive PDGA membership growth, and disc golf manufacturers running out of stock. All due to the nature of the sport and being able to play outside without the need of physical or close contact with others. 

Where is Disc Golf Heading in the Future?

Disc golf is undoubtedly one of the fastest-growing sports in modern time, with more people playing, viewing, and purchasing disc golf-related products, all signs point to continuous, prosperous growth for the sport for years to come. As mentioned in “What Will Disc Golf Become?”, investing capital into disc golf-specific companies and professionals, helping create programs to promote the sport, and supporting course implementation in communities are some of the few ways disc golf can continue to expand into the future.

Paul McBeth and his Paul McBeth Foundation have helped to grow the sport in unimaginable ways, such as providing access to sustainable disc golf courses or providing portable disc golf options in areas without easy access to the sport. McBeth is often considered to be the “GOAT” of disc golf, having won an impressive 5 World Championships and 132 career wins which led him to sign an eight-figure endorsement contract with Discraft this year. His popularity in the disc golf world sets a new standard for professional disc golfers and amateur disc golfers alike by showing players what one can achieve in the sport.

“People will pursue this sport if they know they can make $10 million doing it and even better, they can make $10 million without ever having to be tackled by a 350-pound man.”

-Paul McBeth

Bringing It All Together

From its development in the 1970s to its refinement in the 1980s, to its explosion in popularity throughout the 1990s into the 2000s, disc golf has seen a lot of change since its initial creation by “Steady” Ed Headrick and will continue to mature and grow as time progresses. By continuing to promote the sport through the development of disc golf programs in schools, while supporting course implementation in local communities, disc golf could potentially be the most popular sport in the world someday.