The Almighty Disc Golf Road Trip

Disc golf. Road trip. Either one of these activities conjures a spirit of adventure and fun with friends. But combine these two and you have a full-fledged quest. They are both synonymous with adventure and lend themselves to spontaneity. You never know what is around the next
corner and you must adapt to your circumstances. With this in mind, a little bit of preparation goes a long way. Disc golf road trips have four aspects that should be planned out before the rubber meets the road:

1. 1) Who’s Going?
2. 2) Supplies
3. 3) Intention
4. 4) (Flexible) Plan

These four ingredients combine to give you the recipe for a successful disc golf road trip. With a little bit of preparation and a whole lot of excitement, you will be well on your way to new and uncharted courses. Let’s take a look at how to get there.

First Things First: One BIG Recommendation

I highly recommend reaching out to disc golf clubs/organizations in areas you will be visiting. They are a wealth of knowledge across various aspects of your trip. Local clubs can help you with lodging, food, course walk-throughs, and a multitude of other helpful information. Most clubs have a Facebook page that may be set to private. In this case, simply ask to join and then pose whatever questions you may have.

By reaching out to clubs you will also make friends! I have reached out to local clubs across the country who have been incredibly helpful and more often than not someone will typically play a round with me. I have camped in yards, had homes open up for lodging, and been recommended campsites that I would have never found on my own. This also creates a relationship where you have connections for future trips to the area.

Who’s Going?

You are going to be spending a lot of time around these people. You will be enclosed in an automobile for extended hours, eating meals together, spending evenings together, spending mornings together, making coffee together; come to think of it, you will be spending all of your time together! Make sure to examine what friends you want to share your time with so you are not wanting to leave a friend on the side of the road.

Supplies

I always overpack for road trips. If I feel I will have use for an item it goes in the pack. This is one mindset and is by no means the way you should pack. What supplies you bring are very subjective. This will be dependent on how many people are going on the trip and how much room is in your vehicle. But at the bare minimum, bring these items:

• Discs
• Extra Discs
• Worst-Case Scenario Clothing for Your Environment
• Large Water Jug (at Least 3 Liters)
• Cooler for Food and Drinks
• Cash

This list is simply a place to start for essentials you might otherwise leave behind. Just remember your priceless discs, as everything else is replaceable!

What’s the Intention

Road trips take many forms. One aspect you want to make clear from the start is your intention. Have a conversation with everyone involved as to what your fundamental purpose for the trip is going to be. Is it simply to have fun? Tournament prep? Are you going to play in tournaments/leagues on your road trip? Connecting with other disc golf communities? How far will you drive? You get the idea. The more clearly you communicate your intention the more clear your map will be laid out. You are inevitably going to encounter roadblocks to your initial plan. Coming back to your intentions will help the decision-making process.

Check the schedule of courses you plan to play in case there are tournaments or leagues during the days you visit. If you do not plan to play in these competitions you should avoid these courses as they will be extremely busy and most likely closed to the general public. However, if you do want to play in these competitions it can be a great way to get to know more locals. Either way, reach out to local clubs and ask for their weekly schedule of events.

Another fun aspect of a disc golf road trip is betting and prizes. Create bets amongst your group to make each round meaningful and have overall prizes for combining scores or CTP’s (Closest to Pin’s) throughout the entirety of the trip. Get creative and come up with your own games. Make sure you download the UDisc app to keep track of all your scores. You can also make notes on your rounds and keep it all in one easy-to-find location.

Budget

One of the best aspects of a disc golf road trip is how affordable it can be. If you want to keep it inexpensive, a little bit of effort goes a long way. This is where reaching out to disc golf clubs can work in your favor. Camping is also a wonderful option for keeping your trip affordable. But if you can afford a hotel, this is a great option to keep things comfortable (and clean). This can also be even more affordable if you split a room with friends. When creating your plan be sure to be transparent on everyone’s budget. This clarity can remedy future tension in the group if the trip goes over budget.

One note for where you spend your money. Throughout your travel, try to invest as much money into disc golf-specific companies as possible. This includes lodging, restaurants on-site, gear and discs from on-site, apparel, and any other items the disc golf community may be selling. If you are going on a disc golf road trip you love the sport and are committed to having the sport in your life. Make the effort to spread your wealth out to others who have taken their passion one step further and created a disc golf business. After all, a rising tide lifts all ships.

Destinations

There are increasingly more disc golf-specific lodges and resorts across this great land. These can be a wonderful option for all-inclusive packages that make the experience easier to plan. Many of these places offer lodging, food, and many other amenities on-site with multiple courses. This is a great option for those willing to spend a bit more on their trip. But either way, I highly recommend at least playing some pay-to-play courses around the country. These courses are typically much better manicured as they have more money to invest back into the course.

This article from the good folks at All Things Disc Golf presents you with many of the finest disc golf resorts around the country (and world) as well as other destinations with various amenities. Pay-to-play courses are a wonderful option for road trips as you will get your money’s worth. These courses typically are less busy and have more passionate players on the grounds. I feel this is the next step in the evolution of disc golf as free courses are becoming increasingly popular as wait times expand.

If you are in need of inspiration for courses to play look no further than this UDisc article. They break down the 5 best courses in each state and offer a plethora of information that would be helpful for a road trip.

Conclusion

Road trips are what you make of them. Bring an open mind and a spirit of adventure and you are sure to have a great time. When you include disc golf in your trip it brings a sense of structure and accomplishment. Who doesn’t like to play new courses?! Remember to make a wise decision as to who is going, bring the right supplies, have a clear intention, and formulate a flexible plan. Then press that gas pedal and hit the open road!