There is a lot of talk about what is causing disc golf to not grow, I wanted to see some talk about what is making disc golf grow. Now it is a given that certain folks here will knee jerk react to anything I offer here, and really I don't mind; but it would be interesting, and on topic, to hear about stories of success and increased levels of communication and cooperation in your local, regional, transregional or even on the national level (heck world while we're at it).

To hear about things that are actual things and actions moving us forward as a sport that have NO NEED TO BAD MOUTH other folks efforts to move us forward as a sport.

The MADC has a long history of taking steps towards better communication and cooperation as a regional club. This year is no different as we embark on a coordinated effort to take back our main schedule and set our own self-determined standards as pertains to the relationships between the various events in our very busy region. The process is about one week from our first agreed upon goal of setting standards for A Tiers, and there is more to do after that, but it is a major step in the right direction that we have come together to retake ownership of our scheduling standards to improve communication and cooperation between the large numbers of organizers within our region and thereby, hopefully, increase regional focus on each of our primary events (and free up some schedule time for more grass roots efforts to get new players out and attend to the needs of strictly local players).

So what is going on of a positive nature in your neck of the woods?

And by the way, we are acting on behalf of the PDGA, not in conflict with them. What is good for the goose is good for the gander...

Nick, I'm sure you'll dismiss this as merely a knee-jerk reaction, but any initiative of yours that concerns COMMUNICATION and COOPERATION is laughable. The number one way to move the sport forward is for you to vacate leadership positions in the regional and national organizations.

I'll bite on this hook.

I am Ben Parker and I am the Vermont NEFA (New England Flying disc Assoc.) Rep. I just signed up for the PDGA yesterday. Disc golf is making great strides here in Vermont. I will break it down...

#5) North Calais Disc Golf Assoc (NCDGA) is the oldest group of disc golfers in VT. They have built and maintain a par 64, 7100+ course that anybody who has played knows is top shelf. Their summer tournament (Vermont States, Double NEFA Points) was full with 90 participants this year. They host montly tournaments and a few other events on their private course.

#4) Discs For Kids: Ric Timmons started the organization to build mini courses (3-4 holes) at local elementary schools in central VT. He has 3 courses built that are getting a lot of use. The initial plan was for 20 mini courses and one 18 hole course. Ric has taken ill and we are all hoping for a speedy recovery. I am sure that this old tiger will find the energy to wrap up his ambitions project.

#3) In conjunction with my step-fater Greg Carpenter I am hosting 100 5th & 6th graders at Johnson State College Disc Golf Course. Greg is a Phys. Ed. teacher at Swanton Elementary School and wanted to do a field trip with his students. This is a 12 hole course and we are going to break the group in half for morning and afternoon sessions. Half the group will play disc golf with plastic generously donated by Marshall Street (http://www.marshallstreetdiscgolf.com) while the other half takes a campus tour. They switch for the afternoon session. Hopefully in the future we could build a mini course at Swanton Elementary with Discs For Kids.

#2) We had virtually doubled our NEFA and PDGA memberships this year alone. There are still only a few of us, but the greatest journey starts with a single step.

#1) Jesse Wing, Matt Alberghini and the Center Chains Disc Golf Course take the cake in VT for 2005. Hosting the Sap Bucket Open, the monthly bag tag sponsored by Rock Art Berwery (http://www.rockartbrewery.com) , and the Fall Platter 10/8/05 they have brought more people into the disc golf world in Vermont than anybody else. Their events are well run, well attended and despite the typical bad luck with the weather (which is really going to suck tomorrow) they always seem to put together a great time for an ever growing group of Vermont disc golfers.

That is something good that is happening in disc golf. The Vermont scene has grown leaps and bounds in the past year and we are only going to keep getting better. We certainly aren�t North Carolina yet, but I am very proud of the progress that we have made.

Disc golf is growing faster than baby elephants everywhere I look.

Disc golf is growing so fast, I made a disc golf joke at work today and both the new guys laughed. Normally they give you that blank look and say, "Discough?"

You made a disc golf joke? Someone laughed? Do tell.

John McDaniel, Innova receptionist, does great things to further the sport in our little community of Rock Hill. He goes to schools for demos during the school year, helps run a special olympics disc golf class during the summer, is always the first to volunteer to have a disc golf booth at local community events, why, on Tuesday he'll be out at an elementary school with a couple of pros... some Kenny and Barry guys... to try to get the kids all gung ho about disc golf. This school has it's own after school disc golf club, and they even have embroidered shirts!

John McDaniel is doing a great job getting disc golf out to the masses. Does your town have a Johnny Mac?

Every club should have 6 or 9 portable baskets that they can bring to a school for demos. Collect lots of old discs, light ones, beat ones. Then when the weather gets good, call the PE teachers at your local (or your kid's) elementary and middle school and ask if you can introduce them to Disc golf one afternoon. I've never seen a kid who wasn't excited about going outside and throwing projectiles without much teach supervision. And no team picking, everyone is equal.

When there's a community day, get a booth. get some brochures and some old DGWNs and DGMs. Bring a basket and some discs, Bring direction sheets to your nearest courses. Don't just be a bunch of guys either, get a woman and some kids there, to help further the "anyone can play" motif.

If we are at all of the community functions, people will be more receptive when you present a course proposal at the nearby park, as people will have seen this sport at their local community day.

Talk to Boy Scout troops about installing a 3 hole course at a local school. 3 baskets can turn from 3 holes into 9 holes rather easily. And you are exposing impressionable yutes to the sport. Buy extra sleeves and install the sleeves at another school. Allow the schools to swap baskets during the spring and fall. 3 baskets can now allow 2 schools the exposure of disc golf in their back yard.

Just a couple of the ideas batting around in my head.

That sounds real good. I'd like to see that in South Texas.

fly 18 the only option B.1,500 option As ;)

I'm John "Rock" Stewart. PDGA #4693. I've been pushing Disc Golf here in Amarillo and the surrounding areas of the Texas Panhandle for many years now. I have regular meetings with our local Parks & Rec. Dept. to expose the growth of this fun game to them and work with their administrators to help that growth in this area. Some of the things they really appreciate is the "Bang for the Buck" they get from Disc Golf (almost zero extra monthly costs), and the willingness of us local golfers to pitch in and help with workdays, trash pick-up, course maintenance, and charity events that we put on. Our work with the local school district PE teachers doesn't hurt our cause, either.

And that crowd down the road in Big Spring, WOW! Already two permanent courses in the ground and it is a pretty small town! Those golfers there have got a great relationship with their city council and they just continue growing.

lots of good work/ideas guys!

growing the sport is all about the kids! sun king discs installed a 6 hole course at the 450 member boys 'n' girls club in sarasota this year:
http://www.etherbinge.com/boys_n_girls.htm
we're planning our first organized event there with the help of some skypilots!

the fabulous florida tour continues to add more events each year due in part to our sweet website, thank you brian kilgore!