I`ve heard a lot of opinions about the directions our sport should take .Widely varying Ideas and opinions have been expressed.Some I agree with,a few disturb me.All have some value in at least getting new thoughts out in the public eye.This said,what is your well thought out idea for growing the sport?Got a plan you think would work?Me, I`m a grassroots kind of guy.Build the membership to build it`s appeal to those wishing to spend add dollars.How do YOU think we should proceed? Be prepared to defend your plan.

A definition of "growing" might be helpful. More people playing, more courses? That's happening now. More people in tournaments, bigger tournaments? Also happening now, though perhaps we can accelerate it. ESPN and millionaire star players? Some think this should be the goal.

I'm in the second camp---a steady increase in the number of events, the number of competitors, the number of larger and classier events, the financial structure. I'm a grassroots guy too, and believe we accomplish this by moving forward on all fronts.

I applaud those with vision to offer and demonstrate new and hopefully better formats. That's the USDGC & Marshal Street, Bowling Green's size, the Memorial going trophy-only for Ams (rumored), Pete May's collegiate competition, ratings-based mid-nationals, match play, etc., and facilities like Highbridge, IDGC, Fly 18, as well as the increasing number of gold courses & private courses.

A few thoughts in this direction---
(1) Treasure the TDs, especially the good ones.
(2) Encoursage and support the innovators.
(3) Don't pit one group of players against another. Grow across the board. Grow Rec. Grow Pro.

In a more specific vein, at the grassroots level---get more kids involved.

I don't think the current tournament model works for many, other than the children of adult players. It's a full day or full weekend, almost always out of town, with few other kids present.

Disc golf in schools is good, though I don't know how well it translates to kids playing outside of school. (There are no such programs around here, so I simply have little direct knowledge).

I'm thinking of a program modeled more like other youth sports. Weekday evenings or Saturday mornings, two hours or so, team-sized groups of 8-20, with regularly scheduled and structured practices (driving, putting, etc.) and single competitive rounds. Enough kids at a time that they are playing with friends, not adults.

If we got kids involved this way, do you think they'd buy stuff and support vendors? Go watch "star" players at tournaments? Grow up into tournament players in their mid to late tees? Become big stars with the advantage of much earlier starts at the game?

Perhaps the PDGA can offer a cut-rate membership for non-tournament-players under a certain age---including a magazine subscription.

All something I'd love to do and have contemplated a number of times, but it's doubtful I'll ever have the time myself. I'd love to know if anyone out there is doing anything similar, and how it's working.

Some great ideas, you guys are right on!

The EDGE program is (non-profit) targeted for schools and youth programs, BUT it is really open to anyone who wants to make a difference in "Growing the Sport". We have packages and can customize packages to fit almost any need one has.

Our "BASIC" package includes:
--(3) Traveler collapsible baskets
--(30) DX discs of choice, but for youth special 130 gram Sharks or new Sonic
--(30) EDGE mini's
--(30) Skillshot Award Patch sets
--EDGE Curriculum full of ideas, games and plans to help teach the game
--EDGE DVD (awesome visual instruction w/ Climo, Dunipace, Reading's, Schweberger and others)

We can get you this package delivered for $699.95, maybe less depending on program. This same package would retail for $1095.00.

If it sounds like a lot, run a charity event or EDGE raffle and raise some funds to grow the sport.

I invite serious inquiries to contact me with their youth program proposal and let's get it going.

GET YOU SOME, Jay Reading

Thanks, Jay. One more innovative program, helping grow the sport. Perhaps needs more publicity so more of the people who could use it, know about it.

Question---and it's a down-the-road-question---does it come in a package without the baskets, for parks that have courses, or where local disc golfers already have plenty of portables to use?

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One thing to recognize is that we are already doing successful things to "grow" the sport. When I started 11 years ago, my little state of South Carolina had 2 courses and 3 tournaments a year. We now have 33 courses, with more under construction, and 21 sanctioned events, plus inumerable nonsanctioned ones. Among these are a one-division event with a $15,000 first place, a unique match-play single-elimination-bracket event, a youth event with a huge turnout, a novel collegiate competition, and an am-only event with enough merchandise that last placed left with more value than their entry fee. Not to mention what's going on within 10 miles of our border in Charlotte and Augusta.

So let's try as many new and better ideas as we can come up with....but not forget that we're already doing lots to "grow" the sport.

we organize several disc golf days each year with 50-100 baltimore city rec center kids at druid hill dgc. not only does it expose lots of kids to dg, it helps keep us in good graces with the parks department. photos here. (http://www.sharkysshots.com/thumbnails.php?album=50) they each get a 150g shark to keep, and many look forward to coming back. even if it's just 1%, i'm looking forward to seeing if they turn into regulars as they get older.

http://www.sharkysshots.com/albums/userpics/10002/normal_druidkids20029.JPG

I heard a lot of the 'top pros' @ USDGC taking about how it is all about the kids (and I'm in agreeance).

That being said... is there any possibility for the PDGA/EDGE to give a college scholarship to 1 or 2 disc golfers? When it was announced that EDGE was getting over 90K @ the USDGC i figured it is something they could work into the budget possibly.

Here's the idea (without going into details too much).

-Student would have to be a PDGA member
-Would have to apply (or course) by stating disc golf past and future plans (along w/ academics, etc).
-put together a plan to start/continue a disc golf club on campus and plan to hopefully run weekly and/or monthly tournies for the general student population (and possibly the city) with a goal of growing the sport.

The $$ would of course be for the students education and the DG Club $ would be from the college (almost all colleges have quite a bit of money available to organized/recognized clubs like this)

It would be a yearly scholarship and would be paid every semester based on the continuation of the club, the students good standings w/ the school, and continued pdga membership.

I would also hope and like to think that this would be a substantial amount of $ ($2500 semester?) in order to add legitimacy to the sport and cause. In addition, the PDGA would/could hold their hand and be available as a resource for helping with starting the club, setting up tournaments or even putting in a course in the area or on campus.

Its great getting to the kids @ the young age... and a lot start to play in college but I feel there is a big disconnect at that time with the actual disc golf scene.

This Junior Disc Golf Foundation (http://www.jdgf.org) is giving a $1,000.00 scholarship in 2008. They gave $500.00 this year to help some kids get to the worlds. They don't have the backing of any of the disc manufacturers, only a couple of individuals and a couple of tournaments that give about $100 - $300 to the foundation each year.

3 years ago Jay said that "....EDGE just doesn't see any way to work together, but if you want to promote EDGE we would appreciate it.....".

The JDGF does not have any ill feeling toward Jay or EDGE, but we did want you to know this scholarship is out there and will continue to grow.

The JDGF pays no staff, it is run on a volunteer basis. There is virtually no overhead, except the cost of the accountant we use. Approximately 99% of all donations go straight to disc golf grants and scholarships.

Please do not get the wrong idea about this post. The JDGF would like to see EDGE in every school in the country and have it a choice of high school athletics.

We just want you folks to know that there is someone out there awarding kids scholarships and if the funding/donations were available, the scholarships would be bigger. It is all about the money being donated to the cause.

Outside sponsorship would be huge.

I`m happy to see that my vision of "growing the sport "seems to start in the same place.Many people feel that disc golf is ready to make the leap into "the big leagues".I`m not sure we are quite strong enough in numbers to accomplish this ...yet.I do feel we are close and getting closer ,but if we don`t continue to interest more new players this process will take longer.Want to increase awareness in your area?Take a kid to the park, take a scout troup,teach someone.More players= a stronger sport. You don`t have to "run" a tournament. Just involve 1 new person a week .Think of the benefits that having a good experience at the course brings to the new player and keep it real.You want them to come back and become the next group of leaders in our sport!As a bonus,you`ll learn more about your game teaching others than you ever could just playing. :cool:
yeah I like competing ,but to achieve a workable economy based around disc golf , like being able to make a real living is only going to happen through numbers.At the rate the sport is growing , Disc Golf Course Pro, a retirement income dream job might just be possible! But only through an effort to increase sport influence and involvement IN YOUR TOWN.

That being said... is there any possibility for the PDGA/EDGE to give a college scholarship to 1 or 2 disc golfers? When it was announced that EDGE was getting over 90K @ the USDGC i figured it is something they could work into the budget possibly.



I certainly WISH EDGE had gotten $90,000. The correct amount is $25,000, most of which will go to operating costs and continued curriculum development. Previous grants from USDGC and Augusta Worlds paid for the the production costs of the new EDGE DVD.

Some sort of scholarship program is on the horizon for EDGE, but the horizon is further away than we'd like.

One plan under consideration is to have a competition between disc golfers from EDGE Partner Schools. Prizes might be in the form of scholarships that would be place in a Trust Account for payment directly to the school of the player's choice at the time necessary.

Maybe someday.

Jon Lyksett
Exec. Director, EDGE

thanks for the info Jon... and I coulda swore that Harold announced 90K and change for EDGE (maybe he was talking about through the year?) ... either way thats great that you got 25K!! :)

and i like the idea for the partner schools but I still strongly feel like the big difference will be at the college level and I was wondering if the scope of EDGE would go that far or if you are primarily concerned with elementary and lower schools?

also good to know that someone has started a scholarship foundation out there... as far as the guidelines for scholarships... i didnt see any on the website (sorry if its there and i missed it) and was wondering if you can list those?
Is this only for graduating seniors or can kids already in college apply?

thanks and things like this are definitely helping this sport go in the right direction!!!!

Here's an idea I'm trying myself John. The idea is to encourage pre-college age teens to excel at disc golf and encourage them to attend college and hopefully spark interest in disc golf at their prospective colleges. I'll bet there are more than a few 16-19 year olds and a few younger teens who this would work for.

If anyone younger than 20 "cashes" at a PDGA event, they could turn down the award, but ask the promoter to make an equal contribution to a scholarship fund that they can eventually use for the college of their choice, but not for other purposes. Additionally, one could seek out an organization/organizations that would provide matching funds for such a scholarship. In my case, that organization would be me, but I think it would be a great idea for some sort of corporate sponsor.