Disc Golf Solutions

Municipalities, Chambers & BIA's

 

We promote the concept of the 3 E's, where disc golf is Economical, Ecological, and Enjoyable. These traits are why the sport has grown so quickly and why it continues year after year to realize huge gains in both players and courses around the world.  These traits are also why disc golf is an easy sell to municipal boards and committees, parks and recreation departments, and businesses. As of 2024, nearly 90% of the worlds disc golf courses are free to play! That's because the majority of courses are installed by municipalities, business improvement areas or chambers due to their relative low cost and high benefit to their communities!

Let's unpack these traits a bit and understand fully why they mean so much to these groups.

Economics

You simply can't argue with the economics of Disc Golf, either from a players perspective and any perceived barriers to entry, or from the land owners perspective and the cost of building and maintaining a course. Like soccer, the most popular recreational sport in the world, there is virtually no barrier to entry, a single disc is all any player needs to try the sport and these can be purchased for as little as $10. Stocking the local libraries or information centres with loaners is also a minimal expense for areas that want to promote their recreational resource. Other than a disc, there is no specialized equipment required to get out and play.

For the land owner, when comparing the cost of a disc golf course design and build to that of new sport courts, playgrounds, or field sports, the savings become jaw dropping. Equipment is limited to targets, and infrastucture is a mix of sign posts and optionally tee pads. Disc golf is played above the ground, not on it, and so there is very minimal ground work outside of tee areas is required when compared to the work required to prepare a field or a space for paving, etc. For courses in the woods, maintenance can be as little as checking for deadfall and clearing fallen debris from the playing space. For courses with open spaces, maintenance is typically limited to keeping grass mowed to 2-4 inches / 5-10 centimetres. Like any other outdoor recreational resource, ensuring you are providing a safe space will require some work, but no more than any other recreational option, and often much less, particularly in shoulder seasons with less growth.

Like other competitive sports, disc golf also has a potential for return on investment. There is a reason that many private land owners are turning to disc golf as a business, and it isn't simply greens fees! Tournament, and league play can be a consistent source of use and user fees. Tournaments can supply land owners with registration or booking fees, and there are many opportunities for other bolt-on services to support the large groups that travel to compete. Economic impact goes well beyond direct fees though; travelling players will also spend money in the local economy supporting local businesses like food and beverage, grocery, fuel, accommodators, equipment or clothing stores, etc. in turn leading to increased tax revenues.

Ecological Footprint

Disc golf courses come in many shapes and sizes, there are short track courses that include temporary, event, or compact courses, and then there are larger long track courses which include recreational, tournament, and championship style layouts. Regardless of the size, when designed and installed properly, the environments that these courses are installed into can actually be improved. Our goal at fluent is to give back more than we take from the spaces we have the privilege to work with. As we stated above, disc golf is played above the ground and not on it, so other than removing tripping hazards and adressing any potential soil compaction or drainage issues, there is very little impact to the land itself. When we select trees for trimming or removal, we also look first at the health of the forest, the variety of species and their different tollerances, and how best to ensure the long term viability of what we choose to keep. This will often result in improved wildlife corridors, expanded food sources for local fauna, and new habitat when trees are bucked and stacked out of the way. Disc golf courses don't require any pesticides or other harmful substances to keep them in playable shape, after all, our end goal is to be playing in as natural a setting as possible!

Enjoyment

When looking at the demographics of disc golf players, our sport enjoyes one of the longest age ranges there is, if not the longest. As soon as children can hold a disc they can play, and the movement and outside time is ideal for all of us as we grow and age. Really, who doesn't like throwing frisbees? Tournaments regularly offer age protected divisions for players starting at 6 years old, and going all the way to 80+. Our specialized skills development and compact courses can even be ADA/ACA/AODA compliant meaning even those with mobility difficulties can enjoy the sport! There is simply no better way to serve tax payers than with a sport that appeals to quite literally every one of them!

 

What size makes sense?

There's no quick answer to this, the reality is that it depends on your goals. If there are no courses in your region, then it would make the most sense to start with a skills development / compact course, or a recreational course that serves a broad set of player skill levels. If surrounding areas are offering enough of this kind of play and you're looking for a larger economic impact or return on investment, there's no reason that a municipality can't invest in a tournament or championship style course if its supported by the numbers. At the end of the day, we need to look at the business case for each size of course and help you make an educated decision about what impact each type of course can have in your specific situation.

Course Spectrum: From Local Impact to Tourism Destination

 

 

We would be happy to discuss what the right solution is for your situation, contact us today to discuss your project!