Our Golf Roots

At Fluent Disc Sport, the game of golf has always been more than just sport—it’s a family tradition, a shared language, and a way to appreciate the natural world. While neither my father nor I played competitively, golf was how we connected. From an early age, I was introduced to the game through long walks on the course with him—what we fondly called “spending four hours in one of the most beautiful parks around.” Those hours shaped more than just my swing—they taught me about rhythm, patience, and the quiet precision that defines the technical side of play. That appreciation would eventually carry over into disc golf, and the passion I bring to designing its courses today.

Our family's connection to golf runs deep. My uncle, Michael Farley, was a lifelong golfer whose love of the game was rooted in both tradition and personal connection. In his later years, he reflected fondly on how that love had been nurtured by both of his parents—Phil and Ruth Farley—whose influence shaped not only his perspective, but the entire family’s relationship to the sport.

Phil Farley, my grandfather, is a member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and a towering figure in amateur golf history. Finishing as the low amateur five times in the Canadian Open, A six-time Ontario Amateur Champion and two-time Canadian Senior Champion, he was one of Canada’s most accomplished amateur golfers during the mid-20th century. But Phil’s legacy extended beyond the fairways. He served as President of the Royal Canadian Golf Association (RCGA) in 1967 and helped shape the governance of the sport across the country. His enduring commitment was honoured with the establishment of the Phil Farley Memorial Trophy—still awarded today at the Canadian Senior Men’s Interprovincial Championship.

Less documented but no less impactful was my grandmother, Ruth Farley, whose involvement in Canadian golf helped foster the family’s passion across generations. Though much of her work remains in the background of recorded history, she was known for her presence and support in the sport’s administration—especially during the era when Phil led the RCGA. Together, they instilled not only a love of play, but a sense of stewardship for the game and its values.

Though I’ve taken a different path into disc golf, the roots remain the same. The joy of walking a well-designed course, the challenge of a shot shaped to meet the land, and the belief that golf—of any kind—is most powerful when it connects people to nature and to each other. Fluent Disc Sport was born from that belief, and from a personal legacy of respect for the game.

Designing disc golf courses isn’t just my career—it’s a continuation of that family story. And every time I step onto a fairway, whether it holds a basket or a pin, I carry that history with me.

- Kevin Farley