Long Track Disc Golf Courses | Fluent Disc Sport Inc.

Tournament Courses

This style of course is designed around hosting 72+ players at once for tournament play and the logistics of moving them efficiently through their round. This is the first level of course that is generally designed for a dedicated Disc Golf space. Tournament Disc Golf Courses are also the first real step into the competitive side of the sport with a higher par, typically 61, consisting of multiple par 4's and at least one par 5. The length of the course grows along with the par to between 6500' and 8500', and the holes are carved wider and often with more multi-line options and risk vs reward scenarios.

Because these are longer courses with wider fairways the land requirements are also larger, requiring an average of 2-3 acres per hole, or 36+ acres. We also consider other factors during the design phase such as available parking to accommodate larger player fields, potential bottlenecks during rounds, the length of transitions between holes, and access to other amenities on site.

As one would expect with a course designed for hosting tournaments, the quality and size of tee pads is generally recommended to be better and so we focus on concrete or artificial turf throwing surfaces 10-14' long and at least 5' wide. High-quality signage with lots of directional transition arrows, and caution signs for potential galleries round out the tees and paths, and baskets rated for A-Tier tournaments or above serve as targets.

Recreational Courses

A recreational disc golf course is ideal for a wide array of locations, from municipal recreational facilities that might require multi-use, to private landowners wanting a family-friendly installation. These courses have modest land requirements, needing 25+ acres of space to accommodate the average 1-2 acres needed per hole. Recreational courses are the next step up from High Density / HD Courses and begin to introduce longer hole lengths, including par 4s. While still capable of providing the full range of tees, this size of course typically focuses on the Red and White, or Red and Blue combinations targeting novice and intermediate players, while still providing some challenge and fun for advanced players too.

A variety of different throwing surfaces, and a larger selection of baskets can accommodate a wider range of budgets, making these attractive options for towns, and parks and recreation departments. Recreational courses can be designed with multi-use in mind to maximise the safety of both players and other park users by avoiding blind throws, keeping paths away from driving zones, creating well-defined paths, and installing additional caution signs and information about the sport to educate visitors.

These courses are perfect for school groups or camps running sports programmes and can help expand opportunities for children to play more outdoor sports throughout more of the year, and even into the winter. This size of course is also well suited to older players and seniors as they are generally more accessible and on easier terrain.

Championship Disc Golf Courses

Championship Disc Golf Courses are the pinnacle of the sport, offering the broadest range of challenge, length, and variety. "Championship" doesn't necessarily mean they're not accessible to less-skilled players... in fact, it gives us the flexibility to install up to 5 sets of tees (Red, White, Pink, Blue, Gold), each tailored to a specific player skill level, giving everyone a chance to play and enjoy their game equally! If anything, these are the most accessible courses in terms of the player base they can accommodate.

Championship-level courses aim for a par of 67, which encompasses multiple par 5s, many par 4s, and rounds out with par 3s. This greater number of multi-shot holes allows for added complexity in the hole designs themselves, using concepts like risk vs reward and multiple lanes to their fullest potential.

With larger courses come expanded land requirements, but not necessarily only for the holes themselves. Championship courses, while already by their nature attractive tournament destinations, can also be more completely designed with "Major" tournaments in mind from day one, using more spread-out routing to accommodate both larger player fields and the prospective galleries of spectators. While they can be installed in smaller spaces, an ideal property would be 65+ acres. This added space allows for the integration of spectator viewing areas and corridors, media placements, and event support infrastructure.

While certain characteristics will be common across all championship-level disc golf courses, these courses offer the most flexibility to meet owners’ goals when it comes to finishes and amenities. The Fluent team will work with you to create a plan that meets all your needs and exceeds the expectations of your players and visitors!

Accessibility in Long Track Design

While full-scale courses often rely on challenging terrain, thoughtful design can still create accessible experiences within Long Track projects. This may include alternate accessible tees, modified basket placements, or routing a dedicated loop that highlights select portions of the course. By incorporating these options, larger layouts can provide inclusive play opportunities without compromising competitive integrity. Explore more about these design strategies on our Accessible Disc Golf page.