From Golf to Disc Golf: Make your golf course profitable in a beat

Golf is rapidly becoming a dying sport. Why? Much of this has to do with the excessive costs and maintenance necessary to keep the green looking excellent. The equipment used in golf is also extremely expensive, which often deters new prospects from joining the game. Also, golfing clubs are often exclusive, preventing the sport from becoming an any-man or -woman sport. It is a shame to put those perfectly manicured courses out to pasture and even a disaster for those who have their livelihoods tied up in the sport.

Disc golf has become a viable alternative to raising golf club fees and prices to play. In fact, this simple addition to any golf course can raise the revenue dramatically, even in the first year of implementation. Though ball golf courses are slowly but steadily decreasing, managers and owners of private and public golf courses can take advantage of the easy increase of revenue that disc golf provides.

RETURN ON INVESTMENT

You have likely heard of this term many times if you are a financial wizard. Even if you are not, this term represents the bread and butter of developing a sound business structure. Every action you make in a business has a corresponding reaction, so it only makes sense to invest in something that will more than just pay for the additional costs.

Disc golf provides an excellent alternative to a major makeover of your disc golf. Disc golf essentially only needs the use of baskets made for disc golf and the aid of a professional to give your course that extra umph. Creating courses is fairly cheap, and the professionals at RAD Creations do all of the work for you.

But let’s get down to money. If you are already struggling, what gives us the right to say that adding a disc golf will solve all your problems? Well, it won’t. Not at first. However, you will see a significant increase in sales from revenue that comes just from a golf course.

A golf course near Rochester, New York were heading for bankruptcy when the managers heard about disc golf, back in 2011. Though there were a few regulars who attended weekly, most players found that they could not keep up with the financial strain, and quit coming. The courses were searching for new sources of income when they decided to add disc golf to their courses. With the low cost of installation, it seemed like the perfect solution to compensate for the drop in revenue.

They began to charge the customers $5.00 to attend the disc golf course. Though the price for attending the exclusive disc golf course could not equal of the revenue made from ball golf courses, they were able to make an additional $9,000 that year with very little advertising. The cost for creating and maintaining the disc golf course in conjunction with its new disc golf course was far below the price for which it was constructed.

Likewise, three disc golf courses were also feeling the strain from many years of lowered revenue. They, however, decided to create their own disc golf courses from traditional ball golf courses in the early 2000s. Nearly ten years later, they saw a wide upswing in prices. They charged only $3.00 for entrance into any of the three parks, but by the end of the tenth year, they received over $92,000 in additional revenue.

It is important to remember that neither of these businesses received that sort of funding over night. In fact, they had to advertise for the space and encourage others, both young and old, to try something they would enjoy.

LAUNCHING YOUR COURSE

Though there are many success stories when converting a traditional golf course into a dual-function course, remember that there are several obstacles to overcome to begin taking in revenue, just as there is for any profitable enterprise. The setup requires a fair bit of thought, from design to implementation to operation. Luckily, we are here to help you get started.

Design: Australia has some of the best disc golf designers in the world, and they are absolutely necessary to create a disc golf course that will keep people coming back again and again. Professionals work with your landscape and make the land work for you. From challenging aerial shots to conservation of independent disc golf and traditional golf games, RAD Creations gives your golf course more of what makes it great.

However, before construction can begin, a professional team must visit and survey your land to avoid possible pitfalls on the land. Safety is one of the top priorities to any RAD Creations professional, so they make the best of the already beautiful landscape.

Disc and traditional golfers also do not get along at first. When someone encrouches on your territory, it is difficult to shrug off the intrusion. Disc golf course designers look for the best way to allow both disc golfers and traditional golfers to play according to their preferences. Professional designers look for ways to prevent game interruption from either side.

Implementation: Luckily, implementation of disc golf courses are easy. In fact, your disc golf course designers will point you to the costs and the locations for installation. The majority of this work was already done in the design phase. However, remember that you may have to close down the golf course (or at least sections of it) while you prepare to install the equipment.

Operation: Once you have successfully completed the installation of the disc golf course, the next step is to begin operations. Start small by charging your customers low costs to interest those who are new and entice those who have been playing for a long time. Most disc golfers will not pay above $7.00, so be aware of the prices you charge.

Begin to market by sharing information on Facebook, Instagram, and any other social media you already use. Encourage tournaments, and set aside part of your traditional golf shop for disc golf. You may be surprised how many people lose their discs and are itching for others.

Creating a disc golf course will ultimately draw in a new line of people with little or no cost to you. Disc golf is not just for people who are already fanatics. Make the most out the rising trend of disc golf and follow your passions!

By Mikaela Ashcroft|2020-02-17T11:03:11+08:00February 22nd, 2020|How to Activate Courses|0 Comments

How To Boost Your Disc Golf Club’s Exposure Through Social Media

It doesn’t matter if you’re just starting your disc golf club or you’ve been established for a while, the goal of players around the world is simple and clear – to grow the sport. The easiest and most obvious way to accomplish this is within your very own community, but aside from word of mouth and the occasional post to your personal Facebook page, how can you really get others involved in your group?

The use of social media in today’s day and age cannot be underestimated, and today we’re going to look at some of the basics when it comes to creating and using both Facebook and Instagram to boost the exposure of your local club.

Getting Started

Before creating your social media channels, it’s important to make sure your disc golf club has a name that’s recognizable. If you’ve been referring to yourself as “Bob’s Disc Golf Club” you may not gain as much traction online as if you branded with the name “Disc Golf Club of Newtown” or something to that effect.

Once your name is dialed in, set up your Facebook and Instagram accounts using handles that are as close as you can get to your club’s name. If @discgolfclubofnewtown isn’t available on Instagram, try something like @dgcofnewtown as an example. You want players to be able to find you easily!

Getting Creative

It can be overwhelming to know where to begin when it comes to social media, as tons of informative articles can be found that guide you on all of the do’s and don’ts. Instead, we thought we’d break it down into a simple list of things to focus on:

Let your photos do the talking on Instagram. Crafting a solid caption is great, but it’s really those eye-catching images that people want to see. Facebook is a bit of a different creature, where the value your content delivers holds much more weight.
Hashtags, hashtags, hashtags. It can’t be stressed enough if you want to grow your disc golf club’s exposure. Studies show that an Instagram post with zero hashtags will receive an 18% interaction rate for every 1,000 followers, but bump that up to 11 hashtags and now you’re looking at 79.5% engagement!
Tagging other accounts and sharing their stories or posts is another way to expand your audience, but make sure to only do so if it makes sense for your club. Too much sharing could take on a bit of a spam feeling if you catch our drift.
In today’s world of short attention spans, the story feature on both Instagram and Facebook can come in quite handy. Rather than making people scroll through a long feed to find your post, you can take a short video talking about an upcoming tournament or asking for volunteers to help clean up a course.

Social media can be time-consuming if you let it, but once you get your club’s account up and running, it only takes a few hours per week to really build up a steady following of people. With the goal of growing the sport around the world, why wouldn’t you want to show off all of the hard work and love your club has for disc golf?

By Courtney Elder|2020-01-15T16:00:26+08:00January 16th, 2020|How to Activate Courses|0 Comments

Show me the money! Get a grant to fund your next Disc Golf adventure

Money that grows on trees and sprouts from the ground like daisies. Wouldn’t that be an ideal way to earn some extra cash? Unfortunately, many feel as though disc golf courses and activities are out of their reach in their areas due to the lack of funds. But here at RAD Creations, we want to let you know that coming up with the money to pay for a disc golfing location or event shouldn’t be outside the realm of reason. If you’re looking for money to fund your next disc golfing venture, check out these tips to come up with the money.

Tips to get you started

It isn’t enough to simply want to create a disc golf course; you have to put in the effort. That should be a given, right? Associations like the PDGA, ADG, and local clubs can provide funding to keep disc golf alive and thriving. But how do you know you can get funding from these programs? Here are a few ways to get you started writing your grant proposal.

Understand your Audience: If you’re writing to get money, you should know about the organization to which you are writing. Take a moment and check out their websites and what they require to accept your proposal. The PDGA has its own set of guidelines for accepting applications, and the link provided leads you right to the application. Among others, here are some of the bulleted items the PDGA expects from proposals:
- Proposals should support the mission of the PDGA Innovation Grant Program.
- Applicants may request cash, PDGA memberships, PDGA merchandise or a combination of the three with a total value not to exceed $1,000.
- Project ideas should be innovative and unique.
- Project ideas should help grow the sport by encouraging increased participation for players and/or spectators.
- Innovation Grants will not fund the design, development, and/or installation of a disc golf course.
Produce Evidence: Just like any good paper, you’ve got to let your audience know why you need the money. This link takes you to a website that lets you know what hardships may warrant a grant. Poverty, social protection, and health are great indicators that you can start on a grant for your area soon.
Show Your Ability to Change: It’s not enough to simply provide evidence about why you could use a grant. Show the board how you can change your environment! Testimonials from previous grant recipients show that they want to improve their surroundings, not only through building a disc golf course but by improving the community through the sport. These are just a few ideas on what others have done to get you started.
Provide a Means to Accomplish Your Work: Explain your budget and what the money can do for making your dream become a reality. Be aware that grant-givers like to know how far their money will go toward a better future.
Find an Incorporated Disc Golf Club and Pro: Pros have connections. We all know this. Larry from down the way will definitely want to help you introduce people to disc golf, and he knows the ropes. A club wants to help because of the prospective income, which means that they’ll be the ones to talk to about writing a grant. Find out who you need to connect to within the club, which includes councilors or the sports and recreation departments. You also usually need to connect with an incorporated club to get a grant, anyway.
Choose a site: Find locations that work well with your proposed activity. It is important to have a list of prospective sites that are possible to maximize the likelihood of receiving the grant.
Write a Proposal: We’ve mentioned everything you’ll need in a proposal, so get to writing! If you feel like you’re not up to snuff with proper linguistics, that’s okay! The people at your club will love to help you get started. These websites here and here are just a basis for letting you know how to write your best grant. Remember, writing a proposal for disc golf is a team effort to make the most of your location for people around your area and maybe around the world!

When writing a proposal, be sure to mention everything about your community that invites change for the better. Disc golf associations love to help people accomplish their desires to change a community with disc golf. So, get out there and make it happen!

By Mikaela Ashcroft|2019-12-28T10:35:52+08:00December 28th, 2019|How to Activate Courses|0 Comments

How To Ensure The Growth of Disc Golf

an image of poeple playing disc golf

Even though local councils put sport expenditure into their budgets for communities, many people take it upon themselves to build a disc golf course for free. Camps and resorts also cut corners on important components like course design, but at what cost? It has been well documented that there have been incidents caused by people who have taken setting up courses into their own hands. Disc golf is an amazing sport, but designing and delivering a course is a big responsibility. Without professional consultation it can spiral out of control quickly. A professional is necessary to providing a safe environment for everyone, and RAD provides a service that is necessary to those who want to safely build the sport.

Since disc golf provides millions with fun and a needed break, keeping the record clean is essential to continued growth. Our RAD team of professional designers and project managers focuses on keeping environments safe for everyone.

WHY YOU SHOULD GO FOR A PROFESSIONAL

an image of two man standing in the middle of a disc golf park

Some tend to think that setting up their own disc golf course is cheaper and easier than hiring a professional, but this kind of thinking results in poorly planned designs and possible injury to players and other park users.

Local councils provide the opportunity for growth in many ways, including sports. Budgets include expenditure on projects that benefit the community, so finding the funding should not be an issue. Councils who invest in hiring a professional can take solace kin knowing the project is being handled correctly will result in a course that will stand the test of time.

RECREATION ACTIVITY DESIGN

an image of papers and designs of a disc golf course

RAD employs two full-time employees and hosts of contractors, both equipped with experience spanning years, and they are highly dedicated to the sport. Our goal is to keep funds coming into the disc golf community, supporting all our members. The purpose of RAD is to create an environment that encourages disc golf to old hats and those who are new but interested with safe installations and designs for generations to come.

Our company’s and sister companies’ funding goes directly back in to growing the sport. We believe in providing a foundation for all disc golfers, and providing locations where everyone can enjoy the sport is just the tip of the iceberg. We also offer employment to people who love the sport and want support of local events, all in the name of disc golf.

If you’re looking into starting a disc golf course, consult a professional. RAD provides excellent products and services which will make your journey a snap. We also provide articles for petitioning your local councils for starting a disc golf course!

Don’t take the chance on an unsafe design when you can have a course that stands the test of time. Continue the good name of disc golf and ask a professional!

By Mikaela Ashcroft|2019-10-07T23:14:00+08:00September 9th, 2019|Disc golf basket design, How to Activate Courses|0 Comments

How to Promote Your Course After Installation

Course designers, like those at RAD Creations, do an excellent job of putting your needs first when it comes to the design and local advertisement of a new course. The heavy lifting is done, so where to go from there? Visionaries that are exceptionally excited about starting a new course sometimes shrink when it comes to continual promotion, but it doesn’t have to be difficult.

START SMALL

Just like every other part of your plan, first focus the majority of course promotion in your own town or community.

Open the Course: This should be easy, right? Well, it can be! Do you remember those Facebook pages and community websites you used to promote the completion of your project? Keep using those! Many successful, new disc golf courses begin with a simple Facebook page to get people interesting in visiting your course. Community pages for disc golfers made on websites can not only continue, but blossom.
Bringing Friends and Family: When starting your promotion, think of the people that got you there. How can you support those around you like they supported you? Many who can’t afford discs need help starting out. Consider spending a little extra cash to have communal discs, at least for the first few weeks.
Come and Try Day: Invite people to find out about disc golf! One of the best ways to encourage people to support your course is to get them to try disc golf. Those who fall in love with the sport act as beacons for your course, promoting freely on various social media sites and by word of mouth.

GOING LOCAL

Once you’ve handled the basics, think about actively promoting in your community. Many websites and local outlets are perfect for bringing adults and kids alike to your course.

Schools: Local schools are an excellent location for promotion. Even if you don’t visit individual classes, setting up fliers for events and merchandise is likely to turn some heads. Advertising a family-friendly event is also a great way to involve those in disc golf. Administrators and students alike will love to see continued community support and growth.
Community Groups: Remember when we mentioned Facebook? Well, your disc golf page isn’t the only source for the community. Local organizations and businesses can post on their websites or on Facebook as well!
Local Newspaper: Local newspapers are the perfect platforms to promote disc golf. Not only are advertisements free to cheap, they also reach people in areas you might not expect. Local newspapers are also commonly located outside shops and on the street, so anyone might see your ad!

PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES

Once your course is more established, promoting to communities outside your own helps establish your course as a destination location.

Run Leagues: Go beyond simple advertisements by setting up a league in your area. Leagues get people interested, and establishing days for league members will promote others to take the plunge.
Run Tournaments: Just about the ultimate goal for any disc golf community is a tournament. People from around the country come to play your game! Community support to promote a tournament is highly beneficial to them as well because tournaments promote economic upturn. How would you like your business promoted through massive visitor inflow?
The Fathering Project: The Fathering Project is Australia-based and made for children all over the country. Through volunteers, father figures work with children to show how important fathers are to a child’s life. The organization offers support for projects and events that encourage fathers to participate in children’s lives, theirs and others. Check out their website to find out how you can participate!

There are many ways to contribute to the promotion of your disc golf course, and you don’t have to do it alone! Friends and family offer free advertisements through word of mouth and online. Take the time to visit local hubs, and, when you’re ready, take the leap to the country!

By Mikaela Ashcroft|2019-10-07T23:14:25+08:00August 13th, 2019|Frisbee golf course design, How to Activate Courses|0 Comments

Let us Share your Event!

No matter what type of organization you’re involved in, trying to get the word out when it comes to advertising your events can be challenging. Despite the fact that social media is an amazing tool to help spread the news far and wide, there are still a wealth of individuals who aren’t very active or simply don’t use these platforms at all. Whether you’re running an event for the first time or the tenth, what can you do to improve your turnout?

an image of a group of people discussing inside a disc golf park

Well, if you’re hosting a disc golf event, we have just the thing for you. Sometimes it helps to partner with others who may have a larger audience or simply target a different set of people than you’d think. Before we give you the secret to increasing event attendance, let’s explore some other things you should consider just to make sure things go smoothly.

Planning Ahead

In order for your tournament, clinic, or other event to run smoothly, it pays off to have a thought out plan. The more people you have helping you the better, so try to get as many volunteers as possible. Consider all aspects of your event, including registration, parking, and even simple organizational things like who will do the announcing of the agenda to everyone who shows up.

an image of people trying to

Going the extra mile to make participants happy will likely result in a great turnout for next year, so think about if you’re going to be feeding everyone, and if so, what? Are you sharing any printed materials like scorecards in the case of a tournament or a handout with rules if you’re teaching a clinic for beginners? All of these elements need to be addressed well before the day of your event.

Getting The Word Out

Once you’re organized, take advantage of the sharing tool we provide at Grow The Community. By submitting your event details, including URLs for registration, the type of event, and more, we’ll be able to post it on the website and get the word out to even more potential participants. Events from all around the world can be included, and you don’t have to be running a fancy A-tier either. Leagues, clinics, and more can take advantage of this free listing!

an image of group of people inside a disc golf park

Not only will current disc golf players be able to see your event details, but other members of the community will also get to see what’s going on in their neighborhood. These are the people who may not play disc golf or not know anything about the sport and thus wouldn’t have thought to check certain Facebook groups or websites but would truly benefit from the event you’re hosting.

As disc golf continues to grow around the world, every little effort we can make to support each other doesn’t go unnoticed. Whether it’s helping out at a local tournament, offering to come up with creative ideas at a clinic, or partnering with Grow The Community to list your event, the sky’s the limit when it comes to tapping into disc golf resources and making your event a huge success!

By Courtney Elder|2019-08-24T11:05:18+08:00July 11th, 2019|How to Activate Courses|0 Comments

Come and Try Disc Golf Checklist

Getting people interested in disc golf can seem like a monumental task when you don’t have the support or means to canvas large tracts of land. Setting up a large event may seem difficult, but using your local resources can get people interested in no time. But where to begin? Well, we believe in supporting our fellow disc golfers, so this article will guide you through the process to get you ready for a seamless Come and Try day.

an image of people discussing in disc golf park

LET’S GET STARTED

Think about when you started to play disc golf. Did you gaze in wonder at the professionals—or even your friends—who knew so much more about the sport than you? Did you see an ad online to get you started? Maybe you’ve played your whole life and can’t image not sharing this wonderful sport with friends and family. People in your area likely haven’t heard much about the sport, and becoming an expert seems daunting.

A Come and Try day allows people to see what disc golf is about without committing to spending an excess of money on material they’re not sure they’ll want to use. Provide a day that they can see what it’s all about and get excited about the new opportunity. But first, there are a few things to consider.

WHAT YOU SHOULD CONSIDER

Why: Why do you want to run a Come and Try event? Determining the why to your event can easily change how you conduct the event. A simple day out is far less labor-intensive than an event to raise awareness and build clubs.

Where: Find a location for your event. If you want to put up baskets around your 45 square kilometre farm may be best for you, but those who have to travel long distances may not make the sacrifice. A park in town is the ideal location for a Come and Try day. Many towns have put in disc golf courses, and buying equipment to set up a course is far less costly.

When: One of the most important factors to consider is when to conduct this event. Most people are not going to be available on a Saturday night when you invite them the Friday before. Think about the time most people will be available. Most people will also wish to bring children, so consider those possibilities.

CHECKLIST

Considering you’ve already cleared all of the other information, next comes the checklist.

Lock in Friends and Family: Once you’ve set up the why, where, and when, make sure you get RSVPs to your event. Check how many people will bring equipment and make sure you nudge Helen down the way to get her out of the house.
Make a Poster and Event: You know those annoying Facebook notifications for events? Now you can create your own! Invite people and get them to respond via Facebook. Electronic copies are easy to keep track of, and you can keep that data for a long time. Some people, however, do not check Facebook, so setting up posters around town will spread the word even faster.
Make a Checklist of Things You’ll Bring: Ironically, our checklist includes a checklist, and just for your convenience, we’ll give you the means to know what to take.
- Portable disc golf baskets if you’re not using a course
- Marquee
- Tables
- Chairs
- Borrowed or hired discs
- Promo fliers
Invite Councillors: To get a lot of people to attend, ask popular people! Councillors and other officials can endorse your event and invite others to come. Plus, if you don’t have a disc golf course in your town, you can talk the officials into getting one started.
Invite Schools: Local schools—ranging from universities to grade schools—are a great way to get people interested in your sport. Children have an effect on parents to get them interested in activities parents didn’t know they were interested in. Get the kids interested, and the masses will come. Trust us.
Run it! Get out there and have fun! You earned it.
Photos and Thank Yous: One way to keep in touch with people and provide your Councillors the opportunity to see how well your event went. Councillors seeking public approval will want to know how events went, and make sure you sent a thank you for their support and assistance.

You know you have a good thing when everyone wants to do it, and disc golf definitely fits the bill. Try out your Come and Try event to see how many people love the same sport as you.

By Mikaela Ashcroft|2019-09-02T11:08:58+08:00June 17th, 2019|How to Activate Courses|0 Comments

Custom Discs 101: What You Need To Consider

While it’s obvious that a person needs discs in order to play a round of disc golf, what’s interesting is just how much weight we give these relatively small plastic items. Everyone has their favourite disc or two, and more often than not they’ve reached the top of your list because of their cool stamp. Whether it’s a custom club disc or a memento from a tournament you played long ago, the designs on discs can certainly hold a special place in our hearts.

If you’re interested in getting your own discs printed, would you know where to begin? There’s more involved than just having a cool design, as our guide to custom discs is about to uncover.

WHERE TO START

Nearly every disc manufacturer out there has the ability to make a custom stamp, but some are far more experienced and skilled in doing so than others. Whether you’re in need of a disc for each member of your disc golf club or league, or you’re hosting a tournament and want a stamp that turns heads, the team at Innova Australia can help. They offer affordable pricing and an easy to follow process that turns your ideas into incredible custom stamps.

Now despite their straightforward ability to customize your discs, the group there does need people to keep a few things in mind. Just like with any other form of art, the things we dream up in our minds aren’t always possible in real life, so let’s take a peek at some of the considerations you’ll need to make.

DO’S AND DONT’S

Innova Australia can stamp a wide range of designs onto nearly any disc you want, but that doesn’t mean that anything goes either. Here are several items to think about when sitting down at the drawing board:

Your stamp cannot go all the way to the edge of the disc, so try to keep designs limited to about a 5” diameter
Art should be submitted in a black and white format that’s camera ready and can only be saved in certain formats (check Innova’s guide for more details)
While some artwork looks really cool with a lot of dark colour, keep in mind that it’s harder to print large patches of black. Limit solid coverage areas to the size of a thumbnail
Very fine detailing may end up getting filled in due to the way discs are stamped, so incredibly intricate designs should be reserved for something other than your plastic
Fonts should be at least 12 pt or larger, and it’s best if they are more basic rather than using a lot of fancy script
Leaving space in the centre of your design is also wise, as the sprue on the underside of the disc can cause irregularities with stamping

It may sound intense, but adhering to these guidelines will ensure that your stamp comes out as close to perfection as possible. Plenty of discs can make an impact with eye-catching designs without being overly complex or using a lot of elements that may or may not turn out well. When in doubt, feel free to contact Innova Australia with questions, as they too want your designs to work out well! Check out their mold options today to make your next event memorable with a custom disc.

Image Source

By Courtney Elder|2019-10-07T22:57:30+08:00May 20th, 2019|Disc golf basket design, How to Activate Courses|0 Comments

How Can You Support Your Local Disc Golf Store?

It’s one thing to have a love for disc golf and play during every spare moment of the day, but it’s quite another to invest blood, sweat, tears, and a ton of money into a disc golf retail business. While you might have a major sporting goods store in your area that carries a small selection of discs, a dedicated disc golf store is entirely another beast.

Since the disc golf community is like one big family, it only makes sense that you’d want to support the retailer that’s closest to you. How you can do that often goes beyond just buying a disc here or there, as we’re about to discover.

The Basics

One of the hardest things to do as a disc golfer is knowing which disc mold or plastic type you’ll like. If you’re lucky, you might be able to head to your local disc golf shop to see what fits your hand and if the staff have any recommendations. If there aren’t any disc golf shops in your area, you can still play a part in creating one! Reach out to your local major sporting stores and ask them if they carry disc golf equipment. Even if you know they don’t, your inquiry will go a long way to helping them make the decision to look into putting discs on their shelves!

Don’t be afraid to take your friends with you either, whether they disc golf or not. The success of a small business often comes from word of mouth, so a great customer service experience will probably go a long way in your book even if you aren’t super obsessed with the sport.

Communication Is Key

One of the best ways to help support a local disc golf store near you is to help them help you. They can only guess which discs, bags, and apparel might be most appealing to the local community and if there’s something you want to see don’t be afraid to tell them! Many times shops will be able to place special orders for you if you’re a regular customer.

If you have a great idea for an event don’t hesitate to share that either. A local disc golf store is the perfect venue for clinics, meet and greets with pros who are in the area or even a showcase of some of the newest gear that’s on the market.

In the end, the impact you can make in your community by supporting your local disc golf shop is greater than you might realise. Sure, it might seem tempting to order the newest disc online and have it delivered straight to your door, but even if that option saves you a few bucks, is it really worth it?

The next time you pass by a disc golf shop, whether in your own town or on the road, take a moment to stop in and say hi. We can guarantee it means the world to each and every business owner to have people in support of what they’re doing for the community and the sport of disc golf as a whole.

By Courtney Elder|2019-10-07T22:57:19+08:00May 8th, 2019|Disc golf basket design, How to Activate Courses|0 Comments

What it takes to make an event a success

Think back to some of the more memorable disc golf tournaments you’ve attended – what made them so special? While certain elements probably made it stand out to those in attendance, there’s a good chance that a tonne more work was done behind the scenes that many don’t even know about.

Running an event is incredibly rewarding yet comes with a long to-do list that can really show the difference between a well thought out tournament and something that was thrown together at the last minute. So, how do you make sure your event stands out and is enjoyable for all? Here are some aspects to consider if you’re a first-time TD.

Think About Your Objective

Disc golfers can run tournaments in an effort to achieve a wide range of goals, and their priorities might dictate what their event actually looks like. Are you trying to increase membership for your local club, or perhaps raise more awareness about a new course in the area? Are you fundraising for a cause that’s near and dear to your heart, or do you simply want to have some extra cash to upgrade your course tee pads?

The reasons to hold an event are varied, but making sure you communicate your goals to the community can help increase attendance and might even aid in enlisting the help of some volunteers. After all, you have a lot of work ahead of you!

Running Your Event

We could probably write an entire book that details all of the aspects of running a disc golf event, but for the sake of brevity, we’re going to give you a quick run-through of things to consider:

People

The more help you have on your side, the less stress you’ll feel in the days leading up to your event. This aspect of recruiting volunteers can also help to strengthen your relationship with other disc golfers in the area.

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Registration

The paperwork can get a bit involved when you need to reserve park space, register with the PDGA, and make sure you have a way for players to sign up. The more you can do in advance, the less you’ll have to worry about later.

Food

While it’s certainly not necessary and not seen all too often, you can consider having lunch available for purchase during the event. Many times local vendors are happy to partner with disc golfers, as they know they’ll be a hungry bunch!

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Advertising

Whether you’re a fan of Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, make sure to tell the world about your event! If you’re working with a disc golf club, be sure to utilize all of the resources available to you. Free Websites like Grow the Community can also help spread the word.

Course preparation

The day or two beforehand, walk the course to see what might need to be addressed. Perhaps there’s trash out there or some branches that fell during a recent storm. Making sure the course is in tip-top shape will go a long way to make attendees happy.

Printed materials

From scorecards to tee signs, there’s a lot of prep work involved in running an event. If you have a lot of help, time, or both, consider putting together a course map or a caddy book.

Scoring

It can be stressful to try tallying scores quickly in between rounds, so make sure you have a plan in place for getting that done accurately and efficiently. Extra calculators always help!

Announcements

Don’t put yourself on the spot when it comes time to address the group. Make a list ahead of time that details important information you need to communicate during players meetings.

Schedule

As soon as you can put together a specific schedule for the event, the better. Tee times, lunch times, and awards all need to be figured out so that players can plan their lives around the event.

Last minute signups

If you are allowing day-of signups for your tournament, make sure the person checking players in knows exactly what to do. Have some cash ready to make change for people who pay their entry fees and know which card to put them on.

Transportation

Typically only events at larger courses have to think about this, but it’s something to keep in mind just in case. How will players get from one course to another if you’re utilising multiple locations? Is the walk to hole 1 horribly long? Get creative with ways to make things easy for players.

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Accommodations

Again, this is only relevant for larger events, but certainly is something that’s considered for major tournaments like State and National Championships. If players are coming from out of town, they’ll need a place to sleep.

Sponsorship

Assuming you’ve done the work ahead of time to reach out to sponsors, how will you best represent them on the day of the event? Be sure to talk them up, send people their way, and let the players know to thank them for their support.

Sounds easy, right? We won’t lie – running an event is hard work, but it’s so worth it. Keep this list in mind the next time you play a tournament and be sure to thank the TD for all of their time and effort to help grow the sport!

By Courtney Elder|2020-02-10T09:36:28+08:00April 23rd, 2019|How to Activate Courses|0 Comments

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