Thrower: Disc Golf Counterculture Magazine (2024)

19/01/2023

-“The Principles For A Good Course Design”

By Dan Laitsch

1. Courses should be designed with the safety of players and spectators in mind
2. Courses should fit the land available
3. Courses should be planned to serve the needs of the local community
4. Courses should be designed for flexibility and growth as local talent grows
5. Courses should be designed to support sustainability, to protect as much as possible the environment in which they are installed
6. Courses should be adequately resourced (tee pads, signage, trash cans, washrooms, parking areas, vending)
7. Maintenance should be intentionally planned (tree trimming, storm clean up, grass mowing, erosion control, vandalism)
8. Courses should be attractive
9. Courses should be designed to challenge all aspects of a players game (length,
approach, putting, accuracy)
10. Courses should reward good play and punish bad play
11. Course equipment should meet professional standards for quality

The life of a course can easily stretch into decades. The oldest course in Canada is Winskill Park in Tsawwassen. Installed in 1976, today’s players are throwing on the same baskets and tee pads installed 40 years ago.
With careful planning and quality equipment, the life of a disc golf course can easily exceed 50 years, providing a substantial return on investment for municipalities and parks.

Courses should be designed with the safety of players and spectators in mind. The discs used in disc golf are not your traditional “Frisbees”. The drivers, while of similar weight, are smaller and denser, and can travel much faster and further (as far as 500 feet). As a result, great care should be taken to design a course that minimizes the likelihood that other players, or bystanders, will be hit.
Other park facilities (playgrounds, picnic tables, or paths) should not intrude on or around fairways. Fairways should not cross or extend into dangerous terrain within the park. Tee pads should not be placed close to putting areas or other tee boxes, and efforts should be made to inform casual park users about the course, its location, and proper etiquette.

Courses should fit the land available. Every designer wants to build the perfect course—one that is fun for all, yet tests the skills of even the best players. In many instances, designers are faced with competing goals due to differing player levels, serving all of the needs within the local community, and addressing players interests (from meeting with friends to formal competition). The perfect course takes all of these interests into consideration, but most importantly, it fits the land available. Where possible it falls within the existing flora and fauna; it does not sacrifice safety for convenience or hole count, and it considers the entire playing experience available, rather than emphasizing a signature hole or particular style of play.

Courses should be planned to serve the needs of the local community. Each course should be designed to meet the needs of the community in which it resides, with respect to land, play, and purpose. When a locality installs a new course it does so to serve the local player base, which will develop over time. As such, courses should be designed to be flexible and allow player growth. Courses frequently draw players to the community, and can serve as a substantial economic development tool if that is one of the goals of the community. A good designer takes the time to understand the needs of the client and community.

Courses should be designed for flexibility and growth as local talent grows. As with any sport, player development and growth takes time. The longer the course is in the ground, the more community members will explore the sport. As use increases, many community members will focus on more competitive play. A strong course is one that is able to challenge players across many skill levels, and help them progress for recreational to competitive play.
Today’s discs go further and faster than the discs of even five years ago. As technology improves, a well-designed course will grow with the changing sport.

Courses should be designed to support sustainability, and to protect as much as possible the environment in which they are installed. As mentioned before, a well-designed disc golf course fits the land available for play and is designed to be long lasting. To do this, courses should take into consideration sensitive environmental areas, like wetlands and watershed, and minimize potential impacts on flora, fauna, and soil erosion. Well-constructed tee pads, fairways, and putting areas help blend the course with the land, rather than bending the land to the course.

Courses should be adequately resourced (tee pads, signage, trashcans, washrooms, parking areas, vending). A high quality course considers all aspects of play. It includes signage to help players learn the rules and navigate the course, as well as educate casual park users about the game and ensure their safety. Trashcans and washrooms keep the course neat and clean. A designated parking area also keeps park users and neighbours safe, while increasing access. Where possible, municipalities can also generate revenue through food, beverage, and equipment sales, while also improving the player experience.

Maintenance should be intentionally planned (tree trimming, storm clean up, grass mowing, erosion control, vandalism). Because the course fits within existing property, it can be tempting to minimize maintenance costs. While disc golf courses require much less attention than sports fields, regular mowing of open fairways (monthly) is needed, as well as trash removal, storm clean up, and erosion control (adding mulch around baskets, for example).

Courses should be attractive. One of the attractions of disc golf is the “walk in the park” aspect of the sport. Courses can be designed to include garden areas, waterways, and wooded paths. Many courses add works of art (sculptures, mosaic tee pads, benches) to the course to enhance the player experience.

Courses should be designed to challenge all aspects of a players game (length, approach, putting, accuracy). The disc golf player community is a diverse community. It includes people of all ages, fitness levels, and skills levels. It even includes left- and right-handed players, whose discs fly differently. A well-designed course takes into consideration this diversity of ability and includes holes designed to meet the needs of all players likely to pass through the course. This means including short and long holes, with multiple approaches to the pin. Where present, waterways and elevation changes are used to enhance play, but are designed with accessibility in mind.

Courses should reward good play and punish bad play. A good course challenges the player while respecting their throws. A well-designed hole presents players with a clear set of throwing options that will bring a well thrown disc to the desired landing area. Players missing the line should find themselves with a more difficult path to the pin.

Course equipment should meet professional standards for quality. The PDGA has approved a large number of targets for play, and offers recommendation regarding tee pad size and construction. While inexpensive options can be used to facilitate installation of a course, short cuts in equipment will result in increased expenditures down the line. Natural tee pads and tone-type or locally sourced targets should only be used as part of a phased installation plan.

Dan Laitsch
[email protected]

30/05/2022

-“What Is The 51 Club?”

“The 51 Club” is a universal disc golfer’s agreement where, if you have already achieved your first ace(hole-in-one), you are then eligible to receive $5 upon future aces that are witnessed by fellow members of “The 51 Club”. And eligible to receive $1 upon throws that either hit basket, hit chains, or hit basket-band when throwing your first throw on each hole. You are not required to pay card mates for their aces or hits until you have scored your own first ace.

A “Black Ace” is a hole-in-one where the disc lands in a non-designated basket. For example, you throw from the teepad of hole one and accidentally make your first throw into the basket of hole three, this is a “Black Ace”. In this scenario the thrower of the “Black Ace” would be forced to pay $5 to everyone else on the card that are members of “The 51 Club”.

A “Brown Ace” is when your first throw from the teepad accidentally lands in a trashcan. In this scenario the thrower of the “Brown Ace” would be forced to pay $1 to everyone on their card that are members of “The 51 Club”.

A “Taxicab Ace” is when your first throw accidentally strikes a vehicle. In this scenario the thrower of the “Taxicab Ace” would be forced to pay $1 to everyone on their card that are members of “The 51 Club”.

An “Ace Run” is when your first throw looks like it will hit chains and land in the appropriate basket, but inevitably it does not. “The 51 Club” does not warrant any payments for “Ace Runs” or near aces.

An “Easter Ace” is when you achieve an ace with no witnesses. Disc golfer’s nightmares consist of this. “The 51 Club” does not warrant any payments for “Easter Aces” or solo aces.

A “Field Ace” is when you throw your disc in the designated basket from an unreasonably long distance. This would be after your first throw from the tee pad, but far before your disc is anywhere near “Circle 2”(65 feet from the basket). “The 51 Club” does not warrant any payments for “Field Aces” or aces not from the designated tee pad.

“The 51 Club” is not a mandatory statute, by any means. It is intended to be a fun and optional side-game. The purpose of this “club” is to provide an incentive for good throws and to provide a small amount of punishment for bad throws, the overall goal being to have fun with your friends. So, have your dollar bills ready the next time you go play with your favorite buddies, and welcome to “The 51 Club”!

Happy Throwing!!!

28/05/2022

-“3 Things Every Amateur Disc Golfer
Should Know:
3) Practicing Confidently”

The mental part of the game is toughest. I can assure you that even after 10 years of playing disc golf, I still feel frustrated some days; my drive isn’t working, my putts are high or low, and it’s just not fun to be on the course. However, it’s those days when it’s the opposite that keeps me coming back. There isn’t really anything quite like absolutely crushing a driver 400’ on a perfect line.
But, just like any other sport, there is an element of pressure associated with playing in your local league or any tournament (if you so choose). You shouldn’t ever let this pressure get to you. It’s easier said than done. Yet when you think about disc golf from its most fundamental level, it’s meant to be relaxed and casual. Take your time, have fun, and don’t let one bad shot keep you from throwing your next great shot.
If you watch the top professionals in the world, they all have one thing in common. Mental toughness. When it comes down to it, they know how to focus and repeat what they know how to do; hit those putts they’ve made thousands of times in their backyard. I highly suggest the next time you watch a PDGA event, watch Paul McBeth approach the game. He is laser-focused and never lets one bad shot hold him back (of course, he doesn’t have many bad shots).
They say it takes 10,000 hours of practice to truly master something. However, I can assure you that I’ve played more than 10,000 hours of disc golf and still miss 15-foot putts. However, I’ve spent countless hours in an open field just “emptying my bag” (see below) and worked on improving how I throw different discs and focused on a specific technique issue. Many veteran players even go as far as videotaping themselves to see what their form looks like.
Another great way to get familiar with your disc and improve your technique is what we call “emptying your bag.” It’s simply going out to an open field and throwing your discs over and over again. You get far more repetition practicing this way rather than waiting until you’re ready to head to the course to play. Think about how many times you throw your primary driver over the course of a casual 18 holes... maybe 12? What if those 12 times is the only time you ever throw that disc? How long will it take you to improve how you throw it? Much longer than throwing it 50 times in one night over the course of a few hours.
Disc golf takes practice just like any other sport. But practice doesn’t make perfect; PERFECT practice makes perfect. This means practicing the correct fundamentals. You should spend at least the first 30-minutes you are at the course putting. I know it will be tempting to get right on the teepad and see how far you can throw your new disc, but believe me, your putting game is far more important. Get into a rhythm and start feeling loose for the day by putting.

-Chase Wisenhunt

23/05/2022

-“3 Things Every Amateur Disc Golfer
Should Know:
2) Being A Member Of Your Local Disc Golf Course Community”

As the popularity of disc golf continues to grow, so too do the number of courses available. Each course has their own strengths and weaknesses, and some are definitely tougher than others. It’s important to find a local course that gives you the ability to practice and spend some time doing “fieldwork.” If you head out to a course where they hold “A-tier” tournaments frequently, you’ll likely have a hard time finding productive practice time on a course full of 450’ par 3’s.
More importantly than above, it’s important to get familiar with your local course and all of the park rules and regulations. Make sure you are parking in the designated area, throwing your trash away in designated bins, sharing the pathways with pedestrians, children, and bicyclists, and generally be aware that you are in a setting that is shared with the local community. Every person in the park has the right to be there just as much as you. So, make sure you are polite and don’t wildly throw your disc when people are nearby. In short, be a stand-up citizen every time you walk on the course. Remember, you are representing how people see the sport of disc golf. Why not make a good impression?

Every disc golfer sort of lives by the creed “grow the sport.” Essentially meaning, whenever given the opportunity, a disc golfer should show courtesy and respect to everyone around them, give the community a great impression of how the sport is played, and spend every moment possible teaching younger generations to play and improve their own skills. That being said, there are very few veteran disc golf players that aren’t willing to help you learn how to play. When going to get your first bag of discs, the local shop owner is a great resource. Not only will they likely have valuable information about your local leagues and what discs you should be starting out with, but they will also take time to teach you a few things or at the very least get you in contact with someone who will.
When you go to your first league night, it’s also likely that after the round (if you stay positive and don’t throw your bag after you play terribly) someone will reach out to you with some advice or give you a chance to join them for a round in the future. You can always rely on the disc golf community to provide some level of support if you’re an amateur.

-Chase Wisenhunt

03/05/2022

-“3 Things Every Amateur Disc Golfer
Should Know:
1) Building A Bag And Choosing Discs”

Welcome to the world of disc golf! Regardless of how you’ve found our beloved sport, the disc golf community welcomes people from all walks of life. One of the defining differences between our sport compared to other sports is our sense of community. Regardless of your skill level or motivation for participating, it’s likely disc golf will give you a new sense of “inclusion”.

It can become easy to get lost in spending day after day working on your putting form or looking forward to your next local league event. It’s simply addicting. That feeling when you release the perfect hyzer, it’s just hard to match.
As disc golf continues to grow in popularity, it’s important for more resources to become available for amateurs to understand the fundamentals of the sport. But not just how it’s played; how to abide by the unspoken rules, treat the local courses and community, play competitively, and ultimately grow the sport in the manner that suits you best.

That is why we’ve created a 3-article series of 3 things that every amateur disc golfer should know. And while it’s not exhaustive, it will certainly help you navigate your first night at league or your first few attempts to grab some discs and head to your local park without feeling uncomfortable.

We would all love to be able to throw a 14-speed disc on an anhyzer and watch it take three beautiful turns before softly landing pin-high on a 400’ par 3. But in reality, there are very few players in the world that can do that consistently. 14-speed discs can be thrown by the average player with some success, but for most new players, the form simply isn’t there. I’ve been playing for about 10 years and still have a hard time with a Westside Destiny; if I don’t hit the line and my form isn’t perfect it goes nowhere. It requires more technique than an amateur really has. However, this isn’t a bad thing as it doesn’t have to stay this way forever. It’s all about starting slow and building from the ground up.

When you are choosing which discs to start with, one of the best ways to begin is by talking to your local shop owner. They will likely have tons of great recommendations about which discs are beginner-friendly. Chances are if they own the local shop they are a part of the local disc golf community and can also provide some great recommendations on courses and different local leagues.
There are definitely a few things you should be paying attention to if you go out on your own and order some online. Lower speed discs that have closely related “turn” and “fade” numbers are fantastic choices. The lower the speed, the less effort it takes to throw; essentially allowing you some time to get used to throwing the disc straight, and eventually on the angle you want.
While it’s not a bad thing that you want to pick up the latest release from Discraft or Innova (and you certainly can), you want to focus on getting discs that are within your capabilities. I strongly recommend a set of 3 or 4 DX plastic discs and learning how they fly until you see them fly in your sleep.

-Chase Wisenhunt

30/03/2022

-City Council Corruption At The Justin Disc Golf Course

Take notice of this story. These series of events may seem impossible at your local disc golf course, but the underlying theme is not uncommon. This is the story of The Justin City Council Vs. The Justin Disc Golf Course.

The Justin Disc Golf Course was installed by The City Of Justin in early 2018. Local disc golf clubs and a local disc company raised the money required to buy the baskets. The local disc company gathered the donated funds and submitted the money to the city to purchase the 9 baskets for the course. The city installed the baskets and disc golf was good. Everything was copacetic.

Enter Tomas Mendoza. Mendoza owned a house with a backyard that faced hole 2 and hole 3 of the Justin Disc Golf Course. In fact, hole 3’s teepad was no more than 15 feet from Mendoza’s back fence. His two Australian Cattle Dogs were overly protective of this area, and seemed to never stop barking hysterically any time anyone played disc golf.

If an errant disc landed near Mendoza’s fence or crossed over the fence, his dogs tore the disc to shreds. If a disc golfer knocked on Mendoza’s door to request their disc back, Mendoza would reply with, “What lands on my property is my dog’s property.” Disc golfers were relegated to stand at his fence and watch their property be destroyed. To say the least, an unhealthy relationship had developed between Mendoza and the local disc golfers.

This is when Mendoza upped the ante. Tomas Mendoza decided to run for Justin City Council, and was elected into office on May 10, 2021. One of his first motions as city councilman was a proposal to remove the Justin Disc Golf Course. Quoting an injury from two decades ago, occurring 2,000 miles away, in which a woman was struck with a disc while walking in a Californian park, resulting in the loss of her eye.

The motion to remove the course was passed by city council. The city work crews removed the course the following morning. No stop. No chill. No time for the public to organize against the action.

The city SOLD the baskets back to the disc company that originally DONATED the money for the baskets. The city disassembled and sold their iconic “pyramid” basket hanger to a private disc golf course, named Dino Hills Disc Golf Farm. Overnight, the city had effectively wiped away a disc golf course and there was nothing we could do about it.

This may seem like the story of a random little disc golf course, but the events that unfolded could happen to any disc golf course in your area.

Oftentimes, as disc golfers we take our city-operated courses for granted. But, they can be removed by the actions of just one disgruntled and ambitious citizen. That’s why it’s so important to be a part of your local government, especially if the only courses in your area are city-operated. The future of city-operated disc golf courses relies firmly on disc golfers being an active part of city politics.

16/03/2022

-Are Disc Golfing Kids Neglected By Mainstream Companies?

When this article was first pitched it was intended to showcase the best disc golf backpacks for players 6-12 years old. However, upon further research, we have discovered that there is only one disc golf backpack designed and intended for this young age group. And so, this article has morphed into a raving review of Numinous Disc Golf Gear’s, “Juicebox” backpack.

Players everywhere between the ages of 6-12 are forced to wear uncomfortable, single-strap, messenger-style bags. Or are forced to wear a “small-style” disc backpack that was not designed and never intended for their sized body frame. Either of these options is uncomfortable and uninviting. But, the “Juicebox” has revolutionized everything about kid’s disc golf backpacks.

The Numinous Disc Golf Gear’s “Juicebox” disc golf backpack is lightweight and ideal for 6-12 year old players. The stitching and materials are manufactured with the highest quality. There are three disc storage pockets that can be stretched to hold six discs. The water bottle pocket was a bit tight at first, but over time the elastic has stretched to snugly hold the bottle in place. The large zippered pocket on the front perfectly holds minis and other assorted accessories, while the smaller zippered pocket on the side perfectly holds your favorite action figures. The fact that items in the bag do not fall out, even when a kid is rolling down a hill, proves this product is the perfect disc backpack for any kid!

“Pound Disc Golf Packs” plans to unveil their upcoming, super-secret, “small-style” disc backpack named, “Rufus” (don’t tell anyone where you heard about this). But until then, the Numinous Juicebox performs far better than any messenger-style bag or “small-style” disc backpack on the market for players aged 6-12. We would also like to mention the Fossa Zoma cross-chest messenger-style bag. This small bag comes with all the bells and whistles. While it is not designed for a 6-12 year old player, at $40 it is a perfect minimalist bag for anyone.

For under $60, the Numinous Juicebox is worth so much more than that. I saw the transformation in my own son. Within a week of receiving his first Juicebox bag, his confidence had skyrocketed. Before, the bag never fit him, and it seemed like he felt he wasn’t included in the fun with everyone since his equipment wasn’t built for him or his size. You too would feel inadequate or underprepared if you showed up to play a tournament wearing shoes that were 3 sizes too big. Your confidence would be affected greatly. The same goes for a kid. This bag finally offered my son comfort on the course, and the result was confidence in himself.

12/03/2022

“Thrower: Disc Golf Counterculture Magazine” will be running a series of cover photos showcasing the “Artists of Disc Golf”.

Do you create disc golf art? Or does someone you know create disc golf art? Here is an opportunity to get your disc golf themed art into the eyes of the public.

If you, or someone you know, wish to be eligible please submit your disc golf art photos through Facebook to “Thrower: Disc Golf Counterculture Magazine” before April.

Happy crafting!

01/03/2022

-Update #1 From An Ukrainian Disc Golfer

Hello Frisbee World.
War Day 6

We need to SHARE information about what is happening in Ukraine now. Watch the video and read my previous posts.

I am very grateful to everyone who supports and share information about the war in Ukraine.

My son, wife and mother spent the night in the bomb shelter and slept on the floor.

🇷🇺 army is trying to capture the big cities and the capital Kyiv, but they are not succeeding because our army and the whole population are desperately fighting against the enemy.

🇷🇺 launches rockets at houses and apartments. 113 cruise missiles launched already. russian rocket has hit Babin Yar.
A Holocaust memorial in Kyiv.
A mass grave of Ukrainian Jews murdered by n***s during WWII.
In a country with a Jewish president, they do this for “denazification”. The hypocrisy is unbearable.

Russian propaganda deceives the whole world and zombies its own population that they believe in fairy tales about peacekeeping aspirations and liberation of Ukraine from fascism.

We had relatives who live in Russia, we came to them and kept in touch, but talking to them now they do not believe our words.

Can you imagine? They do not believe when we tell them the truth about what is happening now, they convince us that we are crazy and that we do not understand what is happening.

So we don’t have relatives already in russia..

Professional Disc Golf Association PDGA Europe

Thrower: Disc Golf Counterculture Magazine

19/01/2023

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