Golf course attendance in recent years has been affected by pandemic closures. But have you ever wondered how playing disc golf can improve your golf game?
Despite the challenges of Covid-19, and also because of them, golf spirit and participation rates have remained constant in most areas, increasing in others. Golf shares a great new appeal as a safe sport, due to its physical distance and outdoor play.
Disc golf has also been achieving success around the world, cementing its status as one of the fastest-growing sports in the world.
In the United States, home of 70% of the world’s disc golf courses, the Professional Disc Golf Association reported dramatic jumps in membership across all demographic groups in 2021, but most notably in age groups under 25 and over 75 years of age.
Both groups, roughly representative of those taking up the sport as well as retirees resuming it, seem to appreciate disc golf as a way to improve their performance on the more traditional putting greens.
How might disc golf work for you?
For those beginning to learn golf, returning to the sport after injury or absence, and for others whose discretionary household expenses have been affected by rising inflation, disc golf represents both a suitable alternative and a complementary activity to golf.
It’s less technically demanding and more affordable and easily accessible than its bigger cousin, making it a great place to start improving your overall golf game.
There is also a constant proliferation of new disc golf courses in the US, which are easily accessible to people with disabilities and all age groups, so, new disc golf courses are frequently added.
To get the most benefit and maximum distance from your disc golf game, the selection of appropriate disc golf backpacks and flying discs for driving, putting, and mid-range shots is essential.
Choosing a disc golf driver suitable for tee shots and long fairway drives is just as important as selecting the right driver for traditional golf.
A good throwing rule for beginners is to select lighter weights so you can focus on building skill, strength, and style.
For shorter shots and when getting closer to the target, a mid-range driver that has predictable flight will be more effective, while short shots require a putter that flies straight.
Disc golf provides an all-around workout that includes upper and lower body conditioning, as well as increased aerobic activity, activating and strengthening many of the same muscles used in golf.
It also helps hone focus, and mental agility, and requires an understanding of the influence of weather conditions on the movement of human bodies and equipment.
Disc golf’s decreased skill level is another of its learning characteristics. During disc golf, a player only needs to focus on the finger position of one hand, unlike golf where both hands are engaged.
Similarly, stance assumes lesser significance in disc golf. Thus, by narrowing the field of technical commitment, disc golf allows more attention to be devoted to improvement in other areas, such as strength, speed, and distance.
In 2022, it seems more golfers than ever are discovering that disc golf shares the same underlying principles as golf.
Although with different apparatus, the mental and physical stamina required to finish an 18-goal golf course is on par with that needed to complete a regular 18-hole game of golf.