Leave no Trace…

There is an environmentally safe way to go camping, one in which you leave behind what you find, dispose of waste properly, and generally go out of your way not to disturb the wilderness.

If the “leave no trace” ethos works for camping, shouldn’t it be true for other outdoor activities, like disc golf, as well? Take golf: it’s a beloved, centuries-old sport enjoyed around the world, but it’s also a sport that can have a negative impact on the environment.

“Traditional golf attracts criticism from environmentalists for two primary reasons: water and pesticides,” writes Jack Trageser, founder of the School of Disc Golf.

“Prodigious amounts of both are used each week by U.S. golf courses to keep fairways and greens lush, green, and free of weeds. The more radical line of thinking is the environmental impact on such large areas for the benefit — and recreational benefit at that — of so few is unconscionable. Even a good percentage of golf enthusiasts polled about the subject of golf and the environment tend to agree that course owners and greenskeepers need to modify maintenance practices.”

Golf in a Perfect World…

Is there an alternative?

Trageser quotes Brent Blackwelder of Friends of the Earth, who describes golf “in a perfect world”:

“You’d be playing on an organic course. The maintenance equipment would be charged by solar power. Recycled water would be used for irrigation, and used efficiently and sparingly. There’d be a great variety of wildlife habitats. This idea that you’ve got to make everything look like a miniature golf course with a green carpet is crazy.”

But Traegeser goes onto say that we already have the utopian golf experience in disc golf. It may not be the exact same game as traditional golf, but Traegeser argues it still gives players “the full golf experience.” It’s mentally challenging, with constant risk vs. reward scenarios to puzzle through. And it can be played on terrain that doesn’t require pesticides or watering.

Affecting the Disc Golf Course Environment…

This is not to say that disc golf doesn’t have environmental consequences. On her blog The Average Visitor, Ashley D’Antonio points to a study done on disc golf courses in North Carolina between 1995 and 2010.

Researchers looked at news stories about disc golf written during those years and found that as time went on, the articles began to mention potentially negative environmental impacts of disc golf. Those impacts included vegetation loss, tree root exposure and soil erosion. They also found some impacts specific to the sport: players cutting branches to give themselves more room to throw, and tree bark damage as a result of the discs hitting trees.

“For example, knowing that disc-golf activities can lead to bark damage on trees, managers can plant trees with sturdier and more resistant bark,” she writes. “Additionally, managers could consider rotating the location of baskets so that areas that have been highly trampled can be given time to recover.”

As disc golf grows in popularity, players, equipment makers and course managers should take care to treat the game as a chance to enjoy the great outdoors while leaving as little trace as possible.

By Shawn Overturf

Shawn is a disc golf enthusiast and the owner of D-town Disc Golf, a source for all your disc golf needs since 2012. When he isn’t managing his store, you can find him throwing plastic with his kids on courses in Bucks County, PA. Visit him online here: www.discgolfmarket.com

The post The Environmental Impact of Disc Golf – Guest Post appeared first on Mind Body Disc - Disc Golf Blog.

But then you step up for your next throw, and if you’re playing with “good” friends, they’ll give you a putter or midrange and tell you to release the disc flat and level to the ground. Then a thing of beauty happens, you’ll witness your disc glide 200+ ft directly towards the basket. It might even do an S curve. And from that moment on, you’re hooked. You’re literally addicted.

You play every chance you get. You keep getting better. You find a lost disc or two on the course, you call the number and they tell you thanks but you can keep it. You meet a couple new friends while playing. You buy a new disc that flies perfectly. You make a 100 ft putt. You get your first ace. You lose a disc, but find another one. You take a disc golf road trip with your closest disc buds. You realize that disc golf helped you lose a little weight. You’ve been out in nature everyday this week and feel more centered than ever. Fast forward through life and your living will dictates that your ashes are to be mixed in with the next batch of your favorite disc mold. Or your tombstone is to be in the shape of a basket.

If you’re reading this blog, that tells me that the above series of events is not far from the truth of your obsession with disc golf. When you’re on the course, so many positive things can happen at any given moment that it’s like gambling with the odds stacked in your favor.

But I believe that your love of disc golf is deeper and more primal than you might think. I believe it goes back to the early days of human history when we were hunter gatherers. We traveled in packs, we had a meticulous knowledge of the landscape, our abilities, and our tools. We chased down our prey for long stretches. We admired and idolized the best and most gifted hunters.

The same can be said for disc golf. We team up and travel together, in search of the same prey. The ever elusive chaintaur. In order to get close enough to subdue it, we have to first do a few things. We have to survey the land to find the best path of approach. We have to choose the best plastic weapon for the shot. And we have to use our mind and body to throw the disc flawlessly. And how much do we admire our top pro’s? I would likely get as star struck meeting Will Schusterick as I would Ben Affleck (sorry Will if that’s not a compliment).

When you combine how many fortunate events that can happen to you on the course, with how primal it feels playing disc golf, it’s clear how and why people get hooked so quickly and fall so hard for the sport of disc golf.

Therefore, I’d like to state for the record that the sky is blue, water is wet, and disc golf is life.

Thanks for reading and go grow the sport this weekend!

PS: Just in case you were wondering, yes; the chaintaur is real.

About the author…
Terrass Misher has been a disc golfer for 10+ years and, from day one, has been an avid lover and promoter of the sport. In addition to playing disc golf every day possible, he hosts a networking group for entrepreneurs and small businesses, “The Chicago Entrepreneur Mastermind”

Would you like to see one of your posts featured here on the Mind Body Disc blog? If so, check out our guest posting guidelines for details!

The post Guest Post | Why Disc Golf is Life appeared first on Mind Body Disc - Disc Golf Blog.

Our First Guest Post!

A lot of you have been anxious for me to get to some actual disc recommendations as I slowly plod through the Building the Perfect Bag series. And since I’m probably not going to get there for a bit longer, I asked my good friends over at the Disc Golf Puttheads to serve up some putter recommendations for everyone.

If you aren’t familiar with the Puttheads, you should definitely check them out. Chris and Rodney write a really good blog and are fun to follow on social media as well (check ’em out on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram). Let ’em know what you think of their choices in the comments.

This also marks our first guest post. If you are interested in guest posting here on the Mind Body Disc blog, please see our guest posting guidelines here! Without further blathering, let’s hear from the Puttheads!

7 Putters That All Disc Golfers Should Try

The array of disc golf discs available has exploded into a cornucopia as of late.  It’s always been difficult to prioritize which discs to try and the recent exponential growth has not made it easier.

But don’t worry!  There are people in this world who have taken it upon themselves to make your life just a bit easier by recommending high priority discs to test in your bag.

In our quest to try every disc golf putter ever made we’ve come across some amazing putters and we’ve each chosen 7 that we think every disc golfer should try.  This is not a list of our favorite putters but a list of putters that we think do a good job at representing different categories.  Our hopes are that by trying these putters you’ll be able to identify which disc characteristics are best for your putting game.

High Glide

Chris: Dynamic Discs Warden
Incredible glide resulting in a high level of finesse.

Rodney: Gateway Wizard
Try it on an anhyzer flex line for even more glide.

Low Glide

Chris: Kastaplast Berg
Blunt nose, puddle top. Slow, easy to control but can handle power.  Great for approaches.

Rodney: Reptilian Scale
Feels like a wizard, floats like a lead balloon.

Overstable

Chris: Prodiscus Jokeri
Powerful, consistent, and overstable. Also a good wind fighter.

Rodney: Westside Discs Shield
Not as overstable as the Scale, but performs nice in moderate winds.

Understable

Chris: Prodigy PA4
Blunt nose and deep rim.  Low speed, high glide, predictable and gentle fade.

Rodney: Westside Discs Swan 1 Reborn
Turns and glides without coming back, even on short approaches.

All-Around

Chris: Kastaplast Reko
Low profile, puddle top.  Moderate glide for control, a true workhorse.

Rodney: Dynamic Discs Classic Blend Judge
I still can’t find a better putter. Classic blend or fuzion plastic make for a better drive and approach.

Driving Putter

Chris: Discraft Roach
High glide and versatile, also torque resistant.

Rodney: Discmania P3
Consistent fade to keep your drive on target.

Approach

Chris: MVP Atom
Incredibly straight, also great for shot shaping.

Rodney: Latitude 64 Pure
Straight, easy to throw, easy to shape shots. A close second for all-around.

But wait, there’s more!  I know, we only said 7, but we decided to throw in two honorable mentions for specific putting styles.

Push-Putt

Rodney: Dynamic Discs Classic Hard Judge
Go with the hard plastic for your push putt.

Stall-Putt

Chris: Discraft Putt’r
Extremely slow and understable, catches a lot of air nose up.

Carry any of these in your own bag?  Think we’ve missed any?  Please let us know!  We’ve got many more putters to test out but we’re determined to try them all and share what we’ve learned.

***Special thanks to the DG Puttheads for this contribution!!! Make sure and check out their blog!

And don’t miss their great new article where they tell you what the best disc golf putter is!

Brothers-in-law Chris and Rodney started the Disc Golf Puttheads in 2015.  They are Michigan disc golfers who throw year round regardless of weather conditions.  The Puttheads are founded on a strong belief in the fundamentals, solid putting in particular.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The post Building the Perfect Bag | 7 Putters You Need to Try appeared first on Mind Body Disc - Disc Golf Blog.