“Just like any other holiday, no one person or company owns or directs National Disc Golf Day. We all share it and we all celebrate it in our own way.”
National Disc Golf Day is celebrated on the first Saturday of August, honoring the sport's history and ongoing growth. Disc golf has become a beloved activity from its uncertain origins to its modern-day popularity. Today, millions enjoy the heated competition or casual pastime of throwing their disc golf discs at a target.
FYI, these are the dates for National Disc Golf for the next few years:
Saturday, August 3, 2024
Saturday, August 1, 2025
Saturday, August 1, 2026
Saturday, August 7, 2027
Saturday, August 5, 2028
But who suggested a National Disc Golf Day, and when did people celebrate the first one? Before we answer that question, it's worth discussing everything that led to disc golf's rise in popularity.
Origins of Disc Golf
The exact origins of disc golf could be more precise, with anecdotal evidence suggesting people played it as early as the 1920s in Canada. However, the sport began to take a more recognizable form in the 1970s, mainly due to the efforts of Ed Headrick (1924-2002) and George Sappenfield (1940-2021). These two players formally formalized the game's rules and structure, gaining widespread recognition.
Headrick, often referred to as the "father of disc golf," established the first official disc golf course, founded the Disc Golf Association (DGA), and invented the modern disc golf basket, known as the "Disc Pole Hole." Headrick's innovations provided a standardized disc golf basket and significantly improved the playability and enjoyment of the game.
Sappenfield, a recreation counselor, organized some of the earliest disc golf events in the 1960s and introduced the sport to a broader audience by collaborating with Wham-O and promoting it through schools and recreation programs.
Historical Milestones
The sport's first significant tournament, the American Flying Disc Open, took place in 1974, with a car as the grand prize. In 1975, Headrick installed the first official disc golf course, marking a significant step in the sport's development. He coined and trademarked "disc golf" a year later, solidifying the sport's identity.
To further professionalize the sport, Headrick founded the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA), which now governs disc golf internationally, in 1976, the same year he gave it its name. The PDGA is still responsible for developing and maintaining the sport's official rules and standards to ensure consistency and fairness for all players.
But it wasn't until 2015 that disc golf achieved mainstream media attention when it was the focus of a featured segment on ESPN's Top 10 Plays on SportsCenter. That same year, the International Olympic Committee recognized "Flying Disc sports," including disc golf. This recognition reflected the sport's growing legitimacy and popularity.
National Disc Golf Day
With input from disc golf legends, players, and advocates, Jason Wilder and Sara Nicholson founded National Disc Golf Day in 2016, declaring it every year on the first Saturday of August. They intended for the day to serve as an annual celebration of the sport and to bring together players and enthusiasts worldwide.
Now, each year, National Disc Golf Day is marked by widespread participation, including live and virtual tournaments and contests, helping to promote the sport further.
Why Do People Enjoy Disc Golf?
Disc golf is a convenient and low-cost sport, which might explain why it continues to gain players. There are now disc golf courses in every state in the country—many of them free to use—making the sport accessible to people of all ages and skill levels. Beyond this, it's a fun form of exercise and social activity.
The game has always had a strong community focus, with events that bring together players and their families and online message boards on niche websites like Disc Golf Scene. An entire industry has sprung up around disc golf, with commercial opportunities through equipment sales and sponsored tournaments becoming increasingly prevalent. In addition to contributing to local economies, these events foster a sense of camaraderie among participants.
The targets in disc golf may have evolved from tree trunks to metal baskets with chains. Still, disc golf remains true to its simple origins. This makes it easy for beginner players to jump in and join the fun—on National Disc Golf Day or any other day of the year.
Disc Golf Gifts
