Spirit of the Game Contest

I recently got married on September 28th of this year. About 4 hours before my wedding I went out to my local course to catch a round with a bunch of family and friends. When we got to hole 1 a local pro" Levi" was waiting to tee off. We have played a few rounds before and I let him know that this was my last round as a bachelor. He congratulated me and reached into his bag and pulled out a never thrown PROTO PRODIGY D1 gave it to me for good luck with my wedding. About a month later I was able to play a round with Nikko lacastro at the same course, Condon Park, Grass Valley, CA. We played a great round and after I found out he is part owner of PRODIGY he signed the disc a received on my wedding day. That disc is now hung on the wall as a reminder of good luck and the spirit of the Game

The Spirit of the Game
I have been disc golfing a little more than 3 years. In this short time I have witnessed the Spirit of the Game touch lives and change lives - over and over.
When a fellow-Club member’s young daughter died this year from meningitis, I saw the Spirit of the Game demonstrated in the hundreds of disc golfers who attended fundraisers held by multiple Disc Golf Clubs to raise money to cover the funeral expenses. And I saw the Spirit of the Game from the disc golf manufacturers and retailers who donated items for the raffles at these fundraisers.
On the course I often observe the Spirit of the Game when more seasoned players are encouraging newbies to continue throwing, providing them with positive tips and suggestions, and often giving them discs to throw and discs to keep.
The Spirit of the Game is reflected in the quality and maintenance of our disc golf courses around the world. The volunteers who give freely of their time and effort because of their passion for disc golf reflect the Spirit of the Game.
At tournaments, there are always those personifying the Spirit of the Game by opening their homes to those needing accommodations.
Larry Kirk, who traveled the country this year to play disc golf in 50 States in 50 Days to spread the word about disc golf, exemplifies the Spirit of the Game.
Those who donate discs and those who take them to other countries to spread the joy of disc golf show us the Spirit of the Game.
The Rotary Clubs and other civic groups who donate money for disc golf courses are motivated to do so by the Spirit of the Game.
The Spirit of the Game is everywhere. It happens daily at disc golf courses throughout the world. If you don’t see it much, look more closely. When you do see it, acknowledge those demonstrating it and tell them “Thank you.”
How will you make a positive difference in the disc golf community by demonstrating the Spirit of the Game in your areas of influence?

“Tell Her to Put it Down Her Ass!”

A situation happened at the 2013 PDGA Disc Golf Amateur World Championships that I think embodies the Spirit of the Game, the funniest moment, the worst moment, and the best moment. It was my first ever big tournament, which was a bit intimidating.

I was the oldest female competitor, and was there with my son, who had been encouraging me to participate. He was the one who got me interested in disc golf a couple of years earlier.

We signed up in March of 2013, before I knew that in April, I would have surgery to remove one of my kidneys. My surgery went well, but I was left with a 16 inch scar from my breast bone to my waist on my left side. It required a lot of healing, and rehab to even be able to get back on a tee pad, but somehow I was determined to fulfill my promise to go with my son.

At the World Championships in Emporia, KS, it was 105 in the middle of the afternoon with the sun blazing. On the third day of the tournament, there was a moment, late in the day, when I began to feel somewhat dizzy and weak. One of the women on my card, Kim McVicar, ran back to the group behind us where SueB Lande was playing. SueB had some experience with people who were experiencing medical emergencies, and she knew of my surgery a few months before.

SueB grabbed her handkerchief from around her neck, grabbed some ice from the water cooler, and thrust it into the hands of Kim, saying, “Tell her to put it down her ass!”

Kim came running up to me repeating SueB’s instruction. I stared dumbfounded for a while, trying to comprehend her words. She repeated her command, and down the back of my shorts it went. For the next few holes I walked with the icy cold, but oddly refreshing hunk of wet handkerchief filled with freezing water down my backside. Apparently this technique is great for reducing one’s core temperature.

It did the trick, and I was able to finish the day. Nothing was going to keep me from finishing the tournament at that point. SueB went on to become the eventual champion. She and the other women in my division went out of their way to help me; a gesture that is supremely humbling.

Looking back, it was so ridiculous, so funny, and also so kind for my competitors to help me out. I will never forget it.

I watch my son's Valkyrie inexplicably sail through a phalanx of huge pines, turnover and head for the road, but since we are high up on Columbia, SC Earlewood Park's #18 it has room to come back--and oh does it. Right underneath the basket. A 3 on this hole is a score I treasure, but witnessing a 2 on this hole by my 13 yr. old son is what brought me the most joy. Most of the time a 13 yr old boy just grunts to you when asked, "how was your day at school?" or "what do you want to do on this fine Saturday morning?" But when talking disc golf his mouth actually opens and words come out. Finding something that I can connect with my son is important to me. My dad wasn't around too much when I was 13. He was always working too hard. I know he loved me with all his heart, but he just couldn't be there. Now that I have time I want to spend it with my kids. What excites me the most is that my kids want to spend time with me playing disc golf. Last week I asked him what he wanted to do for his birthday. I reminded him we didn't have much money. His reply was quick, "I want us all to go disc golfing dad, just our family." When most teenagers prefer the constant company of their friends or their phones, he wanted most of all to be out in nature--- throwing plastic--- with his family. When he put his disc in for that 2 on #18 Ethan couldn't wipe the smile off of his face as I was still commenting in awe on how incredible his shot was. On the way home we talked a little more than we usually do, and not just about disc golf either. I am thankful for a sport that can bring a father and son together on his birthday that didn't cost a dime. The moment, was the greatest treasure.

Our friend Moose McNulty was a school teacher and passionate tosser of the disc. He got his start with disc as a young 'folfer' tossing Frisbees at light poles in the neighborhood he grew up in. When he moved to Missoula, MT for college, he quickly and firmly embedded himself in the local Ultimate and disc golf scenes. He became a school teacher at a local middle school and in 2010 founded the 'Disc Golf 4 Kids' program through Flagship. Moose's goal was to see as many children as possible discover the joy of watching their discs fly.

Sadly, in August of this year Moose unexpectedly passed away. It was his dream to see a family and beginner friendly course in our town, and to that end we have begun fundraising for the 'Moose McNulty Memorial Disc Golf Course'. If we win this MachX, it'll be going directly on Hole #18 of his course, which we are currently fund-raising for.

Thank you for the opportunity to tell his story!

http://missoulian.com/news/local/obituaries/matthew-james-moose-mcnulty/article_0ee6b00a-0fed-11e3-841f-001a4bcf887a.html

"Look, a stick!"

Funny story... a friend and I were playing a round at one of our local courses. We were about half way through our round and I had just thrown. My buddy gets to the tee pad and lets it rip. At this course, the next hole comes back towards this hole so sometimes you must let the people on the next hole know if your shot is heading their way. Well, this day, there were three grown men as well as a little guy, prob 5 or so, out with his dad. After my buddy releases his throw, we immediately see it heading their way, so we let them know! All three grown men step back, none grabbing the little boy. Luckily, my buddy's disc hits dirt and slows down a bit, but it still skips up and off of the little guy's back. Both of us feeling bad, let the guys know and make sure the little man is ok. The dad let's us know to not worry about it seeing as how we did notify them of the incoming disc. As wee walk by the group, we see the little boy sniffling, which of course makes us feel bad. Not even a minute after the little man gets hit, we see him stop, pick up a stick, look at his dad, and proclaim "Look, a stick!". His dad looks at us and says, "See, no problem!". And just like that, we know he is ok and are amazed at how quickly the little man got over it, and just by finding a cool looking stick!

Disc Golf Community and Volunteerism

I am not writing this essay to talk about how I discovered the game, or how I became hooked, or to discuss all of my travels since I found this awesome sport. I am writing this essay to talk a little bit about Disc Golf Community and Volunteerism, something I think is overlooked in our sport by. Ever since I came into this game 5 years ago there have been people who have focused their efforts on getting sponsored. I have to admit I might have had those thoughts once or twice too. They stand up trying to get noticed for their level of play or the brand of discs they choose to throw. Some of these people do end up getting sponsored because some companies see financial value in getting their name out there with someone so vocal and in the public eye.
I am here to ask everyone out there to consider sponsoring another type of person, someone that contributes tot he sport of disc golf without standing up and saying look at me. This is the person who volunteers at all of the workdays, who takes time out of their busy schedule to help out with course projects, the person who contributes to the disc golf community by assisting on clinics and demonstrations and helping with leagues, or the person who simply put, helps make the disc golf community stronger and helps to spread the word about disc golf in a positive light. To quote Crazy John Brooks, “these people are the lifeblood of our sport” and without them the courses would not be in the condition they are, there would be less disc golf community, and disc golf might continue to receive bad publicity for the negative things that happen in our sport.
So, with this call for a new type of sponsorship, I would like to say that there is someone local that I think deserves this basket, someone who has spent many of his personal hours on weekends and afternoons on a tee sign project for a local course, someone who volunteered to come to every one of the workdays I scheduled . . . and he even brought his two boys along to help with garbage removal. He is always there to bounce ideas off of to help me make my leagues better, and he is always more than willing to come up with ideas of his own on how to do things differently in the sport. This is someone that jumps at every opportunity to make the sport of disc golf better in our area, and he does so without asking for anything in return. I would like to say thank you to him and our local club would like to thank him for his volunteer efforts and I would like to do something nice for him since he has helped us out many times in the past year.
If my essay is to be selected as a winner, I will gladly pass along whatever prize I receive to my friend and volunteer extraordinaire as a way of saying thank you.

Thank you DGA for the opportunity.

I'm 35 years old. I'm an average, caucasian, American born man. My first experience with disc golf was when I was eight. I'd played a couple times, but then I hadn't played anymore until 2001, when a new friend I had made took me to play at Seven Oaks DGC in Nashville, TN. At this time I was gong through a busy, hectic and blurry time in life, as I was working two jobs, going to school 4 days a week, commuting an hour and a half, one way, to go to class, and I had a new-born son at home. all this talk isn't about me, as I'm sure almost every player has a very similar, if not more profound or touching story. This essay isn't about me. I can't put my finger on any one incident that embodies the "Spirit of Disc Golf," for there are too many to place as "THE SPIRIT."
Disc golf is a game. Just as any "sport" is a game. Any sport. But, disc golf is different than any media circus that is a "professional sport." The majority of the time, the only stories you hear on TV or radio about good deeds performed by athletes are singular events. A quarterback starts a charity, a starter brings a dying child to a game as his guest. These stories are very heart warming,. I can't downplay any of them. But. They are few and far between.
Disc golf is different because almost every player is a person. An average ordinary person that receives very little credit, recognition or any fame at all. And almost every player I've ever met on any course(I've played over a hundred) I've met is a human being. Not a super star. Not a "god" of the game. None the less, human. I've seen so many good deeds. I've witnessed so many people come together for great causes. I've been the culprit of this trend, as well. I'm not looking for credit. I'm not looking for that "feel good" feeling.
Disc golf is a game. Call it a sport, if you will. But as I stated earlier, any sport is a game, when you boil it down, cook it off and whittle away at the layers that surround it.
Games are in essence, an activity of enjoyment. An activity to bring diverse people together.
An activity of fellowship, of gathering, of enjoyment. Players bring homeless people food on cold mornings. Give others rides home on a rainy, stormy, dreary day. Players organize charity tournaments to raise money for causes. Some as little as helping a fellow player get home, across the entire globe, so they can be home and with their wife on the day their child is born. Funeral costs. Adolescent cancer patient treatment. Dog rescue missions. The list goes on and on.
This is the "Spirit of Disc Golf."
Not in any particular order of importance, the true spirit is the love of the game. The enjoyment of fellowship. The act of being outdoors and getting exercise. To just be alive. What I get from disc golf is much like what some get from going to church on Sunday mornings. Connection with the world. Knowing the sun is shining upon my face, that God's blessings are showered upon this Earth. Socializing with others. No matter how different we may be, it's a common ground. No matter how different we are, no matter our own personal goals, we are all the same on the course. We're there to have fun, to enjoy life and to just be at peace. I gain focus, centering, peace and serenity when ever I throw an ace run. There's something pure and innocent about a true flight down the fairway. There's vibration in the universe when someone hits chains off the drive. The "Spirit of Disc Golf?" Not many see it, but it's the true underlying factor. Love. No matter what your aim, it all comes down to love. Love of the game. Love for others. Bringing glory to the powers behind our existence. That's the true "Spirit of Disc Golf." It's brought so many people out of dark places and has allowed everyone to bring light into the lives of others. Love is the true "Spirit." Call it respect for others. Call it your chance to get out of the house. Call it a chance to hang with your homies. Call it your own thang. It's all related. It's all the same. It's love. Love for others. Love of nature. Love of fellowship. Love of the game.

During my junior year of college (2011), I had the great opportunity to study abroad in Ulm, Germany for one year. When I arrived, I found out that the closest disc golf course was a 45-minute drive away, and not accessible via public transportation, so I was naturally very saddened about this.

I told my friends and family that it’d be the greatest thing ever if I could get the city of Ulm to install a course in one of their parks, but they laughed at me and said there was no way because the government in Germany is very stubborn and hesitant to try new things.

Well, I didn’t give up and emailed one of the city council members and met with her to discuss the idea of getting a course. Not surprisingly, she had no idea what disc golf was, so I had to start completely from scratch. She was inspired by how passionate I was as a 20-year old student and set me up with a meeting with the director of parks and recreation the following month. During the weeks leading up to the meeting, I miraculously found another disc golf lover in the city of Ulm, whose basket I borrowed during the meeting to demonstrate what disc golf was. The director was very hesitant to the idea and scared it would be a big flop. However, with every concern he voiced, I reassured him and tried to convince him otherwise.

Cost? Small compared to anything else the park installed. Vandalism? The baskets are really sturdy. People getting hurt? Very, very rarely happens because disc golfers are careful and considerate. Would it catch on? It’s one of the fastest growing sports in the world. USA has over 4,000 courses! This type of conversation went on for a while.

For months and months I begged the city to just give it a shot, and eventually they agreed! In December of 2012, a 9-hole course was installed in the Wiley Park in Ulm and in October 2013, the first tournament was held. And it was completely filled and was a huge hit!

To this day, I consider this one of my biggest accomplishments and contributions to the sport I’ve come to love.

In the event that I do win the basket, I would want it to be installed at the course in Germany. Maybe as a practice basket or 10th hole.

Here is the link to the course I’ve been describing: http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=5974

As I think back on my latest disc golf journey, “50 States in 50 Days,” with my co-pilot Silvia Rodriguez, many memories come to mind on how the spirit of disc golf was felt from coast to coast. It all begin with a dream of sharing my love of disc golf in hopes of not just making the sport more popular, but also introduce it to people who have never heard of it before. Little did I know what the road had planned for me, making this travel more challenging.

It was by the “Spirit of the Game” that people like Bill & Sue Leslie from New Mexico, Keith Walter whom I met at the course in Louisville, Ky, T.M. Dyer from Rhode Island, Paul & Gloria Fein from Pennsylvania, and many others, that accommodated us during our travel and made it more pleasant. Also a big thanks to Ray Mo from Fayetteville, AR, as well as, Doug Duff from Tulsa, Ok, for their hospitality after we finished our 50/50 and on our back to California. These young men display the “Spirit of the Game” as they continue to help their community through disc golf fundraisers.

But the spirit was felt even stronger after we had four separate incidents on the road which could had discouraged anyone. One was the wearing out of the brake rotors in Montana, later two blown tires on freeways while passing through Syracuse NY, then in Hartford CT running over a piece of metal in the freeway exit. Then having a pinched nerve handicapped me for one round at Sedgley Woods in Philadelphia PA. We were determined not to lose faith, friends and family reached out to help us and the generosity of the people made it possible for us to continue.

Thinking back on the 500 minis I received from Discovering the World, their generosity made it possible for me to share the love of this sport and hand out minis to people all over the nation as I encouraged them to try disc golf.
Lastly, the lady who was determined not to let fibromyalgia, arthritis, and a cervical disc fusion gone wrong, stop her from following her heart to join me on this trip by faith, displayed courage. It was by the “Spirit of the Game” that she persevered and endured a fun but difficult road trip of a lifetime, I thank you all!

I have a private course with 35 members on my property. I have regular tourney's and love to give back in any way possible. ( Planning a Beginners clinic soon). I have 2 Mach 2's and a M-14 on my course so far, I love DGA and your baskets are the best and I always promote them. I have one pin location on my course that is used 5 times. Its in the middle of the property and makes it flow, due to lack of massive acreage. One Mach 2 currently resides there and It would be sweet to put a BRAND NEW MACH X there and put the Mach 2 on a hole with a tone pole. Thanks for doing what you do! Nor cal Disc Golf forever!
TD, 1000 Oaks
Jon G

Standing on the first tee, I turn to face my group. “Hi, my name is Kevin Morrow and I’m an 825-rated player.” I then get that true support-group reaction, in unison.
“Hi, Kevin!”
Sometimes, I feel like my playing in disc golf tournaments equates to being an addict. It’s a lot of self-abuse and nothing good comes from it.
Let me back up a little bit.
I began playing disc golf in 1986. By the early 1990s, I was playing tournaments and finishing in the middle of the pack in Am2. I stopped playing tournaments in 1996 and by 2002, I had stopped playing entirely. In all of those tournaments, I never cashed or won prizes. A few years ago, I picked up my discs again. In 2012 I began playing in tournaments again. Being at the back end of the masters division and being an 825-rated player has unique situations. As a player who isn’t new, do I enter the rec division or intermediate? Or do I man up and play advanced masters? I entered five tournaments — one in the rec division, two in intermediate and two in advanced masters. My goal heading into any tournament is the same — don’t come in last.
Sometimes, it hasn’t been easy to meet that goal. I knew I was going to struggle playing in advanced masters, and I did. I finished last in the division by six strokes, having the second-to-worst score of the day. Take note — the worst score was a DNF. My next adventure put me in the rec division. I did feel a little guilty and ashamed for dropping down, but I figured it’s where I belonged. After finishing seventh out of nine players, I wondered if I needed to petition the PDGA for a lower division.
In my next tournament, I jumped up to the intermediate division. After the first round, I was in 12th place out of 36. I felt pretty good about it. I was able to hold onto that spot and finish in the prizes (payout was to 13th) for the first time! My prize haul? Three Discraft Crystal Z Buzzzes, one of which I eventually dyed into a trophy disc that sits on my desk at work. The best feeling about this finish was being able to join my club members who had all either won or finished second in their divisions. That feeling didn’t last long. To the next tournament, which I also played intermediate. Not only did I finish last, but for the final two rounds, I was paired with the intermediate women. That actually wasn’t a bad thing. They were a lot of fun and a lot better looking than those who I usually play with. If I had played in rec, I would have finished in the middle of the pack. For my last tournament, I went back to advanced masters. The good news was I placed fourth. The bad news was there were only four players in the division. I’ll still take that fourth-place finish.
It never failed, though. At each tournament, I asked myself — at least once — “why am I doing this?” Sometimes I even questioned why I played this game at all. Then I remembered — I’m a disc golfer. This is all part of the game. I gripe, just like others from winners to anyone else who finishes in front of me. There’s a comfort for me knowing, even before a tournament starts, where I’ll likely be finishing. Some call it a defeatist attitude. I counter that by saying there’s no pressure. It’s all about having fun. I might even put together a couple of good rounds and cash. After all, it’s happened before.
In advanced grandmasters. I’ll set my goal a little higher — to finish in the middle of the pack. That shouldn’t be too hard if there are only two or three entered. The 2013 season started off with a victory. It was a New Year’s Day doubles tournament and I played with a great kid, Austin Pfaff. He’s an amazing young player from our club and we always seem to play great in a team together. It actually came down to the last hole. After battling from a few strokes down, we were tied. My drive landed about 20 feet shy of the basket, the closest in the group. I hit my putt and the others missed the birdie attempt, giving us the win. The highlight of the season I was able to accomplish something I thought I would never do. Win a PDGA grandmasters title. I actually won twice. Granted there were only 4 players in the division but it was a win and it felt great.
And that proves, to me, things are looking up and getting better.
Two weeks ago I had a heart attack. I actually played 2 rounds at a local course before I realized what had happened and was admitted in to the hospital. I am expected to make a full recovery and Disc Golf is going to be a big part of my recovery. I can't wait to get back out on the course.

Guessing if you cut me I would bleed plastic. Let me begin at the beginning of my addiction. I found a 150G Birdie putter while walking my dog and decided to give the game a try since it looked like people were having fun with it. My first round was about as bad as you can imagine but I know I could do better so I played another round and haven't stopped playing since. There is so much I love about this game! One of my hobbies is swimming for discs and closing in on at least 4k discs found and I call the numbers on every one of them, can ask anyone in the Mississippi Valley Disc Golf Club (look for us on FB if you are ever going to be in the Lacrosse WI area). I end up getting roughly 20% of them back to their owners.I have had a hand in designing a couple courses and volunteer a lot of hours to build and maintain courses in my area. If you ever get to WI stop at Justin Trails in Sparta I helped organize the labor for the first build of the Big Brother course and if you are looking for a course to seriously challenge your game stop on by. I will also be the guy you see picking up trash on any course I play. I enjoy playing in tournaments when the finances allow me too and have won several in the Adv. Masters division. I spend a lot of time at our area courses obviously either playing, working, or selling the discs I find but the thing that I do that I am the proudest of is to teach other people about the game and how to throw a disc. I am sure by now I have taught several hundred people how to throw and got them started with their first disc. I enjoy the look on their face when they learn that basic form and get them a disc suited for a new player and see their first big throw. I talk to customers all the time for the last few jobs I have worked and keep trying to spread the word. One group that ended up contacting me was a Seniors Adventure group from Winona MN and they asked me if I would be willing to teach them how to play. It was fun to teach a group of people that were 60+ to play and I feel getting them involved is good for any course since they tend to have a more calming affect on some of the more boisterous players on the course and as a bonus they tend to know the people in local government to give us a better image. I love reinforcing that Disc Golf is a all ages sport and make a point of letting parents know that this is a great way to spend time with your kids with a minimal cost and a maximum amount of entertainment. I know I have spent a lot of time talking with one of my daughters on the course just wish I could have got the other daughter into it but I at least got that one to follow in my footsteps in another way and she has joined the Army. Another aspect of the game that I love and like to point out is the fact that it brings together a lot of people from various age groups, ethnic back grounds, and professions which broadens peoples perspectives of their community outside of the game too. I have met some truly amazing people because of this game and hope to meet many more. Sorry if my story is a bit rambling and bouncing around but there is so much to love about Disc Golf and so many different facets of the sport to share with others it is hard to keep it to just one idea and once one idea pops into my head it leads to another. It may sound corny to some but to me disc golf is a game played by a individual, that can be shared with a group, that can positively affect a community, and who know possibly impact the world in unforeseen ways along with just being beautiful to watch and a blast to play not sure what more you can ask for in a game.

I’ve never considered myself to be athletic, and never thought I would find a sport that I love. I first became involved in disc golf because my boyfriend and his dad play; I started just spectating, then caddying, then blogging.

Before I could even throw a disc more than 100 ft, I was fascinated by the mental and strategic aspects of the game at the advanced and professional level. One of the complaints that has always stuck out to me comes up when someone plays in divisions above their abilities or drops down as a “bagger.” To a degree, these are legitimate concerns—people tend to play their best when they’re competing against someone of at a similar or slightly higher skill level.

Having seen this effect the way one performs, I know it can be frustrating when a guy is asked to play with women—especially at the rec level—in a small tournament in order to have the required 3 people per card.

A few weeks, I played a non-sanctioned event in my hometown, Columbia, MO. There were only two women signed up to play, so we had to play with two men each round. This made me uncomfortable at first because I was worried they would have a bad attitude about being stuck with the ladies. However, I was pleasantly surprised. People I knew for a few years and people I had just met all acted the same: they talked to me about how long I had been playing, gave me suggestions when I needed them, high-fived me when I did well, and even talked about how they wished their girlfriends or daughters would play.

Any guy who has not only played on a ladies card, but has engaged in conversation or encouraged a female player, embodies the Spirit of the Game. Or, really, anyone who takes the time to encourage and support players who are still developing their skills instead of becoming frustrated or impatient embodies this spirit.

Just one of these people can counteract several instances of having to play in an intermediate division because there weren’t enough people to make a rec division, being told that disc golf is not a “real sport,” or even self-criticism during a rough round. These are the people who make disc golf great!

My story may not be the greatest of entries but I still think it has a bit of merit to the spirit of the game.
I belong to an amazing disc golf club in San Francisco.
The club is very welcoming to anyone wanting to come out and learn.
Unfortunately San Francisco like many cities does have a problem with crime.
Unfortunately recently two members have dealt with being robbed of their discs/bags.
In almost instant response people from all over the club donated new and used discs.
I was not to shocked as I have seen so many good people since beginning to play almost one year ago.
I am astounded to see such a great collection of people coming together for the love of a game.
I am proud to tell people I belong to such a good club of people.

I am an active member of the disc golf forums at dgcoursereview.com the best disc golf forum site around! Two years ago in my search for a specific disc (weight, color, plastic) I found a member who had one in his "disc organizer" but it was not listed for sale. I privet messaged him explaining my long failed search for this disc and asked if he would possibly sell it to me.

I received a reply from him stating "Shoot me your address and I'll send it to you". I replied with "How much do would you like for it?" I was told he wanted no money or trades he just wanted to "pay it forward". I was so stoked and grateful! I felt that I should do the same!
I then came up with the idea of starting a "Pay It Forward" Thread on the forums. The thread took off! with in the first 48 hours of its launch it overloaded the websites server and crashed is several times. The administrator of the site had to upgrade the server because of the amount of disc golfers willing to "Pay It Forward".
To date this has snow balled into the longest and most popular thread on this massive disc golf forum. It has been running without a brake in the chain for 2 years. The great disc golfers on this site have "Payed It Forward" thousands of times. Meaning thousands of discs have made it into the hands of people who will enjoy them!

With all this being said I will not be keeping the prize if I win it. I would like to ask DGA to hold it and send it to the winner of a raffle. Where all the proceeds go to dgcoursereview.com so that they can keep this great site growing that educates disc golfers on every aspect of the game.

Below is a copy of my first post starting this thread!

First the back story,

A few days ago I was browsing the Disc organizer area for a disc I have been in search for. I found one. Contacted the owner (who shall remain nameless unless they would like to chime in and take credit for popping the idea in my head) I was told they were not Sure if they still had it. A couple days later I was contacted saying that they had been busy and the disc is still in their position. They wanted to send it to me free because they wanted to PAY IT FORWARD. They only requested that I do the same. I said sweet and gave my info.
Now this got me thinking. How should I pay if forward? I got the Idea that this would be great to do as a community. So my thought is I would start a thread and put up a disc I have to pay it forward.

How it works,

You are looking for the last disc posted in this thread. If you like the disc all you have to do is be the first person to call dibs on it. After someone has called dibs on said disc the one who posted will contact you via PM to get your shipping info. All we ask of you as the receiver of the free disc is to Pay It Forward and post one of your discs for someone else to call dibs on. And so one and so forth.
This is a great way to pay it forward. Along with an easy way to get a disc you would like to try out. It’s also a good way to get that disc you have that didn’t make your bag into the hands of someone who will enjoy it.

Ok so here are the guidelines;

1) This is open to everyone
2) One disc at a time
3) Be fair don't post a dog chew toy up for dibs
4) You MUST reply with the word “Dibs” if you want it.
5) Giver pays shipping
6) No insider trading (i.e. don't pm your buddy’s and say heads up I'm posting ____ so grab it.)
7) When you have a disc posted for someone to call dibs on it is your responsibility to watch the thread and PM the first to call dibs
8) ONLY call dibs in the thread no calling dibs via PM's
9) Post your disc that’s up for dibs as you would in the marketplace (Pic, Plastic type, weight, sleepy scale)

Have fun with it guys and let’s see how long this can keep going for!!!

I'm a junkie, 52 years old and been clean for almost five years. Needless to say but my life has been chaotic. I found Disc Golf about a year ago when some of the younger guys let me tag along while we at an NA convention. The same spirit I found in the rooms I found on the coarse. That is to say, everybody is welcome. I have a new life now and my wife would say a new addiction. Don't have a local coarse but I travel at least once a week to find one. I love the game, and the people. I enjoy trying new discs, new shots and new coarses and wherever I go my experience has been the same. I hope to be playing for a long time to come.

I am relatively new to disc golf. I get incredibly nervous (often so nervous I just back out) when I go to play doubles. Especially doubles where you draw or flip for your partner. I know a lot of people that take this game very seriously (even when its just for fun) and can make someone, like myself, who is not very good, feel bad for dragging them down as a partner. At my first big draw doubles event, I was absolutely terrified of who might be stuck with me as a partner. I drew a guy I had met a few times named JD, And the experience was better than anything I could have hoped for. Every time I messed up, I would shake my head and aplogize multiple times, but he would be quick to remind me to have fun and not to worry about what our score is. No matter what happened, each throw he would tell me great job and give me a high five. He would make an even bigger deal about the shot if I made a good one. Made the entire experience one of the most fun times I've ever had playing disc golf. And even when everyone was turning in scores of 12-16 down, while I was around he was raving about our 7 down and telling everyone about how good I played. Just absolutely took a new player under his wing and made sure that I would want to come back. It is people like JD that truly exemplify the spirit of the game of disc golf. I will always be appreciative of him.

The Orlando Disc Golf Club recently completed it's 4th disc golf clinic teaching local boy scouts & cub scouts the rules and skills to play disc golf so they can earn their ultimate / disc golf badge

I run the Friday League here in Central Minnesota and one year I gave away three Mach 14s. I didn't want it to be just best game to win, I wanted it where everyone would have a chance to win but also have skill involved. For one of the baskets I had an elimination round. The winner from each of the 9 groups teed off on hole #1. The worst score player would be eliminated [with CTP on the next holes for ties]. 9 players start... on hole #2 there will be 8 players, hole #3 there will be 7 and after hole #9 there will be 1 survivor. There was one woman in the group [this was years ago when women were just getting into the game here]. Many holes she barely survived being 2nd to last but she survived to hole #9. It was here against the best player around. If both tied the hole it was CTP on the drive wins the basket. The guy drove and based the hole within a foot. He won the Mach 14. When I awarded him the basket he said that he already owned a Mach III and gave her the basket. Very cool.

There is a guy that submitted his story earlier that has a similar story to mine. His is a little more heart warming, but I'll try anyway. I live in a town with no disc golf course. There is one privately owned by a doctor about 40 miles away. I have been in touch with him but he hasn't let me play there yet. The next closest course is about 60 miles away in the exact opposite direction, across the state line, on a college campus that I'm not sure I'm suppose to be on. The closest public course is almost 200 miles away. The town I'm from is very skeptical about using funds on a course and is hesitant about trying new things, especially when they have the potential to get vandalized. I'm still barking up that tree. But in the meantime, my best option is to play at a local Park (playground/baseball field) and use trash cans, water fountains ect. As goals. But if there are people playing baseball or kids on the playground then I yield my right to play go home feeling unfulfilled. I built my own basket to practice putting in my yard, but it's heavy and hard to transport, not very practical to be bringing it along every time I play. I could really use a light weight basket that I could bring along for a couple shots at the park. Maybe get more people involved in order to create a demand in this boring town of mine. There is enough people here to support a course, but nothing to do. I just need some help giving people a little push to go out there and throw some discs.

I was struck by a big rig 6 years ago nearly killing me smashed bones and lost my sence of pride by not keeping up with others due to my disability gained 60 pounds never tried to do anything .six years later I picked up disc golf after I threw my first ace I was hooked fascinated by the different flight patterns and kept up with people.for the first time in six years my pain was lost to the flight of a simple disc . I play every day now and getting better everytime i play .its funny how I'm still In pain most people could never understand .but for that brief few seconds of flight I'm not the guy who's disabled and slower than the rest or in pain at all I'm a contender .and to get that back after near dying and fighting to keep up is priceless !.I'm going to play this game till I die its my rock my peace and the place I go to eliminate the pain . If you would have ever told me a few years back that I'd not only be throwing frisbees but I would design a full 18 hole top notch course with a group of disc golfers and be selling discs playing daily and traveling to Santa Cruz Modesto and all over the Central Valley for this crazy game we call disc golf I would have laughed . I throw because I love the sport and what it has given me nobody will ever trully understand but me.

It was the final United Flyers Of Sonoma (UFOS) weekly at the Steve Werner Memorial Disc Golf Course at Crane Creek in Rohnert Park, CA for 2012. I and another player, Brien, were the last to check-in. I had just talked Brien into playing his first weekly, he played the course often, but had been too intimidated to ever play in a weekly.
The buy-in was $7, $5 for payout, $1 to club and $1 for the ace pool. Brien only had $6 and was ok about not getting in on the ace pool cause he didn't think he would be hitting an ace anytime soon. Of course I told him that you can't be too sure so I paid his entry into the pool.
Low and behold he hit the ace on the last hole of the round, hole 18. The basket was owned by the person whom the course was named for, Steve Werner, whom we lost at the young age of 36, and were pretty convinced that Steve had something to do with Brien's first ace. As well as getting his first ever ace, Brien also bagged the $340 ace pool. Of course the after round beers were on him and he promptly paid back my $1. He now never misses paying into an ace pool whenever available.
Everytime I run into him on the course, we always relive that awesome moment in our disc golf lives.
Greg Goben
#15490

I started playing at Swope Park the summer of 1978, returning to Michigan in 1979 to find no courses until after the family was raised and I discovered two courses within 25 miles of home. Since then I have played in sanctioned tournaments for eight, designed and installed courses, developed and created logos, advertising and disc designs for tournaments and clubs and also played in two PDGA World Championships. I rarely win, rarely finish last and also finish with a smile and positive attitude for the next loss. And all IN THE SPIRIT OF the GREATEST GAME available to us all.

I started playing disc golf in Sept 2012, at the ripe age of 51. My husband told me one day that we were going to join a sunday morning league, my reaction "with people?" We went that first week, I was extremely nervous, but found that the disc golf community was very accepting of new women, no matter what the age. He then pushed me to play a tournament; what the heck has he gotten me in to!!!! A year later, my rating is now just a 733, however, has improved. I have found that I am truly addicted to the sport. We play a few times a week and again this year, we joined the sunday morning league. I have played quite a few tournaments as well. I truly enjoy the time spent with everyone on the course. It's great that my husband enjoys the time we spend together on the course; oh well, so much for housework! LOL. Getting outside and chillin' with some of the greatest new friends is very satisfying.
Wendy Ferguson, Newark, DE #56779

A few years ago a friend made an attempt to get me into disc golf. He described it to me as "throwing discs at baskets in the woods". His first description seemed odd to me and I laughed and shrugged it off as something I wanted no part of. He stayed on me to try it and I finally gave in and went to play with him at the only course in town at the time. I still remember it like it was yesterday. Gripped my fingers around the disc, swung my arm, and watched the disc soar... about 40 feet. Those 40 feet was the start of my love for disc golf. Since then I have played disc golf in I don't know how many towns and 3 different states. Now, my friends and I do all we can in trying to spread the word of disc golf and to help it grow to the point of disbelief. I have since got so many more friends into disc golf and try every day to continue to do so. My dream for the future is that one day "the golf channel" will become "The Disc Golf Channel"!

In April 2012 a couple of friends from work invited me to join them on small hikes to get out and experience nature. I had been struggling with weight problems so I thought I would try and do something productive. We stumbled on a disc golf course in a local park and my friend had some ultimate discs in his trunk so we decided to give it a try. We had no idea that there was a difference between the two. At the time there were guys who actually played the game and when I look back on the situation it’s kind of embarrassing and we must have looked ridiculous. Well, being a competitive person I did some research and went to our local shop to pick up some “real” discs. After throwing the used 175g Viking and seeing how terrible I threw it I got me absolutely obsessed with learning the game.
I started going to doubles on Wednesday nights and got to meet some guys who were very cool and great about sharing tips and teaching me different aspects of the game. I got in to my first tourney about 2 months after I started and it was HORRIBLE! It was about 104 degrees and there were guys dropping left and right. That particular course is a temporary course they put in once a year on the westside of the dam of the Brent Hambrick Memorial Course in Columbus, Oh. I arrived late and took 7s on the first few holes and DNF’d halfway through the second round because between the heat and being extremely out of shape I literally couldn’t stand. That moment was an awakening to how much I had let myself go and even more how much I hated feeling so uncompetitive. I started to play every day. Over the course of the summer I went from a whopping 344lbs to 285lbs and I felt great.
In October that year I was out playing on slightly rainy day by myself just doing a practice round. I was emptying my bag on every hole and working on different shots. On hole 12 as I ran up my front foot slipped upward and my back push-off foot stuck. I flung up in the air and fell so hard on my foot that it just snapped in to two. At first I was in such shock and the adrenaline was running so high that I thought I was ok and tried to walk. I proceeded to fall down and just feel the biggest rush of pain I have ever felt in my life. Luckily there were a couple of locals that knew me and saw me writhing in pain about 4 holes ahead. They drove their car through the course and took me to my car. At that point the swelling and shock had kicked in and being a prideful and stubborn “genius” I insisted on driving myself to the urgent care. I drove my 5 speed Scion XB to the urgent care feeling every ounce of pressure and pain with each gear shift. It was the longest drive of my life.
The long story short is that this resulted in complete reconstructive surgery in my ankle.
This was completely demoralizing. I had worked so hard to lose the weight and was unable to play the only thing that had brought me any joy or contentment since playing sports in high school. I was down for about five months, first a cast then a boot. At one point I was using a walker because it was the only way I could navigate at work without falling on the slick floors. I gained every pound back plus 10 and felt terrible.
In early March I got cleared to walk without the boot and the first thing I did was go buy some hybrid hiking Keens, an ankle brace and some new plastic. I went out to the course that day and forced myself to get on the horse. Went right back to the hole and finished my round.
I have played almost every day since that moment and playing disc golf has changed my life. I have found a new respect for nature and being outdoors. I lost all the weight again. I started out the year with a 798 rating finishing at the bottom almost every weekend. I’ve clawed my way to an 842 and won my first tournament a couple of weeks ago. Disc golf has reinvigorated me and brought a determination that I haven’t felt in years. It has brought me a new appreciation for experiencing the moment and just living. It is a sport open to anyone and accessible to everybody. Simply put I am a better person because of it. I would love a new basket and it would be great to be able to get some putting practice in whenever I want. But basket or not I have won more than I could have ever wanted.

Excelsior,
Dimitrios V. Makridis

My husband Adam loves to spend quality time with our son playing discuss golf. I feel he embodies the spirit of the games by passing the tradition on to him (he even brings the dog). http://instagram.com/p/L3yTJqg2_7/

I had never heard of Disc Golf until last year when a few casual friends invited me out to play. My first round of course was horrible. I believe I shot somewhere around 100 on a 56 par course. Being a recently divorced dad I saw this as a way to spend some time with my daughters outdoors and something that would help keep me active. I am 42 years old with two daughters under 10. I have since embraced this sport to the point of obsession sometimes. I ahve joined my local disc golf association I ahve joined the PDGA. I have participated in over 12 tournaments and numerous events. I try to play at least once a week or more and on those alternating weekends I play with my children too. They ahve come to like the sport as much as me and are wanting to go out and throw some discs too. Together we are getting through the difficulty of being part of a divorced family and disc golf helps that. It fills my free time so that I no longer feel alone when I am without my children. It is getting me in better shape. I no longer suffer from as much pain in my shoulders as I used to thanks to the exercise. I am loosing weight and spending quality time with my daughters. I am becoming active in my disc golf communtiy and trying to learn all I can and help out as much as I can. Thanks to Disc golf I feel I am a much better person than I was just a year ago. I have met some great people and have improved so much that I even took second place in our the biggest local tournament in my division. I plan on continuing to play for many years to come and continuing to enjoy this sport with my daughters as they grow up. My oldest daughter has played in a doubles tournament with me and enjoyed it immensely. I hope to continue to spend this quality time with them for many yearsw to come. Thank you Disc Golf.

My first attempt at disc golf was several years ago at a local course inside a city park. I went with 2 other friends and none of us had ever played or really knew much about the game. None of us owned discs, so we were going to rent them at the park. Being completely clueless about the game, we decided that we did not need to rent 3 sets of discs. We would only rent 1 set and share them. We rented a single set of discs and I think we each chose which color we liked best. As you can imagine, this was not a good plan and it was obvious even to us after a few throws. Luckily, there were some others on the course who noticed our pathetic attempt to play. They had several sets of discs in their car and were nice enough to lend us 2 other sets to play with. They also walked us through the entire round giving us pointers. They were very generous and helpful to us "newbies".