Then Vs Now: How Technology Has Shaped Disc Golf As We Know It

Depending on your age, this article may mean different things to you. Players who read this and are still in high school only know about the world of live tournament broadcasting and being able to interact with your favorite players on social media while more experienced lovers of the game remember when tutorials on YouTube weren’t even a thing.

The ways in which technology has shaped us as a whole are pretty incredible, but even when you zoom in and look at disc golf specifically, the resources we have now have played a major role in the development of the sport. Don’t think so? Let’s look at just a few examples.

Better Event Promotion

Back in the 1970s, disc golf tournaments were advertised through paper flyers and word of mouth. That’s it - no social media channels to post on and no way to text all of your friends about the next big event. Back then, it was crucial for disc golf clubs to have impeccable communication not only within their own group but with neighboring associations as well.

Anyone who has run an event in recent years knows that the tools of online promotion, registration, and the dissemination of schedules are pretty easy compared to how it used to be. Not only can we offer tournaments with greater frequency, but we’re also able to more easily team up with sponsors to make sure they’re a success.

Changing Your Game

Imagine how good of a disc golfer you’d be in 2019 if there was no such thing as the internet. The discs you purchase would be solely based off of word of mouth opinions, and the ways in which you play would be strongly influenced by those around you. There’s something to be said for the simplicity of a time gone by, but how much better could pros back in the day have become if they would’ve had more tech?

Nowadays, a brand new disc golfer has almost too much information at their disposal. From a plethora of disc reviews to countless videos demonstrating various forms and techniques, anyone can pick up the sport easily and have a decent amount of success.

The Ultimate In Enjoyment

How did players learn about new courses in their area and beyond back before the internet days? You guessed it - word of mouth once again. Three hours away from you, lovers of the sport may have been working to install several new layouts and you’d never know unless you hopped in the car and went for a drive. Those interested in watching bigger events had to either visit the tournament in person or simply hear about it from friends.

With the implementation of tools like UDisc and additional course review websites, you can learn specifics about courses that are thousands of miles away. Let’s not overlook the importance of both live and post-produced tournament coverage as well, a feature that’s really helped to push the sport in front of more eyes than ever before.

When you think about it, the spirit behind disc golf has pretty much stayed the same over the last several decades, but the ways in which we engage with it are so different now. Is it better? Do these tools really help us? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.