Disc Golf

Discs seem to be as old as humanity itself. When you look at some of the ancient cave paintings, you will find men using disc- shaped tools for hunting. Could this be the origin of our flying discs? Religious mythologies and legends from all over the world speak of people using sharp edged discs for the purpose of killing.

The first record we have of anyone playing a game with rules using flying discs is in 1926 in a school in Vancouver. It was a group of school children, playing with tin lids.
Some researchers say that Frisbee golf or disc golf has existed since 1900s, albeit in an informal form. But the true history of disc golf starts with two important names- George Sappenfield and Ed Headrick.

George Sappenfield was in the Thousand Oaks, CA Parks and Recreation Department when he came up with the innovative idea of playing golf with discs. He used any object he could find- from trees to lampposts as targets for children He set up an object course. The game gained popularity. Soon the entire area was following his idea.

He talked to a person from Wham-O called “Steady Ed” or Ed Headrick. Headrick became the “father of disc golf”. He created standardized courses, was behind the design of the basket or the Disc Pole Hole which have became a mark of Disc golf.  He even coined the term “Disc Golf”. The first disc golf course came up in Oak Grove Park, (California). Since then many parks have Disc Golf courses installed in them.

It was Headrick who founded Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA), Disc Golf Association (DGA) and Recreational Disc Golf Association (RDGA). By the time of his death, Headrick had designed 200 or more disc golf courses. When Headrick passed away, his ashes were made into discs- as per his desire.