Disc golf is played just like traditional golf, except instead of a ball and clubs, you throw a flying disc. It’s free to play, open to everyone, and one of the fastest growing sports in the world.
A golf disc is thrown from a tee area toward a target: the “hole”. The most common target is an elevated metal basket called a Pole Hole®. Players work their way down the fairway, throwing from wherever their previous disc landed, until it drops into the basket.
Trees, shrubs, elevation changes, and open terrain all combine to create a unique challenge on every hole. Disc golf was formalised in the 1970s and shares the same satisfying mix of skill, strategy, and outdoor enjoyment as traditional golf.
Who plays disc golf?
Disc golf can be played from school age to old age, making it one of the great lifetime sports. Players with disabilities participate alongside everyone else, and because the sport is so easy to learn, no one is excluded.
There are events for men and women at every skill level from complete beginners to professional competitors. Permanent disc golf courses can be found across Australia and in countries worldwide.
Why should I play?
Where do I play?
Many city parks already have permanent disc golf courses set up, free to use whenever you like. In areas without a dedicated course, disc golfers often create their own object courses in nearby parks and green spaces.
A nine-hole course can be established on as little as five acres of land, and a full 18-hole championship course on 30 to 40 acres. Courses coexist easily with existing park facilities, making disc golf a natural fit for public open space.
The PDGA has developed standards for the design and installation of new courses to ensure they work well for communities and players alike.
Permanent disc golf courses are found right across Australia. Use our course finder to locate one near you.
Content adapted with thanks to the Professional Disc Golf Association — pdga.com