Disc golf

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Two players putt, the last throw in disc golf

Disc golf is a game of Frisbee sport in which an attempt is made to hit baskets from a fixed drop point (tee) with as few throws of a Frisbee as possible . The throwing sport does not need its own spaces, but is usually integrated into existing public green or sports facilities.

Rules of the game

Disc golf is one of the golf sports in the broadest sense and is therefore played according to a similar pattern. The throw or drive on a lane is made from a certain place, all further throws are made from the point at which the previously thrown disc came to rest. A different disc can be used for each throw. The throws required for a course with several lanes are added to the final result. If several people play a course, then on one lane the player with the lowest number of required throws starts on the previous lane. After the throws, the player whose disc is furthest from the basket plays first.

Each hole on a course is marked with a par , i.e. a specified number of throws. Common are Par 3 and 4. The typical sequence of throws on a par-3 course would be launched ( Drive ), proximity ( approach ) and putt. Individual courses have up to 18 lanes; the length of a track varies between 50 and 200 meters. The courses are usually freely accessible to everyone. There are both fixed courses with specially installed target baskets as well as nature courses in which, for example, people throw at trees or lamp posts. The hit on a player's first throw is called an ace or hole-in-one in this sport .

In disc golf tournaments, all players are divided into play classes: Open, Women and the age groups Juniors, Masters, Grandmasters, Senior Grandmasters and Legends.

Play device

Disc golf can be played with commercially available Frisbees. In tournaments they must comply with the provisions of the PDGA. So-called golf discs have been developed for special requirements (flight distance, flight curves ). These are heavier (150 to 200 g), more aerodynamic and of a smaller diameter (approx. 21 cm) than normal Frisbees. There are suitable discs for individual game situations:

  • Driver : Long throw targets or drivers are mainly used for the first throw on a lane, where a large distance is usually to be achieved. The current distance world record, achieved by David Wiggins Jr. from the USA on March 28, 2016, is 338 meters. These discs are characterized by excellent aerodynamics, but also by the high throwing speed required. If the throwing force is low, they tilt sideways.
  • Midrange : Approach targets ( midrange , also multi-purpose ) are used for throws from shorter distances. They are more stable, i.e. more straight, in flight position than drivers, but they can also be thrown relatively far.
  • Putters : Putters are primarily used for the final throw to the target. They are the most straightforward golf discs, but also the shortest to fly. Nevertheless, they can be thrown 150 meters by professionals.
Backhand drive with a bit of hyzer

There are also some throwing techniques that can help change the trajectory and rotation of the disc:

In addition to the most widespread backhand throw, there is the side arm . In this case, the throw is made with the forehand. The disk or disc rotates in the other direction and thus falls off in the opposite direction. The side arm is used when z. B. as a left-hander around a left dogleg (a dogleg is an object - for example a tree - that you have to play around, whether right or left is determined beforehand) and you can no longer perform the normal throw. There are also upside-down litters. You throw the disc over your head so that the disc lies on your back. This throwing technique makes it easier to get over large bushes or small trees. Some players also use the scooter , here the disc is thrown so that it continues to roll after landing. You can make more distance or play under low-hanging branches, but the direction is difficult to control.

The flight behavior of golf discs is classified into three categories (based on a right-handed backhand throw as in the classic frisbee):

  • Overstable : With the type of throw described above, discs written in this way tend to tip to the left due to their rotation and the associated aerodynamics. Drivers are classically very overstable , but show the described tilting very late in flight due to the high speed with which they are thrown.
  • Stable : Stable discs fly straight.
  • Understable : These discs twist more easily to the right during their flight.

If a disc is thrown faster than intended, it will fly more understable ; if it is thrown slower than intended, its flight will be more overstable . Beginners should rather choose unstable targets, as these fly in a straight line at low speed.

When the discs are dropped, the flight behavior of the discs can be influenced by changing their angle of inclination. If the discs are thrown with the outer edge inclined towards the earth, this is known as a hyzer ; a disc thrown in this way (right-handed and back-handed) will make a strong left turn. On the other hand, if you tilt the disc away from the earth and thus provoke a right turn, one speaks of anhyzer . The speed of rotation of the disc or the wind also influence the flight attitude.

Target basket in competition quality

Metal baskets at a height of approx. 70 cm are attached to permanently installed courses. These baskets are mounted on a pole; Above there are some chains attached to another metal ring that are supposed to slow down thrown Frisbees. These baskets are also available in portable versions. The disc must fly in between the upper edge of the basket and the lower edge of the chain suspension and then come to rest in the basket or in the chains to end the track. Discs that come to rest on top of the basket must be placed in the basket with an additional "throw".

Game tactics

Typical golf course. The information board provides information about the length, any OBs and mandos, par and other conditions. The free playing area (colored brown on the board) is called the fairway .

A player has to choose his game tactics based on the conditions of the track, the weather conditions (especially the wind), the individual skills of the player, his emotional state and the score with the other players. In addition to the choice of a target and throwing technique, it also includes decisions about riskier or safer variants. Choosing the right disc is important to facilitate certain flight curves, but the flight characteristics can also be changed using suitable throwing techniques.

On the track shown, a right-hander could throw an unstable disc so that it completes the long right-hand curve. Alternatively, he could throw a stable (i.e., straight line) disc with anhyzer to achieve the same effect. Alternatively, a forehand throw ( side-arm ) with a stable target and a light Hyzer, or a slightly over-stable target flat , would produce a similar result. Due to the narrow fairway and the rather short course, a scooter would be rather unusual to see here. The space at the top is too narrow for sensible overhead throws ( upside-down ).

The throwing decision for the approach depends on where the drive comes to rest. In the best case, you can throw it right away with the throw within putt distance of the basket, i.e. closer than about ten meters. In general, in disc golf, as in ball golf, putting is considered to be of outstanding importance. In English, the saying "Drive for show, putt for dough" (meaning: You can impress with the throws, you make the money with the putts) is common.

development

Disc golf is currently only played professionally (or semi-professionally) in the USA. The Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) currently has approximately 86,000 members (30,500 active players). In Europe, sport is most widespread in Finland. Well-known players are, for example, Paul "The Beast" McBeth (USA), Richard Wysocki (USA), Nikko Locastro (USA), David Feldberg (USA), Karl Johan Nybo (DEN), the reigning world record holder David Wiggins, Jr. (338 meters; USA), the former world record holder Scott Stokely or the twelve-time world champion Ken Climo ; Well-known German players are for example Simon Lizotte , Marvin Tetzel, Dominik Stampfer, Nikolai Tsouloukidse, Kevin Konsorr and the two-time world champion Hartmut "Hartl" Wahrmann.

In the mid-90s the PDGA started the international program and u. a. PDGA Europe introduced. The European branch of the PDGA organizes the annual PDGA Eurotour, which currently includes 10 tournaments (Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, England, Germany, Belgium, Holland, France and Switzerland). Various national tournaments are also registered with the PDGA and thus sanctioned. It is essential here that sanctioned tournaments are used for player rating. There are now around 5,100 European players with PDGA membership. PDGA Europe is currently still a committee, but will soon be organized as an independent partner association of PDGA.

According to figures published by the PDGA, around 500,000 people around the world regularly play disc golf on around 5,500 courses (59 of them in Germany).

In Germany, disc golf is organized in the German Frisbee Sports Association . The historically most successful German club is the winter sports club Albuch eV (host of the European Championship 2008), which was recently replaced by the DiscGolfer Münsterland of the DJK GW Marathon Münster eV . In 2012 the Westphalia collected five titles. Simon Lizotte (Bremen) was European champion in the Open in Colchester and Sven Rippel (Bergkamen) secured the junior European championship with a large margin. Simon Lizotte also won the Open at the German Championship 2012 in Eberswalde (Brandenburg). Kevin Konsorr (Lünen) secured the German junior championship title. His younger club mate Marvin Hartmann (Münster) took third place. Kevin Konsorr also won the GermanTour 2012 ahead of schedule.

The Swiss disc golf scene emerged in the mid-80s with the outsourcing of disc golf from the then Swiss Frisbee Association and the establishment of the Swiss disc golf association "swiss discgolf". The most important tournament in Switzerland is the Swiss Open, which is held annually as part of the PDGA Eurotour in Geneva. The most famous Swiss disc golfer is Paul Francz , co-founder of the disc golf scene, engine of European disc golf, PDGA EuroTour manager, multiple Swiss champion and three-time European champion. The Swiss record champion in the Open category is Stephan Müller from Disc Dimension Winterthur , who has already won the championship title 15 times in his career, he is also a 12-time Swiss Tour winner and 3 times Swiss champion in the doubles category.

In Austria - together with the Hungarian Association - the Austro-Hungaro-Discgolf Tour (AHT) is held, which represents the top division in these two countries, so to speak. In addition to the AHT, there is also the ranking list in Austria and Austria has been allowed to hold state championships since 2015 (before that there were Austrian championships once a year). In 2015 there were also regional championships in Vienna, Upper Austria and Styria. There is also the KUMM Disc Golf course in St. Thomas on the bladder stone with the “St. Thomas Classic “an internal course championship. In Vienna, the Putterfly Disc Golf Club also installed a league operation on the Prater Disc Golf Parcours in 2015 , the Prater Disc Golf League with 20-25 game days, which is scheduled during the summer . In addition, there are many beginner-friendly tournaments and varied formats - e.g. B. team competitions (doubles championships, tag team trophy ), birdiehunt with different performance classes and special modes as well as the Ace Race and Puttercup fun tournaments . Many of the tournaments organized by Putterfly Disc Golf in Vienna's Prater are also accompanied by one or the other donation campaign, most recently in 2015 and 2016 in favor of CliniClowns Austria. Clubs measure themselves in Austria using the Austrian Club Championship (ACC), which is an additional evaluation of the ranking tournament results.

The Austrian Disc Golf Association (ÖDGV) has existed since 2010. In the same year, Frisbee was also included in the Federal Sports Organization (BSO). Frisbee is therefore officially recognized as such in Austria. Werner Mooshammer from Andersgole's Discgolf Club was replaced in 2015 as President of the ÖDGV by Johannes Petz (Golden Disc Golf Club).

In Germany, combination courses have achieved a certain degree of popularity, where disc golf is offered together with other precision sports.

German championships

year venue Open Ladies Ladies Masters Juniors Juniors Masters Grandmaster Senior Grandmaster Legend
1986 Leonberg Thorsten Gorke Deborah Weidanz Günter Tanner Rock Searle
1987 Berlin Hartmut Wahrmann Pat Searle Th. Deutschenbauer Rock Searle
1988 Weilheim in Upper Bavaria Hartmut Wahrmann Sabine Kensy Ingo Schwentzfeger Viro Schneider
1989 Weilheim Hartmut Wahrmann Deborah Weidanz Chris Voigt-Eberle Viro Schneider
1990 Weilheim Chris Voigt-Eberle Christine Grossmann Stefan Schmid Viro Schneider
1991 Weilheim Chris Voigt-Eberle Christine Grossmann Tobias Schmid Viro Schneider
1992 Weilheim Hartmut Wahrmann Christine Grossmann Stefan Minkwitz Stephen Defty
1993 Munich Hartmut Wahrmann Sabine Melzer Stefan Minkwitz Viro Schneider Alfons Listl
1994 Weilheim Chris Voigt-Eberle Sabine Kensy Stefan Minkwitz Not so Svensson Günter Urban
1995 Berlin Chris Voigt Sabine Kensy Stefan Minkwitz Stephen Defty Viro Schneider
1996 Weilheim Chris Voigt Sonja Pertack Christian Schülling
1997 Braunschweig Hartmut Wahrmann Katha Sellnow-Wendt Bernhard Stoll
1998 Söhnstetten Marco Lehousse Cornelia Engel
1999 Berlin Chris Voigt Cornelia Engel
2000 Memmingen Michael Kobella Ann-Christin Drews Michael Stelzer Manfred Ketz
2001 Söhnstetten Hartmut Wahrmann Cornelia Held Michael Stelzer Markus Held
2002 Weilheim Hartmut Wahrmann Cornelia Held Jakob Ludwig Markus Held Viro Schneider
2003 Berlin Robert Delisle Sr. Ann-Christin Drews Manfred Ketz
2004 Grebenstein Andrei Betea Ann-Christin Drews Benjamin Waldmann George Brown Viro Schneider Bill Kelton
2005 Weilheim Chris Max Voigt Cornelia Held Simon Lizotte Michael Voglmeyer Manfred Ketz Hans Behrendt
2006 Söhnstetten Michael Stelzer Nora Backes Simon Lizotte Frank Buchholz Axel Sieburg
2007 Berlin Klaus Kattwinkel Diemut Bartl Yannik Stehrenberg Frank Buchholz Axel Sieburg
2008 Ruesselsheim Jan Bäss Cornelia Held Christian Schmidt Andreas Thöne Viro Schneider Bill Kelton
2009 Weilheim Simon Lizotte Christine Hellstern Dominik Stampfer Michael Kobella Viro Schneider Bill Kelton
2010 The same Simon Lizotte Susan Fischer Dominik Stampfer Michael Kobella Andreas Wegener Francesco Puliafito Bill Kelton
2011 Kellenhusen Simon Lizotte Susan Fischer Sven Rippel Robert Delisle Stephen Defty Viro Schneider Willy Leifermann
2012 Eberswalde Simon Lizotte Susan Fischer Kevin Konsorr Michael Kobella George Brown Willy Leifermann
2013 Wolfenbüttel Simon Lizotte Christine Hellstern Marvin Tetzel Jan Bäss Wolfgang Kraus Hans Schulenburg Bill Kelton
2014 Ruesselsheim Dominik Stampfer Christine Hellstern Marvin Hartmann Jan Bäss Wolfgang Kraus Werner Kuster Francesco Puliafito
2015 Kellenhusen Simon Lizotte Christine Hellstern Carl Rose Klaus Kattwinkel George Brown Wilfried Weder Willy Leifermann
2016 Bruchhausen Kevin Konsorr Wiebke Becker Maik Hartmann Klaus Kattwinkel Wolfgang Kraus Wilfried Weder
2017 Eningen Jerome Braun Antonia Faber Timo Hartmann Martin Doerken George Brown Peter Hennecke
2018 Potsdam Kevin Konsorr Antonia Faber David Strott Nele Eger Jörg Eberts Robert Delisle Andreas Wegener
2019 Neuss Fabian Kaune Antonia Faber Susann Fischer Timo Hartmann Nele Eger Jörg Eberts Oliver Möllemann Paul Siggi

European championships

Official European championships have existed since 1997.

The current European Champion 2018 in the Open Division is Simon Lizotte .

World championships

The World Championship of the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) has been held annually since 1982. All world championships were held in the United States or Canada (1987). The international participation in this tournament is therefore very low.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ https://www.pdga.com/divisions
  2. ↑ http://wfdf.org/worldrecords/?r_sec=1&h_cat=1&h_class=1&h_his=1
  3. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SK-26xURTj0
  4. ↑ http://pdga-europe.com/2017/01/pdga-europe-2016-in-numbers/
  5. ↑ Results of the European Championships 2012
  6. ↑ Disc golf for a good cause. Retrieved March 6, 2017 .

Web links

Commons : Disc golf  - collection of images, videos and audio files