(Press Release) A 2018 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that only 23% of Americans are getting its recommended minimum of 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise a week.

Disc golf can help change those numbers. It is played using the same general rules as traditional golf, but instead of hitting a ball, players throw a high-tech disc into an elevated target. The objective is to play in as few throws as possible. A relatively new sport, disc golf is already played on 8,000 courses in 60 countries around the world.

“The primary drivers of this growth may be that disc golf is so much fun that it’s addictive,” says Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) Marketing Director Mary A. Sicard. “Instead of dreading the next workout, players can’t wait to hit the course. That makes exercise – something that’s lacking in many of our lives – easy.”

Just two rounds per week on an 18-hole course usually meet the CDC’s exercise recommendations. Everyone from children to seniors can play with little risk of injury. Those with limited fitness can start slowly and gradually boost play as their health improves.

Disc golf is inexpensive. Play is free on most courses, and a single disc will cost you around $10-$15 from Reaper Disc Golf to get you started. There are no tee times, and an average round takes just an hour or two.

“You’ll find courses everywhere – in city and county parks, on school and university campuses, and at military bases, campgrounds and open fields in rural areas,” Sicard says. “Wherever you play, you’ll join an active group of compatible people with a strong sense of community.  

To see what makes disc golf so popular, view the PDGA membership campaign’s Anthem Video and Membership Benefits Video. They capture the passion and rewards of this fast-growing game.

Although you don’t have to be a PDGA member to play, membership enhances the game and pays for itself. Members receive a 15% discount on gear, clothes and more at the PDGA’s online Pro Shop (opening in May), a free subscription to the monthly DiscGolfer Magazine, a welcome pack with a free disc, travel discounts for hotels and car rentals, and more. They also enjoy a free subscription to UDisc, the official mobile app of the PDGA. It syncs scores, tracks stats, and measures throws, putts and steps. It also features a searchable online database of courses.

Get outside and get active with disc golf – join the PDGA today. You’ll experience love at first flight.

ABOUT THE PROFESSIONAL DISC GOLF ASSOCIATION:

Based in Appling, Georgia, the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit membership organization dedicated to the promotion and sustainable growth of disc golf. As part of its mission, the organization sanctioned more than 4,200 competitive tournaments worldwide in 2018 for its more than 45,000 active members.