DISC GOLF IN THE OLYMPICS ???

When you stop and think about Disc Golf one of the very first events in the Olympics was the " Discus " where the best athletes in the world hurled a disc as far as they could thru the air. Sounds a lot like our game doesn't it ?? What would be more natural than to get disc golf in the Olympics .......... can you imagine the coverage ?? Talk about exposure. We have enough countries playing the game now ....... why not get each country to lobby and try and bring the Olympics into the modern Olympics ........ the best of each country could go through their own super tournament year prior to the Olympics to determine their teams ..... amateurs and if they must ....Pros .......... Ultimate could even be included ....... let's talk it up and try and get it in for 2012 ...... let all disc golfing countries be heard from ........ start now.... you may hear not enough countries are now playing it ........ why not get those countries that do, to take on giving the game away to 4 or 5 other countries that don't by shipping them used discs to get started, showing them how to make inexpensive tonal courses so they can learn to play ....... spread it like wildfire and let the world play together spinning discs like spaceships ....... each national assoc. could take it on and make it work ..... how about it? could it really happen? you bet it could

[Boom Boom Dino]

I started this disc cussion and I can't believe there's no one out there thinking about throwing plastic as an Olympic event .......... hello is this just a pink floyd dream that only occurs to me ???? Yipes

[bobd]

I totally agree, I believe PDGA would be the best route to obtain this goal.. .. how to start..?

[Boom Boom Dino]

I have talked to ever so slightly to the pdga and they think it's a bona fide good idea but they have a lot on their plate and limited resources to persue it to fruition .......... my bet would be since the Olympics are an international program that maybe it best to get all the National disc associations to lobby their Olympic teams to ask and push for the inclusion of disc golf in the games. It would take a concerted effort by all to make it happen but if done properly would maybe give results. I mean if they can get ballet skiing and arieals in why not disc golf? The other thing would be that the game would have to be given away internationally to all the countries of the world ......... and the sooner the better.

[Steve Oberg]

Here's an interesting link:
http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/columns/?article=olympics

A quick glance saw that a sport needed to be popular in 75 countries, have its own association etc.
Sounds good.

On a pessimistic note, they also list some 'no longer' olympic sports, one of which is ball golf, dropped over a hundred years ago. Hard to believe that 'tug of war' used to be in the olympics!

Not sure what the process is, but if there's a petition to sign, letter to write etc, count me in. Maybe we'll find that whatever board, committee... that decides this stuff is looking for something with some flair to add to some upcoming games.

Steve

[Boom Boom Dino]

It seems the PDGA in 2005 along with the WFDF (World Flying Disc Assoc. wfdf.org ) have made some attempts to organize the world format. They contacted each other and had input from around the world. The International World Games Assoc. puts on world games by the look of it every four years. Next one is in Tiawan. They have 30+ sports and ULTIMATE is included. Here is the link ( http://www.worldgames-iwga.org/vsite/vcontent/page/custom/0,8510,10... ) copy and paste to have a see. If they already have Ultimate in why not disc golf? They are part of the Olympic family and they may be the way to a new style Olympics. They even have Sumo wrestling and tug o' war.

[D.J,]

i didnt read your whole post LOL!!!!
but i think if DG was an olimpic event it would just e a distance challenge

[widye]

There was the world games back in japan forgot what year but Barry Schultz took home the gold for disc golf.

[Boom Boom Dino]

Just looking at the World Games website the Games took place in Akido in Japan in 2001. There are games planned for 2009 and next after that 2013 and I don't know where ........ someone will know and perhaps it's even in N. America ...... and perhaps we should get on it .........

[Terry "the Pirate" Calhoun]

Boom Boom, get on it, indeed. Create an Olympics club to have a space to share and store stuff, get some people in there, and start working on it. I can't take a lead, but I will join your club and stay informed.

[Terry "the Pirate" Calhoun]

I think some of the barrier is that the Flying Disc Federation is recognized by the Olympics as being the world-wide governing body of disc sports, including disc golf, and that organization really doesn't concern itself all that much with disc golf. (I could be reporting that with some incorrect bias, but that's what I recall.) Also, I believe that there would have to be an organized effort to do serious, pro-level drug testing of competitions, etc., which means there sort of has to be money in a sport before it can move to the Olympics level - because all of that is very expensive to do.

Which is not to say I wouldn't love it. Just sharing what little I know.

[Dan]

There are Olympic disc golf petitions. Check out www.DiscGolfBuzz.com There are 3 there, the original one for the 2012 games and recently added the 2016 games and a general one. We also have a real one typed up that we have taken to our local course, but would like to take it to some tournaments, if anyone can help with that. Please support our sport and sign them. Thanks