Disc Golf State

Which state in the continental US is the best "disc golf" state? In other words which state contains a numerous amount of properly designed and built courses along with multiple disc retailers and a community that is out to advance and promote the best sport in the world?

[ROBEY the one.]

The only real way to do this is to come up with a formula. So we need to start with criteria in which to evaluate each city/state, and from there assign value and weight to each part.

What is the main basis? beauty, course density, weather? course quality/toughness?

 

lets say that beauty is the starting point, lets give each state a value as a base number and minipulate it from there. Say between 1 and 3 in increments of .5, only Hawaii and Alaska get a 3 (for the sake of fairness) most states get a 2 with about a dozen or so getting a 2.5 (pretty much my first top ten) and and a few getiing a 1 (Iowa, Nebraska, etc...you know if your state sucks). For a city use (1 + .5 for each of the following attributes in the Imediate area of your local courses: elevation, view, mature trees, body of water (of signifigance, swamps and dry ditches - no, lakes streams and ponds - yes)

How about a bug factor, theres bugs every where so lets go with a seasons (between 1 and 3) of the year they are not a factor divided by 1.8. then take that number times your base number.

course density, how about for a: city, you take # of courses within 60mi and divide by 50,  and for a state you take total courses in the state subtract the average of all states divide by 7. use that number as a density factor to which you would multiply your base number.

How about weather, do you go with # of days in the 60's,70's and 80's on a year to year average? does precipitation negitivly effect it? so avg days of good temp minus avg  days with more then 1/16" of precipitation? is there a severe weather factor? like hurricane zones and california have to mutiply by .5 five and certain other coastal  states and citys by .75 for less likely severe weather (damages to courses, added equipment costs from saltwater). Would places like utah and arizona get an additional 1.125 or 1.25 mutiplyer for lack of mositure in the area for corrosion? i think so.

So what am i missing? local scene? hard to judge, but how about a mutipling factor based on just having something, if you have local leagues and tourneys use 2, if you have a few tourneys a year within short drive use 1.5 and if you have nothing local use 1.

Do the same thing with equipment needs, if you have access to a lot of different brands use 2 if you can only get one or two of the big guys use 1.5 and if you have to buy everything online use 1.

 

Am I missing anything else?

[ROBEY the one.]

So everyone do your state and city using these values and post them on here. Be honest, and we'll see where is best.

 Hopefully this yeilds some interesting results and i can use this to come up with a way more accurate algorithm. If so I'll talk to Brian G at the PDGA and try and have a standardized formula created for future reference and comparison.

[Boom Boom Dino]

one of the criteria could be ...... how much money can the NW, SE, Confederate States Midwest, Lakes District areas raise for added cash for their major tournaments? ..... we always ask why isn't dg growing into the big leagues?  everybody says where's the cash from sponsers? ...... why not each of the geographical areas raise cash for the touring pros to try and win? have a fund raising tourney or two, each geographical area trying to raise more cash for their National Tour event .... more cash you raise the more prestige goes to your area ...... dgplanettv  could donate 50% of their subcription fees to payouts and people would benefit the pros by subscribing ..... etc  etc   etc.

[ROBEY the one.]

That would be a whole different debate, as it has nothing to do with quaility of ones discgolf life (unless you one of .0001% of players that are on the pro tour)

 

[MonTTy #794]

It's interesting hearing everyone's arguement for second place behind North Carolina.

[David Sauls]

I was going to post that you could ask everyone where they live, and get 90% identical answers. But....

 

I was distracted by Robey the one's list, and So. Carolina being #4.  I'm from SC and love it, but even I wouldn't rank it that high.  "Sandwiched between Charlotte & Augusta" is our leading disc golf attribute.   Not to deflect a compliment, but what have you seen here that I haven't?

 

Which brings me to the stickiest aspect of this topic---the weather.   I can't imagine a fair way to factor it in.  Now, I would say that anywhere with long periods of snow cover is automatically disqualified.  But my northern friends seem to feel the same way about life-threatening heat.

[ROBEY the one.]

Natural beauty mostly, rockhill helps, between charlotte and Augusta helps. one of the few states in the top 10 I have not actually played in, all based on hearsay.

 

But I dont think it would stay in top ten with my new formula.

[Gbudz]

heresay? arrr walk the plank yar scoundrel

[ROBEY the one.]

auto correct on chrome.

[Gbudz]

no you have it right. i was pointing out a funny homophone ha ha

[Steve West]

Disc Golf Service Levels by State

 

The chart at this link shows which states have the most disc golf courses nearest to the most residents.  Bigger courses count for more, but it does not take into account quality of courses, or disc golf culture or anything else.  However, I'd say it makes clear that the best state must be one of: Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, or Minnesota.

[Austin "two putts"]

the midwest is truly a disc golf paradise, if you can handle the winter weather that is