Disc Golf vs Ball Golf

I was wondering about something.  I do not know if this has ever been a discussion before but here goes.

 

If I am not mistaken, Ball Golf was created first.  Correct??

Then there was Disc Golf.

I have played both and I prefer Disc Golf because the players are more down to earth.

 

Which game has grown the MOST ??

Has anyone ever did a study on Disc Golf versus Ball Golf ??

Which sport has the most people playing ??

Which sport has the most members ??

Which sport has the most fields ??

 

In my opinion (have not done any studies, so it is my opinion)

Disc golf seems to have the most players or is the most popular here in Florida.  We have the perfect weather for the sport.

So my final question is "Why doesn't Disc Golf have the same coverage as Ball Golf ??"

I have not seen advertisements, postings in newspapers or T.V. news like Ball Golf !!!

 

Tiger Woods, Arnold Palmer are famous here in Florida.  Why doesn't Ken Climo have the same coverage ??  After all he has been the World Champion how many times ??  And I didn't even know what he looked like until I played in the 2011 Barnett Championships.  Even then, I just saw the back of his head.  Then there is Gregg Hosfeld.  I have met and talked with him.  Both men have had an impressive life.  Now I admit the two have been the brunt of one of my "Humor" jokes. 

If I offended..............

 

Anyway why doesn't Disc Golf have the same respect as Ball Golf ??

 

I know I have asked a lot of questions with this discussion, but I am hoping that DiscGolfersR.Us world will understand what I am trying to say.

 

Does anyone feel what I am saying ??

[Mark Cuban]

I was playing at Buffumville Dam DG course in Mass and there was a family Geo caching and the object they were looking for was located in a rock pile that the basket was resting on top of. Talk about 2 groups of people looking at eachother wondering  "what the fukc are they doing ! "

[Eric Day]

hahaha yeah there is one in a tree right by our 14th basket at Buccaneer State Park in MS, I always thought people where just looking at the view (the basket is just off the beach), Then one day checked the Geocache App on my phone and saw there was one there. Kinda made me laugh because of all the times I have hit that tree, and didn't know it was there.

[Ghost]

Curling had an automatic in.  It was a novel olympic sport.  Most hadn't heard of it.  It's amazingly unlikely that DG will ever become an olympic sport so this easy exposure venue is closed to us.

 

 

[Nic777]

Maybe a dumb question here, but everyone seems to talk of the holy grail of getting the game onto ESPN.

Are their any other sports broadcasters / channels in the States? Surely their must be.

[Eric Day]

There are a couple, fox sports is one of the bigger ones, but Espn is the "holy grail" as you put it over here.

[Nic777]

Well their you go, with networks fighting for viewers, if a DG major could get on any network, and viewership is good the rules of capitalism will eventually get the game onto ESPN. Maybe some of the smaller networks should be approached by the PDGA?

[Sammy Shaheen]

Ball golf was created when they still thought

the earth was flat. So it's just a bit older. Not

by much if you consider time as a whole. 

[David Sauls]

I've watched disc golf grow phenomenally over the past 15 years---but it's still miniscule compared to other activities.  I'd say the odds of getting live coverage on national TV are extremely small.   There are very few disc golfers, and I suspect most of us wouldn't watch.  I can't imagine non-disc-golfers watching.  And without millions of eyes willing to watch, no advertisers; without advertisers, no broadcast.

 

Much better odds that the current growth rate continues for the foreseeable future---but as a recreational activity, not a spectator sport.

[Eric Day]

Yay you make a good point about low viewers. I have never wanted to watch a disc golf DVD. But on the other hand, that Chains movie looks like it's gonna be awesome. If anybody hasn't seen the preview, type Chains Disc Golf into YouTube

[Jeff Nichols]

I found this today playing around. I am sure a lot of you have seen it already, but I think it is pretty cool. 

 

http://www.youtube.com/user/DiscGolfMonthlyTV

 

Disc Golf Monthly TV also says that they do have shows on Public Broadcasting channels around the nation, so its a start anyway. I know I REALLY enjoy watching disc golf. Discgolfplanet.tv is one of my Favorite websites. I think it is Awesome to be able to watch the big Dogs, AM's, Women, etc, all competing and try and pick up on Everyones techniques. It is a very valuable learning tool. 

 

[steve sevonty]

Simple, money. When you have people lining up to pay 45$ to play a round of golf, compared to disc golf where people most bitch if it cost 3$ all day. There both a blast to play but I can not see how anybody would want to watch either. Also I am told that the national broom ball association has more then 45,000 active members compared to like 47,000 all time members of pdga

[David Sauls]

Broom ball?  Good illustration of how relatively small disc golf is.  I remember years ago, when PDGA membership was about 5,000, seeing a story that the San Diego Adult Kickball League had 4,000 members.  Truth is, there are many sports and activities you'd never think of, that are bigger than disc golf, and have equal or greater claim to TV exposure.  Almost all of which would be easier to televise and more compeling to watch.

 

My skepticism is mostly with the thoughts of live TV coverage.  Perhaps one day we'll see a weekly review show somewhere.

 

In the meantime, go to a big disc golf event and notice how few people are in the gallery (USDGC excluded), even when the cost of admission is free.