Funniest thing happened..

So I'm on XBox Live playing my favorite game and chatting with the other players when I mention that I'm a professional Disc Golfer. They thought that was the FUNNIEST THING EVER and swore that there is in no way "pro frisbee golf". So I spent the next 15 minutes of the match explaining it to them and STILL they swear that I am lying and there isn't such a thing as "Pro" Disc Golf.

  When will the whole world know about our sport? How much of the public already knows? 5%? 10%?

[Trae-Bear]

I really don't know how many people know about it, but it got big here in Ok when the newspaper printed an article on Joe Rotan and Disc Golf....but who knows how many people actually know....

[4U2NV]

I would say of 50+ age the only people that know about it are those that either play or have kids/grandkids who play.

However more in the age range of 15-35 I find many, many people know about it maybe 50% or more and they write it off as a hippie sport, oh that game, and have little desire to try it out until a friend with a bag of discs comes along and says dude lets stop playing video games and get out of the house. Lets go frolf...

[Ryan S. Flahive]

the term 'professional disc golfer' is a term that will never have the same connotation as a 'professional baseball player' or 'professional football player'--the public's conception of professional athletes is that they make lots of money and that is their livelihood--which is not the case for the vast majority of professional disc golfers--most have 'day jobs' to support their habit...winning a $1000 purse once a month is not going to pay the bills if you have a family...

a real easy way to explain it would be to simply say...'I play disc golf for money'...the true definition of professional vs. amateur...and leave it at that...

[Disc-O Golf]

I just let people know that I am a Professional Athlete...that's all.
If they do not get it, I rip a couple of 400 foot drives for them...then they get it.

[The FORCE]

They DID say " Take off your tye-dye shirts and your flip flops and get a real job". I kept laughing because I do have a day job. You are right by saying that Professional is known to be at least a 6-figure term.

[Josh Webster]

Good question. Took my Mach Lite out the other day to a park in a nice neighborhood where I live. Took it to an open field with trails to go around it for hikers and joggers. And as we were playing and people would walk up 7 out of 8 people actually knew what we were doing...I WAS BLOWN AWAY. Honestly I was cause at the course on the weekends cars park all over it and cover it. No one knows what it is and that is why. I think with the E.D.G.E. program you will start to see great recognition of the game. As kids play it more growing up then it will just be ingraved into them. (which is awesome).The biggest thing would be if ever city had an ACTIVE club and made their communities aware of the "sport." The best places to play with the most parks and the most awareness are communities that have done their part in getting people involved and hosting lots of events. The world will know about our sport when there is a reason to. Honestly right now this is all grass roots and without big sponsors and money being thrown around...well the world only cares so much. And for the public....it's getting better. We all have to do our part with dragging friends and family out of the house and away from the TV to go and do something that is FUN and good exercise.

[Charles Isaac]

When ESPN covers Disc Golf on a regular basis and we are not thrilled when a small story comes on ESPN.

[Justin J. Platt aka Prodigy]

Since all you really need is a PDGA card to play with the pros in this sport I believe that when a company sponsors you to play is when you can truly call yourself pro. Don't get me wrong... I am not saying your not at a pro level, but it is a shady line between pro and wannabe. Not to mention your on a video game chat with others that are inside playing games, so if its not on TV they are clueless.

[4U2NV]

I disagree, simply for this reason alone... There are sponsored Am players who have a ton of potential Like David Wiggins Jr (Innova), Greyson Dewey of IL (Paragon Apparel) or Kyle Chapman of IL (Essential Discs) and I know Fade Gear and Gateway sponsor a few also. Most of the sponsored Pros you meet are pretty cool and have not only skills but a love for the game, are interested in growing the game, and interested in helping players grow (even if it is for money sometimes). However, I have seen NON-PDGA members play in C and B tier tournaments and compete on the same level as Geoff Bennett, Mike Henry, and Chris Sprague. They can consider themselves Pro-Disc golfers as they play for money and have top skills even through they are not in the PDGA. Likewise there are many Professionals not receiving the recognition they should like Issac Chaney #38123 of NC. Also does it matter who sponsors you? does it have to be a big name with a big contract? Or is a small company work too?

[The FORCE]

I was inside playing video games at 10pm. That was about an hour after I got done palying 2.5 rounds at Robert Morris and then coming home and playing the front 9 at the course at my house... thank you very much.

[Steve]

He wasn't knocking you for playing video games, he was saying the alot of people on video games don't really know of sports like Disc golf because it isn't on T.V.

[Wicked Dyes]

Dont you two live together? Couldn't you have just explained it to him in person?