Returning discs.....

I have modified a rake that brings in discs like crazy. I designed it to get my plastic, but it dosen't know the difference. Now, I have a new responsibility and am wondering the time frame to wait for the owner to return my call. Is a week or a month good? Some of the plastic has been under h2o for years and my be worth nothing. Any guidance appreciated.

[Jason Brown]

I love the return ethics. Very nice thought. The only thing that annoys is when there is no contact info. Sure to each his own as to the value of a disc and its return, but its annoying to a degree when you don't know who.

But if I find a disc, make contact with no results and it doesn't get back to them in say a month I might throw it for the heck of it. Even honestly keep it since I'm a new play and do not own 300 discs. Hope that is not taboo. Don't want to do wrong by someone.

[John K]

I think it's great that you want to try and return discs! Seems like many players these days think that a disc is theirs if they find it. I have even had players pick up my plastic and try to walk away!

If you call and leave a message, you have done your part. After a few weeks I think it is yours.

[Hootie]

I think if you call ONCE and leave a message for the person then wait two weeks without a response, you've done the right thing. Anything extra is going above and beyond the call of duty. If you call and no-one answers, then you keep calling. Everyone who plays over here generally knows each other so we just keep it for the next time we see that person.

[Bryce @ Treebangers Disc Golf]

Ive only found one disc, unmarked, so I went on the disc golf ontario.com forum and tried to find its owner, but got no answers, this was back in the summer. I also put up a notice on the bullitin board at our course (no Pro Shop) of when and where I found it, again no answers. So its in my bag now ... but I will probably pass it on to a new player who needs some plastic to get started.

[Hootie]

If you dont mark your discs and you lose them, its your own fault.

[Tino "SilverBack" Medina]

our crew has a rake as well. When we went ot the USDGC this year we saw a man using one afterthe event and pulling out mucho plastic so we talked to him about it, took pictures and our guy "Poncho" made his own. Our lumberton course plays around and over 2 lakes so it comes in handy. Anyways, as far as found discs go, we ahve a thing where if you make three attempts to call (normally within a week or two) and no response, put it in the club box. They are great to give to people who are interested in the sport but have no plastic, especially kids that watch you throw in amazement and then ask what you are doing. You wont believe their smiles when you explain the game to them and then hand them a disc! Now if someone does call back, make an honest effort to ship them their disc or meet them or whatever. It costs me but I ship them out ot people if they are not local. You never know, they may return the favor one day, they may send you a reward or a new disc, or they may say thanks and always remember "hey, there was this cool guy that sent my disc I lost back to me: and that should be enough. Kharma is king!

[Jason Brown]

Would you be willing to post a pic? I'd like to see it. One course I play has a big water hazard. I'd like to get my discs out.

Tino "SilverBack" Medina said:

our crew has a rake as well. When we went ot the USDGC this year we saw a man using one afterthe event and pulling out mucho plastic so we talked to him about it, took pictures and our guy "Poncho" made his own. Our lumberton course plays around and over 2 lakes so it comes in handy. Anyways, as far as found discs go, we ahve a thing where if you make three attempts to call (normally within a week or two) and no response, put it in the club box. They are great to give to people who are interested in the sport but have no plastic, especially kids that watch you throw in amazement and then ask what you are doing. You wont believe their smiles when you explain the game to them and then hand them a disc! Now if someone does call back, make an honest effort to ship them their disc or meet them or whatever. It costs me but I ship them out ot people if they are not local. You never know, they may return the favor one day, they may send you a reward or a new disc, or they may say thanks and always remember "hey, there was this cool guy that sent my disc I lost back to me: and that should be enough. Kharma is king!

[Stick]

I'm one of the go to guys with lost discs at my course meaning they always end up in the back of my truck. Recently a sweet valk only a pdga # does anyone here know Ryan Schuman Shorewood IL? Not sure if he lost it traveling through as I live in Maryland. Contact Stick here and I promise a safe return. Why so much fuss? CE and the run to sweet to give up trying.

[Jackson]

Fastest response I ever had:
I found a disc at Plamann Park in Wisconsin, the 18-holer. I didn't see anyone else on the course to ask about it, so I pulled my cell phone out of my bag, turned it on, and called the number on the back of the disc.
"Hello?"
"Hi, this is J.W. Iwanski and I just found your disc on hole 4 at Plamann."
"Really, I'm on hole 8 right now! I lost that this morning!"
"I'll meet you at the top of the hill by 10's tee pad."
"Thanks, J.W."
And I then threw a great round, smiling the whole time.

[Pop Arounleut]

Yeah you should definitely return them to the owner if possible. This is prob the only thing about DG that I h8!! I have had disc return to me from a course that I know I didn't lose them there, including several ace disc. What pisses me off is that almost everyone in this town knows who I am and not returning them is just plain and simple EVIL!! I have even had a disc returned by a friend who saw someone else playing with it!! Ok, no more ranting.
We do have a guy here that dives in Lake Olmstead and goes way beyond his way to return them to the rightful owner by looking up PDGA #, googling, or calling if there is a num. Scuba Steve normally holds on to all the disc that has some kind of ID on them for a few months and the others he sells really cheap. What's awesome is he doesn't even ask for money, but I do kick down beers for his efforts. BTW, I have several disc in Trophy Lakes if you guys every come across them I would love to get them back!!

[Tino "SilverBack" Medina]

heres a picture of the rake from Winthrop. All bicycle parts basically.

[Tino "SilverBack" Medina]

and another