Why do you play??

Question is simple and straight forward.
Why do you play this great sport? Exercise? Just for fun?
What got you started in playing?

[mark ellis]

Because I can.

[The FORCE]

I started playing because it was fun. I kept playing because I wanted that dang disc to go straight! By the time I got it to go straight, I wanted it to hyzer again. Then I wanted it to go anhyzer too. And this has gone on in a delightful pattern, usually consisting of 18 of them at a time, for over 8 years now. Just as interesting and intriguing now as it was then. It's a little more expensive now than it was then, but still the cheapest thrill on the planet.

[mark ellis]

It may be the 2nd cheapest thrill on the planet.

[Brandon Swanson]

"By the time I got it to go straight, I wanted it to hyzer again."

Very funny!

But at least you knew what to call it when it went left at that point. :-)

[Terry "the Pirate" Calhoun]

I forgot to include:

* The egalitarianism

[Josh McDowell]

Its fun, generally free, and keeps me outside. Its a good way to compete with my friends and enjoy the outdoors.

[Disc Player Sports]

Started as wow,
I can throw a frisbee.
Never played golf before, disc golf.
Played all the mainstream sports growing up (even ice hockey), loved them all).
Still do.

But it was the 'flight. aspect that kept me enthused.
Think about it, what a cool thing to do, hurl an object that flies. And developing accuracy, with knowledge of how to make the disc fly a certain way.
Better than paper airplanes, my brother is an aerospace engineer and my father worked for Pan Am.
Love flying objects. Grew up around airports, pilots and planes.

The older I get, the challenge is developing my game with my body physically getting 'older.'

[Nick Kuzmicz]

Started out because I wanted to beat my friend TJ. Then its because of every reason listed before me.

[Ben Farris]

I also play because it is the best escape from everything for me. When I'm playing nothing else matters.

[Pat Burke]

It started out kind of like this: I was sent to live with my grandmother for my high school years in a small town called Pentwater, MI. I knew nothing of the sport of discgolf. my buddys wanted me to check it out and I was very against it, It did not sound fun to me what so ever. after a month or two of these guys twisting my arm I finally gave up and had nothing better to do. So I went with about 10 guys and one of my uncoorinated buddys that did not ever play before either. this guy borrowed us each 1 disc a x2. My uncoorinated buddy steps up on our first hole and gets a hole in one his first ever throw. He was excited and took off running around jumping up and down and none of the other guys never had a hole in one. So it was a pretty sweet feeling of excitement. I told my self "f" that if he can do it, I can do it. 5 years later I finally got my 1st one! I feel like this sport is a hard core drug I became addicted! started golfing everyday. After High school I moved back to my home town of Ann Arbor, MI. and started to hit courses here. I did not even relize Ann Arbor in like a mecca for discgolf. anyway there were 2 guys at the park everyday of the week, did not matter morning, night, these guys were there every time I showed up. I thought to myself what creeps these old guys need to get some jobs. Finally they asked me to play a round one day. I was by myself and decided to shoot a round with these guys. I beat one and lost to the other. aftrewards they said I was good and needed to play tourneys I started laughing and asked if they were serious. I did not know there were tourneys. So this guy breaks out a flyer with the tour dates and said if I played in these next three tourneys I could qualify to be the MI. State champ. and the Championships are being held in Ludington, MI. I again started laughing and told them those were the courses I learned how to play on. one suggested I play amIII the other said I should play am II. I played amIII and ended up taking 2nd place at my first tourney. (Gahel Vaughn Memorial) some other kid gotta me by 1. I only had 2 disc a beat up cyclone and a beat up Gazelle. To make a short story long (l.o.l.) these guys on my card had bags 25 disc the whole 9. They were explaning rules to me I did not know what a mini was or what it was used for. I found it silly but whatever rules are rules. then I go to get my trophy and the whole crowd calls me a bagger had no idea what that meant until somebody shouts out that guy does not even have a putter. either way 3rd place was like 20 strokes behind. I had a blast and thought it was fun they gave me some funny $$$ and I had no idea what it was, I had a peice of paper with a $$$ amount on it. I gave it to the guy from the Ann Arbor park that took me out there. He went shooping with it and gave me a bunch of disc. I asked what that was for and he said you have to spend that funny $$$. I started laughing again and told him I had a fun day and would look forward to future tourneys. I went on to win the Michigan State Finals my 3rd tourney and decided I need to play in am II. So that winter I joined the PDGA and signed up for amII played like 6-8 tourneys and my first rating came out it was 923. I talked one my buddys in to going to Disc N Dat with me in KY. and went down signed up for amII the tourney Director told me I would have to play am1. So I did, I felt like I could win it in amII and planned on it. Then when I found out I had to play am 1 I thought to myself thats cool but was a little intimadated, wondering how I would do. out of 96 players I played on the lead card the whole weekend with some KY. Local's. last round I was making bad decisions trying to win out right but fell to 5th place. and got paid phat. then decided I can hang with the BIG BOYS in am1. talked $hit all the way home with my boy and had a wonderful time playing am1 in "06" went to Worlds made the semi finals in Tulsa OK. Worlds was amazing I felt like a real competitor. Anyways fast forward to "08" Worlds I ended up taking 8th after being on the lead card all week long. again like KY. Lead card all week semi finals still on the lead card sitting in 3rd and ready to make a surge for that #1 spot I found myself making dumb decisions trying to go big and pull away from the field. Ended up falling behind to find myself stuck in 8th postion (no final 9 for me) I was bummed!!! but thought to myself I know I can beat the 7 guys who placed in front of me. Decided to go PRO right after Worlds and played my first tourney as a Pro it was only a field of like 8 players or something like that but Geoff Bennet was there. One guy I been looking up to for Years since his 1st W at State Finals which was mine as well in amIII he won Open that year. Either way I got to play on his card the 2 round which means I played well enough to be on his card, I was excited like a little kid on x-mas! He had me by 3 strokes on a deuce or die course in Ohio, Ottawa Park (Toledo). I knew I did not stand a chance I was just proud of myself for being on the lead card with him. anywho 6 holes in on a 21 hole course I got him and he knew it! He started to get a little upset as I was all smiles. He started doing what I usually do. Going BIG, which is scary becuase he id good. He was hitting metal on his drives and throwing way pass the basket, it just seem that he ws fustrated and he thought I am not going to lose to this kid. short story he messed up and I won by 3 which means I beat him by 6 strokes. I was more like a kid on x-mas that got everything he ever wanted and then some it was overwhelming,amazing, I cannot descibe the emotions I felt. My head got inflated I felt on top of the World. This Year "09" I played in 31 tourneys cashed a little over $2000 got to play with amazing players, made the Rookie of The Year list and was just an amazing year. failed on one of my goals which was U.S.D.G.C. but did try my a$$ off to make it. just came up short. Sorry for the long response you got me all excited! Anywho to make a short story long I would say I am a competitive a$$hole and enjoy competing! I love this Sport for many different reasons! Thanks for asking! Hope to see all of you on the Circuit in 2010!!!! Have a Merry X-mas and a Happy New Year!

[Pat Burke]

Nice response Mark! I will agree 2nd Cheapest Thrill on the planet even though it seems I have spent alot of $$$ on this cheap thrill. not to say I havent spent a lot of $$$ on that other cheap thrill (l.o.l.)

[Nascar Dave]

Mainly to exercize and relax, and to take my mind off of everything and enjoy my friends.