More Americans Are Giving Up Golf

Hey, folks. I wrote to The New York Times today. Why don't you?

I wrote in response to this article: More Americans Are Giving Up Golf - note that it is currently the Number One Most Emailed NYT article today!1

Here's what I said:

Re: More Americans Are Giving Up Golf

Dear Sirs:

Environmental concerns, time, cost: It is certainly understandable that there is a decline in "ball" golf. But disc golf has been increasing in popularity at a steady 15 percent, or more, for twenty years. Same game, different equipment: More fun!

You may never have heard of disc golf, but there are 2,500 disc golf courses in the Professional Disc Golf Association's course directory. Since it is very inexpensive and takes far less time to play a round, there may be as many rounds of disc golf played in 2008 in the United States as there are rounds of ball golf, or more.

Be aware: It's a little more athletic than ball golf (no carts) and more egalitarian, too, so you may actually meet people on the course who are different than you.

. . .

What would you say?

Please do:

"Letters for publication should be no longer than 150 words, must refer to an article that has appeared within the last seven days, and must include the writer's address and phone numbers. No attachments, please.

We regret we cannot return or acknowledge unpublished letters. Writers of those letters selected for publication will be notified within a week. Letters may be shortened for space requirements.

Send a letter to the editor by e-mailing [e-mail] or faxing [phone].

[bobd]

nice find terry, also sent a little feedback to nytimes

i forgot to include this PDGA Demographic Sheet, so if anyone else writes in, maybe include this sheet.

[David Barish]

I figured a more terse reply might get their attention. I responded to the Times as follows:

Your article states that more Americans are giving up golf. I am one of them. I haven't played in years. My dad keeps asking me whether I want his clubs and I keep telling him I don't need them. "Ball" golf is passe. I have been playing disc golf for a few years now. Its cheaper, quicker, more athletic and , of course, more fun. I now watch "ball golf" tournaments on television as I can relate to the inner game and the players' thought process. I translate this to disc golf and then go out and see how mentally tough I can be. To be more accurate your headline needs a modifier- more Americans are giving up ball golf. More and more of them are taking up disc golf.

[DC ( DISCFUNCTIONAL CHRIS )]

right on terry well said !!! the fact is that this sport can always use more awareness, considering that for the most part it is relatively unkown to most people that i talk to when i bring it up in conversation, and considering the amount of existing and new courses going in and growth of new people to this "in my opinion " the greatest of all sports, is a testament to the fact that disc golf does not get the attn and notoriety it should, some would say that more notoriety is a bad thing wanting to selfishly have the courses to themselves when they play, but as for me, i look at the benafits awareness brings, like insentive for manufactures of disc golf products to produce ever better products, such as new improverd discs and bags etc and especially all the new courses that go in every year !!! i dont know about you but i love playing new courses and not having to play the same one all the time, so woop woop get out the word disc golf is here to stay !!!!