Disc Golf Community Called Upon for Feedback on Global Growth

The Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) has launched its first comprehensive survey since 2011, seeking input from the global disc golf community on the sport's rapid expansion. The PDGA is looking for participants, including both members and non-members, to share their thoughts and experiences with disc golf in an effort to better understand what's driving the growth of this increasingly popular activity.

The online questionnaire was developed in collaboration with Assistant Professor Nicole Peritore of Augusta University, who has a personal connection to the sport. Dr. Peritore discovered disc golf while working on a project with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 2015 to 2017, which aimed to develop physical activity infrastructure in low-income rural communities. Her family's enthusiasm for disc golf soon followed.

Dr. Peritore notes that there is a significant gap in research regarding why people enjoy disc golf so much and how this enjoyment contributes to the sport's growth. To address this knowledge gap, she worked with PDGA Marketing Manager Mary Sicard to create the survey, which has already garnered over 9,000 responses since its release just nine days ago.

The PDGA team credits the strong response rate to a collaborative effort among various departments and stakeholders, including Memberships Manager Vic Allen, who helped refine the initial survey questions. The PDGA Media team played a key role in promoting the survey through social media and online advertising.

While the survey is primarily aimed at gathering insights from PDGA members, Executive Director Joe Chargualaf is eager to reach a broader audience, hoping that the questionnaire will be shared widely among non-members as well. This approach reflects the grassroots nature of disc golf's growth, which has seen a significant increase in active membership and sanctioned events over the past seven years.

Chargualaf emphasizes the importance of this survey in informing PDGA programs, services, and activities, stating that it will help identify what is working and what isn't. By understanding the factors contributing to the sport's popularity, the PDGA can refine its efforts to meet the evolving needs of the disc golf community.

With the survey set to close on August 27th, there is still time for disc golf enthusiasts to make their voices heard. The results will be released in September, providing a unique snapshot of the global disc golf landscape.

This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/news/nine-days-9000-responses