The Evolution of Disc Golf: A Look at the Early Days of Course Listings

In the world of disc golf, a rich history lies beneath the surface. One crucial aspect of this history is the development of course listings and directories, which have played a significant role in documenting and cataloging the sport's growth. As the PDGA Course Archivist, Eric Vandenberg has been on a mission to uncover the origins of these directories and compile a database of known disc golf courses.

The journey begins with "Steady" Ed Headrick, the founder of the Disc Golf Association (DGA) and inventor of the original Disc Golf Pole Hole. In July 1977, Headrick sent a letter to Wham-O executives listing 22 courses he had installed or was about to install. This was the first known distributed list of disc golf courses.

In December 1977, DGA created another list of 29 courses, which was included with Wham-O discs sold during that time. Bill Burns, a former PDGA Commissioner and Junior Champion, discovered this list in his archives and posted it on the PDGA Discussion Board in 2003. However, three courses from Headrick's original letter had already been removed, leading Burns to estimate the date of the list as 1978.

Throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s, DGA continued to publish newsletters detailing new courses. In July 1978, they listed 14 new courses with signature holes. The following year saw an announcement for a Disc Golf Course Book that would include location data and pros' information on all courses.

The first comprehensive directory was published in August 1982 by the DGA, titled "Pocket Guide to the Game of Disc Golf." This list featured 116 US course locations by state and city. However, years later, Steve Hartwell attempted to use it to locate additional courses but found that identifying these courses could be challenging due to location changes.

Ted Smethers made significant contributions to disc golf directories in the early 1980s. By January 1984, he had compiled a directory of 167 entries from tournament flyers and pro tour dates. However, his limited postage budget restricted the distribution of this list.

Ed Headrick published his own version of the directory in April 1984, without acknowledging Ted's work. This 255-course directory included US and Canadian courses. The PDGA eventually began publishing their own directories, starting with Allen Risley's "Flying Disc Golf Course Directory" in 1985. This directory listed 209 US and six Canadian courses.

Throughout the years, various individuals contributed to the evolution of disc golf course listings. Steve Hartwell became involved in the project after Allen Risley's departure and published nearly annual directories from 1988 until 2001. He introduced install dates to the update forms, which first appeared in the 1994 directory.

The PDGA's first official bound Disc Golf Course Listing was released, followed by the creation of a dedicated website for the online course directory. Today, with Cliff Towne at the helm as the current PDGA Disc Golf Course Editor, the online directory has become an essential resource for disc golf enthusiasts worldwide.

In light of this history, Eric Vandenberg presents what is believed to be the earliest basket courses in the United States and Canada. A list of the earliest five courses per country is available separately, along with an invitation for those with documented evidence to share their feedback to help correct information.

This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/course-directories-and-earliest-disc-golf-courses