Women Leading Growth In Disc Golf Community Efforts

The sport of disc golf is experiencing a remarkable surge in popularity, largely driven by grassroots initiatives like the NorthEast Women’s Disc Golf (NEWDG) club. Since its founding in 2014, NEWDG has worked tirelessly to create safe spaces for women on the course and foster connections among players across the Northeast region, highlighting that accessibility is one of disc golf’s greatest strengths. All you need to play is a single disc costing less than $15 and an open park—there are over 11,500 courses worldwide, with more than half offered for free in public spaces like parks or non-profits such as Oak Grove Disc Golf Course (the world’s first permanent course established in 1975).

The story of disc golf growth is not just about numbers; it's also about inclusivity. While the sport has always welcomed players regardless of age, gender, or experience level, targeted community efforts like NEWDG have amplified its appeal for women specifically. Julie ‘Juj’ Ferdella and Mindy Lee LaFontaine started NEWDG in 2014 by creating a dedicated Facebook group and page to address what they saw as a lack of representation for Northeast women in the sport at that time. The initiative provided much-needed solidarity, education opportunities, and empowerment through shared experiences—something amplified even further when Kim Kisil joined the board later.

Disc golf’s health benefits also contribute to its growth. A round of 18 holes can cover nearly three miles (6,500 steps) for players keeping score, combining physical activity with strategic play in an engaging way that appeals across demographics. NEWDG recognized this potential and expanded their mission beyond digital forums into tangible events starting in 2022—an effort accelerated by the post-COVID boom, which saw more women than ever taking up disc golf nationwide.

This momentum led to another milestone: The Queen of the Northeast (QNE) Series was born out from earlier regional collaborations and is now a formal points series run through NEWDG’s leadership team. In 2025 alone, it attracted hundreds of participants across multiple states. While the payouts aren’t as substantial as professional golf events, they’re still meaningful to players who appreciate how these competitions help build momentum within communities like the Northeast.

Oak Grove Disc Golf Course exemplifies how other clubs have adapted their models to grow inclusivity beyond NEWDG’s scope. After decades of pioneering disc golf development throughout California and globally thanks to its non-profit structure since 1975, Oak Grove introduced an innovative committee-based approach in 2022—placing responsibility for community outreach directly into players’ hands through groups focused on attracting new people like women or youth participants while maintaining day-to-day operations efficiently.

These initiatives are part of a broader strategy to grow disc golf worldwide under organizations like the Disc Golf Foundation, which supports programs and partnerships designed to bring more players into organized events each year. The foundation emphasizes that anyone can contribute—by volunteering at courses like Oak Grove or helping manage tournaments through NEWDG’s collaborative framework—to keep disc golf accessible globally without needing expensive gear or specialized training required elsewhere in sports culture today.

The growing presence of women-only clubs and leagues across America shows how targeted community involvement catalyzes participation, especially among those who may feel intimidated by traditional sporting structures but find comfort within inclusive environments like NEWDG’s initiatives: from online forums to competitive series covering hundreds of players nationwide under one banner since 2014.

This article was researched and written with AI assistance using the Disc Golf Buzz synthesis engine, drawing from multiple sources: pdga.com (https://www.pdga.com/news/club-chronicles-northeast-womens-disc-golf-club), udisc.com (https://udisc.com/why-disc-golf), pdga.com (https://www.pdga.com/news/oak-grove-disc-golf-course), discgolffoundation.org (https://www.discgolffoundation.org), mastgeneralstore.com (https://www.mastgeneralstore.com/blogs/blog/disc-golf-a-sport-for-every-age-and-skill-level). Search powered by: Tavily, Brave Search, SerpAPI/Google. Written with AI assistance: Ollama/deepseek-r1. Original reporting credit belongs to the source journalists.

This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/news/club-chronicles-northeast-womens-disc-golf-club