Before we get to this week’s poll, allow me to apologize for the tardy post. With the long weekend here in the States, it’s been one of those things. Lots to do and not enough time, right?
I hope all of you who had the long weekend had the chance to get out and enjoy the weather (maybe?), flip some discs or do whatever else.
Anyway, with that out of the way, allow me to try and get things back on track. The poll is a day late this week, so let’s make up some time.
Before we get to this week’s poll, let’s go back to last week’s poll as we have some things to give away.
The idea of last week’s poll was to have some fun and be humorous. A lot of people posted their “reaction” in a serious tone, which is fine. But a few things about the said situation I made up —
- I’m quite sure no pro would ever act that way (I hope).
- If all of you could react calmly given the situation, you are better than I would be.
A total of 48 people votes on this one and the big winner was “Humorously,” which garnered 21 votes (44 percent). Calmly (12 votes/25 percent) finished second, followed by angry (7 votes/15 percent) and other (7 votes/15 percent). Crazy only got one vote (one percent).
So let’s take a peek at some of the better “reactions” from the situation at hand.
Jimmy Jean says:
I would look at him with an even bigger smirk and said, “Lucky for you that I only play in my spare time. Congratulations!” And then walked away.
I can imagine the look on the face of the winning pro would be pretty funny, if you gave this one to him!
Discgusting Mike said:
I would act crazy and start undressing. Then I would run circles around the basket with nothing but my Putter covering my goods. Next I would jump on top of the basket stand tall and shout VICTORY!
This seems like a mixed scene of something out of Braveheart and Talladega Nights!
Mark Woods had something that might be worth watching, too:
I’d stay calm, but probably say something mildly sarcastic. I love the “lucky for you I only play in my spare time” statement.
Aaron Morphet notes:
I would still offer him a ride to the bus station so he could make the next tourney.
Andy says:
Walk over kick him square in the nuts. Everybody already knows who most of the pro players are, nobody knows who I am unless I do that. Then at least in disc golf circles I would be famous. ” hey that’s Andy, isn’t he the one who kicked [insert touring pro] in the stones? It sure is. Doesn’t he suck? He sure is but that sure was funny!” this is all tongue in cheek of course. Having played with a lot of these guys in various tournaments over the past few years most of them would never treat you like that. They are for the most part classy and professional.
Imagine if there was a big crowd or if it was on Internet TV or something and this happened…
… talk about a story that would be passed down for generations!
Tim’s idea is something that could be interesting…
Don’t get mad, just congratulate him and go let the air out of his tires while he’s kissing the trophy.
And though this was a tough one, the winner of the disc as voted on by the staff of Rattling Chains, is Brian:
I would shake his hand, pat him on the back and then use the Vulcan neck pinch to incapacitate the winner. Following that, I would paint his fingernails bright pink, something every good disc golfer carries in their bag, am I right? Put his hair in little pig tails and post the video and explanation to youtube and every disc golf website I could think of. Seems fair.
Brian — please e-mail me with your address so I can send a disc out to you!
Also, as always, we like to give something random away to those who comment on the weekly poll. This week’s Randomizer selection is Discgusting Mike. Send me an address as well so I can get something from the prize box out to you!
And now for this week’s poll. We’ll get a little serious again.
We’re wondering what you think it will take to push disc golf to the mainstream to the sports world. It likely isn’t going to happen overnight, but what kind of thing do you think it takes to push it over the top?
[poll id=”16″]
Vote away and let us know in the comments what you think and we’ll, as always, give something away to a random commenter. You can’t win if you don’t comment here. (In other words, comments on Facebook or other places where this poll might be linked won’t count… it has to be here).
If you have any comments, questions, thoughts, ideas or anything else, feel free to e-mail me and the crew at: pj [at] rattlingchains.com. Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook!
rattlingchains.com 
I can see some parallels between the growth of soccer in the U.S. and the progression of disc golf. Soccer is now finally hitting the mainstream here, and I feel a lot of that has to do with how many children have been playing the sport for the last decade. As those players grow up, they bring the excitement for the sport with them.
If more schools can introduce disc golf into their P.E. curriculum, and teach the etiquette that goes along with it, I see no reason why this sport cannot explode. Not everyone may like that, but I think the youth is where to aim.
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Imagine if a major sponsor like Nike or Adidas got involved? I mean if they came out with a disc golf shoe… and it was placed in a mainstream store like footlocker, or champ sports. Just the fact of a shoe being created would make the youth and people in general curious enough to look it up Google. And that is all you need, just a little curiousity created from a mainstream sponsor.
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My guess is it will take major sponsors to provide the money for the final movement to a mainstream sport. However, I also believe that kids & teens have to become interested to support the playing field in the years to come. If enough people watch Golf on TV now, eventually I hope disc golf can be an option.
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I voted for recreational critical mass, but I think another factor could be institutional participation on the college and hs level.
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I voted other due to the fact where the only country that doesn’t view it as a sport. We had the hippy craze, and people haven’t let go of that fact. In order for disc golf to move and become main street, people need to see that it is not tie-dyes and six packs anymore. The PDGA has gone back to a grass roots approach to get more people and schools involed in the sport of disc golf.
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Its going to take a celebrity endorsement, but not just any endorsement will do. It’s going to to take Kim Kardashian dating Avery Jenkins to pull this off.
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Disc Golf will become main stream when the media makes it popular! We should be on ESPN or have schools get more envolved by adding it as a recreational activity like football or basketball! I also would like to see more clinics around all areas of courses. Having companies who sell discs sponser them. Like here in Topeka Ks have Dynamic Discs or LSDiscs sponser a few and have a pro or 2 come out to show their stuff.
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The disc is already in motion, but for our great sport to ” rattle the mainstream chains,” several things need to take place:
*Every disc golfer needs to support their local courses during course maintenance work days and regular trash pick up.
*Conduct themselves with class & integrity on and off the course.
*Promote the sport every chance you get, by heliping to seek sponsorships in your community from local businesses.
*Volunteer at local Rec Centers and schools to teach and promote our sport.
*Support the sanctioning body of of our great sport, the PDGA, by becoming a member or maintaining your membership.
*Brag about our great sport to everyone you know and meet. We have a 1st class product, let’s get out their and sell it, and remove the “game for hippies” stereotype.
If ESPN can televise darts, badminton, and other obscure sports, disc golf can’t be that far behind.
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Of all of your polls, this one I have to treat like an old Lay’s potato chip commercial that used to say “You can’t eat just one…” I believe it’s going to take a combination of “all of the above” promotions, but I hope if disc golf makes the big leagues, that they include Ultimate as a televised sport, as well. You would think if they compared the injuries of other sports to disc sports, common sense would prevail.
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All of the above, but first, year round bathrooms. The sport will never be mainstream until sanitary facilities are at most courses.
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I think for disc golf to become a main streamed sport it has to have a major sponsorship to go along with it. If someone put out a shoe or had a commercial that showed a professional disc golfer in a commercial it would get more people curious and then they would want to play.
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I’m going to agree with the Combination theory, but it starts with YOU! It takes one person to take a new person to the local course, put a disc in their hands, and start a fire inside them. That’s how our sport has grown for years. At the same time: Our companies and pros are highly accessible! Tweet, email, and reach out to major sponsors and celebrities and make them wonder what they are missing! They’ll catch on eventually!
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I think it’ll take a significant celebrity endorsement. That’s kind of why everyone was so disappointed when the Happy Endings show decided to put the sport down instead of promoting it like we hoped they might.
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There are many good comments made above that will help move dg into the mainstream, but I believe it will take much more than what is mentioned above. I feel that along with the many good things listed above, time is one of the most important aspects along with moving courses out of the public multi-use parks and into the private sector. Once courses can be supported in the private sector on dg dedicated lands, that will mean someone can make some real money by turning their private lands into dedicated facilities. This will then get the attention of the folks that presently view dg as a recreational activity and start to change their minds that it is a viable self-sustaining sport with more than just a few kids throwing the “frisbee” in the park.
jmho
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Television, in HD, on ESPN.
Televise a tournament right after the Summer X Games, running commercials during the X Games, that demographic is a prime target.
If not on ESPN, somewhere else. It’s not that hard to get something on TV these days.
As to “getting rid of the hippie stigma,” at least those hippies are playing. Growing a sport by taking a dump on those that already play it will do more harm than good. Second of all, I’ve been to club and ball golf courses where the behavior of the beer cart crowd was far worse than any crowd I’ve ever been with on a disc golf course.
I was at Swope Park all day yesterday for the finals of the KC Wide Open. As I walked with the gallery along with the top pros of the sport, what struck me once again was the incredible accessibility that the sport offers. Being able to spend a Sunday afternoon for free at a major event drove home the affordability and easy access the sport has. Market the fact that you don’t need to spend $80 on a cart and greens fees to have fun playing a “golf” sport. We’re in a recession. Remind people that they can still have fun for free.
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I think big sponsors would help the most. If a major sporting company or something, nike addidas etc got behind the sport it would help out. It would also help get it aired on television, which would garner more viewership and exposure.
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i know i’m late on this blog. i take a small bag w/me everywhere i go. talk about dg and look up local courses. usually at least three people i’m hanging w/ have never even heard of it, but the offer of a couple coldies and a free nature walk gets interest going. after one good drive…Hooked. i get their address and send them some beginner dx discs. now most of them are out w/ their kids playing disc golf.
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