By Andre Fredrick — Rattling Chains Staff
The sport of disc golf has grown exponentially since I first started playing. There was a time when I could play my local nine-hole course and have it all to myself. Sure, I had to be cautious of joggers, cyclists and the like, but the fairways and greens were practically all mine.
Nowadays the same course is filled players. That has meant the way the game is played, whether it be slower play or a lack of etiquette.
I suppose it’s easy to forget that we were all new to the game once. Likewise, it’s easy to forget that the sport is growing on a daily basis, bringing newcomers to it in a way that it never has before. The growing pains that stem from this surge in popularity come in various forms. Foremost, it has brought the casual player in contact with the veteran player.
More families are discovering disc golf, which is helping the game grow, but puts more people on the course. (photo by Andre Fredrick)
Clashes arise over the protocol and etiquette of the game. Seasoned players often have unreasonably high expectations of the novice player. Sometimes, they are expected to have the same respect and reverence for the game that we have. We demand that they understand the many rules that govern the game, be they in the PDGA handbook or some otherwise unspoken rule.
The simple fact is the casual player can’t be expected to always know these things.
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