Began in the 1960s, disc golf is quite popular in the U.S., with over 7,300 venues to play nationwide. (Consequently, that’s 75% of the world’s total courses!) In Oklahoma itself, disc golf’s avid enthusiasts are spreading the word about this ever-growing activity.
Disc golf is a sport in which players throw a disc at an intended target, aiming to complete a course with the fewest throws – similar to traditional golf. During regulated play, courses are typically 9 or 18 holes. Alongside the fact that it’s just plain fun, there are a bevy of reasons why disc golf continues to gain fans.
“I would say one of the biggest draws to disc golf is that it is one of the more affordable sports to get into playing,” says Billy Engel, president of the Sooner Disc Golf group. “The majority of the courses are free to play in, and the discs can be very affordable. Buying used discs from people or stores is a great way to start and see what you think.”
Passionate leaders across the state are doing a stellar job promoting just how entertaining the sport can be.
“In Oklahoma specifically, it is so popular now because we have a solid bunch of clubs and individuals who are grinding every day to grow disc golf and provide the best events,” says Kyle Young, an administrator of the Tulsa Disc Sports Association. “While continuing to have locals as top priority, we want to host more major events and bring in the rest of the world, and show them that Oklahoma is the top disc golf destination.”
For beginners, the best course of action to start is to buy a used or cheap disc as Engel suggested.
“If you’re just getting into disc golf, all you need are a few discs and a basic understanding of golf,” seconds Young.
You can easily find courses near you on the PDGA and UDisc websites – pdga.com and udisc.com – to get your journey started, as well as by checking Facebook to find communities to join.
“The next step would be looking into tournaments, getting into one and seeing what the tournament experience is like,” says Engel.
Like any sport, practice is an important part of improving your skills.
“I would say that putting is one of the most, if not the most, important thing about disc golf,” explains Engel. “I would definitely practice putting and getting confident. Then, I would say being able to control the disc and throw straight shots.”
There are plenty of online resources to teach you the fundamentals, but it all comes down to the time you spend on the field.
“For the fastest improvement, you just have to practice,” says Young. “That means regular sessions of throwing in a field and putting in a basket. That’s where you learn how discs fly and get dialed in with your bag of discs.”
Plenty of local tournaments are still left in 2025.
“Some of the bigger notable ones would be the Oklahoma Open in Tulsa in October [24-26] and the Buffalo Run in McAlester,” happening Sept. 20-22, says Engel. The PDGA and DiscGolfScene websites (the latter is discgolfscene.com) are the most reliable places to find information on upcoming tournaments.
Main image cutline: Between its affordability and its accessibility, disc golf continues earning enthusiasts around Oklahoma. Photo courtesy Sooner Disc Golf
