A Short History of Disc Golf
from the 1940's up to Today

The origins of the Frisbee goes back to a bakery named the Frisbie Pie Company of New Haven, Connecticut, established by William Russell Frisbie. Before the bakery closed operations in 1958, the tossing of the company's pie tins by college students at Yale and Dartmouth led to Frisbie becoming a well known term for flying disc play in the Northeast. In 1949, California inventor Walter F. (Fred) Morrison realizes that plastics technology could be used to make a disc-shaped flying toy. That year, his first flying disc, the Pipco Flyin-Saucer, hit the market.

On the east coast, Bill Robs markets the Space Saucer in college campus bookstores. In 1954, the first "Frisbie Match" was held at Dartmouth College. Morrison then improves his invention with a second disc, the Pluto Platter, with the now famous phrase "PLAY CATCH - INVENT GAMES" engraved on the back. Disc golf was one of those invented games!

Wham-O became interested in this flying disc in 1955 and about a year later began marketing the Pluto Platter after acquiring the rights from Morrison. In July 1957, the name was changed to "Wham-O Frisbee." after the company heard about the pie tin game on the east coast called Frisbie-ing. In 1958, the first International Frisbee Tournament was held in Eagle Harbor, Michigan.

Copar Company of Chicago markets a disc called "Sky Saucer" that included a rulebook for the game of "Sky Golf."

Wham-O introduces the "Official Pro Model" to be used for all disc sports, including disc golf.

International Frisbee Association (IFA) developed by Ed Headrick, who would later become known as the "Father of Disc Golf".

The first game of Ultimate Frisbee, a disc sport similar to football, was played in 1968 at a New Jersey high school. This disc sport is now played at over 600 colleges in 32 countries.

George Sappenfield organizes several Frisbee golf events in Southern California. Disc enthusiasts introduce the concept of disc golf to other parts of the country. "Object Courses" using anything from lamp poles to fire hydrants as targets begin to crop up in the Midwest and East Coast.

The first "Frisbee Club" is formed in Rochester, NY; disc golf is played on a regular basis.

Flying Disc World becomes the first magazine for disc sports.

Dan Roddick wins a Datsun B-210 at the disc golf portion of the American Flying Disc Open in Rochester, New York. The modern era of disc golf competition begins.

Installation of the first permanent disc golf course is in Oak Grove Park, La Canada, California. Wham-O introduces the World Class 119g disc, a marked improvement for discs in competitive sports.

Ed Headrick patents the chain style target and organizes the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA).

The first PDGA tournaments are held in Mobile, AL and Northern New Jersey.

The PDGA becomes a player-run organization to schedule tournaments and formalize the rules of play. Harold Duvall wins the first PDGA World Disc Golf Championship.

Dave Dunipace, past World Distance and Disc Golf Champion, invents and patents the triangle-rimmed disc. This innovation brings the advantage of distance with accuracy to the games of amateurs and professionals alike. As a result, courses begin to get longer and more challenging; the excitement grows.

Disc Golf World News begins publication. This is the first magazine for Disc Golf. The same year, the World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF) is established to promote disc golf and Ultimate Frisbee events worldwide.

The World Flying Disc Federation organizes the first "World Championships" held outside of the United States, in Helsingborg, Sweden. Players from 21 countries attend. Around the world, players continue to lobby parks departments and college campuses for more disc golf courses. By the end of the decade, permanent disc golf courses are installed in the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, and Japan.

Ken Climo of Clearwater, FL wins an unprecedented eleven World Championships, establishing himself as the best disc golfer to have ever lived.

Lavonne Wolfe establishes the PDGA Hall of Fame. The PDGA begins to chronicle the history of disc golf.

Innova introduces the DISCatcher Disc Golf Target and begins to promote new courses. In the next five years, the number of courses triples to over 1,200.

The inaugural United States Disc Golf Championship is held in Rock Hill, SC. Ken Climo is the first to win and be crowned the U.S. Champion.

The number of permanent disc golf courses in the U.S.A. surpasses 1,000.

Disc golf becomes a featured event in the World Games in Akita, Japan.

Park Circle Disc Golf Course in North Charleston, SC is designed by members of Charleston Disc Golf Club. The original city planners of Park Circle never knew it, but the 8 green area islands they created to surround 2 baseball fields and the community center were indeed perfect for a disc golf course.

Ken Climo becomes a 12-time World Champion, establishing a new record that will probably never be broken. The book Flat Flip Flies Straight - True origins of the Frisbee is published by Fred Morrison and Phil Kennedy.

Wham-O celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the Frisbee by reissuing the original Pluto Platter and other flying discs. The 50th Anniversary 3 disc boxed set, including a replica of original 1957 patent for the Original Frisbee, is a popular Holiday gift.

The history of Disc Golf continues to grow at a fast pace with more courses, more tournaments, more players and more fun! Never tried it? Watch this!

Disc golf is currently experiencing rapid growth. For the last three years, the number of courses in the USA alone has increased by 10%. This growth should continue because many parts of the country are unaware of disc golf and the many benefits it offers. If you do not have a local disc golf course, contact your Parks Department and tell them you want one! Compared to other recreational facilities, building a disc golf course is very cost effective.

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