National Disc Golf Day: You won’t believe how many people play the game all over the world
Over the past half-century, disc golf has grown and grown in popularity, with PDGA ballooning.
Since it was formalized as a sport in the 1970s, disc golf - also known as Frisbee golf - has grown into a game estimated to have millions of players globally.
How many people play disc golf?
Founded in 1976, the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) has accumulated just over 312,000 professional and amateur members worldwide (as of August 1, 2025).
Around 250,000 of the PDGA’s members are in the U.S., where the sport is particularly popular. Indeed, America has a National Disc Golf Day, held on August 2.
The U.S. is followed in total PDGA members by European countries such as Sweden and Finland, which have amassed over 10,000 each.
What about non-PDGA players?
If you open the global disc-golfer count up to non-registered players, the sport’s population of participants appears to far outstrip the PDGA’s membership numbers.
In 2013, the PDGA estimated that somewhere between eight and 12 million people had played the sport at least once, with around half a million considered regulars. And just over a decade on, it is now being suggested that at least four million people are habitual players.
According to the PDGA, there are some 10,000 disc golf courses around the globe.
How do you play disc golf?
Like regular golf, disc golf is played on nine or 18-hole courses, and players seek to progress from tee to hole in as few shots as possible.
However, rather than using clubs and balls, disc golfers attempt to get a Frisbee or flying disc into the hole in the lowest possible number of throws. What’s more the ‘hole’ is actually an elevated metal basket fixed to a pole.
“Disc golf courses are normally laid out in and around wooded areas with diverse terrain to provide natural obstacles to the flight of the disc,” the PDGA says.
The body adds that the sport offers multiple potential health benefits. “Disc golf provides upper and lower body conditioning, aerobic exercise, and mental stimulation,” the PDGA explains.
“Concentration skills increase by mastering shots and negotiating obstacles, and players of limited fitness levels can start slowly and gradually increase their level of play.”
Tournaments with five-figure prize checks
The PDGA runs a range of major professional disc-golf tournaments - with significant prize purses at stake. These include the PDGA Professional World Championships, whose 2025 edition is currently taking place in Tampere, Finland.
The winner of the Mixed Open event will take home a $20,000 cash prize, while the women’s tournament offers a $15,000 check to its champion.
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