Chapter 5: Ed Headrick’s Most Influential Achievement Wasn’t the Frisbee

Permanent human-made infrastructures are the key to growth

By Josh Woods ~

WATCH THE video ESSAY HERE:

Chapter 5 Video Essay

Ed Headrick’s importance to disc golf is not a subject of debate. I mean, the guy perfected the flying disc, invented the pole hole, installed the first formal disc golf course and founded the Professional Disc Golf Association. And that’s only the first page of his resume.

But which of these deeds most influenced the rise of competitive disc golf? Now this is a question worth debating. As I often do when I wonder something, I recently took to the internet and posted a poll on Twitter.

Continue reading “Chapter 5: Ed Headrick’s Most Influential Achievement Wasn’t the Frisbee”

How the COVID-19 Pandemic Affected Disc Golf in 2020

By Chris Bawden ~

Artwork by Chris McDowell.

Last April, Parked published an article claiming that disc golf is pandemic proof and offered preliminary evidence. In this article, I’ll take a deeper dive into the 2020 data and show that participation in disc golf did expand, but certain areas of the sport have been impacted in other ways.

Continue reading “How the COVID-19 Pandemic Affected Disc Golf in 2020”

Why Disc Golf Is Pandemic Proof and Other Sports Are Not

By Josh Woods ~

Cover art A baseball dimond behind a locked gate. Photo Robert Rosales
The familiar sight of a baseball diamond behind a locked gate. Photo Robert Rosales.

Live sports are currently on pause due to the Covid-19 pandemic, leaving the $160 billion US sports industry in a tailspin. Only about half of all sporting events that were originally scheduled for 2020 will likely take place, per a new report.

While all sports will take a hit, some will weather the storm better than others. The esports industry, for instance, will probably do okay. The big stadium events are on hold, but gobs of gamers and fans are still nestled safely online.

Disc golf has a few obvious advantages in the “Don’t-Stand-So-Close-To-Me” era. Continue reading “Why Disc Golf Is Pandemic Proof and Other Sports Are Not”