Tag: Finland

Just When You Thought It Was Safe to Walk in the Woods in Finland

by Parked, posted in Finland

Finland goes bonkers for disc golf

By Kari Toivonen ~

One of the 16 courses in the Åland Islands, an autonomous, demilitarized region of Finland. The simultaneous construction of 16 courses made this the most ambitious disc golf project in history. Photo Kari Toivonen.

I feel like the boy in the fable who cried wolf so many times that when the wolf actually came, no one listened to him. There have been so many articles about the disc golf boom in Finland, a small country with a mere 5.5 million inhabitants, that you Americans are probably thinking, enough already!

Well, all those previous stories were true, but had we known what was coming, we probably would have gone easier with the drum beating. I mean, now things are really crazy.

Continue reading “Just When You Thought It Was Safe to Walk in the Woods in Finland” →

Five Reasons to Love the Disc Golf Movie “Hard Plastic”

by Parked, posted in Culture, Media

By Josh Woods ~

Cover photo

Sometime soon you may find yourself on the verge of watching the newly released disc golf movie Hard Plastic, starring Andy Dick, Meg Dick and written and directed by Lucas Astrom. But before you spend the $2.99 and click the watch now button on Amazon, I suggest making the following mental preparations. Continue reading “Five Reasons to Love the Disc Golf Movie “Hard Plastic”” →

Now it is Official – Disc Golf is Enormously Popular in Finland

by Parked, posted in Finland, Grow the Sport

By Kari Toivonen ~

Cover art
The young Finnish star Henna Blomroos at the 2019 European Open. Photo: Kari Toivonen

The European Open was held in Nokia, Finland a few weeks ago. It was a fantastic battle between the best players in the world, but the comeback victory of Paul McBeth was not the only thing that made people gasp. Continue reading “Now it is Official – Disc Golf is Enormously Popular in Finland” →

Three Reasons to Care about Disc Golf Research

by Parked, posted in Environment, Grow the Sport, Public Health

By Josh Woods ~

Cover art

One of the questions you learn to answer in graduate school is, “Who cares?”

As you work through your research ideas, your teachers drum this question into you. For instance, after presenting your thesis proposal, someone in the audience might chirp: “Your project sounds interesting, but I’m not sure it passes the who-cares test.”

That’s as close as it gets to smack talk in academia.

As devilish as the question may be, it’s almost always worth answering. After all, if your research isn’t relevant to anyone, why carry it out? Continue reading “Three Reasons to Care about Disc Golf Research” →

Does disc golf need a Leviathan?

by Parked, posted in Finland, Grow the Sport

By Josh Woods ~

Leviathan
The cover art of Hobbes’s “Leviathan” features one central authority whose body is comprised, literally and figuratively, of individual citizens. Sadly, the disc golfers seen here did not appear in the original.

In 1835, Alexis de Tocqueville published an important book about disc golf.

Okay, maybe Tocqueville wasn’t focused on disc golf exactly, but his ideas can be applied to it. In Democracy in America, he wrote about the delicate balance that must be found between the impulse of governments to centralize power, and the desire of individuals and local groups to pursue their unique interests.[1] Continue reading “Does disc golf need a Leviathan?” →

Why Europe may outpace the United States in disc golf growth

by Parked, posted in Finland, Grow the Sport

By Josh Woods and Kari Toivonen ~

Cover photo final

Government control. State intervention. Collective ownership. To some Americans, these terms sound like nails on a chalkboard.

Free markets. Privatization. Pay-to-play. Now these words sound better to fiscal conservatives. The goal should be less government, lower taxes and a smaller role for the state. People should be free to chase their dreams without government interference.

But could people chase their disc golf dreams without government? Continue reading “Why Europe may outpace the United States in disc golf growth” →

The Nordic Anomaly: Finland as a Disc Golf World Leader

by Parked, posted in Finland

Flag Cover Photo

Hope is a dangerous thing when you have too much of it.

According to a recent report, the Disc Golf World Tour (DGWT) is closing shop and will not be holding events in 2018. At first glance, the gloomy announcement suggests that the DGWT had more hope than it needed.

The quality and professionalism of DGWT events were widely praised by players, fans and media outlets. To some, the DGWT stumble signals uncertainty for the future of global disc golf.

But even as DGWT’s plans for 2018 dissolve, the disc golf forecast for Europe is favorable, and DGWT Director Jussi Meresmaa is sure to continue his work on one of the sport’s most remarkable success stories: Finland. Continue reading “The Nordic Anomaly: Finland as a Disc Golf World Leader” →