Bag patches should be a bigger deal in disc golf

I don’t accessorize much. I rock a G-Shock every day. And I’ve still got a Livestrong bracelet, if you can believe it. But beyond that, I’m about as milquetoast as Mitt Romney at a silent auction.

Welcome to Utah.

But that’s NOT disc golf.

Disc golf is a sport obsessed with gear, identity and putting both on full display. This is why you have people with (literally) hundreds of discs collecting dust in their basements, many of which are limited runs, one-off commemorative stamps or custom-dyed pieces of perfection. A disc golfer’s game transmits a message about his ability, but the gear he busts out on the course?

It’s a brand.

My question is this …

Capable of doing the exact same thing, how have bag patches not become a bigger deal? Bands, schools, hobbies, home states, sports teams, television shows and political leanings – it’s all fair game. And here’s where I’d really like to see bag patches carve out a niche …

Pro Tour trophies.

Not in the traditional sense, of course. Less hardware. More textile. Oh, did you just claim Maple Hill as your own? In addition to a big check, here’s a patch – leave it on your bag …

Forever.

The same thing would be done for PDGA Majors, but with an extra-special twist. If there are enough of “Steady” Ed Headrick’s ashes left, maybe they could somehow be incorporated into the patch. And yes, this is a real thing DGA does with a select few discs – I didn’t make this up.

Doing things this way, the bag becomes a type of résumé. It tells the story of a disc golfer’s career. Think Boy Scouts of America Scouting America, but for kids with more social skills.

I can make that joke …

I’m an Eagle Scout.

But in all seriousness, consider the could-be state of Paul McBeth’s satchel had he started accumulating bag patches after turning pro back in 2008. He might have had to resort to cart-use to accommodate all of them, and I wouldn’t wish that on anybody – so there’s your downside.

Still, this juice is worth the squeeze. Patches are small, cheap and expressive. And if ever there was a sport that fit the bill for them, it’d be disc golf. To quote Oliver Twist on the matter …

“Please, sir, I want some more.”

Patches, that is.

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Editor’s Suggestions:

• Buying and selling: Don’t be a ‘disc-flipper’
• Disc golf: You don’t need a mini (it’s all in your head)
• Clean disc golf is so satisfying (especially for amateurs)

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