Every five minutes, it seems there’s a new trend in disc golf …
Thanks to the Stego and Tilt, comically overstable plastic was big for a bit. Even during casual rounds, you’d see guys toting tiny stools around parks. Paul McBeth put Adidas Terrex shoes on the map. And Nikko Locastro made actual climber’s chalk a “must-have” item on the course.
The latest entry?
While trends come and go, some have real staying power: Rangefinders are one of them. If your depth perception is anything like mine, when playing a new course, you’ll bust out a Star Destroyer on a wooded, 225-foot hole, thinking it’s a 400-foot bomber – trees make things tricky.
Don’t get me wrong, though: During a practice or casual round, having a Bushnell by your side is great. I don’t own one, but don’t think it’s not currently sitting at the top of my Christmas list.
But during ACTUAL competition?
Hard pass.
Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay summited Mount Everest on May 29, 1953. They were the first to ever accomplish the impressive feat. Since then, especially in recent years, over 6,000 people have done the same thing, but in a WAY less impressive fashion – it’s a different game.
Technology, skilled sherpas, climbing caravans and massive advancements in outdoor gear have made the tallest point in the world more of a “jaunt” than a life-threatening endeavor. And if you don’t believe me, check out this image of the traffic jam that occurred in 2019 at the summit.
Obviously, there’s a difference between stepping over frozen bodies en route to scaling a 29,000-foot rock and throwing a toy in basket, but the underlying principle is the same:
Level playing fields matter.
Rangefinders are great for training. You know how this works: The Pro Tour rolls into town a few days before the start of an event. Players hit the course to become familiar with it. They take detailed notes. They determine the lines they’ll throw, and the discs that’ll make them happen.
But when it comes time to compete, the time for practice has passed …
Put away the rangefinders.
Rest assured, if NOBODY has a rangefinder – and not everybody does, to begin with – the best, most prepared golfers within the field will rise to the top. Left to their own devices, they’ll use their skill, mental strength, hard-earned intuition and knowledge of the course to do just that.
At its most basic level, disc golf is beautifully simple: Get from one point to another in as few throws as possible – and don’t be dumb about it. If you’ve thrown plastic for any amount of time, you know how hard the “don’t be dumb about it” part can be,” especially during an event.
With rangefinders at tournaments, suddenly, the mental side of the game gets easier …
I can’t get onboard with that.
It should be noted that rangefinders ARE legal in professional ball golf – kind of. They’re allowed during casual rounds and some tournaments, but only those that report on distance and direction. Elevation changes, wind speeds and club suggestions? Those are banned altogether.
To date, rangefinders aren’t allowed at PGA Tour events, the U.S. Open and British Open …
You know, the ones that actually matter.
The more competitive disc golf can be about a player’s ability, the better …
Leave the computers to Bill Gates.
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Bad take. The skill is in throwing based on knowing the conditions. The rules stipulate many things in exact distances, randfinders seem like a practical tool for the bag. Disc Golf is not Golf and you shouldn’t care what the PGA says about given it’s a completely different sport. Check your ego and focus on throwing, not what other players use to assess their lie.