Social media and inadvertent gatekeeping in disc golf

Gatekeeper.

It’s the label no disc golfer wants associated with his name.

If new to the unwanted title, the word is one used to describe somebody whose actions attempt to determine who’s worthy of participating in disc golf – or who should feel comfortable in the sport. Oddly enough, in spite of the widespread fear surrounding it, the term’s thrown around constantly. It’s wasted no time in becoming one of disc golf’s most overused buzzwords.

Especially on social media …

More on this later.

Here’s my take on the matter …

If everyone’s a gatekeeper, nobody’s a gatekeeper.

Truth be told, there aren’t many true, letter-of-the-law gatekeepers in the sport. In fact, if you want to get technical with it, the higher-ups within the PDGA and DGPT might be the only people to have a legitimate opportunity to actually gatekeep – on a macro level, at least.

There are, however, a crap-ton of people who, without even realizing what they’re doing, play the role of a gatekeeper – and on a regular basis, too. Better yet, it’s my personal opinion these are the very people who often enjoy branding others “gatekeepers” the most – talk about irony.

The location of such hostility?

Surprise, surprise …

Social media.

Disc golf isn’t unique to the “hot takes” game, by any means. In large part, impassioned opinions are what make sports fun for fans. Again, disc golf is no different: Discs, form tips, rule updates, course layouts and Pro Tour predictions – it’s always a good time to make a case for your brain.

But to take offense over something as trivial as a child’s toy? What’s more, to put any opposing viewpoint on blast? Gross. Of course, the cherry-on-top move is to play the “gatekeeper” card.

One user strikes; the other retaliates.

To disagree is to gatekeep.

And around and around we go.

I doubt these people would talk noise to someone’s face or cause an in-person scene out on the course. That they’d actually go out of their way to keep someone from participating in the sport.

You know, LITERAL gatekeeping.

But, man …

Inadvertently, in the digital realm, they’re about as close to it as you can get.

I’ve blogged from this soapbox before, but I’ll do it again …

In disc golf, wildly differing opinions are just fine – even about fundamental beliefs. But if you use them as motivation to attempt to mob, embarrass or humiliate someone, check yourself. If the vast majority of your tweets are of the quote variety, you might have blood on your hands.

Here’s an example from my own disc golf experience: I hate pot culture. I’m fully aware of the sport’s counter-culture roots. Some are more proud of them than others; I’m in the “others” department. But the Bob Marley wannabe has just as much right to love the game as I do.

You enjoy your round as high as a kite; I’ll do the same from ground zero.

Simpáticos.

I couldn’t care less about your disc golf niche: bros, frolfers, professionals, COVID-era converts, high-level leadership, etc. Whomever you are, be careful about what you post, tweet, stream, record – whatever. Otherwise, you might become the very thing you detest most …

The dreaded gatekeeper.

It takes an army.

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