Relax: Disc golf is an individual sport (and that’s okay)

Love him or hate him, Brodie Smith is great at generating heated debates within the disc golf community. His latest spark came on Twitter where he declared disc golf an individual sport.

[Insert Audible Gasp]

Per custom, WAY too many people lost their mother-freaking minds.

If you were one of them, cover your ears …

I’ll just come out and say it:

Disc golf is an individual sport.

Yes, I get that the term “team” is thrown around all over the place within the game. It exists on plenty of manufacturer websites: Teams DGA, Innova, Prodigy, Discraft, Discmania, etc. And because these “teams” exist, if you’re a member of one, you’re not only a teammate …

Ta-Da: You’re part of a team sport.

I hate to break it to you, though …

This is all semantics.

Literally everything about how disc golf is played is individual – the stuff that matters. You can train and talk strategy with others all you like. Bust out a few YouTube videos, while you’re at it. Heck, you can schedule one-on-one meetings with “Team Captains” Sexton and Ulibarri …

But come tourney time?

You’re on your own.

Even a sport as seemingly individualistic as track and field has a points system in place to determine the team that won the meet at the end of it – there’s NONE of this in disc golf.

In disc golf, if you execute the shots, you’ll score well.

And if not, you won’t.

End of story.

Speaking of the whole team concept, don’t forget that these “teams” are merely manufacturing sponsors. Most touring professionals have a buttload of ‘em in their portfolios for bags, carts, apparel, energy bars, local retailers, etc. So not only are members of the same manufacturing team part of a number of sub-teams, but some guys don’t have a title sponsor of ANY kind.

Take Nate Perkins, for example.

If disc golf were a true team sport, he’d have to be part of one to compete …

But it’s not.

So he can.

And he does.

Listen, I get that disc golf gives off a hardcore “community” vibe – this is a good thing. But disc golf being an individual sport doesn’t automatically make it selfish – it makes it like ball golf.

And that’s fine.

Have anything to add? Take to Twitter to let us know – we’ll actually (for real) get back to you.

Editor’s Suggestions:

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