Roots of Flight

Individuals can have a huge impact on disc golf, but local organizations that maintain the courses, run events, and actively share disc golf with others are the lifeblood the sport. Pittsburgh Flying Disc and the San Francisco Disc Golf Club founded by J. Gary Dropcho #2734 and Greg Quiroga #12362, respectively, are two of the most successful clubs today, despite starting almost 20 years apart.

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Hosted, written, and produced by Gabe LaBounty - IG: @grizzlygingerdg - Twitter: @GGDiscGolf

Logo by Alyssa Ann - IG: @inkwitchlyss

Find out more about the Disc Golf Hall of Fame: thediscgolfhalloffame.org

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

"Steady" Ed Headrick (PDGA #001) became the founding father of organized disc golf after quitting his executive position at Wham-O in 1976 and founding both the DGA and the PDGA, but little is known about Ted Smethers (PDGA #1159), the man who worked under Headrick and later took the reins of the PDGA to take the pro tour and rules organization to the next level. This talk with Smethers reveals a power struggle between one man and the opposing desires of the players that resulted in the seeds of the modern Professional Disc Golf Association.

Follow Roots of Flight on Instagram @rootsofflightdg and Twitter @rootsofflight

Hosted, written, and produced by Gabe LaBounty - IG: @grizzlygingerdg - Twitter: @GGDiscGolf

Logo by Alyssa Ann - IG: @inkwitchlyss

Find out more about the Disc Golf Hall of Fame: thediscgolfhalloffame.org

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

Unlike the disc golf target, golf discs have undergone dramatic changes from the very first Frisbee intentionally thrown at a tree. The most important change was the introduction of the beveled edge in 1983 with Dave Dunipace #987 releasing the Innova Eagle/Aero. Dave and Jeff Homburg #1025, the PDGA technical standards chair, take us through the evolution of the golf disc from the playful catch Frisbee to the wide-wing drivers we throw today.

Follow Roots of Flight on Instagram @rootsofflightdg and Twitter @rootsofflight

Hosted, written, and produced by Gabe LaBounty - IG: @grizzlygingerdg - Twitter: @GGDiscGolf

Logo by Alyssa Ann - IG: @inkwitchlyss

Find out more about the Disc Golf Hall of Fame: thediscgolfhalloffame.org

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

The disc golf pole hole target is the most recognizable symbol in the sport. It has largely remained unchanged from its original design in 1976, but there have been several innovations in target technology over the years. Gabe talks with Dan "Stork" Roddick #003, Jeff Homburg #1025, Scott Keasey #19655, and Dave Dunipace #987 to trace the evolution of the disc golf target from trees to the modern pole hole.

Follow Roots of Flight on Instagram @rootsofflightdg and Twitter @rootsofflight

Hosted, written, and produced by Gabe LaBounty - IG: @grizzlygingerdg - Twitter: @GGDiscGolf

Logo by Alyssa Ann - IG: @inkwitchlyss

Find out more about the Disc Golf Hall of Fame: thediscgolfhalloffame.org

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

Although disc golf has developed through a few twists and turns since being established as a competitive sport, there are tournaments that have been running since before the PDGA was founded. Gabe discusses what keeps these events running longer than the sport’s governing body with three bearers of the tournament director torch: Kate Bierman (nee Schwartz) #51615 and Billy Engel #44458, the two most recent TDs of Oklahoma’s Norman Pro/Am, and Mark Horn #67, Disc Golf Hall of Fame Class of 2003, TD of California’s Wintertime Open from 1979-2018.

Follow Roots of Flight on Instagram @rootsofflightdg and Twitter @rootsofflight

Hosted, written, and produced by Gabe LaBounty - IG: @grizzlygingerdg - Twitter: @GGDiscGolf

Logo by Alyssa Ann - IG: @inkwitchlyss

Find out more about the Disc Golf Hall of Fame: thediscgolfhalloffame.org

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Disc golf has come a long way from its origins in the 1960s, but it’s still a young sport at 43 years old. While the pioneer generation of a sport ages, we have a unique opportunity to tell their stories and remember the Roots of Flight.

Jeff Homburg (PDGA #1025, Disc Golf Hall of Fame Class of 2012) gives us a broad overview of how disc golf sprung up in the late 1970s. We explore Guts Frisbee, the wind in Oklahoma, how Steady Ed didn’t think much of disc golf, and a whole lot more with this Oklahoma founding father of disc golf.

Follow Roots of Flight on Instagram @rootsofflightdg and Twitter @rootsofflight

Hosted, written, and produced by Gabe LaBounty - IG: @grizzlygingerdg - Twitter: @GGDiscGolf

Logo by Alyssa Ann - IG: @inkwitchlyss

Thank you to Brian, Bobby, and Anthony for submitting their answers at bit.ly/ROFSP

Thank you to Andi Young and the Disc Golf Hall of Fame for helping preserve our history for future generations. Find out more at: thediscgolfhalloffame.com

Innova Champion Discs is a proud presenting sponsor of the Roots of Flight podcast.