Contents
How many disc golf courses are there?
The United States has 7,379 courses per the most recent Wikipedia-compiled count, and ThrowSpot's directory tracks 7,008 PDGA-registered courses. The difference reflects courses that exist but have not completed PDGA registration, plus timing lag between installation and database entry. Worldwide, there are approximately 14,000 to 17,000 courses depending on the source: UDisc counts 17,000+ in its database, which includes temporary and unverified layouts.
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| US courses (compiled) | 7,379 | Wikipedia, 2026 |
| US PDGA-registered courses | 7,008 | PDGA / ThrowSpot directory |
| US share of world courses | 73% | Wikipedia, 2026 |
| Worldwide courses (UDisc) | 17,000+ | UDisc, 2026 |
| New courses added per year (US) | 1,000+ | UDisc Growth Report, 5 consecutive years |
| Courses per 1M US residents | 21.1 | Wikipedia, 2026 |
| People within 10 km of a course (global) | 500 million | UDisc 2026 Growth Report |
| Ratio of 9-hole to 18-hole installations | 2:1 | UDisc 2026 Growth Report |
For perspective, UDisc notes there are more disc golf courses in the US than Dunkin' Donuts locations, and more than Domino's or Taco Bell restaurants. Disc golf infrastructure has quietly become one of the most widely distributed recreational facilities in the country.
Which states have the most disc golf courses?
| Rank | State | Courses | Cities with courses |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 472 | 266 |
| 2 | Wisconsin | 350 | 232 |
| 3 | Minnesota | 343 | 251 |
| 4 | California | 333 | 222 |
| 5 | Michigan | 308 | 222 |
| 6 | Iowa | 292 | 225 |
| 7 | Illinois | 287 | 236 |
| 8 | North Carolina | 279 | 178 |
| 9 | Ohio | 270 | 196 |
| 10 | Kansas | 266 | 173 |
Source: ThrowSpot directory, PDGA course data, September 2026.
The Upper Midwest dominates per-capita density. Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa combined have 985 courses for roughly 15 million residents, or about 66 courses per million people, roughly three times the national average. Texas leads in raw numbers because of its size and year-round playable weather. California's 333 courses are spread across the most geographically diverse terrain in the country. Full state-by-state breakdowns are on ThrowSpot's state pages.
How many people play disc golf?
The PDGA had 333,400 registered members as of August 2026. Registered members are a small fraction of total players, since membership is only required for sanctioned tournament play. UDisc reports over 2 million app users. Estimates of total US participants range from 3 to 8 million depending on the definition of "player," with the Sports and Fitness Industry Association placing casual participation in the several-million range.
| Milestone | Year | Years to reach |
|---|---|---|
| PDGA #1 (Ed Headrick) | 1976 | — |
| PDGA #100,000 | 2017 | 41 years |
| PDGA #200,000 | 2021 | 4 years |
| 333,400 members | Aug 2026 | 5 years |
Source: PDGA demographics reports, Innova Disc Golf.
The acceleration is striking. It took 41 years to reach 100,000 PDGA members and just 4 years to add the next 100,000, driven by the pandemic-era outdoor recreation boom. Growth has moderated from 2021's peak but remains strongly positive.
What are the key growth trends?
- Course growth: Over 1,000 new courses per year in the US for five straight years (UDisc). The rate has held even as pandemic-era player growth normalized, because course installation follows player demand with a 1 to 3 year lag.
- Short courses: 9-hole courses installed at 2x the rate of 18-hole courses since 2020, with pitch-and-putt and pocket courses the fastest-growing sub-category.
- Women and youth: The PDGA reported nearly 75 percent growth in both female and youth membership in 2021, and both demographics continue to grow faster than the overall membership.
- Professional payouts: Average first-place payout at DGPT Elite Series and PDGA Major events has nearly tripled for MPO and nearly quadrupled for FPO since 2019 (Innova).
- Sponsorship: Top-paid athletes earn seven figures annually from sponsorship agreements alone.
- Retail: Ultiworld's 2025 Fandom Survey found over half of respondents attributed increased disc purchases to playing more rounds than the prior year.
Who plays disc golf?
The PDGA's demographic reports show a membership that is predominantly male (roughly 85 to 90 percent) but with female membership growing at a faster rate. The median age of PDGA members is in the mid-30s. The professional field is younger: Ultiworld's 2026 analysis found the average age of PDGA Pro World Championship competitors has trended downward, with the reigning MPO World Champion Gannon Buhr having won his first title before age 20.
Geographically, the Upper Midwest, Pacific Northwest, Texas, and the Carolinas have the highest participation density. Internationally, Finland has the highest per-capita course density of any country at 175 courses per million residents, more than eight times the US rate.
Global disc golf statistics
| Country | Courses | % of world | Per 1M residents |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 7,379 | 73% | 21.1 |
| Finland | 1,000 | 9.9% | 175.3 |
| Canada | 360 | 3.6% | 8.8 |
| Sweden | 242 | 2.4% | 22.5 |
| Estonia | 150 | 1.5% | 105.4 |
| Germany | 129 | 1.3% | 1.5 |
| Norway | 124 | 1.2% | 21.7 |
| United Kingdom | 107 | 1.1% | 1.5 |
Source: Wikipedia compilation of national association data, 2026.
Finland and Estonia are the standouts. Finland's 1,000 courses for 5.5 million people make it the densest disc golf nation on earth, and Finnish players (including 2026 World Champion Eveliina Salonen and Kristin Lätt, widely considered the FPO GOAT) dominate the women's professional tour. The Åland Islands, an autonomous region of Finland, have a course in every one of their 16 municipalities.
Professional tour statistics (2026 season)
- 2026 PDGA World Champion (FPO): Eveliina Salonen, winning by 17 strokes, tied for fourth-largest margin in Worlds history (Innova, August 2026).
- Reigning MPO World Champion and DGPT Player of the Year: Gannon Buhr, selected by over 75 percent of Ultiworld Fandom Survey respondents as the player most likely to win the most Majors in the next five years, for the third consecutive year.
- Season finale: Ohn Scoggins won the LWS Open in September 2026, her third consecutive title at that event.
- FPO GOAT (fan survey): Kristin Lätt, 7-time Major winner and the only player to complete a single-season Grand Slam (2023), chosen by just over half of respondents, ahead of Paige Pierce and Juliana Korver.
Purchasing and equipment statistics
Per Ultiworld's 2025 Fandom Survey (published March 2026):
- Most purchased brands among players who started in the last two years: (1) MVP, (2) Innova, (3) Discraft.
- Climo Discs, a new brand in its first production year, reached 19th place with 8.4 percent of respondents purchasing at least one disc.
- Over half of respondents who bought more discs than the prior year cited playing more rounds as the primary reason.
- Player-endorsed tour series discs drive meaningful sales, with specific pro signature series among the top sellers.
Google search data (via Accio trend analysis) shows "disc golf discs" is consistently the single most searched disc golf term, with retrievers and starter sets showing strong seasonal spikes in spring.
How does disc golf compare to other sports?
| Metric | Disc golf | Ball golf | Pickleball |
|---|---|---|---|
| US facilities | 7,379 courses | ~16,000 courses | ~50,000+ courts |
| Cost to start | $25–85 | $400–1,500 | $60–150 |
| Cost per session | $0 (most courses) | $30–80 | $0–15 |
| Facility footprint | 5–40 acres, shared park land | 100–200 acres, dedicated | Small court, often converted tennis |
| Governing body members | 333,400 (PDGA) | ~1.7M (USGA handicap) | ~70,000 (USA Pickleball) |
Disc golf's distinctive feature in this comparison is that it delivers a golf-like course experience on shared public park land at zero per-round cost. No other course-based sport comes close on accessibility.
Sources
- Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA), membership and demographic data, August 2026
- UDisc, 2026 Disc Golf Growth Report
- Ultiworld Disc Golf, 2025 Fandom Survey (published March–April 2026)
- Innova Disc Golf, "The Disc Golf Boom" and 2026 tournament coverage
- Wikipedia, "Disc golf," compiled national course counts, 2026
- ThrowSpot course directory, PDGA course database, 7,008 courses
Statistics on this page are updated as new data is published. Last update: September 14, 2026.