Disc golf in Dayton continues to become more popular with each new season

Dayton is known for its scenic and well-maintained parks. But residents may not be aware that within these lush spaces are over 180 disc golf courses in the Dayton area.

The sport is beloved by its players and has exploded in Dayton, especially since its “COVID boom,” says volunteer president of the Dayton Disc Golf Association (DDGA) Heather Hawley.

“Disc golf is hiking with a purpose,” Hawley said. The game is played similarly to traditional golf, with players trying to get their disc into the basket in the fewest number of throws.

Hawley started disc golfing casually in 2012 while living in California, where the sport was first popularized. When she joined DDGA in 2022, there were no volunteers and only one other board member—the organization’s president.

Once players found out about the Association, the community response was immediate.

“There was such a community that wanted to help not only build the courses, but do other things,” said Hawley. “We started our trash cleanup ‘Disc In, Trash Out’.”

For Hawley, events like this are at the heart of what makes the Dayton disc golf community special.

Every winter DDGA hosts its annual Freezer Bowl, in which players brave the cold to raise money for charity. In 2024 it was paired with a canned food drive benefiting Dayton Food Bank and gathered about 500 pounds of food over the span of three tournaments.

This year Hawley will serve as tournament director 25th anniversary of the Wright Brothers Open in September. The tournament is returning to its home course at Sycamore Trails Park in Miamisburg, which reopened on Sept. 6 after undergoing massive improvement projects over the last year.

Sycamore’s grand reopening completes Dayton’s “trifecta” of challenging and scenic courses, along with Echo Valley in Waynesville and Caesar Ford in Xenia. Hawley hopes this will help draw professional players back to Dayton after looking further for fun, fulfilling courses.

Dayton’s connection to disc golf is unique compared to other regions across the country. Hawley explained that in California, most courses are run by private clubs while in Texas, most are managed by cities.

“What’s cool about Dayton Disc Golf is that there is a really, really good mix between the two. It’s the city that’s supporting the main part of the park, but we have course managers that work alongside Dayton Disc Golf to make sure that the park itself is playable, but also safe,” Hawley said.

The challenge now, with the sport steadily gaining popularity and becoming “saturated” with major tournaments, is to find where DDGA fits in and can continue to support the community. This may mean taking a step back and letting other organizations run tournaments so that DDGA can maintain a local focus.

As the landscape of the sport continues to change, Hawley wants to encourage Daytonians to get out and enjoy the sport. This is especially true for younger kids to engage with natural spaces and for players over 50 who can now try disc golf as part of the Senior Olympics.

“We have heart,” Hawley said. “We have a love for the community, and there is a place for everybody.”

Hannah Kichline, multimedia editor

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