Patented in 1966, the Wham-O Frisbee paved the way for ultimate frisbee and disc golf. The PDGA was established in 1976, though disc golf as an organized sport predates it by a few years. The concept is simple and has not changed: Throw a disc from a tee into a basket with the least amount of throws possible.
Much like its club-using counterpart, disc golf is a big deal in Michigan, home to more than 250 courses — among the top five states in the country. Unlike with “stick golf,” as disc golfers often refer to traditional golf, the number of disc golf courses is growing. The primary capital investments for a disc golf course are cement tee pads, chain baskets and maintenance, making it an inexpensive and effective way to activate park land.
Disc golf is also far less costly to play, with discs starting around $15. Most courses are free to play or charge no more than a few dollars, though many are part of state, county or Metroparks systems that require annual passes.
That’s not to say serious players don’t rack up big bills for their passion. There are a host of different types of discs, categorized similarly to regular golf with drivers, midranges and putters. Each is rated for speed, glide, turn and fade, which dictate how far a disc flies and its natural flight path. A science, to be sure. There are also disc backpacks, carts and other accessories, as well as a growing market for high-priced, collectible discs.
Discraft was started in 1979 by husband and wife Jim Kenner and Gail McColl, who were among the first to start playing the sport. McColl died in 2017. Kenner still owns the company but has stepped back from daily operations.
“Since the late 1970s, we’ve been consistently growing by 10 or 15 percent,” Wagner said. “In the last five years, we’ve seen larger increases.”
The company designs and produces all of its discs — mostly for disc golf, but also some for ultimate frisbee — at the 50,000-square-foot Wixom plant, soon to be 80,000 square feet after the expansion set to be done by October. It also sells baskets and accessories, including bags and apparel, much of which is made overseas.
It employs more than 70 people, mostly light industrial machine operators, compared to less than 50 before the pandemic. It is still hiring for operators but is struggling to find enough people, Wagner said.
The company makes the discs via injection molding with plastic resin sourced from companies in metro Detroit, which Wagner declined to name. He said securing enough plastic to meet demand has also been a headache.
“All manufacturers are having issues getting product because of the demand,” Wagner said, adding that the shutdown forced by the pandemic made the backlog worse.
Discraft sells its products to major retailers such as Dunham’s Sports and Dick’s Sporting Goods, as well as gas stations and ma and pa shops near courses. An estimated 20 percent of sales are outside of the U.S., mostly in Europe, Wagner said. Disc golf is one of the most popular sports of Finland and Sweden.
As spring approaches, Discraft is bracing for another surge in demand. The professionals returned to play this week for the 2021 Las Vegas Challenge presented by Innova, ushering in the new season. Discraft sponsors hundreds of events each year, including 40-50 in Michigan. The company also has some new discs in the works but catching up on regular production is the priority.
“We kind of owe it to the sport to get caught up and get things back to normal,” Julio said.