How to Bet on Disc Golf

People unfamiliar with the sports often mistakenly call disc golf “frisbee golf. “

George Costanza, on Seinfeld, called it “frolf.” That caught on, too. But the real name of the sport is disc golf.

And, according to the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA), it’s one of the fastest-growing sports in the United States.

From its humble origins of college students throwing flying discs at trees in the 1960s, the game has evolved into a highly nuanced competitive sport played in close to 50 countries around the globe.

In the U.S. alone there are over 7,500 unique courses, and as of today, there are more than 135,000 registered PDGA members, including yours truly.

So, where then does this land on the radar for your typical sports bettor?

Let’s take a look.

Vegas Maybe

As I mentioned above, the PDGA is disc golf’s governing body. Any event worth its salt will be a PDGA sanctioned event. These events vary from C-Tier events at the local level to B-Tier on a regional scope, and up to A-Tier which are often drawing players nationwide.

I find it hard to imagine any of these ever being much of a blip on the sportsbooks’ radar.

However, with the premier events like the PDGA Majors, PDGA Elite Series, and National Tour including the Disc Golf Pro Tour (DGPT) I see opportunity.

I can’t imagine the odds-makers missing any opening they see to make a buck. There is undoubtedly a market for disc golf betting.

Imagine the PGA Tour betting scene, I’ll draw the parallel for disc golf. You have Brooks Koepka, who is an odds-on favorite for any major. Disc golf gives you Paul McBeth, who has been crowned World Champion 5 times, including 4 in a row from 2012 thru 2015. Paul or Pablo or McBeast is widely considered the GOAT.

Tiger is the GOAT and has made a tremendous resurgence.

Of course, back in the day, he had Phil Mickelson.

Paul has Ricky Wysocki. Wysocki took the World Championship in 2016 and 2017, dethroning McBeast. You have exactly the type of drama unfolding stroke by stroke that gamblers and fans alike go crazy for.

If you spend much time at all around disc golfers, as I do, you’ll find that every player on every track across the globe has their own style. They also have their favorite players and equipment manufacturers.

I think Greg Barsby is “the man.” Not only is he a World Champion (2018), but from my personal experience and from others’ accounts, he’s a genuinely nice guy. This has influenced many of my purchasing decisions in the past.

Discraft, a top equipment manufacturer, recently lured Paul McBeth from competitor Innova with a 4-year contract worth over $1 million dollars.

It won’t be long before you are able to walk into any Vegas sportsbook and lay some cash on the chain crashing action.

Skins Match

You are likely privy to the ins and outs of skins in ball golf. Skins are skins, and you can easily apply the same principles in disc golf.

If you’re itching to lay some action on disc golf and don’t want to wait for Vegas to catch up to your passion, skins match. It shouldn’t be hard to get 3 buddies of similar skill level to agree to a friendly game of $1 skins.

You can play for whatever denomination everyone is comfortable with. I’ve seen the old guys playing for $5 a hole. I’ve seen the young guns playing for $0.25 a hole. It’s not about the money; it’s about having something on the line.

For Example:

Let’s pretend we’re playing a skins game for $1 a hole. The player with the lowest score wins that hole and the skin. If 2 or more players tie with the lowest score, that hole is pushed. The skin is then rolled over to the next hole.

This process is repeated throughout an entire round. What is appealing about the skin game is you know ahead of time that you won’t lose more than 18 (assuming an 18-hole course) multiplied by the skin amount.

I have had the pleasure of being on a card with a top pro or two, and even I can throw a spectacular shot and rob a hole from them as they proceed to beat me by 10 strokes.

Wolf

Wolf is one of the most exciting games you can play on any course ball or disc. It’s like cutthroat skins on steroids.

Before the round starts, a batting order is determined that the players stick to regardless of score.

Each player gets to be Wolf four times, with the player in last place in points usually afforded the right to be the Wolf for the final two holes.

On each hole, the players tee off in the rotating batting order.

Player 1 goes first and throws their tee shot.
Before Player 2 tees off, the Wolf can choose Player 1 as their partner for the hole, turning the hole into a best-shot, one-hole match pitting Player 1 and the Wolf against Player 2 and Player 3.
If the Wolf decides not to team with Player 1, then they can see Player 2’s tee shot and make the same choice.
If not Player 2, then the Wolf can pick Player 3.
If the Wolf decides he doesn’t want to partner with any of the other three players, then they become the Lone Wolf, turning it into a best-shot, one-hole, three-on-one match.

You should set the point value for the match before you begin. Points are then accumulated throughout the round as holes are won and tracked on the scorecard for each player.

After the round, you add up the points, and losing players pay each player that finished better the appropriate amount.

Wolf may take a round to get acclimated to the nuances and scoring.

Please Note:

I recommend playing a friendly round with your regular group before adding the beef.

RIPT Revenge

RIPT Revenge has seemingly catapulted to huge popularity very recently. I am the type of consumer that is usually ahead of the curve on the latest and greatest and I have had my deck of RIPT cards of about 1 month.

Over those 30 days, feelings have been hurt and friendships have been tested.

This game is ruthless and everyone that plays it falls in love.

RIPT Revenge is a deck of 54 playing cards that are designed to unnerve and ultimately sabotage your card mates.

These sabotages range everywhere to forcing your opponent to throw an upcoming putt with their eyes closed to making an opponent use their mini marker for their tee shot.

Cards are played and added back to each player’s hands based on performance.

If you are looking to spice up your regular skins match or just seek a break from the normal routine, here’s your answer. No 2 games will ever be the same.

Add some cold hard cash to the mix and you may have found your new guilty pleasure.

Consider yourself warned, you are going to hate playing this game.

You will without equivocation, have some of the most fun rounds you’ve ever played.

You could even bust out your RIPT deck for a game of Wolf and have the added strategy of playing or saving cards on every hole.

Bet with Friends

You can’t waltz into a sportsbook in Vegas or Macau and drop a Benjamin for Paige Pierce to win yet another World Championship. You don’t have to let that stop you from putting some action on it.

We as disc golfers run in tight circles. You can easily find another club member to take that bet.

Maybe you have little interest in the pro ranks, no problem. I once officiated a match for $20 dubbed Plight of the Condor, in which a newbie played 18 holes against a veteran player. The caveat being that the veteran player could only use an Innova Condor (basically a trash can lid, with glide).

This momentous event was hosted on a Saturday morning in January and over 20 people showed up to form a galley.

This was easily one of the highlights of my disc golf life and we even awarded a trophy to the winner.

Be creative and keep it friendly. Though trash talking ahead of the match is highly encouraged.

Conclusion

Until the sportsbooks and online betting sites embrace this amazing sport your betting options on disc golf are limited. You shouldn’t let that stop you. You’re a disc golfer dammit.

Listen, Vegas is coming and with that will come all the action you can handle. The market is there, the pieces are in place, now we must wait.

In the meantime, be excellent to each other.