“The biggest misconception is that we are a bunch of hippies who don’t know what professionalism is,” commented Dallas Garber, an up-and-coming professional disc golfer. The sport, known also as frisbee golf, was pioneered in its modern form in the 1970s. In recent years, it has experienced an increased rise in popularity. “Disc golf has evolved to be a very professional sport with major sponsors. … The professional level is much different than just a guy throwing a frisbee in the woods. It takes focus, practice, and dedication.”
Garber recently graduated a semester early from high school to pursue his dream of becoming a professional athlete and joining the Disc Golf Pro Tour (DGPT), the highest level of competition in professional disc golf. “The rules of disc golf are very similar to normal golf,” said Garber. “You have to throw from the teeing area into the target goal in the least amount of ‘shots’ possible. There are birdies, bogeys, and pars plus other scores of course,” he explained, referencing terms used to describe the amount of tries it takes to get the disc in the basket, used also in golf. Played on a course with nine or 18 holes, the game is played just like golf, in that the goal is to throw the disc into the target in as few moves as possible, except playing with a frisbee disc and a basket.
As an outdoor sport, disc golf’s popularity in Oregon comes as no surprise. Beyond its outdoor component, the sport entices Oregonians with its relative accessibility, as 89% of disc golf courses are free to play. Currently ranked by UDisc as the 22nd best state for the sport, Oregon is home to iconic courses in the disc golf community, like the two at Milo McIver State Park. The park also hosts the Beaver State Fling (BSF), one of the most respected tournaments in the sport.
The 2025 BSF tournament was where Garber celebrated a big win. “[It] is the biggest win of my career to date,” he said. The tournament, which is held annually in Estacada, OR, attracts players and audiences from across the country. Garber explains, “The BSF is a very prestigious tournament and something that I watched even when I first started playing the sport.” His first-place put him on the map, launching his career as a professional and garnering him a prize of $1,500. According to the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA), the sport has experienced rapid growth nationwide, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, as more people looked to participate in outdoor activities. Jamie Gray, the 2023 over-40 amateur women’s world champion, comments on the outdoor appeal of the sport, saying, “You’re playing on pretty courses, you’re walking around in the woods, and it’s beautiful, and a lot of times you’re with your friends.” Garber was also a part of the boom in the sport that came with the pandemic. “During COVID is when it really started,” he said. For him, it was a family activity at first: After undergoing heart surgery, his father needed to walk daily to rebuild his cardio. “We are too competitive to just walk and not do anything, so we took up disc golf,” he commented.
What started as a way to rebuild his father’s cardio, became a much larger passion. Garber now professionally represents renowned disc golf brands like Stokely Discs and Lightspeed Discs. “I do not play for a ‘team,’ like you would in baseball or basketball, but rather a sponsor that I promote,” he explained.
Gray began playing in 2019, entering the sport shortly before the pandemic boom. She mirrors Garber’s spirit for competition. “My competitive nature made it so I wanted to get as good [as my partner],” she said. Her favorite thing about disc golf is that it never gets boring, as there are so many variables for newness between the course, the weather, the type of disc you use, and the different ways you can throw it.
Disc golf tournaments are often intense and competitive.“Tournaments will have anywhere from 10–300 players in my division that I am competing against for the weekend. It can be anywhere from two to four rounds as well,” explained Garber. The divisions that he describes are how disc golf players are divided during tournaments, into categories of skill: amateur, master, and pro.
Garber explained how the thing that sets disc golf apart from other sports is the culture. “Disc golf has such a strong community. There is no other sport where you can show up as a complete beginner and have professionals teaching you how to play on a local course,” he said. “Disc golf is relaxing, fun, and mostly a community activity that you can take your family and friends out to play recreationally.” Gray agreed with Garber’s sentiment, adding that, “There’s no set body type that’s gonna make you better. People of all ages can play. People of all weights can play. It’s a pretty inclusive sport.”
Though the sport can be played in any weather, as the days get sunnier, Oregon’s 217 disc golf courses are likely to get busier. For beginners, Garber offered simple advice: “Start at a local nine-hole course where you can have fun and understand the basics of the game.”
