Kids are awesome. And it can be even more awesome for a parent to share their love of disc golf with their kid. But it’s tough sometimes to keep kids interested in things.
That’s why I’ve compiled this tips list. I want to help you find ways to teach the game of disc golf to your child creatively and constructively. In a way that will help your kid learn to love disc golf like you do.
The 17 tips in this post will not just help you teach them the game, but help them improve, build self-confidence, and show them principles that they can carry on with them for the rest of their life. Alright, let’s get down to business.
So what are the 17 best disc golf tips for kids?
1. Start them at zero
2. Don’t take them to the course yet
3. Let the kids play
4. Teach them slowly
5. Teach sportsmanship and etiquette
6. Use adult discs
7. Use the right discs
8. Keep the weight down
9. Play doubles rules
10. Buy a basket
11. Buy a net
12. Build a course
13. Try out some disc golf drills/practice games
14. Take them to a pro tournament
15. Watch online disc golf
16. Don’t be hard on them
17. Don’t force them to play
But why should kids play disc golf? Here are three fantastic reasons
1. It promotes exercise and physical activity: getting your kid some good exercise is great for their health. Choosemyplate.gov recommends 60 minutes of exercise per day for younger kids. Disc golf is so much fun, so expect kids to get more exercise than that.
2. It gets kids outside: getting kids off the videogame console and out the door can help them go get that 60 minutes of needed exercise, some vitamin D from the sun, and build social relationships with friends around them. Disc golf can help do all of that.
3. It’s really cheap…then it’s free: disc golf is one of those activities that doesn’t cost a lot up front. Once you buy a little bit of gear, it’s essentially free to play. More disc golf equals mom and dad with more money down the road. Check out our post, “How Much Does it (Actually) Cost to Play Disc Golf?”
The 17 best disc golf tips for kids
1. Start them at zero
It’s usually pretty fun to try and teach kids how to do something. And it’s even better if you can teach them from as early an age as possible. This is where you come in. If you have a kid, or are going to have a kid, think about immediately immersing them in the game.
What I mean by this is that you should show them stuff as early as possible, even at zero years old. Now I know this sounds a little odd, and a newborn isn’t going to be playing disc golf, but hear me out. Start playing with small discs or mini discs as soon as a kid is able to start walking. That’s around 9 months to a year old. Yes, I get that that tiny baby isn’t going to be hucking a disc down the course. But it’s about the exposure. Use discs as toys and as exercises for your kid to learn with. Make this new game of “disc golf” fun for your kid. Let them start to see the joy of the game and they will love it as they get older.
Grab some mini markers here (link to Amazon) or you can try a kids disc golf set while they are too young to actually play. They can just use this stuff to mess around with before you start introducing disc golf as a game.
2. Don’t take them to the course yet
From the time they can walk, up to around 3 years old (or maybe 4), I wouldn’t take the kids out on the course. If you have your own personal course, obviously you can probably do this. But leave the kids home at public courses until they can trek the course close to as fast as you can. If they are just a bit slower, that’s okay. Just allow other parties to freely go past you so that you and your kid can play.
Now I have nothing against kids at disc golf courses, but up until kids are around 4 or even 5 years old, they can’t really trek the course very well. Once they are around 4 or 5, they can walk a little better and faster. If you have a stroller, you should probably stay off the course. Stick to the park with your kids, or play disc golf at home, until your kid can hike the course in a fairly decent fashion.
3. Let the kids play
This might be my favorite tip in this post. Why? Because when it comes to kids, you need to let them be kids. Kids are kids. They hate rules. So let your kid play and don’t stress rules that much at first. Just let your kid be involved in the round as much as possible.
4. Teach them slowly
Over time, your kid will start to pick up on things like when to throw, how to keep score on each hole, and the common terminology of things (like hyzer, ace, and treejected). As your kid grows with the sport, help them understand more complex ideas and strategies. Do everything gradually while he or she improves. You don’t want to force disc golf down their throat. If you do, they may end up hating the sport.
5. Teach sportsmanship and etiquette
Along the same lines as the last tip, you need to also start teaching your kid about proper disc golf etiquette. Sportsmanship and etiquette are very important principles to show to your kids as early as possible. Now there will be an age where that’s too early. Younger children just cannot comprehend the principles of sportsmanship or etiquette until they reach a certain age (like 7 or 8 years old). But just like with our last tip, as you continue to teach them the rules of the game slowly, you should gradually allow them to see what good sportsmanship is and then good course etiquette.
If you would like to read a little bit more about course etiquette, check out our guide called, “The Complete 27 Step Guide to Disc Golf Etiquette,” here on the site.
6. Use adult discs
Okay, this is where some people are going to differ on opinion. So before I go any further with this tip, I will say just one thing: do whatever you feel is best for your child. This tip isn’t set in stone, just something to think about. But once kids start playing on the course, they need to be playing with adult discs.
You may not think that kids are at that level yet, but here’s some more food for thought: kids need to eventually get used to adult discs, so why not start them out as early as possible? A lot of people will tell you to start them out with kid discs on the course. If they are physically unable to throw an adult disc then I would agree. But use your best judgment for this. Most average adults cannot hardly throw a disc when they start, but they get used to it. Why not do the same for kids?
Before you hit the course, I would let kids get used to the throwing motions with smaller discs at home or maybe in some open field practice. Keep kids throwing with those smaller discs until they are course-ready. Once it’s time to head to the course, it’s also time to move up to adult discs.
Something simple like this kid’s disc golf set on Amazon can really help your kid get a general idea of how to throw a disc and how to putt discs into a basket before heading out in the course.
7. Use the right discs
Once your kids get to playing and actually using adult discs, you need to make sure that your kid is using the correct discs on the course. By this, I mean that they need to be using beginner discs and amateur discs even if they are better than average. If they are super young, their throwing power may not be up to par with advanced discs. Make them stick to beginner discs for a good portion of childhood.
Once you can see your kid starting to develop more distance and power, you can then begin investing in more advanced discs that need players to throw them fast and with a lot of power. For some of the best beginner discs on the market, check out our awesome resource article, the “37 Best Disc Golf Discs for Beginners (You Need These).” It will really give you an idea of the best beginner putters, mid-range discs, and drivers.
8. Keep the weight down
No matter what your kids are using, as long as they are playing with the right adult discs, you need to make sure that you keep the weight down on everything in their hands. Every disc that they come across should be way less than 150 grams. The 130 gram to 150 gram mark is a good range to move kids up in. Once your kids feel comfortable with a specific weight, try moving up a little bit of weight at a time. It should definitely help them continue to improve their game.
9. Play doubles rules
When kids are learning out on the course, you can try this tip to make kids feel like they’re really contributing to the game. Play doubles, or “best shot,” disc golf. After every throw, move up to the next shot. Once you get to the next lie, let your kid throw, then you throw. Next throw, let your kid throw and then you again. Allow your kid to try and keep strokes if they want or they can just throw with the group.
Here’s a quick how-to for doubles disc golf on our site. It may always be your shot that you and your kid throw from, but at least it can help your kid feel like they are playing for real.
10. Buy a practice basket
You see, parents don’t always have time to spend with their kids. And sometimes kids just want to do stuff on their own. So one really great way to help your kid improve at disc golf is to get them a personal home practice basket. These baskets are really cool to have at the house, are very inexpensive, and can provide practice opportunities for kids whenever free time is available.
If your kid is enjoying disc golf, why not get some practice equipment to allow them to get better on their schedule? Obviously you will have a lot of time to chill with your kids and practice disc golf. But what about before parents get home? Or while the parents are spending time together? The kid(s) can practice some disc golf putts with their own basket.
If you’re looking for some more reasons to buy a basket, check out our awesome post, “11 Reasons Why You Need a Disc Golf Basket.” If this isn’t a good option for you, you can always try this next tip.
11. Buy a practice net
Just like with the last practice tip, this is a great tip to help kids get better at disc golf. What you need to do is go online and find a net or a net setup that will allow you to practice throwing. Figure out where the net will go at your place and then what kind of setup you will need.
At my house, I have a 10 foot by 10 foot net stretched out in my garage. I bought a cheap baseball cage net and use it for practice. You can check out the net I got here on Amazon. You can also elect to buy some kind of sports practice net similar to this one. There’s not as much net to throw into, so you have to be careful when you throw. If your kids are throwing into this, I would recommend the big net because of how erratic their throws might be at first. The bigger the better.
12. Build a course
The next tip on this list could just make you the coolest parent ever (especially if your kid starts to like disc golf). If you have the ability to build your own personal course, do it. This can benefit both you and your kid tremendously. I mean, c’mon! It’s a personal course. Those are awesome.
I will say, building a course takes a ridiculous amount of time, effort, and decent amount of money. But the things it can do for your kid’s disc golf game, especially if he or she was able to to get out and play a lot, are tremendous.
If you’re looking to build your own course, you can check out the following resources below:
Panamajack.com has a good bit of info on building courses here.
Here’s a good economic summary from discgolf.com on how much it costs to build a course.
Here are some good tips on course building from goneoutdoors.com.
And here’s a short little video with a couple of course building tips.
13. Try out some disc golf drills/practice games
There are a bunch of really awesome drills that you can check out and teach to your kids. Now if they’re really young, I recommend teaching them through practice games that are kind of like drills but more fun. As kids get older, you can focus on more technique-oriented drills to develop their skills. But here are a couple you can try.
Drill #1 – “1v1 game”: in this game, it is you versus everyone else that is playing. While you can play with more than two players, it is recommended as a one player versus a second player game (1v1). There are actually two ways to play as well. If you’re not as good at putting, start with two discs at around five feet from the basket. You and the other guy playing have two putts to make at least one putt. If you both make at least one, move back five feet. Throw again. As long as both of you make at least one disc, move back five feet. First person to miss both will lose the game. If both players miss, first to make the next shot will win.
The harder version requires you to make both putts to move back. As long as both discs are made, move back five feet. First player to miss a putt loses. It can be tough as you move out to 30 feet or more, but it will train you to be competitive and to make longer putts with ease. Give this one a try!
Drill #2 – “Chaos drill”: This drill is interesting and can provide some much needed cardio exercise if you do it correctly. This drill is not as much about technique as it is about getting your reps in. You’ll need at least four to eight putters for this drill. It’s okay to use mid-range discs if you need more discs. Next, place an even number of discs on either side of the basket at varying distances.
Start from one side and run to a disc on the other side. Throw that disc then immediately run across to another disc on the other side. This will start to get your heart pumping and allow you to just throw the disc at the basket. Sometimes we wrap ourselves up too much in technique and just need to get some throws in. This drill will allow you a lot of throws in just a short period of time.
Drill #3 – “Don’t hit the marker!”: this is a really great drill to work on your accuracy and/or approach shots. Take a marker cone or target and set it out on the flat ground about 30 to 50 feet in front of you. The name of the drill spells out what you’re trying not do – hit the marker. Aim and throw your disc with some force at the marker. Try to get as close to the marker as you can without hitting it. The goal is to be able to get all of your throws really close without touching the marker, thus continually improving your accuracy.
14. Take them to a pro tournament
One of the greatest ways to inspire fun and passion for your kids in disc golf is to take them to either a semi-professional or professional tournament (a professional tournament is probably best). I’ve included this tip in a couple of tips posts now and my book, because pro tournaments have an absolutely awesome and undeniably electric atmosphere to them.
There’s just so much talent at these tournaments and they happen all year long. The great thing about them is that they don’t really cost a lot of money (if any at all) and your kids will really get to see how the big guns play. Hopefully, both you and your kids will have a blast and maybe even get to meet a couple of the pro players.
If you’re curious about the Pro Tour schedule, you can check it out at dgpt.com here and find the link for this year’s Pro Tour schedule.
15. Watch online disc golf
If you aren’t able to take them to a pro tournament, another really great way to show your kid a little bit more about the game is to let them watch some professional disc golf online. This option is way easier and usually much more practical for parents. If you’re like me, you may not have a pro tournament within range of you. The closest tournament to me in North Carolina is The Idlewild Open at the Idlewild disc golf course in Burlington, Kentucky. That’s about 7 hours away from where I live.
Maybe one day I will head out to watch that because I hear that tournament is amazing, but I’ll probably stick to just online content for now.
With online content, you have a couple of options:
• Online practice content: this type of content allows you to learn from anyone on the internet, but specifically from some of the best players. There are practice videos that show off how to add distance to throws, work on technique, and almost everything else that will help you get better.
• Tournament play: you can watch the best of the best compete for cash, trophies, prizes, and bragging rights on the Disc Golf Pro Tour. And the best thing about this? You can watch it for free in your house. No need to drive hours away to stand in the blazing sun all day.
All of this can inspire your kid to truly want to get better at disc golf and maybe one day become a professional player. Now wouldn’t that be cool?
One of the best channels to watch is Jomez Pro on YouTube. They are one of the best tour recording outfits in the game today.
You can also go on YouTube and search for stuff that you want to learn.
16. Don’t be hard on them
There may be some parents who disagree with me on this tip and my last tip. But I believe that it’s a parent’s job to help build their child up for whatever they are try to achieve or just get better at. With sports, and disc golf specifically, you need to do everything you can to help them with their skills. By this I mean don’t be too hard on your kid if they don’t perform well or to your liking. Don’t criticize them for not performing up to your standards.
Before I go on, I just want to address the difference between two things: reasonable expectations and unreasonable expectations:
Reasonable expectations from a parent see the parent wanting their child to do well, and expecting a good outcome, but not becoming highly upset if the child doesn’t perform well. You always expect your child to try their best and promote good sportsmanship. As long as you see the kid give it 100% percent, the child did what he could and the parent is content with that.
Unreasonable expectations see that parent becoming extremely upset if the child does not perform at his very best every single day. If he doesn’t get the best throw, hit, or shot, this parent gets upset and reflects back on how the kid practices. Maybe you should’ve done a little bit more here and you would’ve done well in the game or the round. This parent expects the kid to give it his all and do his best all the time plus performing well. Sometimes kids have off days and this parent doesn’t understand that they may be doing their best that day.
I know that was long and tedious, but I always promote reasonable expectations. You should want your kid to do well and expect them to do well, but help them get better and work toward their own goals. Help your kid develop their skills and make their own high expectations that they can push themselves toward (but don’t be afraid to push them a little bit).
17. Don’t force them to play
Lastly in this tips list, make sure that you never force your kids to play disc golf. If you can’t remember back to when you were a kid, that’s okay. Just understand that kids absolutely and utterly hate being told what to do. Whether they are forced to do chores, go to grandma’s house, or play sports, kids will rebel no matter who the parent is.
Now before you say anything, I’m all for kids being disciplined and my children will be doing chores when they get older. But for the fun stuff, like disc golf or other sports, I will never force my kids to play. I’ve seen first hand what happens to kids that are forced into doing stuff like playing sports…they end up hating it and quitting at a certain point.
Those kids who aren’t forced to play usually end up loving the game. My relationship with my grandfather is a perfect example of this. I played baseball for a significant part of my early years. My grandfather bought me equipment, took me to games, helped me with complex techniques, and nudged me to do better when I was slacking, but he never forced me to play. I don’t play anymore, but only because I didn’t make the pros. He helped me love the game. And I thank him for that to this day.
So never try to force your kid to play disc golf. They will only start to dislike it, and eventually hate it, if you do. Also, before you go, check out this really awesome article on the same subject. It’s very insightful.
Related Content
For more awesome content, check out the posts below.
How Much Does it (Actually) Cost to Play Disc Golf?
11 Reasons Why You Need a Disc Golf Basket in 2019
37 Best Disc Golf Discs for Beginners (You Need These)
101 Disc Golf Tips to Take Your Game to the Next Level
Disc Golf 101: A Step by Step Beginner’s Guide
Don’t forget to check out the book!
Before you go, don’t forget to check out the best beginner disc golf book on the planet, “The Disc Golf Player’s Manual.” This ebook is packed with over 200+ pages of the best tips, tricks, and advice for new players. Im telling you, this book is epic. If you want to seriously improve in disc golf, you need this book. So don’t miss out!