Disc golf Disc golf, also known as frisbee golf, is a flying disc sport in which players throw a disc at a target; it is played using rules similar to golf. Most disc golf discs are made out of polypropylene plastic, otherwise known as polypropene, which ...

(in et, discgolf) is a popular sport in

Estonia Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, a ...

, where it is played at the recreational, club, and international competition levels. Disc golf in Estonia is governed by the Estonian Disc Golf Association (EDGL, in et, Eesti Discgolfi Liit). Its mission is to promote disc golf as an exciting and accessible sport.

Popularity

Disc golf is the fastest growing sport in Estonia. It has enjoyed an exponential surge in popularity since the early 2010s, quickly making Estonia a hotbed of the sport, together with

Finland Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...

. In the PDGA's Year-End Demographic Report for 2019, Estonia had 930 active members, 135 courses, and organized 44 PDGA-sanctioned events. In June 2020, there were 864 active PDGA members and 628 expired memberships. The surge in disc golf popularity in Estonia is generally attributed to its close proximity to disc golf hubs around the

Baltic Sea The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden and the North and Central European Plain. The sea stretches from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from ...

, namely

and

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...

. Rene Mengel, Estonian disc golf pioneer and the country's main disc golf promoter, attributes the success of the sport to a large number of disc golf courses throughout the country, and to the fact that disc golf discs can be purchased from local retail stores in Estonia in addition to specialized online retailers, helping make the sport accessible.

Courses

Approximately 2% of the world's disc golf courses are located in Estonia. Some of the most notable ones include Kõrvemaa, Jõulumäe, Alutaguse, Mäetaguse and Elva disc golf courses. Most popular courses in Estonia are Männiku Wakepark, Tartu Roosi, Kurna, Coolbet Järve and Discland disc golf courses, of which 4 (excluding Tartu Roosi) are inside or in close proximity of Estonia's capital, Tallinn In 2019,

Tallinn Tallinn () is the most populous and capital city of Estonia. Situated on a bay in north Estonia, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea, Tallinn has a population of 437,811 (as of 2022) and administratively lies in the Harju ' ...

was rated #4 on UDisc's list of Top 5 Disc Golf Cities outside the United States. As of May 2021 Estonia has 212 courses, Estonia has the highest density of disc golf courses per square kilometer of any country, and the second-highest number of disc golf courses per capita, after

Iceland Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Iceland's capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which (along with its s ...

. Discgolfi Rajad is a disc golf course directory exclusive to Estonia. It allows players to filter courses by one of Estonia's 15

counties A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

( et, maakond, plural ') and provides hole-by hole information in addition to maps.

Market

Disc Golf Metrix is a highly popular Estonian disc golf website. Between a third and half of its traffic originates from Estonia. It facilitates tournament management and allows players to keep track of their progress. In February 2020, the FFFD selected Disc Golf Metrix as its tournament management solution for the 2020 National Tour, the most prestigious tournament in France.

Manufacturers

Founded in 2017, Disctroyer is Estonia's first and only manufacturer of PDGA approved discs. Trindem OÜ manufactures the Discrait

basket A basket is a container that is traditionally constructed from stiff fibers and can be made from a range of materials, including wood splints, runners, and cane. While most baskets are made from plant materials, other materials such as horsehai ...

, which was certified by the PDGA at the Championship level in April 2017.

Tourism

Estonia is a popular destination among Finnish disc golf enthusiasts. Disc golf courses are marketed on Estonia's official tourist information website, and they are available as a map layer.

Mass media

YouTube channels

* Eesti Discgolfiliit - 2,040 subscribers and 102,699 views *Margiti Discgolfikanal - 2,270 subscribers and 686,005 views *Albert Tamm - 2,370 subscribers and 42,910 views *DiscSport Europe - 1,890 subscribers and 187,737 views * DiscFish - 640 subscribers and 154,835 views

Competitions

* Estonian Open – A-tier PDGA event * Innova Baltic Tour Pärnu Open * Baltic Disc Golf Championships Alutaguse Open * WFDF 2019 World Team Disc Golf Championships

Notable Estonian disc golfers

Notable disc golfers include Albert Tamm, Silver Lätt, and Estonia's top women's disc golfer

Kristin Tattar Kristin Tattar (born 3 July 1992 in Pärnu) is an Estonian professional disc golfer and former competitive cross-country skier. Tattar is Estonia’s most successful disc golfer of all time, and as of 2022 she has achieved the highest PDGA rati ...

, who was the first European to win the US Open, and the number 1 ranked female in the world as of May 2022.

References

External links

Eesti Discgolfi Liit
Estonian Disc Golf Association (EDGL)
Discgolfi Rajad
Estonian disc golf course directory
Eesti discgolfi rajad
Disc golf courses in Estonia on

Google Maps Google Maps is a web mapping platform and consumer application offered by Google. It offers satellite imagery, aerial photography, street maps, 360° interactive panoramic views of streets ( Street View), real-time traffic conditions, and rou ...

DiscGolfEestis
Facebook profile {{Disc golf, state=expanded Sport in Estonia by sport

Outdoor recreation in Estonia