In honor of Women’s History Month let’s talk about women’s disc golf. Women have a long and storied history in disc golf. From casual rounds to the competitive side of the game, women have thrived on the disc golf course. Currently, there are many initiatives and programs to boost women’s membership in the PDGA as well as to create a community. A year-end survey conducted by the PDGA in 2020 found that of its 71,016 active members, about 7% were female. That equates to 4,752 members who are female. Other disc golf sources like Parked, estimate that 15% of disc golfers are female.
While their numbers may be smaller than their male counterparts, female involvement and passion for the sport speak volumes. There are many women’s only leagues, tournaments, and apparel. Women grow the sport through a multitude of clinics, outreach programs, and other events. We’ll chat about events later. For now, let’s dive into the women who paved the way for the modern game.
Women in Disc Golf History
There are so many names and storylines to choose from. But for this article let’s stick to the women who had the most impact on and off the course. All 12 of these women are inductees in the PDGA Hall Of Fame and passed the baton through the years to grow the sport. Click their names to read their biographies and contributions to disc golf.
- –Vanessa Chambers #2198 (Inaugural Class of 1993)
- –Patti Kunkle #283 (Class of 1996)
- –Elaine King #3090 (Class Of 1997)
- –Sylvia Voakes #3360 (Class Of 2005)
- –Juliana Korver #7438 (Class Of 2008)
- –Lynne Warren #2876 (Class Of 2009)
- –Becky Zallek #9388 (Class Of 2013)
- –Anni Kreml #3351 (Class Of 2015)
- –Gail McColl #240 (Class Of 2015)
- –Tita Ugalde #83 (Class Of 2016)
- –Des Reading #15863 (Class Of 2017)
- –Andi Lehmann Young #2094 (Class Of 2018)
Present Day
While there are plenty of quality players on the women’s PDGA circuit, there is one that is arguably the most dominant disc golfer, male or female, to ever play the sport. Her name is Paige Pierce. Pierce has won nearly half of the professional tournaments she has entered throughout her career having won 136 tournaments out of 287 entered. She currently boasts the highest ever rating for a female disc golfer at 996 and is a 5-time World Champion.
Pierce is also a leading ambassador of her sport. She teaches clinics and makes herself available at various cities throughout her busy disc golf travel calendar. Pierce also keeps an active YouTube Channel with 32k subscribers. Her dedication and dominance in disc golf was rewarded in March of 2021. Sports Illustrated printed its largest-ever feature story on disc golf.
The protagonist? Paige Pierce. I highly recommend reading this article as it gives great insight into the world of Paige Pierce and the current state of disc golf.
There are many other contemporary players who compete and dedicate their lives to the sport. They are to be revered for giving so much to a sport that is now thriving because of their efforts. Some of these players are:
- –Catrina Allen #44184
- –Sarah Hokom #34563
- –Jessica Weese #50656
- –Madison Walker #59431
- –Paige Shue #33833
Europe also has a thriving women’s PDGA scene mostly taking place in the North. Many of these players come to the US to test their skills. Some of these players include Eveliina Salonen #64927 from Finland, Henna Blomroos #59227 from Finland, and Kristin Tattar #73986 from Estonia.
Programs and Initiatives
Women’s disc golf has no shortage of programs, initiatives, outreach, and community building. The following groups were all founded by women in the disc golf community to grow the sport:
Throw Pink is a non-profit that supports women’s health initiatives through disc golf events nationwide that encourage women and girls to get out and be more active. Their goal is to change the face of women’s health.
Ladies First Disc Golf the most comprehensive retailer dedicated to supplying discs, apparel, and accessories for the female disc golfer.
Also known as UPlayDG, This non-profit was created by professional disc golfer Zoe Andyke as a platform to educate children about the wonders of disc golf. Their mission statement is “To promote health, well-being, and enhance communities through the provision of educational disc golf programs.”
Founded by professional disc golfer Rebecca Cox, their mission is “To encourage increased diversity in the sport of disc golf through study, outreach, strategy, and other methods. Disc golf is for everyone! Our goal is to make disc golf accessible across all demographics.”
#RespectHerGame was founded to create a positive space for female disc golfers. Their mission is “To raise awareness, educate, empower and advocate for the betterment of women’s disc golf.”
One aspect of disc golf that needs to be addressed is clear through a poll conducted by #RespectHerGame. They asked the following question to female disc golfers on their website:
“Has a male disc golfer ever made you feel uncomfortable at a disc golf course and/or on social media?”
A staggering 77% responded yes. How can we say our sport is inclusive and expect healthy growth with a statistic like this? We need to do better. We can do better.
PDGA Women’s Global Event
If you are looking to connect with other women in disc golf you are in luck. There is a Women’s Global Event (WGE) taking place May 8-9, 2021. This event typically takes place every two years, however, it was canceled in 2020 due to COVID. For that reason, it is being made up this year. This event hosts dozens of women-only tournaments simultaneously across the world on a weekend that celebrates all things women in disc golf.
The last year the WGE took place was 2018. The event has set participation records each time it has run, with 2018 sporting 80 registered tournaments in 39 states and 14 countries with a combined turnout of 2,092 women competing in 23 different PDGA divisions.
Elaine King is the Chair of the PDGA Women’s Committee as well as a member of the PDGA Hall Of Fame. King had this to say about the event this year:
“The PDGA WGE exemplifies women’s approach to sport. The focus is on participation and growing the community. Competition is celebrated and serves to inspire the female participants, but the day is about women and girls around the globe playing simultaneously…We are hoping that 3,000 or more women will participate in the 2021 PDGA WGE at more than 150 tournaments in 20-plus countries on five continents.”
Get out there! There are a myriad of ways to participate from playing in an event to volunteering or caddying for your favorite female player. The spirit of these events includes healthy competition and an emphasis on inclusion. These events embody the core principles of what disc golf strives to be. Click here to find a WGE event near you.
Conclusion
Women’s disc golf is thriving in large part due to women who paved the way for the modern sport. And while it is very successful, there is still much work to be done to ensure inclusion. Luckily, there are women who have taken up the cause and created initiatives and programs to grow the sport in a sustainable and welcoming manner. Let’s celebrate the women who have made this sport successful and also to those who continue to do so. And if you’ve got the time, give something back by taking part in the WGE.
From everyone here at Rogue Discs, thank you to the awesome women of disc golf!
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