Is Iowa or Wisconsin The Disc Golf Capitol Of The Midwest? It’s Close…

National Disc Golf Day was August 5th, and I must say I participated in the sport a great deal in college, as Wartburg had a great course on campus, and Waverly, IA also had a city course I enjoyed playing on. Now, Iowa Bets has released a study showing the states most interested in disc golf and the Tri-States scores 2 spots in the top 5.

First off, how'd they get their Disc Golf Stats?

IowaBets.com looked at which states across the United States are the most interested in disc golf by using two combined data points to develop the ranking of the 50 US States from most to least into disc golf. They used the Professional Disc Golf Association’s Course Directory to find the most disc golf course per capita in each state. Then they measured Google Trend’s search interest of the “Disc Golf Near Me” over a 12-month span from August 1st of 2022 to August 1st of 2023. They then awarded points from 50 to 1 based on the states’ ranking in each category.

So where does the Midwest rank when it comes to Disc Golf?

Pretty darn good. In fact, top of the list! Iowa and Wisconsin both make the list and... it's a tie! Tied at the top of the list in 4th on points, Iowa just edges Wisconsin in courses per capita, but they pull ahead of Iowa when looking at search interest. Both states pull down 89 of the total 100 points with only Maine (3rd), Vermont (T-1st), and Kansas (T-1st) ranking higher.

According to the report, Iowa has become a driving force in the rapid expansion of disc golf, a sport celebrated for its accessibility and outdoor draw. Its quite affordable and has a diverse appeal, attracting participants of all ages and abilities. Even better, Iowa's picturesque and beautiful landscapes host a large variety of disc golf courses of varying degrees of difficulty. The state hosts a notable 20 Disc Golf Pro-Tour  events, including tiered competitions, reflecting the sport's rising professional and amateur prominence.

The video seen above was taken at 2023 TruBank Des Moines Challenge of eventual champion, and pro disc-golfer, Gannon Buhr. Gannon picked up at $12,250 prize at the event.

How about the rest of the Midwest?

Disc Golf might be considered most relevant throughout the Midwest, as six states including; Kansas, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan, and Missouri all make the Top 15.

How can I get started disc-golfing?

Beginner kits can be found most places where sports apparel and gear is sold. Usually though, you just need a driver and a putter. For those more serious about the sport, there are several different steps in discs, including; Putt and Approach Discs, Mid-Range Discs, Fairway Drivers, Distance Drivers, and Long-Distance Drivers.

Step 2 is always finding a place to play. No worries, Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin all have courses throughout the Tri-State area, and I've compiled the closest ones below.

The courses shown here are all within 50 miles of Dubuque and can be found on the PDGA website. Grab some friends and make a trip for a fun day of disc golf, and take it as easy or as serious as you'd like.