Understanding why the growing sport walks hand in hand with marijuana and vape usage.

Unbeknownst to many, the sport of disc golf has taken the Midwest by storm over the last decade. Disc golf is a simple concept. Take traditional golf, switch the ball for a specially-made frisbee (a disc) and the hole for a chained basket, and it’s disc golf — an affordable, leisurely, and accessible variant. 

According to UDisc, 91% of disc golf courses are free to the public, with many run by local governments and combined with parks and other recreational areas. Even beyond the free to play courses, disc golfers can participate for a relatively low amount of money. After purchasing a handful of $20 discs, a disc golfer can play for years without spending another dime. This free-to-play factor has driven a lot of recent growth.

“For me, it’s the simplicity and cheapness,” Andy Juulberg, a frequent disc golfer from the Twin Cities, said. “People love normal golf. Disc golf is the cheap version while being just as challenging.” 

Minnesota is a popular state for disc golf, with the sixth most courses in the country. According to UDisc, the state currently has 413 active disc golf courses, the vast majority of which are free to the public. 

Beyond Minnesota, Iowa, the Dakotas, and Kansas all rank high in courses per capita, demonstrating the prominence of disc golf among Midwesterners.

“The Midwest has rolling hills and lots of forests, which makes it easy to set up disc golf courses,” Juulberg said. 

Since its inception, Disc Golf has had a unique relationship with recreational products like Marijuana and Vapes. In a survey conducted by Infinite Discs that surveyed over 5,000 disc golfers nationwide, 25% of respondents said that they had smoked Marijuana on a course, and over 17% said they had used some sort of vape product. 

“I think the two are correlated because it’s nice to be outside while smoking,” Megan Miller, a frequent disc golfer from Mankato, Minnesota, said. “You enjoy the fresh air so much more. A lot of my friends say smoking while disc golfing just enhances the calming vibe.” 

Similarly, Juulberg explained that the connection between disc golf and marijuana usage sometimes stems from a desire to smoke outdoors and in secluded areas. 

“The correlation exists because the sport is played outside and is typically very secluded,” Juulberg said. “When I disc golf, I see people smoking on the course and using vapes all the time.” 

The connection between disc golf and smoking extends to a similar leisure product: vapes. This connection is so strong that establishments like 515 Vape and Disc Golf in Des Moines have combined the two hobbies into one shop. The store offers one of the largest selections of discs in the Des Moines area, alongside countless vape products and e-liquids. 

“Disc golf is definitely growing around here,” Andy Mackinnon, a manager at the store said. “New courses have been popping up, and people flock to them. It’s not really mainstream, though, so you don’t hear about that growth often.” 

With that growth, which led to a 23% boost in disc golf players in Iowa in 2023, 515 capitalized on the link between disc golf and vape products. 

“The relationship is there. A lot of people who like disc golf also vape, so it’s obviously a draw for us,” Mackinnon said. “I think it comes partially from the casual style of the sport. That style just fits well with vaping. Disc golf is laid back. It’s relaxing. Vaping, marijuana, they’re laid back and relaxing for the people that do it.”