Originally Presented to Disc Golf Working Group by Ron McGarvey
There are no published statistics on disc golf injuries; however, it only takes about 30 minutes of looking on the Internet to locate newspaper articles, research papers, comments and blogs that identify numerous instances of by-standers or non-players being injured by thrown discs. Attached to this statement are copies of articles, websites, URL’s, etc. that identify a sample of these incidents. From these sources it is very apparent that bystanders, non-participants and other park users have been subjected to very serious injuries,e.g. broken bones, damaged teeth and lacerations that have required stitches. It doesn’t appear that these types of injuries are common, but they do occur, especially in multi-use parks or where disc golf courses are located close to places where people walk and/or ride bikes. These articles also identify more than one case where disc golf courses have been relocated in order to protect non-participants and to reduce the liability exposure of the entity sponsoring the disc golf course.
#1 Disc Golf in multi-use parks can cause serious injuries to non-players
This brings me to the issues of course design, setbacks from adjacent property and buffer zones between course fairways and walking/bike path for the course proposed at Leddy. At the Sept 3d public meeting it was reported that the proposed course has been designed to allow for 75 foot setbacks from property lines and 25 foot buffer zones from walking and bike paths-including the Burlington Bike Path. A review of the course design standards at the Professional Disc Golf Association’s (PDGA) website (http://www.pdga.com/course-development) shows very detailed and specific information about things such as tee to hole distance, type of terrain, density of trees/vegetation, etc. for determining the par for individual holes and the difficulty level of the course. The standards, however, do not provide similarly detailed information to ensure the safety of non-players. Rather, there are general statements to be aware of other park users when designing a new course, but there is no specific information about minimum distances for setbacks and buffer zones from other park uses to ensure the safety of non-participants. From the perspective of corporate liability, I can understand why the Professional Disc Golf Association does not provide specific information about how to ensure the safety of non-players. Given this lack of prescriptive standards to ensure the safety of non-players, the proposed 75 foot setbacks from property lines and 25 foot buffer zones between fairways and existing paths and other Park activities, appear to be arbitrary or subjective values developed to fit the proposed course within the available space, rather than to ensure the safety of other Park users.
#2 The Professional Disc Golf Association’s Standards for course design do not provide specific information or requirements to ensure the safety of non-players
Given that disc golf can be hazardous to non-players and that the PDGA course design standards do not provide any specific standards for ensuring the safety of non-players, it is essential that the Working Group make recommendations to the Parks and Recreation Commission about changes to the course design that will reduce the potential for injuries to non-players and also reduce the City’s exposure to liability claims. At a minimum the Working Group should recommend that property setbacks and buffer zones between fairways and walking paths be increased to at least 150 feet and 75 feet respectively, with additional distance where vegetation is thin. Or, as suggested by some disc golfers on the PDGA’s Discussion website, http://discussion.pdga.com/msgboard/postlist.php?Cat=0&Board=CourseDesign, recommend that the disc golf course be located in a disc golf-only location.
#3 The Working Group should recommend that the property setback and buffer zones distances at Leddy be increased, or locate the course in a disc-golf only location.
For Attachments to this Statement Recounting Disc Golf Injuries and Safety Risks Click Here