Bill Text: CA ACR213 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Chaptered

California Assembly Concurrent Resolution 213 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: California Disc Golf Day.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2024-08-28 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Res. Chapter 190, Statutes of 2024. [ACR213 Detail]

Download: California-2023-ACR213-Chaptered.html

Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 213

CHAPTER 190

Relative to disc golf.

[ Filed with Secretary of State August 28, 2024. ]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

ACR 213, Waldron. California Disc Golf Day.

This measure would recognize August 3, 2024, as California Disc Golf Day.

Fiscal Committee: NO

WHEREAS, In the 1920s, the earliest known games of disc golf were played by children at Bladworth Elementary School in Saskatchewan, Canada; and

WHEREAS, In 1965, George Sappenfield was attending California State University, Fresno, and working as a recreation counselor with a new idea of playing golf with Frisbees; and

WHEREAS, Since the late 1960s, enthusiasts have been playing disc golf. The game became a formalized sport in the 1970s. In the beginning, targets were nothing more than tree trunks or wooden posts cemented into the ground. As the game progressed, courses replaced trees and posts with metal baskets with chains. The chains added the benefit of helping to catch the discs. Initially, the metal baskets were called a Disc Pole Hole. However, today, these modern-day targets come in dozens of design variations with the same general idea and technical specifications in mind; and

WHEREAS, On August 2, 1974, the American Flying Disc Open was launched and a group of avid golfers turned the City of Rochester Disc Golf Championship into a national tournament. They offered a prize for the winner to gain the attention of the Frisbee community; and

WHEREAS, In 1975, the first official disc golf course was installed by American toy inventor Ed Headrick at Oak Grove Park in the City of Pasadena, California, where the targets are simply permanent poles; and

WHEREAS, In 1976, the success of disc golf at the World Frisbee Championships suggested that this sport was the next big thing, and Ed Headrick created the Disc Golf Association (DGA); and

WHEREAS, This sport is so popular and rapidly growing that there are 11,300 courses globally, with 75 percent of all disc golf courses being in the United States, and over 400 courses in California; and

WHEREAS, Disc golf and traditional golf share many common characteristics. For example, both sports include a goal of reaching each target with the fewest number of strokes; or in the case of disc golf, throws; and

WHEREAS, While disc golf parallels the traditional game in many ways, there are differences. Instead of clubs and a ball, the only gear necessary is a disc. Players start from a tee pad that is generally a rectangular area made of anything from rubber to cement or even brick. After each throw, the player progresses down the fairway; and

WHEREAS, From where the disc lands, the player throws again and repeats until the disc lands in the target. As in traditional golf, the total number of throws a player takes to get the disc into the target is equal to the score for that hole; and

WHEREAS, The benefits of disc golf are many, with several advantages. The sport is convenient and inexpensive. While on vacation or camping, discs easily pack along with other gear without adding much space or weight. Unlike traditional golf, a majority of disc golf courses across the country are open to the public. That means no fees, memberships, or tee times; and

WHEREAS, As a growing international sport, the number of courses is increasing all the time. In August 2015, the International Olympic Committee granted full recognition to Flying Disc sports, providing a global platform for Flying Disc sports, including disc golf; and

WHEREAS, People of all ages and abilities play disc golf. The sport offers a terrific low-impact, cardiovascular workout that can test both physical skill and mental determination. Not only that, but disc golf brings the whole family together for an afternoon of laughs and enjoyment together; and

WHEREAS, The sport of disc golf is great for people of all socioeconomic classes, age groups, and demographics, provides a way to exercise and spend time outdoors, and provides a wide range of mental health benefits; and

WHEREAS, With input from disc golf legends, players, and advocates, Jason Wilder and Sara Nicholson founded the first National Disc Golf Day in 2016, declaring it to be annually on the first Saturday of August. They intended for the day to serve as an annual celebration of the sport and to bring together players and enthusiasts worldwide. Now, each year, National Disc Golf Day is marked by widespread participation, including live and virtual tournaments and contests, helping to further promote the sport; and

WHEREAS, Disc golf is a way to set attainable goals and work to achieve them, and to be part of a community of all ages and all abilities; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature recognizes August 3, 2024, as California Disc Golf Day, recognizing the teamwork, physical, mental, and emotional well-being the sport provides; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.