WHY 150 CLASS?
By: Ed Headrick 001

There is currently little information about why there is a need for a weight restricted class of golf discs.Many people are unaware that the disc with which they now play indeed has a maximum weight allowable of 8.3 grams per centimeter of diameter and a minimum diameter of 21 centimeters, maximum up to 200 grams at 24 centimeters.

Why was this restriction made in the first place? In the early 1960's as a Vice President of Wham-O, I was faced with major markets such as Dallas TX, Oklahoma City, OK, etc. that are in the nation's windbelt. They had a comparative few days per year where the early pro model 108 grams could be thrown. We all felt the need of a heavier specific gravity (exceeding 1.1) was required, but none were available in the market place.The problem was the effective use of national television dollars.

I set up a test program and came up with an interesting material that glowed in the dark as a plus that would provide more weight and be compatible with the plastic. We also found that calcium carbonate and barium would perform the same function; however, they didn't glow.

Now, we had the capability of making a 119 gram into a 300+ gram disc. Testing indicated that a good safe weight was around a twenty percent (20%) increase over standard .97 plastic. A 119 could weigh 142 grams in a glow material and was generally adhered to as a maximum allowable weight for early golf discs as well. Remember, a disc of 106-108 grams could be brushed away like a fly, but 140 grams was getting heavy for a park picnic or a beach. We lost Central Park in New York and Waikiki Beach in Hawaii and many other lesser Frisbee sanctuaries to even these discs.

The fact that almost all disc golf courses are on public multiple use land was a major concern in the early days of our Sport. Seymour Greeben, Director of the largest park department in the world, LA County, painted a clear picture for us: being hit with an occasional Frisbee was okay, but injuring ANYONE was not. One injury and the course was history.

Starting with his approval for Oak Grove, we developed a peripheral use policy that avoided high-use areas, walkways, horsetrails and bikepaths like the plague. Then came La Mirada with all kinds of free advice from friendly disc players.

La Mirada was long by today's standards. We cut it back to a reasonable length after testing with pipes for targets. Unfortunately a little long for a 140-150 gram or a 119 g ram class disc, leaving the market open for smaller heavier discs like 19 cm at 250 gram.

Mr. Greeben was given one of these weapons and called me on the carpet. I begged him to leave the course alone and let us try to police our own problems. We started at 6 grams per cm and the players yelled so loudly that we kept edging it up to the 8.3 gram/cm standard we have today. If Seymour Greeben was satisfied at 8.3 in those days of the late 1970's, I wonder what he would have said about a 180 gram Viper?

The disc technology has advanced to a point where discs are being thrown over 400 feet. These discs are sold to amateurs, some of whom are strong and capable of long throws once in awhile. On most golf courses that means a lost disc, lost time and some hazard to players, cameramen and other users of our parks.

Then came a couple of accidental hits in Japan's Showa Park. No one was injured, but you may have surmised that now no discs more than 150s gram are all that is allowed. Sensing this inherent problem our disc could create in parts in the United States, Dan Roddick and several others including myself, thought that starting a 150 class would at least give us a foot in the door (or disc in the basket) if, God forbid, something similar to Showa Park happens.

So now you know the 150 class is to preserve the future of our sport and is currently the standard for Recreational Disc Golf Association (RDGA) courses, not the law.

On a happy note, our 150 Cyclone will outthrow a 176 Cyclone, Isaac Newton figured that out before I was born, which was a while ago.

Try one before you pass judgment and don't allow a fairway that will cross a pedestrian area. Together we can protect the future of our sport, the sport we all love.

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