2023 UDisc Superlatives: Which Disc Golfers Got In The Most Rounds, Played The Most Courses, & More?

Now available: UDisc superlatives from 2024 

In 2023, about 790,000 disc golfers recorded 21.9 million rounds over 42.4 million hours with UDisc as you can see in our recently released Disc Golf Growth Report. Some quick math gives you an average of around 54 hours of disc golf per player last year. That's a little over an hour per week, about what it takes to play a leisurely nine holes or a quick 18 at many courses.

But the busiest UDisc players wouldn't know much about that life. For example, everyone in 2023's top 10 of total rounds recorded with UDisc averaged over two rounds per day, and the top two typically got in more than three.

We wanted to publicly recognize these players who are some of the most active disc golfers in the world. Below you can discover, marvel at, and, sure, feel a little envious of the players who topped the UDisc charts in 2023 rounds recorded, unique courses played, time played, and steps taken. 

Who Played the Most Rounds of Disc Golf in 2023?

Considering many disc golfers are happy to squeeze in a round or two a week, these numbers are mind-blowing. To figure out how playing this much disc golf is even possible, we reached out to 2023's round total leader, Michael Wright, AKA mfwafw.

He told us that he "started playing at least 18 holes every day on September 30, 2013" because the sport helped keep him active in the aftermath of a breakup "instead of just sitting on the couch." He developed a deep passion for disc golf, and he's able to play tons of rounds thanks to easy course access and the right working hours.

"I have lived within 10 minutes of a course since I started playing, so it's been easy to get to a course," Wright said. "I work at a machine shop and we start at 5:20 AM. We do nine-hour days Monday-Thursday and have a half day on Fridays, so I’m done early enough to get in several rounds before it gets dark. I also have a couple hundred glow discs, so I play a lot after dark too."

Two other factors that help keep his round count high are living near Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a top 20 U.S. city in disc golf availability, and being fine with playing alone. He said about 60%-70% of his rounds are solo.

And since this disc golf story started with a breakup, it was nice to learn things seem to have turned around in that department for one of the world's most active disc golfers. Here's what he told us when we asked about his favorite disc golf memory from last year: "That's tough to decide after playing so much. Winning the Big Freeze doubles tournament for the third year in a row with my wife as my partner is definitely up there."

Who Played the Most Disc Golf Courses in 2023?

The far-and-away champ in unique courses played for 2023 was Brian Shultz, AKA businesslobster. This wasn't only the record for courses played in 2023 by a player using UDisc, but likely the world record for most courses played in a year by anyone ever.

Schulz's 2023 course total is absolutely insane, but it gets even crazier when you learn that in September 2023, he was only at around 300 courses. That means he played over 600 courses in just three months, averaging almost as many unique courses per month from October to December as the 10th-ranked player in the table visited all year.

Additionally, he refused to play courses with fewer than 18 holes on his way to the record.

We talked with Schulz at length about his adventures chasing the world record for most disc golf courses played in a year. It all started with a crosscountry road trip with a friend and a grandfather clock and led to him spending night after night in his car chasing his goal. There's also the time he tried to jump over a river in the desert with his Prius.

But it's all too much to fit here. For that story, check out "New World Record? Disc Golfer Plays Over 900 Courses In One Year."

Who Spent the Most Time Playing Disc Golf in 2023?

It's not super surprising that the player who got in the most rounds also spent the most time on the course. But it is eye-popping to see that everyone in this top 10 spent at least the equivalent of a month and a half of full 24-hour days out on the disc golf course in 2023.

Who Took the Most Steps Playing Disc Golf in 2023?

The top two here are our unique courses and our round count leaders, but Shultz clawed his way to the top (yep, lobster pun). It turns out if you play nearly a thousand courses, you do a lot of walking. Who'd a thunk it?

Some fun facts here are that Shultz walked about as far playing disc golf as it takes to go on Interstate 10 from Jacksonville, Florida, to Santa Monica, California. The 10th-ranked player on the chart hoofed it the roughly the same distance that separates El Paso, Texas, and Chicago, Illinois.

Even if you're not getting in the steps these players did, the walks you take playing disc golf are doing some great stuff for your physical and mental well-being. Find out what they are in "How Far You Walk During Disc Golf Rounds & Why It's So Healthy."

Check Out Leaderboards on the Reg

If you're interested in seeing all-time rankings for courses played and round totals in UDisc, open the app, tap More, tap Leaderboards, and then tap Player records.