Many organizations regularly schedule team building retreats designed to strengthen their cultures, and they typically involve a fun activity to increase engagement and excitement. Some corporations are realizing that a day on the disc golf course is not only entertaining but can help foster creativity, bolster relationships, and provide a unique and memorable change of pace for employees.
Building Stronger Work Teams Through Disc Golf
AJ Muñiz, a professional disc golfer and a tournament director, founded his company Above Gravity to use disc golf as a tool to boost corporate teams' motivation and performance. He's found that after a morning looking at powerpoints or reviewing key performance indicators, an afternoon of outdoor activity really helps re-energize employees.
"Most groups go to bars, they go to ballrooms, they've been stuck in convention centers all day," said Muñiz. "Disc golf is outdoors and is very unique. We make it a lot of fun and very beginner friendly."
Muñiz helps clients reach their specific goals by building in activities such as scavenger hunts and trivia related to core team values. He intentionally structures his events to make them accessible for people of all ages and athletic abilities and to promote interaction between workers at all levels.
"We make it fun and cooperative, not challenging and competitive," says Muñiz. "We play a scramble or best shot type of golf. The teams are randomly selected, so it could be the CEO with a guy from the mailroom. It helps to develop new relationships across the organization."
Jack Trageser, founder of School of Disc Golf and author of two books about the sport, has been running disc golf team building events for over a decade. Located near Silicon Valley, he has worked with most of the big tech companies that call the Bay Area home, along with startups, educational institutions, and religious organizations. He uses disc golf to assist employees in thinking outside the box and seeing challenges with a new perspective.
"Leadership is frequently trying to get teams to think beyond the status quo," said Trageser. "I structure the day in such a way that I get participants to start to think about creative problem solving. You're stuck behind a tree – what do you do? Players often think 'I always throw this way so I'm stuck.' Instead, carefully survey what's around you, look both ways, and think of other options."
This intentionality and focus on camaraderie has impressed a number of industry-leading organizations, including Netflix, Google, and Skyscanner.
Why Netflix Chose Disc Golf for Team Building & Why It Worked
Jeff Shi, engineering manager at Netflix, had never played disc golf before but decided to work with Jack Trageser and School of Disc Golf after one phone call due to Trageser's enthusiasm and knowledge of the sport. Shi was attracted to the fact that disc golf is active and outdoors while not being too physically strenuous or demanding.
"I wanted to try something most people haven't done before," said Shi. "Team outings can become repetitive and we wanted to try something new and build new experiences. The barrier to entry is pretty low, and it's something everyone can play and enjoy."
Everyone in Shi's group played as part of a two-person team (i.e., played doubles) and went through their rounds with two other teams. He found that this format encouraged his colleagues to work together to give themselves the greatest chance of success.
"You can have one person taking a conservative shot and the other person taking a high-risk high-reward type of shot," said Shi. "The game taps into everyone's competitive nature but also allows teamwork. I saw people on my team pointing, strategizing, cheering, laughing, and occasionally friendly trash-talking. We all had a great time."
While most avid disc golfers have felt the frustration of hitting the first tree available, Shi found that the event was structured in a way that made it fun and accessible for everyone.
"Everyone had a great time enjoying the outdoors and the game was easy enough that there was no stress or frustration," said Shi. "Disc golf can become very technical, and the skills required to play at a high level are quite challenging, but at the same time, it's something everyone can pick up quickly and enjoy in one afternoon."
The event culminated in the type of epic fashion that every disc golfer and event organizer dream about.
"There was a pretty intense moment for a 40 or 50-foot [12 or 15-meter] putt with winning and bragging rights on the line," said Shi. "The shot left the hand a little wobbly, but it followed a curve, hit the chains, and went into the basket. Everyone burst out a big cheer, clapping, screaming, gasping, and congratulating the winning team. On the drive back to the office, people were still talking about it in the car and reliving the moment. That's what a team building event is all about. Having those memorable moments that you can take away with you and your team."
Witnessing the thrills and camaraderie that disc golf can provide, Shi decided to head to his local course with his teenage son and felt immediately welcomed by the disc golf community.
"We got one of our discs stuck high on a tree canopy," said Shi. "My son and I tried everything to get it dislodged but nothing worked. Someone from another group came to our rescue with a telescoping pole and retrieved the disc for us. Their hospitality made us feel welcomed and not apprehensive about stepping into a new environment."
For corporate leaders, having a few of their employees find a new, healthy hobby may be a small side benefit of team building with disc golf, but it's a big reason Muñiz and Trageser started running disc golf events in the first place.
Growing Relationships, Growing the Sport
"Along with the team building I do free clinics for youth," said Muñiz. "I'm very passionate about growing the sport. I collaborate with local clubs and make it work where they see a lot of benefits as well."
Trageser works hard to ensure that his clients get the best possible impression of disc golf along with feeling more connected and excited about their team and work.
"I very carefully select the people that I hire to help me out, " said Trageser. "I want everybody to be an ambassador for the sport, to be bubbling with enthusiasm for disc golf."
Trageser's and Muñiz's enthusiasm for the game, paired with disc golf's accessibility and wellness benefits, has enabled them to help a lot of new players fall in love with the sport.
"If you bring out 20 people, at least two or three of them are going to seriously consider taking it up," said Trageser. "It can fit into their schedule. It's affordable and fun. This serious benefit is getting delivered as just a side effect of the team building, but it happens so often."
Both Above Gravity and School of Disc Golf include the option for custom discs in their booking packages to increase excitement and engagement.
"Always on offer with the basic package is custom discs to keep with their own logo or design on it," said Trageser. "I've seen some very interesting designs. It increases the chance that someone sticks with the game if they have a disc to take home and play with."
Partnering with the Local Hospitality Industry
While new players will likely be heading to their nearest public disc golf course to test their skills when they get back home, Trageser and Muñiz have found that private venues work best for the majority of their team building events.
"One complication is that some parks and hotels are not suitable to bring in groups that want bathrooms, parking, bus spaces, etc.", said Muñiz. "It has worked out better at golf courses with temporary baskets, but then the fee goes higher because of the use of the golf facilities."
Muñiz has been involved with the hospitality industry his entire career and uses these connections to secure bookings as well as to help boost the local economy. As a native Puerto Rican, many of his events take place in the city of Fajardo.
"Usually groups are looking for team building options and ask the hotel or resort that they are staying at for recommendations," said Muñiz. "The hotel then contacts Above Gravity. I usually hire people from the hotel and hospitality industry because they know how to make sure guests have an awesome experience."
Trageser also typically hosts his events at private venues, specifically a course he developed on the property of Chaminade Resort & Spa in Santa Cruz, California. This helps Trageser keep a controlled environment and ensure the event goes as planned. It has also helped Chaminade secure business.
"Having a disc golf course and partnering with a company that offers disc golf team building has indeed helped us secure group bookings," said Evan Simpson, senior events manager at Chaminade. "We've had several groups specifically choose Chaminade because they were looking for an outdoor activity that was new and unique."
The feedback from groups at Chaminade has been overwhelmingly positive, noting the numerous benefits that disc golf provided.
"Many reviews mention that disc golf was a refreshing and innovative alternative to traditional team building activities, fostering teamwork and communication in a fun and relaxed environment," said Simpson. "Groups that participate in our disc golf team building events consistently provide glowing feedback. They often highlight the engaging and enjoyable nature of the activity, noting that it offers a perfect blend of competition and camaraderie."
