The physical activity behavior of children in Finland (LIITU or Lasten ja nuorten liikuntakäyttäytyminen Suomessa in Finnish) study is a national follow-up study. It extensively surveys physical activity, behavior and culture of 7-15-year-olds. I wrote this summary based on the 2022 report of the LIITU study. You can access the entire report here (193 pages, PDF file). Disc golf was found in the study to be one of the favorite sports of children in Finland.

The 2022 report deals with data collected from children in the 7-15-year-olds age group. The data was collected in March-June 2022 with electronic surveys (n = 10,098) and physical activity meters (n = 1,525). The period of data collection coincided with the third Covid-19 wave (the threat of closing schools), the beginning of the war in Ukraine, and strikes and threats of strikes in the education sector. These factors may have influenced the willingness to participate in the study. They may have also influenced the exercise and health behavior of the participants.

Disc Golf 3rd Most Popular Among Boys, 15th Among Girls

The most common leisure physical activities in the winter reported by children were cross-country skiing, football (soccer in the US), ice skating, ice hockey and skiing. The most common summer activities were football, swimming, cycling and disc golf. Disc golf was the third most popular summer sport among boys, after football and cycling. This result was achieved when 1-3 most popular sports were asked and points for individual sports were summed up. Among girls, disc golf reached the position 15th among most popular sports during the summer. (Appendix table 2 of the report)

We Need More Organized Disc Golf Events for Children

Disc golf is doing well, but we adults should support disc golf for children more by organizing more well run events. This way parents and guardians could bring their children to such events familiar from more traditional sports. Fortunately, the Finnish Disc Golf Association has started investing in bringing disc golf into the structures of our society. See, for example, the sections School sports and Education materials on the association’s website. There’s lots of room to improve arranging organized disc golf activities for kids. On the other hand, a good feature of disc golf is also that children can practice disc golf freely with each other. without the constant guidance of adults. Adults’ guidance is familiar to kids from home, school and many hobbies.

Read also our blog post on Disc Golf Is an Antidote to Problems Caused by Too Much Sitting.

Writer: Erno Väyrynen

Published March 26, 2023

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Disc golf is an outdoor sport that has grown in popularity strongly in recent years. There are many reasons behind its popularity, such as the fact that disc golf is suitable for almost everyone regardless of age, gender and wealth. Disc golf can be played alone or together with others. There are more than a thousand disc golf courses in Finland from the south to the northernmost Lapland, and most of them are free to play.

Disc golf has many health effects that make it an excellent hobby for improving fitness and mental health.

In this article, we discuss the problems caused by sitting and the suitability of disc golf for the prevention and treatment of problems. We use the Finnish institute for health and welfare as our source.

Too Much Sitting Is a Problem in Our Society

Repeated and long-term sitting every day is harmful to health. According to the FinTerveys 2017 survey, Finnish men sat for an average of 7 hours 41 minutes and women 7 hours 11 minutes on weekdays.

Problems caused by frequent and long-lasting periods of sitting and other inactivity:

• musculoskeletal system problems
• the risk of developing several long-term diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, diseases of the cardiovascular system and depression.

More information on the website of the Institute of Health and Welfare (in Finnish only, tip: use a translator).

Exercise Recommendations by the Institute of Health and Welfare

The need for exercise varies during different stages of life, which is why the Institute of Health and Welfare has developed its recommendations for different age groups. The recommendations are a good help in planning your exercises.

To achieve the health benefits of exercise, adults (aged 18–65) should exercise once a week

• moderate endurance exercise for at least 2 h 30 min or, alternatively, heavy endurance exercise for at least 1 h 15 min
• exercise that maintains muscle condition and movement control at least 2 times a week.

The recommendation for exercise for children under school age is at least three hours every day. School-aged children and young people, i.e. 7-18-year-olds, should do versatile, age-appropriate exercise for at least 1-2 hours a day. The physical growth and development of a primary school-aged child is continuous, so exercise should be versatile and contain a lot of repetitions in order to develop motor skills.

Read the Institute of Health and Welfare recommendations here (in English).

UKK Institute Weekly Physical Activity Recommendation for 18-64-year-olds (in English)

Disc Golf Helping In Prevention and Treatment of Problems Caused by Sitting

Playing disc golf can be a good way to improve your fitness. One full round on an 18-hole course usually takes about 2-3 hours. Even one round per week can reach the recommendations given by the Institute of Health and Welfare as the minimum amount of exercise for adults. Many disc golf enthusiasts play several rounds a week and thus get exercise in accordance with Institute of Health and Welfare’s recommendations.

Disc golf enthusiasts walk in different kinds of terrains, usually 2-5 kilometers (or 1-3 miles) per round, walking, squatting and throwing at different positions. This makes the sport quite versatile. Exercise comes almost unnoticed to the disc golfer, especially if the round is played in the company of friends, enjoying playing in the fresh air.

When playing disc golf, the heart rate increases and breathing accelerates to a level that develops fitness of people who don’t exercise much. The sport is suitable for most people who can walk or even use a wheelchair. Disc golf does not require as good fitness as, for example, running or skiing. This makes disc golf suitable for a large group of people. Playing disc golf can also inspire a more versatile development of the body and mind, as both of these are certainly beneficial for performance in disc golf.

Disc golf is also an excellent way to maintain social relationships and improve mental health. Disc golf is most often played with friends, allowing players to enjoy being together and share their experiences with others. In addition, focusing on playing disc golf is a good way to relax and relieve stress, as players can enjoy nature and the surrounding landscape while playing.

Disc golf is an easy and affordable way to start exercising. If you’re looking for a new and fun way to exercise, try disc golf!

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Finland’s disc golf star Väinö Mäkelä representing Prodigy Disc and Powergrip will begin his 2023 disc golf season at the Disc Golf Pro Tour event Las Vegas Challenge Feb 23-26 in 2023. We had a little chat with Väinö before he left for the US tour.

How has your winter break been?

Thanks for asking, the winter has been a little bit inconsistent. I was sick for a while at the beginning of winter, but luckily I was able to get back to working out and practicing quite quickly. I have been able to prepare for the new season well and also had time to hang out with my girlfriend and friends. I went to Spain to get a better feel for throwing. The brain has had a rest from the competition.

How do you practice?

In the off season, I train for everything else except competing. For example, muscle strength in the gym, throwing training and basic fitness. During the season, I practice at the gym 1-2 times a week, depending on whether it’s competition week. I focus on training the tournament courses – I practically don’t have time to do field practice between events.

Your three favorite things in the US?

1. Warm weather
2. Sense of a big country – amount of opportunities
3. Food

Your three least favorite things in the US?

1. Absurdity of many things
2. Overuse of plastic
3. Complexity of how things work compared to Finland

Do you have greetings to your fans?

I send all the fans a big thank you for following and supporting! I wouldn’t be in this situation without you. I want to give back to you as much as possible. Thank you very much to everyone!

You can support Väinö by purchasing his products.

A new Disc Golf Pro Tour season is about to begin. The first Finns to start the tour are our strong duo Henna Blomroos and Eveliina Salonen. Despite their young age, Eveliina and Henna have achieved a lot. They’ll start the new season even hungrier after a training through winter. Both can win any competition when all the aspects of their game works.

How has your winter been?

The winter has gone well and quickly as there has been a lot to do. It’s been nice to see family and friends and it’s been fun to play all other sports and not just disc golf. Physical training and throwing indoors have been a big part of the training program for both of us.

What do you expect from the season start at DGPT All-Star in Arizona?

It’ll be our first All-Star tournament, so we have no idea what to expect. It’s cool to be able to play with the US players after a long time and see all my disc golfing friends. It’s also fun to see how the disc flies outdoors after a long indoor season.

How do you practice during the off season and the season?

Henna: in the off season, I invest in physical training and it gives a rhythm to my everyday life. There will also be a lot of disc golf training, but due to the slippery conditions, really only in the indoors. During the season, there will be a lot of putts, and hopefully also physics training in the future. During the season, the largest number of throws occurs in connection with getting to know the courses before each event.

Eve: My winter training consists of indoor training, indoor throwing, padel training and competitions. During the season, my training is mainly playing rounds.

Your three favorite things in the US?

Warm weather, high level of competition and practice speaking English

Three not-so-favorite things in the US?

Homesickness, suitcase life and a limited selection of food for us picky eaters.

What would you like to say to your fans?

Thanks for all the support, we appreciate it a lot!

We wish everyone a nice new season! See you at the courses.

Support Eveliina and Henna by purchasing their signature discs:

As we inch closer to the start of the 2023 professional disc golf season, we are excited to announce five outstanding additions to Team Powergrip for the upcoming year.

At Powergrip, we call ourselves a “Pretty Good Disc Golf Shop” and after many discussions, we believe we’ve compiled a “Pretty Good Disc Golf Team”. — In fact, you could say this is the nicest group of disc golfers you can find around the world.

Five Marquee Additions for 2023

As we put together plans for Team Powergrip, we wanted to find partnerships where we can build a great relationship for many years to come. While we’re excited for what everyone on the team can bring to the table, we also value opportunities to help showcase, promote, and support those who are on the team. We’re excited to show you what 2023 has in store.

Simon Lizotte, Team MVP Disc Sports

Simon has been the talk of the disc golf industry over the last few weeks with his move to MVP Disc Sports for 2023. As he learns his new bag and begins his next phase in his professional career, we’ll be right along side him to support him along the way. Be sure to follow Simon on Instagram and subscribe to his YouTube channel.

Nate Sexton, Team Innova

The current Captain of Team Innova, Nate joins us for 2023. The 2017 United States Disc Golf Champion, Nate has been a fixture on the professional disc golf scene for over nearly two decades. He’s seen success throughout his career and we’re happy to welcome him to the team as his first ever retail sponsor. Be sure to follow Nate on Facebook and Instagram.

Jeremy Koling, Team Innova

Known as just Big Jerm, Jeremy Koling not only can compete at the highest level, he has an incredible sense of humor and creative mind. In our first discussion together, it was clear that we could help tap into his creativity and ideas that he’s been sitting on for years. Plus, he’s very much looking forward to a trip to Finland later this year. Be sure to follow Jeremy on Facebook and Instagram.

Henna Blomroos, Team Innova

One of Finland’s top disc golfers, Henna is coming off a very successful 2022 season. Her season last year was highlighted by a second place finish at the 2022 PDGA World Championships. With a battle tested mindset, we can’t wait to see what Henna can do during the year ahead. Be sure to follow Henna on Facebook and Instagram.

Eveliina Salonen, Team Innova

Eveliina is one of the most exciting disc golfers to watch compete. She has an absolute cannon for an arm while also having nearly unmatched control. Eveliina finished fifth at last year’s World Championships and was in the hunt from start to finish. Be sure to follow Eveliina on Facebook and Instagram.

Väinö Mäkelä Leads Returning Team Members

The 2021 Finnish Champion, Väinö Mäkelä, has been a staple on Team Powergrip for years and our long-standing partnership continues for 2023. See the full roster below.

Prodigy Disc took the top spot as the best-selling manufacturer in the last quarter of 2022 as well. Prodigy has maintained its first place in our sales statistics since the last quarter of 2021 (Q4/2021). This means 20 months of leading the pack with this accuracy.

Among the Trilogy brands, Latitude 64 is the most popular. Other Trilogy brands are Dynamic Discs and Westside Discs.
MVP Disc Sports has steadily grown in popularity with its sister brands Axiom Discs and Streamline Discs. The recent announcement of Simon Lizotte‘s switch from Discmania to MVP Discs will probably show up in sales very soon.

Bags and Boxes On Top of the Product Sales Stats in Q4/2022

More valuable disc golf products, such as bags, baskets and collection boxes, rose higher than usual. Part of the reason for this is the Christmas gift sale and the big discounts that we offered for several weeks. As a pleasant surprise for us, our weakly branded Surprise Box enjoyed great popularity. We will develop this concept in the future. We are grateful to Prodigy Disc and Clash Discs for the special products they offered: Prodigy Disc Mystery Box Blue and Clash Discs 1-year Anniversary Box. Despite The Clash box’s large size and therefore high price, it attracted the attention of the customers of the Finnish brand that is strongly increasing its market share.

Best-Selling Disc Golf Products In Our Online Store

Products displayed based on availability at time of publishing this article on Jan 14, 2023.

Prodigy Disc has held the number one spot of our sales stats for a year now: it overtook Discmania, Innova and Latitude 64 in Q4/2021 and has kept its lead since then. This year, Innova and Discmania have closely followed Prodigy in this order as second and third. Latitude 64 has sold better than Discraft in Q2 and Q3 this year. Discraft’s availability has been the worst of this bunch and this can be seen in our stats.

The Finnish newcomer Clash Discs keeps climbing on our sales chart and achieved its first top 10 placement.

Most Popular Disc Golf Brands Q3/2022

Most Popular Disc Golf Discs Q3/2022

Popular players sell. Simon, Eagle and Väinö dominated our top 10 chart with total of six of their signature discs. Furthermore, Seppo’s and Niklas’ discs are included in top 20. Prodigy’s PA-3 putters, Innova’s enduring favourite Star Destroyer and Discmania’s new Originals releases filled the other top placements. It’s worth noting, Clash Discs Steady Honey achieved a top 20 spot alongside the best selling brands.

Best-Selling Disc Golf Discs In Our Online Shop

Discs displayed based on availability at time of publishing this article on Oct 6, 2022.

Best-selling Disc Golf Brands Q2/2022

Pecking order for the 2022 season looks about the same as in the beginning of the 2022. Prodigy Disc is at the forefront of our sales listing with a clear margin to Innova and Discmania. Behind Discmania, Latitude 64, Discraft and Grip Equipment are right behind the top selling brands.

As a newcomer, the Finland-based Exel Discs made an effort to reach the 14th place in the sales statistics with their two new prototype discs, Havu and Kanto. Another new Finnish manufacturer that entered the market this season, Clash Discs, ranked a couple of places higher at the 12th place.

TOP 20 best-selling disc golf discs Q2/2022

Among the most popular individual disc golf discs, Väinö Mäkelä’s Prodigy Disc 400 Color Glow PA-3 – The Archer 3, sold the most. In this quarter, the most popular releases didn’t sell out on the same day. This means the larger production quantities enable the most popular discs ending up in the bags of more and more players. This is naturally good news after having to struggle for getting new discs in the past two years.

TOP 20 disc golf discs

You can buy the most popular discs of the past quarter by tapping or clicking the discs below. Sold out products on July 13th 2022 are not displayed for your shopping convenience.

You’ll always find our bestsellers on our front page: Top Products.

Powergrip (Fritid Finland Oy), Europe’s biggest disc golf store, has expanded its operations into the United States. US is the main market of disc golf with roughly a 80% share of the global sales. Powergrip established a subsidiary called Powergrip Inc. in the state of Illinois and opened an online store at www.powergripusa.com on Thursday, June 9, 2022. In addition to the online store, there are plans to open several physical stores across the United States.

The easy-to-begin outdoor sport has long been growing at an annual rate of 10%, according to the PDGA (Professional Disc Golf Association), and the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated growth. “The US is a competitive market. Succeeding there will require us to work hard and market actively. I’m confident that our customer-centric approach will take us far also in the US.”, says Erno Väyrynen, the CEO of Powergrip Europe.

Powergrip (Fritid Finland Oy) is a company founded in Oulu in 2009. It specialises in the sales of disc golf equipment. In addition to global e-commerce, Powergrip has five physical stores in Finland (Oulu, Helsinki, Tampere, Turku and Kuopio).

Best-selling Disc Golf Brands Q1/2022

The coldest months of the year are traditionally the quietest also sales-wise in disc golf business. Our inventories are record high and we’re ready for a new season! Prodigy Disc kept their first position achieved in Q4/2021 in the competition between disc golf brands. Furthermore, beginning of 2022 was a success for Prodigy Disc, as they made a new 5-year deal with Finland’s top player Väinö Mäkelä. The original disc golf brand Innova and the manufacturer of high quality bags, Grip Equipment, overtook the Finland-Colorado-based Discmania compared to the end of 2021 status.

TOP 20 best-selling disc golf discs Q1/2022

When we heard the Discmania C-line FD will return to the market, we knew it will sell well. The disc took a clear first position in our quarterly review. Now it’s being manufactured at Discmania’s factory in Sweden and we can expect good availability. At least much better than earlier. The Discmania FD is great for both beginners and top players. The reason for its popularity is its straight flight path and tremendous glide.

Discmania C-line FD made a successful return as a Sweden-made version.

Shop all TOP 10 products (available at article release)

DISCMANIA D-LINE FLEX 2 P2

PRODIGY DISC 400 PA-3

DISCRAFT SPECIAL BLEND Z CAPTAIN’S RAPTOR 2021 First Run

PRODIGY DISC 400 D1 Väinö Mäkelä Signature

AXIOM DISCS ECLIPSE 2.0 ENVY

PRODIGY DISC 400 A2

You’ll always find our bestsellers on our front page Top Products.