Disc golfers in England logged more than 175 million steps and 75,553 hours of outdoor recreation in 2026 to 12 October, according to figures released by the English Disc Golf Association (EDGA) and UDisc.
Annual rounds logged through UDisc rose from 17,276 in 2019 to 58,966 in 2025, a 241% increase. In 2026, players recorded a further 50,924 rounds by 12 October, up 3.6% on the same dates last year.
From Longford Park in Trafford to woodland courses at Alice Holt and Delamere, the report gives councils, clubs and landowners a clearer picture of where disc golf is being played.
The numbers behind the story
- 175 million steps: UDisc tracked 175.4 million steps during rounds in England from 1 January to 12 October 2026, alongside 75,553 recreation hours.
- More than triple the recorded play: annual rounds increased by 241% between 2019 and 2025, from 17,276 to 58,966.
- 121 permanent courses: England’s listed course network grew from 41 in 2018 to 121 by October 2026.
- More than one in three had never played before: 358 of 938 new players who answered UDisc’s experience question in 2026 (38.2%) were first-time disc golfers. Women represented 156 of 814 respondents to the gender question (19.2%).
- A local activity: in a separate analysis of 42,259 rounds over the year to 12 October 2026, 56.9% were played within 10 km of a player’s approximate home area. The median distance was 6 km.
- Longford Park leads recorded play: the Trafford course logged 6,751 rounds in 2026 to 12 October, the highest total among permanent English courses in the report. Alice Holt recorded 1,766 rounds, up 76.1%, while Delamere recorded 809, up 173.3% on the same dates in 2025.
The report draws on annual UDisc records from 2015 to 2026. These figures measure recorded activity rather than everyone who plays. National round totals include temporary and event layouts as well as permanent courses.
UDisc has provided EDGA with national participation data dating back to 2015, with monthly impact reporting being arranged. The evidence will support EDGA’s work towards Sport England recognition and help clubs, councils and landowners assess recorded course use.
For years, disc golf in England has been misunderstood as either a niche American export or an informal park novelty. This partnership with UDisc puts hard, empirical data behind what our volunteers see every weekend: thousands of everyday people walking millions of steps in public parks, getting outdoors, and discovering a low-cost, lifelong sport. As we progress our application for formal Sport England recognition, having audit-grade data is an absolute game-changer for our clubs and municipal partners.
Frank Knutton, Digital Officer at EDGA
We are thrilled to partner with EDGA to help showcase the incredible momentum of disc golf across England. Our mission is to empower the world to play more disc golf, and the data clearly shows that England is one of the most exciting growth markets in the world. From public parks in Manchester and London to Forestry England trails, English players are demonstrating how disc golf can activate green spaces and encourage active, healthy living.
Matt Krueger, Co-founder of UDisc
Explore the report and plan a course
Explore the annual figures, local course stories and reporting definitions, or find out what is involved in developing a course.
Notes to editors
- Source: UDisc's England report supplied to EDGA in October 2026. Annual data begins in 2015. Figures for 2026 run to 12 October.
- A round means one player completing one scorecard. Recorded rounds include guests and play at temporary/event layouts; the national round total is not restricted to the 121 permanent courses. Account counts are not a count of everyone who plays. Many rounds are not recorded in UDisc.
- Steps are tracked during UDisc rounds; recreation hours are summed round durations. These are activity measures, not a clinical assessment of health outcomes.
- Data is supplied to help grow disc golf. Commercial or unrelated reuse requires prior approval from UDisc.
- Editorial image resources: https://discgolfengland.com/resources/media-library/ (follow the source photographer's terms).
- UDisc media kit and brand assets: https://udisc.com/media
- Media enquiries: Frank Knutton, Digital Officer, [email protected].
