Professional Photography for Disc Golf Courses: a Game-Changer for Public Parks to Attract More Visitors
It sounds obvious, but I notice that this is where disc golf courses are falling short to attract more visitors, THEY NEED GREAT PHOTOGRAPHS.
There's an engaged audience out there, but they're not being fully served. If you are missing the mark with your disc golf course photos, you are missing that active engagement.
HOW IT STARTED
You’ve created the course, put in the hard work, and now you expect people to show up. And they will, but maybe not in the way you imagine.
Word of mouth brings a different kind of crowd
Great, or professional disc golf course photos — they tell the real, authentic story. They give players a glimpse into their next adventure and inspires them to dream up that next shot.
I get disc golfers in a way most people don’t. I have photographed events from local leagues to the Disc Golf Pro Tour. I understand the disc golfer’s mindset, and I know what they are searching for when they are looking up disc golf courses online.
While there are great apps and websites to discover disc golf courses, with UDisc being at the top of the list — there are some key issues.
HERE ARE MY TOP 3 REASONS WHY great disc golf course PHOTOS MATTER
Community‑submitted photos are great—but WHY ARE THEY ONLY OF THE TEE SIGNS?
Too often, the course photos that you see online, on platforms like the PDGA Disc Golf Course Directory, DG Course Review, and UDisc — they are uploaded by the people from the community, and sometimes the photos are just tee signs.
That’s fine, but it’s not enough to truly attract new disc golfers to your course - because there is not one actual photo of the course.
Tee signs don’t showcase what makes your course stand out. Disc golfers want to see the layout, terrain, and the things that make a disc golf course unique.
2. IN ANOTHER SCENARIO, LET’S SAY YOU ARE THE #2 RATED COURSE IN THE STATE BUT YOU WANT TO BE #1
Imaginge your course is ranked as the #2 or #3 course in the state. That’s amazing! But if you never put effort the have great, or professional disc golf photos taken, then the photos on your UDisc page are probably taken by visitors snapping shots of the prettiest holes—and if there is a water hole with a great sunset, then that’s all you are going to see.
Those photos don’t tell the full story here. Disc golfers want to know what they’re up against, and if they see photos that don’t reflect the whole course, it may turn them off. Because no one wants to lose a disc on a water hole.
I’m not here to be harsh. I’ve experienced it, I’ve had to convince people to go to a course despite what you see online.
The best way to truly appreciate a disc golf course is to visit it in person—but the right photos can help get them there — and drive your course from that #2 position to #1 on UDisc, because more people are going to want to go there.
3. the photographs on your website aren’t telling much of the story
The photos on your website are outdated, or you only have one photo posted to promote your disc golf course.
Having a photograph of one disc golf basket on your website to promote your course is not enough. There needs to be more of the story, disc golfers want to see what the holes look like (not just the tee signs or a single basket).
WHERE ITS GOING
PROFESSIONAL DISC GOLF COURSE PHOTOS WILL…
Increase tourism (and tourism dollars) in your area
Grow your word of mouth
Increase your course ranking — its a real thing on UDisc
Decrease crime in the area (because more people are visiting your course, there will be more good samaritans out there)
And obviously, make you look good.
Hi, I’m Lauren Lakeberg I’ve been playing disc golf since 2004, and photography has been my thing forever — my first word was LIGHT!
Photography + Disc Golf = Peanut Butter & Jelly, Peas & Carrots, or Green Eggs & Ham.
I take course photos to heart. It’s not just about capturing a few scenic shots; it’s about telling the story, and that is what gets disc golfers excited to visit the thing that YOU BUILT! And I know you put so much hard work into that (both Kai and I… we love those dog-friendly disc golf courses!).
HERE IS HOW I CAN HELP GET YOU PROFESSIONAL DISC GOLF COURSE PHOTOS
My services include:
Brand Photography - for your course!
This is also, for disc golf players, companies and outdoor brands—your products and you belong on the course. Let’s set up a brand photography session and showcase your gear in action.
Image Licensing
If you’re a local park district in Northern Illinois or the Midwest, chances are I’ve already photographed your course. You can license these images and save yourself time—the work is already done! Just reach out, and let’s get your course the attention it deserves.
By investing in professional disc golf photography—estimated at $20+ per image — you can improve visibility on your website and social media channels, and reinforce commitment to quality outdoor recreation.
1:1 Coaching for Disc Golf and Outdoor-Minded Brands
While I’m out there enjoying myself as an Ex-Pro FPO player with camera in hand, I’m also doing something more — I’m conducting a “brand audit” for your course.
The unique aspects of your course are what set it apart, and I can help define that story. My fresh perspective allows me to offer feedback to you that can improve your ranking on UDisc (think course direction signs, and the little things that disc golfers will notice and give you feedback on when they write about your course review on UDisc, DG Course Review, or even Reddit.
WITH MY DISC GOLF COURSE PHOTOS YOU CAN:
Update your website with disc golf photos
Share the disc golf course photos on social media
Use the photos for web or print advertising
Grow your engagement
but it doesn’t end there:
When you hire me or license my photos, I will share the images on my blog. While that might sound cute and fun, its an SEO boost for you that you never saw coming; because I will share links to your website and social media channels and this will grow your ranking on search engines (like Google).
Pinterest is the next step — I share links to my blog and brands I collaborate with on Pinterest. This is not just a platform for sharing recipes (like you might think it is), or planning for a wedding. Pinterest is a SEARCH engine, which is different than social media. When you post on social it has the life span of about 10 seconds in someone’s brain. With Pinterest, your posts will be relevant in the years to come, because people are actively searching for disc golf courses online (and they are searching for literally everything else too).
I will update the photos on UDisc! I do this for every course I photograph. UDisc is the top discovery tool—more than the PDGA directory or social media.
Don’t underestimate the power of great photography. Connect with me today for brand photography, image licensing or a 1:1 coaching session. I can be reached at 630-880-DISC (3472).
Want to see more? Check out the courses I’ve photographed on my blog, organized by state.
