Researcher finds women in disc golf face mockery for failures, silence for success

A study by University of Oulu researcher Marko Moilanen reveals a pattern of dismissive and inappropriate treatment toward women in the disc golf community, reports Yle.

During last summer’s world championships in Finland—the first time the country hosted the event—videos of Finnish women’s unsuccessful performances spread on social media, where they were ridiculed at length. Some female players also reported feeling anxious about competing against men, with their opinions often dismissed in online discussions.

Moilanen’s survey of 64 disc golfers worldwide found that about one-third had observed unequal treatment in the sport. Many women described feeling less skilled than male players, which they said created tension and prevented them from feeling as safe in the game as men do. Social media commentary sometimes belittled their well-reasoned contributions, potentially stifling the sport’s development.

Elina Heino-Lehtimäki, chair of the Finnish Disc Golf Association, acknowledged hearing of a few instances of inappropriate behavior and seeing isolated dismissive comments online. She noted that in amateur competitions, women are occasionally denied full category options or access to restrooms during events, though such cases are rare and not approved without corrective measures.

Women make up less than 10 percent of disc golf participants in major markets like Finland and the US. While Moilanen does not believe the community harbors outright misogyny, he observed that those sharing or criticizing videos online often use pseudonyms. The association’s Heino-Lehtimäki maintains that the sport’s reputation remains strong and that such behavior is uncommon in Finland.