View source for Using OpenStreetMaps to design a Disc Golf Course

[https://blog.mapbox.com/mapping-a-golf-course-4f5bc88ca59b This short guide] was published on Medium and YouTube by Mapbox on how to create a '''ball golf''' course on OSM. It is useful as a quick overview of contributing to OSM without reading all the documentation on how it is supposed to be done. The summary takeaway is that '''''you''''' can edit OSM<ref>If you want to start editing OpenStreetMaps without any hard learning or heavy lifting, try the Rapid editor https://rapideditor.org/

Rapid, created by Meta, is a fork of 'iD' (the on-site in-browser editor for openstreetmaps.org)

You can also learn everything you need to know about OSM at 

https://learnosm.org</ref> just like '''''you''''' can edit Wikipedia<ref>Just like Wikipedia relies on wiki text, which is quick and easy to use but 'sloppy' because there is not a specific definition of the markup, so too Open Street Maps is 'sloppy' because it relies on a folksonomy of tags. This means that each editor or tool can have slightly different implementations of the tagging of features.</ref>.

Unlike a ball golf course, you will need to get out into the field (woods) to map a disc golf course. Since disc golf is traditionally played in heavily wooded areas - it is impossible to map a course from just aerial or satellite imagery due to tree canopy.

The high-level process is to record a GPS track (e.g. using a phone app) while you walk the course and tag locations called 'waypoints'.  Of course you simultaneously mark the ground while you're on site. Then, you download and work with your data in desktop software like QGIS or online via OpenStreetMaps <ref>See the Beginners Guide for how to edit OpenStreetMaps<nowiki/>https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Beginners_Guide_1.2</ref>to map out the markings you made in the field. 

== Freedom to Ride==
"Free to use" options like Google Earth or "My Maps" from Google Maps can be used, but have real limitations and drawbacks. '''[[w:OpenStreetMap|OpenStreetMap]]''' (OSM) ([https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/2385580 example]) is the go-to free competitor to Google Maps. OSM; used by TomTom, Apple, Microsoft, Esri and others, is judged to be one of the most successful collaboratively maintained open datasets in existence<ref>Dodds, Leigh; Yates, Deborah (14 August 2018). "How Facebook, Apple and Microsoft are contributing to an openly licensed map of the world". London: Open Data Institute. Retrieved 12 September 2024.</ref>. Aside: one of the beautiful things about OSM is that the data design of the system makes it so that you can literally map things like "[https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/1346726#map=11/42.6058/-71.3216 Massachusetts Route 110]", and use tools like [[w:OsmAnd|wp:OsmAnd]] to navigate that route - something which is impossible to do with Google Maps, or even paid apps like Rever for motorcyclists<ref>When I planned a motorcycle ride out to Maple Hill for the 2024 MVP Open, I wanted to avoid the highway. I figured "Hey, why not just ride MA 110 since it goes most of the way and I'll get a chance to ride back in time to get a glimpse of the communities along the road before Route 495 existed. It was impossible to do without OsmAnd.</ref>.

== Disc Golf Course as a Map Feature on OSM ==
There is a whole category of '''Leisure''' activities which are can be mapped and depicted in OSM (think "Dog Park" to "Bowling"). One is '''Golf Course''' and so naturally there is also '''Disc Golf Course'''. See the overview page in the OSM wiki for [https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Disc_golf Disc golf] which references the tags used. 

'''''Caution - the former proposal to add a Disc Golf Course feature was authored around 2012 and never fully adopted. So despite thousands of courses, there doesn't seem to be any clear resolution on how to map them. Notably too, it is not among the internal "presets" in JOSM - making it harder for even the dedicated mapper to add disc golf courses to OSM.'''''

{{Ambox|text=I created a '''new''' (2025) [https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Proposal:Disc_golf_course_2025 Proposal to fully support Disc Golf Course mapping in OSM]}}

By 2022, some support was finally added to the 'id-tagging-schema'<ref>id-tagging-schema is [https://github.com/openstreetmap/id-tagging-schema/wiki/Projects-that-are-using-this-tagging-schema used by many editors].

The other notable schemas are [https://josm.openstreetmap.de/wiki/Presets JOSM presets] and [https://github.com/simonpoole/beautified-JOSM-preset Vespucci]

Vespucci was the very first editor for OpenStreetMaps.

The JOSM [https://josm.openstreetmap.de/wiki/Presets/Disc_Golf_Course preset for disc golf] (2018) uses a golf flag svg for the course, and no svg? for tees or baskets? - although there is a style you can add. The style has good icons for tee and basket. Vespucci uses [https://github.com/simonpoole/beautified-JOSM-preset/blob/master/icons/svg-osm-icons/sport/disc_golf.svg this svg] 

</ref> project of OSM for disc golf course '''tagging'''<ref>https://github.com/openstreetmap/id-tagging-schema/pull/372</ref>, but rendering still has not been resolved. '''If you can't see it, does it really exist?''' A reasonable pull request<ref>https://github.com/gravitystorm/openstreetmap-carto/pull/4557</ref> was closed in 2022 without being merged, ostensibly because there were unrelated issues in sports generally. I think that pull request should probably be revived. The openstreetmap-carto CSS project seems overburdened judging by the hundreds of open issues. 
* See the [https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:leisure%3Ddisc_golf_course leisure: disc golf course] tag in the OSM wiki for details on elements and instructions for mapping disc golf courses in OSM.
* Compare to the [https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:leisure%3Dgolf_course leisure:golf course] tag which is for mapping ball golf courses.
* Here's an example of a [https://www.openstreetmap.org/edit#map=17/50.077169/12.348902 course mapped on OSM] using the conventions as of Feb 2025. There is one noticeable problem right away: baskets and tee pads use the same symbol. Apparently this is a feature not a bug. The current node type for basket and tee use the same symbol!!??. I think it was just lazy programming, and was part of the commit in 2022 that finally added tagging support for tees and baskets at all<ref>The icon used is the [https://rapideditor.github.io/temaki/docs/#icon-temaki-disc_golf_basket temaki-disc_golf_basket]</ref>. If you use the OSM editor called JOSM, there is a style created for it that marks features with nicer svgs<ref>https://josm.openstreetmap.de/wiki/Styles/DiscGolfCourse and https://community.openstreetmap.org/t/custom-map-style-for-josm-for-disc-golf-course/110688/11</ref> but I'm fairly certain that those markings only appear to the editor, and do not look as nice - or aren't even rendered in the OSM map. Whatever the case may be, [https://taginfo.openstreetmap.org/tags/leisure=disc_golf_course the 'tag info' site] shows that there are ~2,137 disc golf courses named in OSM, so I'm hoping to find a best practice example - plus update the OSM wiki and community adoption of best practices.
* This [https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/12384490#map=18/36.993782/-122.052556 example] is trying to do it right, but without good documentation gets it wrong. It is the U.C. Santa Cruz Disc Golf Course. There is a node type 'route' with 26 members. Those members are nodes for each tee and basket; and ways for each hole.
* [https://github.com/gravitystorm/openstreetmap-carto/issues/3766 Issue #3766 in openstreetmap-carto] '''opened in 2019''' is still open and needs some love to get it done. The issue subject is "<bdi>Render disc_golf features analogous to golf=* features"</bdi> '''The relevance and importance of Disc Golf continues to grow each year across all continents, while basic support in OSM remains unresolved.'''  There are [https://udisc.com/disc-golf-growth-report more than 16,000 disc golf courses worldwide].  The [https://udisc.com/blog/post/worlds-best-disc-golf-courses-9-krokhol number one disc golf course] in the world, Krokhol ([https://udisc.com/courses/krokhol-disc-golf-course-TKtF UDisc]), is not mapped on OSM - likely because people don't even know that you can (''Disc Golf is not a preset'' in JOSM for example.) while the [https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/2183705#map=16/59.80506/10.92746 Krokhol 'ball golf' course '''is''' marked in OSM].   The '''Krokhol Disc Golf Course''' [https://www.google.com/maps/place/Krokhol+Disc+Golf+Course/@59.8018753,10.9269478,1008a,35y,4.47t/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x46416737bdb33857:0x459457aadcc0e85c!8m2!3d59.8027902!4d10.9257102!16s%2Fg%2F11gnjw9wfs?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDIyNi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D is mapped in Google].   It is also [https://udisc.com/courses/krokhol-disc-golf-course-TKtF/map mapped in the UDisc App]. This is the #1 app for Disc Golf players, and represents what OSM rendering could/should look like.
*Mapping a disc golf hole, much less an entire course, can't be done from a computer chair relying on aerial photography. Instead it is like mapping a hiking trail in the woods. You have to track it hole by hole, from tee pad to basket. This means that handheld device mapping and editing is critical for Disc Golf Course support in OSM.

=== Tagging Scheme ===

* course: leisure=disc_golf_course sport=disc_golf
* hole: disc_golf=hole with par, ref (hole number) and dist
* tee: disc_golf=tee with optional surface
* basket: disc_golf=basket

==== Hole Tag ====
<code>[https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:disc_golf%3Dhole disc_golf=hole]</code>
{| class="wikitable"
!disc_golf
|hole
|-
!dist
|231ft
|-
!ref
|1
|}

== Mobile Mapping ==

=== Handheld GPS Units ===
You really can't make a map until you've collected detailed GPS coordinates. Something like a '''Garmin eTrex Vista HCx''' ($40 on eBay), '''GPSMAP 62s''' ($150 on eBay), '''GPSMAP 79sc''' ($350 at WestMarine<ref>spot prices checked Feb 2025</ref>) handheld GPS unit. You don't need a dedicated GPS device. Your mobile phone could work well<ref>There are technicalities about the type of GPS radio in your phone that can make a difference. We don't go into specifics here.</ref>.

=== Your Phone ===
You can actually use [[OsmAnd]] to record tracks and edit OSM. See [https://learnosm.org/en/mobile-mapping/osmand2/ mobile mapping with osmand2] Frustratingly, the [[OsmAnd]] app limits you to 10 downloads (of maps and updates) so you either need to use the F-droid FOSS version, or use a work-around where you can [https://download.osmand.net/list.php download map indexes] to your PC and transfer them manually to your phone.

There are many other tools that you can use on your phone. See [https://learnosm.org/en/mobile-mapping/gpslogger/ mobile mapping with gpslogger].

== Mapping on the Computer ==
Not only can you edit the OSM directly in your web browser, but there are desktop tools that make it a much more powerful experience. The leading tool is the Java editor, called [https://josm.openstreetmap.de/wiki/Introduction JOSM] ([https://josm.openstreetmap.de/wiki/Download#Ubuntu install steps for Ubuntu]). The most powerful editor is probably [[wp:QGIS|QGIS]].

Similar to Google's "My Maps" there is a [https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/ uMap] project for creating your own overlays on OSM.

=== Using JOSM ===
JOSM has presets for all the most popular leisure activities - including ice hockey and curling under 'ball sports'; and also has multiple options for ball golf. 

There is a community published (you need to install it) [https://josm.openstreetmap.de/wiki/Presets/Disc_Golf_Course preset for disc golf course] that adds support for a few elements. [[File:Screenshot of JOSM styles selection in application preferences.png|thumb|678x678px|Enabling styles in Preferences]]

To get started, type this in your terminal if you're on a 4K monitor and want to run everything scaled up 2x
 export GDK_SCALE=2 && josm&

Besides '''presets''', there are also '''styles''' that you can apply locally to make editing disc golf features in JOSM more visible/suitable. To make the [https://josm.openstreetmap.de/wiki/Styles/DiscGolfCourse disc golf course styles] available, open Preferences -> Map Paint Styles and select 'Disc Golf Course Testing', then enable it by clicking the > arrow.

== Notes ==
How to search by tag on OSM itself?

Use '''Overpass turbo''' ([https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Overpass_turbo definition]) which is at https://overpass-turbo.eu/ Starting from the OSM wiki, on each tag page there is a toolbox with links (e.g. [https://overpass-turbo.eu/?template=key-value&key=leisure&value=disc_golf_course this overpass turbo search for key=leisure&value=disc_golf_course]); and also the same structured links to the [https://taginfo.openstreetmap.org/tags/leisure=disc_golf_course TagInfo] site.

{{References}}

[[Category:Disc Golf]]
[[Category:Maps]]