Disc Golf Signage & Course Maps: Complete Guide

When players step onto a disc golf course, the first thing they notice isn’t always the fairways or baskets — it’s the signage. Tee signs, course maps, and directional markers are what guide players through the course, set expectations for each hole, and create the first impression of professionalism.

As disc golf grows worldwide, players and event organizers expect more. At local leagues, signage makes a casual course more accessible. At large-scale tournaments, professional signage is non-negotiable — it helps players perform at their best and gives spectators confidence in the event.

The challenge? Designing accurate, consistent, and attractive signage can be time-consuming and expensive. Many courses still rely on outdated or inconsistent signs, and many tournaments scramble to create temporary solutions that don’t reflect the quality of the event.

This complete guide to disc golf signage and course maps will show you:

• The different types of signage every course and event needs
• The key elements that separate professional signage from DIY attempts
• Step-by-step advice for creating tee signs and course maps
• Best practices for permanent courses vs. temporary tournament layouts
• Real-world examples from top events like the Disc Golf World Championships

Whether you’re a course designer, a club managing multiple layouts, or a tournament director preparing for your next big event, this guide will help you understand why signage matters — and how to create it the smart way.

Ready to dive in? Let’s start with the types of disc golf signage every course should have.

Types of Disc Golf Signage

Every disc golf course needs more than just baskets and tee pads. Signage is what guides players, communicates rules, and creates a consistent, professional look. While every course is unique, most signage falls into four main categories:

Tee Signs

Tee signs are the most important piece of signage on any course. They give players the information they need to play each hole:

• Hole number
• Distance and par
• A map of the fairway with tee, basket, and key obstacles
• Out-of-bounds (OB) lines, mandatories, and drop zones
• Optional branding such as sponsor logos or club identity

For a deeper dive into design, check out our guide: How to Design Disc Golf Tee Signs.

Course Overview Maps

An overview map is usually placed at the course entrance or in a tournament caddie book. It gives players the “big picture” of the layout:

• Location of each hole
• Course flow from start to finish
• Amenities such as parking, toilets, and trash bins
• OB areas, water hazards, and special rules

Directional Signage

Even the best-designed courses can be confusing without directional signs. Small “Next Tee” arrows or wayfinding signs ensure smooth flow between holes.

• Especially important on wooded courses or tournament layouts with temporary holes
• Can be simple and low-cost, but make a huge difference for players

Event Branding & Sponsor Boards

For tournaments, signage goes beyond navigation. Event branding and sponsor boards are an essential way to:

• Showcase sponsors and give them visibility
• Create a professional look and feel for the event
• Guide spectators as well as players

These signs often change from event to event, so having a system that allows quick updates is key.

Permanent courses also often feature sponsor representation — either on tee signs, course maps, or dedicated sponsor boards. This not only supports funding for course maintenance but also strengthens the professional image of the course.

With these four categories in place — tee signs, course maps, directional signs, and branding — your course or tournament instantly feels more professional, more organized, and more enjoyable for players.

Next, let’s break down the key elements that separate professional signage from DIY attempts.

Key Elements of Professional Signage

Not all disc golf signage is created equal. Some courses rely on hand-drawn maps or inconsistent DIY signs that confuse players and diminish the course experience. Professional signage, on the other hand, is clear, accurate, and consistent across every hole and map.

Here are the four key elements that separate professional signage from the rest:

Accuracy

Players need to trust the information on your signs. Distances, pars, and layouts should be based on precise measurements — ideally GPS data. Incorrect distances or poorly drawn fairways cause frustration and make a course feel less professional.

With Parkdly, hole lengths and basket positions are calculated automatically from your tee and basket coordinates, ensuring every sign is accurate from the start.

Clarity

Good signage communicates essential information quickly. Maps should be simple enough to understand at a glance, while still including the details that matter most:

• Hole layout with tee and basket
• OB lines, mandatories, and drop zones
• Key landmarks such as trees, rocks, or water hazards

Avoid clutter, overly complex graphics, or too much text. Simplicity leads to clarity.

Consistency

Consistency builds trust and professionalism. A full course should have a unified look — fonts, colors, icons, and styles should match across all tee signs, overview maps, and directional signage.

• Use standardized templates to ensure visual consistency
• Apply the same color palette throughout the course
• Align sponsor placements in the same location on every sign

Explore Parkdly’s disc golf tee sign templates to see how consistent design can transform a course.

Durability

Professional signage doesn’t just look good on day one — it holds up over time. Permanent courses in particular should invest in durable, weatherproof materials like aluminum or UV-coated plastics.

For tournaments, durability means print-ready files that can be produced quickly and look sharp even as temporary signage.

By focusing on accuracy, clarity, consistency, and durability, you’ll ensure your course or event delivers a professional experience that players and spectators appreciate.

Next, let’s look at how to actually create disc golf signage — comparing traditional methods with modern tools.

How to Create Disc Golf Signage

Once you understand what makes signage professional, the next step is creating it. There are two main approaches: the traditional way and the modern, software-driven way. Each has its pros and cons, but one clearly saves more time and money.

The Traditional Approach

Traditionally, courses and tournaments have relied on:

• Graphic designers – Professional designers can create beautiful signage, but the process is often slow and expensive. Designers rarely visit the course in person, which can lead to inaccuracies in layouts and distances.
• DIY tools – Some clubs use programs like Photoshop, Illustrator, or Canva. While this works, it requires design skills, eats up countless hours, and often results in inconsistent signs from hole to hole.

Downsides of the Traditional Approach

• Time-intensive — weeks of work for a full course
• Costly — professional design services or printing multiple iterations
• Inaccurate — unless you collect and map GPS data manually
• Inconsistent — especially when different people handle different signs
• Hard to update - there is always something that needs to be updated or changed

The Modern Approach

Modern software automates most of the hard work. With Parkdly, for example, you can:

• Select your course area directly from a satellite map
• Place tee pads and baskets with GPS accuracy
• Automatically calculate distances and recommended pars
• Instantly generate animated tee signs, overview maps, and even complete caddie books
• Customize templates, colors, and logos to match your course or event branding
• Export print-ready files or share digital versions with a single link
• Make updates to signage even with mobile device

Benefits of the Modern Approach

• Saves dozens of hours
• Ensures accuracy through GPS data
• Delivers consistent, professional design across all signage
• Allows updates in minutes (ideal for tournaments with last-minute changes)
• Much more cost-effective than hiring designers for every event or course update

Comparison: Traditional vs. Modern

With Parkdly, creating signage isn’t a months-long project — it’s something you can do in a single afternoon.

Next, let’s explore best practices for tee signs and what every course should include.

Want to know how to create tee signs with Parkdly? Read our article: Step-by-step: How to Create Disc Golf Tee Signs in Under 30 Minutes.

Best Practices for Tee Signs

Tee signs are the single most important piece of signage on a disc golf course. They set the tone for each hole, provide players with critical information, and help maintain the flow of play. Poorly designed tee signs can confuse or frustrate players, while professional ones make a course feel polished and enjoyable.

Here are the best practices every tee sign should follow:

Include the Essential Information

Every tee sign should display, at minimum:

• Hole number – clearly visible, often the largest element on the sign
• Par – standard par for the hole
• Distance – accurate, ideally measured with GPS
• Fairway map – showing the tee pad, basket, and basic fairway shape

Add Key Play Details

Go beyond the basics to ensure fairness and clarity:

• Out-of-bounds (OB) lines
• Mandatories (mandos) with clear arrows
• Drop zones or relief areas
• Notable obstacles such as water hazards, rocks, or dense trees

The goal is to give players all the information they need to play the hole correctly without overwhelming them with detail.

Maintain a Consistent Style

Consistency across all tee signs is what makes a course look professional:

• Use the same fonts, colors, and icons for every hole
• Keep logos or sponsor placements in the same spot on each sign
• Ensure all distances and graphics are scaled consistently

Explore Parkdly’s disc golf tee sign templates to see how standardized templates create a cohesive look for any course.

Incorporate Branding and Sponsors

Tee signs are valuable real estate for clubs and events:

• Add club logos to reinforce your identity
• Feature sponsor logos to provide visibility and generate revenue
• Use consistent branding colors to tie the course or event together

Permanent courses often feature sponsor representation as a way to support course maintenance. For tournaments, rotating sponsor logos helps build relationships and fund future events.

Keep It Simple and Readable

The best tee signs are easy to understand at a glance:

• Avoid clutter or excessive text
• Use clear icons instead of long explanations
• Ensure good contrast between background and text for readability

By following these best practices, you’ll ensure your tee signs are both functional and professional. Players will appreciate the clarity, sponsors will value the visibility, and your course will stand out as a well-designed venue.

Learn More About Tee Sign Design

• How to Design a Disc Golf Tee Sign
• Disc Golf Tee Sign Templates: Free Examples and How to Use Them
• Step-by-Step: How to Create Disc Golf Tee Signs in Under 30 Minutes

Next, let’s look at best practices for course maps — the big-picture signage that ties your course together.

Best Practices for Course Maps

If tee signs give players information hole by hole, the course map is the big picture. It’s often the first thing players look at when they arrive, and it can make the difference between a smooth round and a frustrating experience.

Here are the best practices for designing disc golf course maps that are both useful and professional.

Ensure Accuracy

A course map should reflect the course as it actually exists. That means:

• Correct placement of tees and baskets
• Accurate fairway shapes
• Reliable distances between holes and landmarks

GPS-based layouts are the easiest way to guarantee accuracy. With Parkdly, distances and positions are calculated automatically from tee and basket coordinates.

Make the Flow Clear

One of the most important functions of a course map is to show the flow of play:

• Number each hole clearly
• Use arrows to indicate “Next Tee” directions
• Highlight temporary holes separately for tournaments

A good map should make it nearly impossible for a new player to get lost.

Include Landmarks and Amenities

A course map isn’t just for navigating holes — it should also help players find the essentials:

• Parking
• Toilets
• Trash bins
• Water stations
• OB areas and hazards

This is especially important for events where many players are visiting for the first time.

Keep a Consistent Visual Style

Just like tee signs, course maps should be consistent in style:

• Use the same fonts and icons as your tee signs
• Apply a unified color palette
• Keep the design simple and uncluttered

Prepare for Both Print and Digital

Great course maps should work in multiple formats:

• Printed – as a large signboard at the course entrance or inside a tournament caddie book
• Digital – mobile-friendly versions accessed through QR codes or event websites

Parkdly makes this easy by exporting maps as both print-ready PDFs and shareable digital links.

Want to know what makes a great overview map? Read our article: 5 Essential Elements of a Great Disc Golf Course Map

By following these best practices, your course map will not only guide players effectively but also reinforce the professionalism of your course or event.

Next, let’s compare signage needs for permanent courses versus tournament events.

Signage for Events vs. Permanent Courses

While the principles of great signage apply everywhere, the needs of a temporary tournament layout are different from those of a permanent disc golf course. Understanding these differences will help you design signage that’s both effective and cost-efficient.

Signage for Events

Events have unique requirements:

• Temporary layouts – Tournaments often add or adjust holes, which means tee signs and maps must be created quickly and updated easily.
• Sponsor visibility – Event signage is a prime location for sponsor logos, which provide essential funding.
• Caddie books – Events usually require a digital or printed caddie book with all tee signs and the full course map included.
• Flexibility – Last-minute changes (OB lines, mandatories, or hole layouts) need to be reflected instantly.

Parkdly is built for this: you can update hole details on the fly, and changes appear immediately in digital caddie books.

Signage for Permanent Courses

Permanent courses focus on durability and long-term professionalism:

• Durable materials – Tee signs and maps must withstand weather and heavy use. Aluminum, UV-coated plastic, or other weatherproof solutions are recommended.
• Consistency across years – Branding, style, and layout should remain unified even as the course evolves.
• Sponsor representation – Many permanent courses include sponsor logos on tee signs or boards, helping to fund course maintenance and improvements.
• Tourism impact – Professional signage attracts visitors, strengthens the reputation of the course, and makes it easier for new players to navigate.

The Key Difference

• Events need signage that’s flexible, fast to produce, and sponsor-friendly.
• Permanent courses need signage that’s durable, consistent, and tourism-ready.

By tailoring your signage strategy to your specific context, you can save money, improve player experience, and present your course or event in the best possible light.

Next, let’s look at real-world case studies from events that have successfully used professional signage to elevate the player and spectator experience.

Case Studies & Examples

The best way to understand the impact of professional signage is to see it in action. One of the clearest examples comes from the PDGA Pro World Championships 2025, held in Tampere and Nokia, Finland.

Disc Golf World Championships 2025

The Worlds is the biggest event in disc golf history — and with more than 25,000 spectators expected, the demands for professionalism, accuracy, and flexibility in signage were higher than ever.

Organizers faced several challenges:

• Multiple courses used during the tournament, each needing consistent signage
• Last-minute adjustments to OB lines and hole rules
• High visibility with international players, media coverage, and thousands of spectators
• Player trust — signage needed to be accurate and instantly updated

How Parkdly Helped

Parkdly played a central role in meeting these challenges:

• Standardized look and feel – All tee signs and course maps shared a consistent professional design
• Instant updates – OB lines, grandstands, and hole rules could be updated in real-time, even from a mobile device
• Digital caddie book integration – Every change was reflected immediately in the digital caddie book, ensuring players always had the latest information
• Time savings – Automating the signage creation process saved organizers countless hours, allowing them to focus on delivering the best possible player and spectator experience

The result? A seamless, professional signage system that matched the prestige of the event. For players, it meant clarity and trust. For spectators, it meant a polished presentation worthy of the sport’s premier stage.

Tammer Open

Parkdly was also used at the Tammer Open, a smaller event in Finland. While smaller in scale than Worlds, it demonstrated how the same tools can save time for organizers and deliver consistent, professional signage at the national level.

By supporting events like the Disc Golf World Championships 2025 and the Tammer Open, Parkdly has proven its ability to handle both the biggest global stage and important national competitions.

Next, let’s address some of the most common questions about disc golf signage and course maps.

Frequently Asked Questions About Disc Golf Signage

When it comes to disc golf signage, there are a few common questions that players, clubs, and tournament directors often ask. Here are clear answers to the most frequent ones.

How do you make disc golf tee signs?

The easiest way is to use a dedicated tool like Parkdly. Simply select your course area, place tees and baskets on the map, and Parkdly automatically calculates distances and creates print-ready tee signs. You can then add trees, OB areas, mandatories, and sponsor logos to finish the design.

For a detailed walkthrough, see our article: Step-by-step: How to Create Disc Golf Tee Signs in Under 30 Minutes.

What should be included on a disc golf tee sign?

At a minimum, every tee sign should show:

• Hole number
• Par
• Distance
• A clear fairway map with tee and basket

Optional but valuable additions include OB lines, mandatories, drop zones, next-tee arrows, and sponsor or club logos.

How big is a disc golf tee sign?

Most courses use signs close to A4 size (8.5” x 11”), though some prefer slightly larger for readability. The key is consistency: all signs on the course should follow the same size and style. Parkdly exports designs in flexible, print-ready formats that can be scaled as needed.

What makes a great disc golf course map?

A great course map is:

• Accurate — based on GPS positions
• Clear — hole numbers and flow are easy to follow
• Informative — includes amenities like toilets, parking, and trash bins
• Consistent — uses the same style as your tee signs
• Flexible — works both in print (signboards, caddie books) and digital formats

How much does disc golf signage cost?

Costs vary depending on the method:

• Hiring a designer: expensive, often hundreds or thousands of euros
• DIY with design software: cheaper than hiring a designer, but very time-intensive and often inconsistent
• Using Parkdly: affordable subscription pricing, with professional, GPS-accurate signage generated in minutes

See full details here: Parkdly Pricing

Conclusion

Disc golf signage is more than just a detail — it’s the foundation of a professional, enjoyable, and trustworthy course or event. From tee signs to course maps, every piece of signage shapes how players and spectators experience the game.

By focusing on accuracy, clarity, consistency, and durability, you can avoid the pitfalls of DIY solutions and create signage that elevates your course to the next level. Whether you’re running a local league, maintaining a permanent course, or organizing a world-class tournament like the Disc Golf World Championships, professional signage makes all the difference.

The good news? You don’t need weeks of design work or a big budget to make it happen. With Parkdly, you can:

• Generate accurate tee signs and course maps automatically from GPS data
• Customize templates with your branding and sponsor logos
• Export print-ready files or share digital versions instantly
• Save hours of time while delivering a professional, consistent look

Ready to bring professional signage to your course or event?

Get started for free today: Parkdly Studio