February often marks a very important and exciting month for disc golfers across the United States – it’s tour time! Whether you’re headed out for the first few events of the season before returning home or you’re going to be a full-on road warrior, it pays to have a plan when packing.

Sure, there will be different sets of criteria depending on how you’re traveling and how long you’ll be gone, but in general, most disc golfers have found success on the road by asking themselves a few simple questions before loading up their suitcases.

The Logistics

Obviously, you can only pack so much, and whether you’re driving from stop to stop in a hatchback or you’ve been blessed with an RV, the amount of space you have more or less dictates what you pack. Remember to think about every leg of your trip, especially the parts where friends of yours want to come along for the ride. If you’ll have company at some point on your voyage, it might pay off to pack on the lighter side.

Part of packing for tour involves thinking ahead to account for all kinds of scenarios. Let’s say you only play on heading to the Las Vegas Challenge and The Memorial before headed home. Despite being in warm states, mornings and evenings can still be a bit chilly, and perhaps you only packed a few pairs of shorts with an emphasis on warmer clothing.

Now, what if the mood strikes you just right and you decide to head to Texas next and extend your tour? You’re going to get sick of your two pairs of shorts really fast. As best as you can, pack a variety of clothing for all types of weather, or at the very least stick firmly to your tour plan and make sure there won’t be any deviations.

Hidden Surprises

What do you do if you’ve found that you’ve packed too much stuff? Honestly, it depends on what it is. If you’ve gone overboard with snacks, you’ll make fast friends by offloading your extra food at each stop. Clothing might be another story, and perhaps it’s a lesson learned for next year to bring fewer items.

An interesting way to approach packing for the tour is to think about the items that you can purchase on the road and how cost-effective it might be to buy them instead of packing them. A new pair of disc golf shoes might be out of the budget on the road, but you can always buy an extra toothbrush, deodorant, or other personal items when you run out instead of packing enough to last you for months at the outset.

Last but not least, remember that you’re going to be having a ton of fun while on tour, and it’s not always going to be disc golf related. Do you and your tourmates love to dance? Make sure to bring a sharp outfit for a night on the town. Headed to Milo for Beaver State Fling in a few months? Inner tubes and swimsuits are a must!

Packing for the tour shouldn’t have to be stressful, yet if it’s your first trip out it makes sense if it feels a little overwhelming. Simply take some time to carefully think about what you’ll need, what you can do without, and how you can make it work!