A Durango local and Fort Lewis alumnus, Doug Grover is turning heads in the local disc golf scene with his custom dyed discs. Half alchemy and half art, Doug has transformed his garage into a full-fledged disc dye lab, producing one-of-a-kind designs that are as dynamic as they are striking.
Doug’s introduction to disc golf was simple. A few friends invited him up to Fort Lewis College to play a round, handed him a couple of discs, and that was it. What started as a casual outing quickly became a lasting connection with the sport. Over time, that curiosity turned creative as Doug began exploring how players were customizing their discs. After seeing dyed discs at local league events, he connected with someone who showed him the basics, and the rest came through trial and error.
The process is both technical and artistic. Getting dye to adhere to different plastics is a niche, highly variable process. Some people use shaving cream, while others use professional dyes designed specifically for discs. Doug layers colors and patterns to make each disc unique. To frame each design, he uses an old record player to spin the disc and get the border just right. As he puts it, “It’s never perfect, but it’s always awesome.” No two discs come out the same, and part of the excitement is not knowing exactly what the final product will look like.
Once a design is set, the disc is placed face down under a heat lamp and left to incubate. The process hides the result until the very end. When it is rinsed and flipped over, the reveal is part of the reward. From drippy fractals to mythological beasts to abstract blends of color, the possibilities are nearly endless.
For those interested in trying it themselves, Doug recommends starting simple. Online communities like Reddit and YouTube offer a wealth of tutorials. The disc dyeing community is collaborative, with people openly sharing techniques and ideas.
Lately, Doug has been experimenting with dyeing glow plastic discs, using designs that allow the glow to shine through without dimming it. While UV dyes can make a disc pop under a black light, the glow comes from the plastic itself, which charges under UV light and shines during nighttime rounds. Anyone who has lost a disc in the brush knows the frustration, but with a UV light at dusk, even a small edge of a glow disc can light up like a beacon in the night.
Doug is currently selling his discs at local league events and is working toward expanding online. To check out his work, find him on Instagram at @dougiediscdyes. If you are looking to get involved, the Durango Disc Golf Facebook group page is a good place to stay updated on league play.
There's a funny saying in the disc golf world, It’s never perfect, but it’s always awesome