What's new

We've shipped one of the biggest upgrades yet — Disc Connected is now a full Progressive Web App with instant push notifications.

📲 Install it to your phone

You can now add Disc Connected straight to your home screen — one-tap access, and it even works offline so you can browse recent listings without signal. It looks and behaves like a native app, no app store required.

🔔 Push notifications

Switch them on and you'll get an instant alert the moment:

• Someone pings your lost disc
• Your contact request is accepted
• A new disc matching one of your listings is posted

…even when the app is closed. No more refreshing your inbox to check.

How to turn it on

Open your Dashboard → Profile Settings → tap Enable notifications. On iPhone, add the app to your home screen first, then enable from there. You can turn them off per-device any time from the same spot.

Under the hood

The app runs on a Cloudflare-fronted service worker for offline caching and push delivery, with notifications powered by Firebase Cloud Messaging — all on the existing free-tier stack. Every alert still has an email backup, so nothing slips through.

Get out there and throw straight. 🥏

A few changes have rolled out over the past few weeks that I'm pretty excited about. Here's what's new and what it means for you.

🎒 My Bag — your personal disc inventory

You can now track every disc you own right inside Disc Connected. Head to your dashboard and you'll see a new My Bag tab where you can add your discs — brand, mold, plastic, weight, and even a photo — and keep them organised.

The bit that I think actually changes things: if a disc goes missing during a round, one tap and it's listed as lost on the community board. No retyping. No fumbling at the carpark trying to remember exactly which Innova Destroyer you threw. The details are already on file, the course list autocompletes, and your listing is up in seconds.

What people are using it for so far:

• Keeping a record of their bag for insurance or replacement purposes
• One-tap lost listings when they need to act fast
• Marking discs as Retired when they've sold or replaced them, so the inventory stays meaningful

If you've been on the site for a while, this is the feature I'd most recommend you spend two minutes setting up.

✨ A cleaner, more professional look

The whole site has had a top-to-bottom visual refresh. The Post a Disc form, the Community Listings page, your dashboard, and the contact-request modals all now share the same look with cleaner typography, smarter spacing, and proper visual hierarchy.

A few highlights you'll notice immediately:

• Filter chips at the top of the Community Listings page — tap All / Lost / Found to narrow the view, with live counts next to each chip
• Compact "posted" times — 3d instead of 3 days ago so the table reads more like a dashboard
• Sortable columns with chevron indicators — you can finally see which column the table is sorted by and in which direction
• Map-pin icons next to course names so the location is instantly scannable
• A polished contact-request modal with clearer state indicators (pending / accepted / declined / closed)

Same site you knew, just easier on the eyes and quicker to scan.

🔄 Keeping the database fresh — automatic listing lifecycle

To make sure search results stay accurate rather than filled with forgotten listings from months ago, listings now follow a gentle lifecycle:

• After 90 days active, you'll get a friendly email asking if the disc is still missing (or still unclaimed for found-disc posts)
• One click in that email keeps your listing active for another 90 days — no need to log in
• If we don't hear back within 7 days, the listing is automatically archived so the community sees only fresh, relevant posts

A few things worth knowing:

• Listings with active or pending contact requests are never auto-archived. If someone's mid-conversation about your disc, your listing stays put until that conversation closes naturally.
• Archived listings are kept on our side for a while — if one disappears that you wanted to keep, message me and we can recover it.
• This change also nudges the site towards more honest data — courses don't get inundated with five-month-old lost posts for discs that probably found their way home long ago.

The Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy have been updated to cover this new lifecycle. Worth a quick read if you want the details.

What's next?

A few things in the pipeline: automated weekly social media posts so found-disc listings reach the wider community on Facebook, smarter match notifications, and continued performance work behind the scenes.

If you spot anything weird, have a feature idea, or just want to say hi — drop me a message. The site only gets better when the community pitches in.

Get out there, throw straight, and may all your lost discs find their way home.

— Tom

Kia ora team,

Tom here. It's been a properly busy few weeks behind the scenes at Disc-Connected, and we wanted to share what's been landing on the platform — the kind of updates that affect your day-to-day as a player.

Welcome to RPM Discs 🇳🇿

You probably already know RPM Discs — Auckland-based, the only major NZ-made disc brand, with their native-bird-named molds (Piwakawaka, Kotuku, Pekapeka, Kiwi, Huia) showing up in our found-disc listings every week.

We're really stoked to share that RPM has joined Disc-Connected as sponsor. What that means for you:

• 10% off everything at rpmdiscs.com for the Disc-Connected community using code DC10

It's the kind of partnership we love — a NZ-made brand backing a NZ-made platform.

A proper home for our sponsors

We've built dedicated deals pages for every sponsor on the platform. Head to discconnected.kiwi/sponsors or click the new "Sponsors" link in the top nav.

Each sponsor's page shows their featured products, their community discount code (with one-tap copy), and a direct link to their store.

We've also wired the discount codes straight into our match-notification emails — so when someone pings you about a found disc, the email reminds you about the relevant sponsor's deal too. Real community support, not just banner placement.

The site is faster — a lot faster

We've done a fair chunk of plumbing work to make the platform feel snappier on mobile:

• Time until the homepage banner appears — down from ~22 seconds to under 3 seconds 🎉
• Page weight — halved
• Accessibility score — from 82 to 97 (Lighthouse, max is 100)

In plain English: less waiting, smoother loading on slower connections, and the platform now works properly for folks using screen readers or with visual constraints.

More control over your conversations

If you've ever had a ping accepted and then the conversation went nowhere — maybe the other person realised the disc wasn't actually theirs, or you couldn't get hold of each other — there's now a "Close this ping" option in your dashboard for accepted pings.

You'll be asked a quick reason (disc was returned / wasn't the right disc / couldn't connect / something else) and the conversation closes cleanly. The disc listing stays active so a real owner can still get in touch if they ever come along.

Small feature, but it stops things sitting in limbo forever.

Behind the scenes

A few things worth flagging:

• NZ Disc Golf officially endorsed Disc-Connected back in April as their recommended lost-and-found platform. Big nod to the NZDG team for backing the community here.
• We've reconnected dozens of discs with their owners since launch — every reunion still feels like a small win.
• OTB Discs and Vortica Disc Golf are continuing on as bronze sponsors — keep an eye out for their banners on the homepage.

What's coming next

A few things we're chipping away at:

• More automated weekly community updates
• Continued onboarding of more NZ + AU disc golf brands
• Polishing the dashboard so it feels less like a tool and more like a place

Thank you 🥝

If you've used Disc-Connected this year — to list a disc, claim a disc, or just browse — thank you. The platform only works because the community uses it.

Got feedback or ideas? Hit the Feedback link at the bottom of any page. We read every message.

Cheers, Tom

One of the goals of Disc-Connected is to build a disc golf community where returning discs is the norm. To help highlight the great people making that happen, we’ve just launched a new feature: Return Reviews.

Now, when a lost disc is marked as returned to its owner, Disc-Connected automatically sends the owner an email inviting them to leave a quick review about their experience.

How it works

A lost disc gets returned When someone marks a disc as found and it’s successfully reunited with its owner, the listing is marked as returned in the system.

A review email is automatically sent The owner receives a “Your Disc Made It Home” email with a link to leave feedback about the return.

The owner leaves a review The review form allows them to:

Leave a 1–5 star rating

Share a short message about the experience

Submit the review in under 30 seconds

The story becomes part of the community Submitted reviews appear on the Success Stories page, helping show how Disc-Connected is helping discs find their way home.

Why this matters

Disc golf has a strong culture of returning lost discs, but it often goes unseen. With Return Reviews we can:

Celebrate players who return discs

Show new users that the system works

Build trust in the Disc-Connected community

Collect real stories of discs being reunited with their owners

If you've had a disc returned through Disc-Connected, keep an eye on your inbox and leave a review when your disc makes it home.

Every returned disc has a story — and now those stories can be shared.

Finding a lost disc just got a whole lot easier. I’ve just rolled out a major update: Smart Notifications.

Until now, if you lost a disc, you had to keep checking the "Found Discs" page or hope someone reached out. Now, the platform does the work for you.

How it works:

Instant Matching: When someone posts a "Found" disc, the system immediately checks if it matches any active "Lost" listings based on the Mold and Brand.

Automatic Alerts: If there's a match, the owner of the lost disc receives an email instantly with the details and a link to the listing.

Retrospective Scan: I've also run a one-off scan of the entire database. If a match was already sitting there waiting for you, you should have received an email notification today!

What's Next?

This is the first version of our automated matching system. I'll be monitoring how it performs and looking to refine it further (e.g., matching by color) as the community grows.

As always, if you spot any bugs or have suggestions, hit the Feedback button!

It’s official (a little late) Disc-Connected is LIVE! 🎉

After months of coding, testing, and tweaking, we have moved from the staging environment to production. A huge thank you to everyone who helped test the early versions.

Since the last update, I've been busy adding features to make the platform fun, safe, and scalable:

1. Gamification & Leaderboards 🏆

Returning discs should be rewarding! I've added a fully functional points system and badges:

Earn Points: Get +10 pts for resolving your own lost disc and +20 pts for returning a disc to someone else.

Badges: Unlock titles like Scout, Detective, and Tree Magnet based on your activity.

Leaderboard: Check the Home page to see the top community finders.

1. Admin & Moderation Tools 🛡️

To keep the community safe as we grow, I've built a robust Admin Command Center:

Flagging System: Users can now report suspicious listings or spam.

User Management: We now have the ability to ban bad actors if necessary.

Global Alerts: Keep an eye out for site-wide banners for important announcements or maintenance.

1. Quality of Life Updates ✨

Pagination: The "Found Discs" page now supports pagination, so we can handle thousands of listings without slowing down the site.

Self-Resolution: You can now mark a disc as "Found by Self" if you recovered it without help (no points awarded, but it keeps the database clean).

Secure Pings: The private contact exchange system is fully operational, ensuring your phone number stays hidden until you say "Yes."

We are just getting started. As always, use the Feedback form to let me know what you think!

In this sprint, we focused on three core areas: enhancing the visibility of our gamification system, tightening security for new accounts, and significantly improving the mobile experience for users posting lost discs.

1. Gamification Visibility We want to recognize the community heroes who return discs. We’ve exposed User Levels in more key interactions:

• Found Discs Page: When viewing the details of a lost disc, the owner's "Level" is now displayed next to their Alias. • Dashboard: In the "Pings Received" tab, you can now see the Level of the finder contacting you. This adds a layer of trust—seeing a high-level user implies they are an active, helpful member of the community.

2. Enhanced Security & Onboarding We’ve moved from a simple "Sign Up & Go" model to a verified security flow to ensure data quality and user safety.

• Email Verification Enforcement: New users can no longer log in immediately after registration. They must now verify their email address via a link sent to their inbox. This prevents fake accounts and ensures communication channels are valid. • Client-Side Validation: We added robust Regex validation to the registration form. This catches typos (like missing the @ or .com) before the request hits our servers, providing instant feedback to the user.

3. Mobile Performance & UX (Post-a-Disc) The biggest overhaul was on the "Report a Disc" page, specifically targeting mobile users who often experience page reloads when switching to their camera app.

• Client-Side Image Compression: We integrated the browser-image-compression library. Images are now compressed to under 0.5MB and resized to a max of 1920px before uploading. This saves user data, speeds up uploads on 4G, and drastically reduces our database storage costs. • "Upload-on-Select" Strategy: Images now upload immediately when selected, rather than waiting for the final form submission. This ensures the image is secured even if the browser refreshes later. • Form State Persistence:* We implemented a "Save & Restore" system. If a user's phone kills the browser memory while taking a photo, the page now automatically restores all their typed text (Brand, Mold, Color, etc.) and the uploaded image preview upon reloading. • UI Polish: Added a clear "No Image Selected" placeholder and a "Remove Image" button for better usability.

I'm excited to share some recent improvements to the "Ping" system on Disc-Connected! We've made it easier than ever for disc owners and finders to connect while keeping your private contact information secure until you're ready to share it.

Here is a summary of the updates we've rolled out:

1. Email Notifications for Pings Previously, you had to log in to the dashboard to see if someone had found your disc. Now, our system automatically sends you an email notification the moment someone sends you a "Ping" (contact request).

How it works:

• When a finder clicks "Send Contact Request," our secure cloud system looks up your private email address. • It sends you an email with the subject line "Good News! Someone found your [Disc Name]." • The email includes details about the disc and a direct link to your dashboard to view the message. • Crucially, the finder never sees your email address during this process.

2. Smart Notification Logic We've made the system smarter about why you are being contacted. The notifications now adapt based on the type of listing:

• Lost Disc Scenario: If you listed a disc as "Lost" and someone finds it, the email says: "Good News! Someone found your disc..." • Found Disc Scenario: If you listed a disc you "Found" and someone claims it, the email says: "New Claim: Someone says they own the disc..."

3. Privacy First As always, privacy is our top priority.

• Your email address is never revealed in the notification sent to the other user. • The email is sent from our system (disc.connected.nz@gmail.com) on behalf of the finder. • Direct contact details are only shared once you log in and explicitly click "Accept" on the request.

These updates ensure you never miss an opportunity to get your plastic back (or return someone else's)! Happy throwing! 🥏✨

We have just deployed a major overhaul to the platform. While the frontend looks familiar, the engine under the hood has been completely rebuilt to prioritize User Privacy and Gamification. This update transitions us from a simple data-entry app to a secure, community-driven platform.

Here is the breakdown of the changes implemented in version 2611.

✅ 1. The "Great Data Split" (Security Architecture) The most critical change in this update is how we handle Personally Identifiable Information (PII). Previously, user data (phone, email) lived on the public disc listing. We have completely architected this to separate Public data from Private data.

• Registration & Listings: When a user registers or posts a disc, the system now splits the data into two separate Firestore locations.

• Public Data: (Alias, Disc Mold, Color, Course) remains in the public lostDiscs collection. • Private Data: (Email, Phone Number) is now written to a restricted sub-collection.

• Why this matters: This ensures that malicious actors cannot "scrape" the database for phone numbers. Contact details are only retrieved by the application code when strictly authorized (e.g., when you click "Edit" on your own disc).

🚀 2. "Rich History" & Returns Logic Previously, marking a disc as "Found" simply changed a status flag. Now, we generate a permanent historical record of the event.

• The Snapshot: When a return is resolved, the system takes a "snapshot" of the Disc, the Owner, and the Finder at that exact moment and freezes it in a new completedReturns collection. • Attribution: This allows us to permanently credit a specific user for a find, even if they change their alias later. It supports the gamification engine by proving who found what.

🔥 3. "Self-Healing" Accounts & Quality of Life We realized that some older user accounts might lack data required by the new system. We added intelligent "self-healing" code to fix this automatically.

• Login Repair: When a user signs in, the system checks if their profile exists in the new database format. If it's missing (legacy user), it automatically generates the profile in the background without interrupting the user.

• Privacy Blurs: On the "Found Discs" page, owner contact details are now visually blurred (**********) by default. They only un-blur when the owner explicitly Accepts a contact request (Ping), ensuring consent before data sharing.

🔥4. Image Handling

• Disc Images: We enabled image uploading for lost discs. The system validates that files are images and under 5MB, then uploads them to Firebase Storage, linking the URL to the disc listing.

🚀 This release focuses on community engagement through gamification, a more dynamic home page, and essential platform housekeeping.

Here is a breakdown of everything new in this version compared to the previous build.

🔥 1. Gamification System (New!) The biggest addition in version 2411 is the introduction of a Gamification Engine. We want to reward users who actively help the community by returning discs and successfully recovering their own. • The "Gamification Add-on": A new specialized script that attaches directly to your dashboard. • XP & Leveling: Users now earn points for two key actions: • Finding Discs: +20 Points (Default) • Recovering Discs: +10 Points (Default) • Visual Progress: The dashboard now features a sleek, animated progress bar showing your current level, total points, and how close you are to leveling up. • Dynamic Config: The point values are controlled remotely via Firebase, allowing us to host "Double XP weekends" or adjust balancing without changing the code.

🔥 2. Dashboard Integration To support the new gamification system, the My Dashboard page has been updated.

• Comparison to previous version: The previous dashboard only handled listings and profile settings. The 2411 version adds a specific "Gamification Hook" (<div id="gamification-hook">), allowing the gamification script to inject your level and stats seamlessly above your tabs.

✅ 3. "Found Discs" Page Upgrades The core search page, Found Discs, has received a social upgrade.

• Comparison to previous version: While the filtering and search logic remains robust, the 2411 version adds User Levels. • Level Badges: When you view the details of a disc, you will now see a "Level [X]" badge next to the owner's alias. This helps identify active and trusted members of the community immediately.

🚀 4. Home Page Enhancements (New!) We have introduced two new modules to bring the Home Page to life:

• Responsive Banner Carousel: A fully responsive image slider that supports touch-swipe on mobile devices. It automatically serves different images for desktop and mobile to ensure fast loading and perfect aspect ratios. • Recently Listed Feed: A live grid showing the 3 most recently lost discs. This module includes: • Skeleton loading animations for a polished feel. • "View" buttons that open a full-detail modal (reusing the logic from the Found Discs page). • Automatic time-ago timestamps (e.g., "Listed 2 hours ago").

✅ 5. Trust & Safety (New!) To ensure transparency and user safety, we have formally added legal documentation files:

• Privacy Policy: Details how we handle your data, specifically explaining that your email/phone number remains hidden until you explicitly accept a "Ping" request. • Terms and Conditions: Outlines user responsibilities, safety guidelines for meeting up, and liability disclaimers for the "Ping" system.

We have just rolled out a significant update to the User Dashboard. While the previous version established the foundation for managing listings and profile settings, the new version introduces intelligent automation and better status tracking to help users manage the full lifecycle of a lost disc.

Here is a breakdown of the new features added in this update.

🔥 1. The "Mark as Found" Workflow In the previous version, a user could only "Edit" or "Delete" a listing. If they got their disc back, they likely just deleted the record.

The update introduces a dedicated "Mark as Found" action.

• How it works: A new button appears on every "Lost" card. • The Logic: When clicked, it updates the specific listing's status in the database to 'found' rather than deleting it entirely. • Why it matters: This allows users to keep a history of their returned discs without cluttering the public "Lost" feed.

✅ 2. Visual Status Indicators (Badges) With the introduction of the "Found" status, we needed a way to visually distinguish active listings from resolved ones.

• Red Badge (Lost): Active listings now sport a "Lost" badge. • Green Badge (Returned): Listings that have been successfully recovered are clearly marked with a "Returned / Found" badge. • UI Impact: The dashboard is no longer just a list of data; it is now a status board.

🚀 3. Automated "Stale Connection" Reminders This is the most complex addition to the file. We realized that users often connect with a finder, get their disc back, but forget to update the website.

We added a checkReminders() function that runs automatically when the dashboard loads.

• The 7-Day Rule: The system checks contactPings that were marked as "Accepted." If the acceptance happened more than 7 days ago, the system triggers a check. • The Check: If the ping is old, but the disc is still marked as "Lost" in the database, the system infers that the user might have forgotten to update the status. • The Intervention: A new Modal window pops up asking: "It's been over 7 days since you connected with a finder. Has it been returned to you?"

🔥 4. Local Storage "Snoozing" To prevent the new reminder system from becoming annoying, we implemented a "Snooze" feature.

• If the user clicks "No, Still Lost (Snooze)", the system saves the Disc ID to the browser's localStorage. • This ensures the user won't see the reminder for that specific disc again during this session, improving the user experience while still prompting for data accuracy.

We are excited to roll out a comprehensive update across the platform. This release focuses on streamlining how you connect with other players, improving site performance, and ensuring your data is handled with greater stability. Here is a breakdown of what has changed across the Found Discs page, the Dashboard, and the Post-a-Disc form.

🚀 Found Discs: Faster Loads and Better Pings The latest update to our Found Discs page brings two key improvements designed to make reuniting with lost plastic easier. First, we have upgraded the 'Ping' contact system: when a finder sends a notification, the system now includes their phone number (if available in their profile), allowing for quicker communication via text or call alongside the existing email notification. Second, we implemented a major performance optimization by moving to server-side filtering. Instead of downloading all records and filtering them in your browser as done previously, the database now only fetches active lost discs. This ensures the page loads faster and uses less data as our community database grows.

🔥 Dashboard: Profile Settings and Data Stability In the Dashboard, we have focused on user convenience and stability. We introduced a new "Profile Settings" tab, allowing you to easily save your Alias and Phone Number for faster form filling across the site. Under the hood, we upgraded our deletion process to use Atomic Batching. This ensures that when you delete a lost disc listing, both the public listing and your private contact data are removed simultaneously and instantly. This prevents database errors and ensures your private data is handled safely.

✅ Post a Disc: Auto-Filling and Reliability Finally, the latest update to the 'Post a Disc' page focuses on speed and reliability. We have introduced Profile Pre-filling, which automatically populates your Alias and Phone Number from your saved profile data, saving you keystrokes. We also removed the manual email entry to eliminate typos; the system now securely uses your login email for contact purposes. To match the improvements in the dashboard, we upgraded the submission process to use Atomic Batch Writes. This ensures that your public listing and private contact details are always saved simultaneously, guaranteeing that no listing ever gets lost in the system.

We’ve just rolled out a subtle but powerful update to your user Dashboard that removes the "admin work" from getting your lost discs back.

If you’ve used our "Pings" feature to coordinate a return, you know the excitement of seeing that notification badge. But until today, closing the loop required an extra step. We’ve fixed that.

The "Auto-Found" Feature Previously, when a finder pinged you and you clicked Accept, the system successfully swapped your contact details so you could meet up. However, your lost disc listing remained active on the public board. You had to remember to go back into "My Listings" and manually delete or update the disc to stop others from looking for it.

With today's update, we’ve automated this process.

Now, the moment you accept a ping from a finder, the system automatically updates your disc's status to "Found" in our database.

What This Means for You:

• Instant Cleanup: You no longer need to manually delete a listing after a successful connection.

• Accurate Boards: Because the system marks the disc as "found" immediately, it is automatically hidden from the public "Found Discs" page. This prevents other players from wasting time looking for plastic that is already making its way home.

• Seamless Experience: Just click "Accept" to get your finder's details, and let the dashboard handle the rest.

Head over to your dashboard now to check your listings and see if you have any pending pings waiting for you!

We've just pushed a massive update to the local Disc Golf Lost & Found platform. From a complete backend security overhaul to quality-of-life frontend improvements, here is everything that’s new.

1. Finding Your Plastic Just Got Easier

We know you don't want to scroll through hundreds of "Unknown" listings. We've built a robust Search & Sort system right into the "Found Discs" dashboard.

• Instant Filtering: Type in "Destroyer," "Blue," or even the specific course name, and the list updates instantly.

• Sortable Columns: Improved sorting lets you organize the list by Brand, Mold, or Date Lost with a single click.

• Visual Verification: Descriptions can be tricky. You can now click on a disc listing to see a zoomable, high-res photo, making it easy to verify ink or specific wear marks.

1. Security Upgrade: Locking Down Private Data

While the search page got a visual makeover, the "Report a Disc" form got a major security upgrade under the hood.

• Scoped Data: We have completely re-architected how we store phone numbers and emails. Previously stored alongside public disc data, your contact details are now stored securely inside your specific user profile.

• Privacy First: This private data is strictly "scoped" to you—it only gets revealed when you explicitly accept a connection request from a finder. You can be a Good Samaritan without worrying about where your data is going.

1. Dashboard Notifications: You've Got Mail

We've tackled the biggest user annoyance: having to click through tabs just to check if anyone has found your disc.

• The Red Dot of Joy: We've introduced Notification Badges. A red dot appears on the "Pings Received" tab instantly when someone requests their disc back, or on "Pings Sent" when an owner accepts your request.

• Smart "Read" Receipts: The system is smart enough to know when you've actually checked your updates. Click the tab, and the badge clears automatically so you aren't nagged by old news.

1. Mobile Optimized

We know most of you are checking this while standing on the tee pad or in the parking lot. We've polished the mobile view across the entire app so tables scroll smoothly and buttons are easy to tap—even with a disc in your other hand.