A chance for countries to win gold.

May 3, 2023 by Charlie Eisenhood in News with comments

Disc golf is officially back on the international sports stage.

The International World Games Association announced during its annual meeting that disc golf would be added to the 2025 World Games program in Chengdu, China, bringing the sport back to the highest level international multi-sport event for non-Olympic sports for the first time since 2001.

The event will be organized around country-based competition, with 16 pairs of players — one male, one female — teamed up to compete for the World Games gold.

Ultimate has been on the World Games program every cycle since 2001, but disc golf was dropped after its lone appearance (Barry Schultz, representing the United States, won gold over Canada’s Michael Sullivan in Akita, Japan).

“I’m really excited about it, because it’s an affirmation that we have been doing all the right things,” said World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF) President Robert “Nob” Rauch. “It is a return to the medal podium for disc golf. I had originally put in an application back in 1994, and in 2001, flying disc participated for the first time as medal sports…It’s been a 24 year absence, but it’s well deserved to get back in there, especially with what’s been going on with disc golf globally.”

Many details are still yet to be determined, including the competition format, qualification process, and even how the teams will be selected. “We haven’t finalized the discussion, but it could very well be that we have 16 countries represented, with a mixed pair for each country,” said Rauch. It is possible that multiple pairs of players from a single country could participate. The WFDF has been hosting a World Team Disc Golf Championship in recent years with a format featuring both alternate shot doubles and singles matchplay, but with teams with more than two players.

“The PDGA is pleased to see our partnership with the World Flying Disc Federation in introducing and demonstrating disc golf to the Chengdu, China, host delegation at last year’s World Games in Birmingham result in this exciting development,” said PDGA Director of Membership & Growth Brian Graham. “We congratulate WFDF on their successful proposal to reintroduce disc golf as a competitive sport and we look forward to continuing…