Eyes of the sports world will be turning to Johnson City when the calendar flips.
The PDGA Pro Masters Disc Golf World Championships are set to begin on Aug. 3 and finish up Aug. 7. The action will be split up between Harmon Hills in Fall Branch, Sugar Hollow in Bristol, Va., and Johnson City’s Winged Deer Park.
“This will be an exciting event that brings together the best players over 40 to our area,” tournament director Tim Barr said. “This will certainly be an exciting event for our area and it will show that there are good courses in the area.
“We’ve got three courses rated inside the top 150 in the world by U-Disc, which is an app that is rated by the players. Harmon Hills was rated in the top 50.”
HOW DID THIS COME ABOUT?
“A lot of the credit goes to Gavin Andrews because he got in contact with the people at PDGA and started looking around for what we had to do to host a major,” Barr said. “A few years ago, when we hosted the women’s event, they really liked the way we did it and we were fortunate enough to win a bid again.”
The event was originally scheduled to be in the area last year, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, was rescheduled for 2021.
“With the shutdown, people were looking for a safe way to get outside and socially distance,” Barr said. “Disc golf is perfect and the popularity just took off. With this big event that’s drawing in players from around the world, this will only help the city corral big events in the future.”
A LOOK AT THE SCHEDULE
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All of the festivities actually begin on July 31 with the Divisional Doubles at Harmon Hills.
“What’s pretty cool is that we have a bunch of players coming that are over 70 and those are the people that got the sport started,” Barr said. “Disc golf started in the 1970s, so it’s pretty cool to have some of those people here. We’ve got plenty of former champions coming and it’s certainly going to be an exciting event.”
There will also be several social events and a players banquet on Aug. 2 at the Millennium Centre ballroom.
ECONOMIC IMPACT
One can imagine that players coming in from all around the country and the globe will certainly add to the local economy.
“When we had the women’s event and that was only for three days, we had 156 players,” Barr said. “And I remember someone saying that it added somewhere between $500,000 to $750,000 to the local economy.
“We’ve got people coming in here for this tournament and staying 10 to 11 days. And with well over 100 more than we had the last time, the economic impact could be much greater.”
Currently, there are more than 250 players registered, but Barr expects that number to increase significantly in the coming days.
“Registration is open until July 31 and there are still some spots available in the B Pool,” he said. “We’re still in need of volunteers, though. You don’t have to have any experience at all to help. There’s a link on the website where you can go to sign up.”
In the spring, one’s fancy turns to thoughts of golf.
English poet Alfred Lord Tennyson might not have been very long off the tee or deadly on a putting green. But if he were here today, he might be writing about the love that abounds for the sport that involves chasing a little (and usually white) ball.
With spring bringing more nice days to Polk County, interest in hitting the links is starting to increase.
And, when the Masters returns April 7-10 in Augusta, Georgia, golf fever tends to rise even higher.
A couple of local courses already are noticing an upturn in players.
“When we had that first nice day a week or so ago, we were packed most of the day,” said Tim Tarpley, owner of Cross Creek Golf Course.
“Winter play was a little slow,” said Bill Mulholland, pro shop manager at Dallas Golf Club, “but the last two weeks, with the weather drying out, we’ve been basically full every day.”
And Oak Knoll Golf Course, which closed in the winter, was hoping to re-open for public play very soon, “probably this week if it dries out,” co-owner Scott Hicks said.
Many courses in Oregon and elsewhere have experienced a climb in play during the past two years, when the pandemic limited opportunities for sports, exercise and more. Golf was one activity that still could be played, either solo or with friends, as it could be done while social distancing.
Assuming that COVID-19 doesn’t surge again, area courses will see this spring and summer if the momentum in their business continues.
The pandemic “increased our play probably 20 percent,” Mulholland said.
“We’ve changed every way we run the business,” Tarpley said, adding that Cross Creek had to add to its fleet of golf carts and schedule extra workers.
“The number of rounds have gone way, way up,” Tarpley said. “We had a lot of new customers.”
The new clientele even translated into more golf cart accidents, he noted.
“We used to get one every five years. Now we’re getting two or three a year,” he said.
Golfers were more likely to brave the elements during the pandemic, Mulholland said.
“When the weather’s nice and then it isn’t so nice, people often say, ‘We can’t golf in that,’” he said. “But in Oregon, if you don’t golf in the rain, you don’t golf.”
Dallas Golf Club’s nine-hole, par-31 course, which opened in 1990, opens for play at 7:30 a.m. The last tee time is 5 p.m. The layout measures about 1,815 yards, and the facility has pitching and putting greens and a driving range, although the range is “in rough shape,” Mulholland said, because freezing temperatures brought down “most of the nets.” The owner, Wilson Golf Enterprises, is debating whether to replace the nets or use that land for RV parking, he added.
Cross Creek has 18 holes that can stretch to 6,918 yards, with a par of 72. Tim and Kathee Tarpley bought the property in 1996, then built the course and opened nine holes in May 1998. The driving range and new clubhouse came in 2003. The back nine opened in 2005.
The course has rolling hills, mostly wide fairways, some sand and Cross Creek, which golfers must cross on Nos. 1, 8, 10, 11 and 18 (twice on the par-5 finishing hole).
“We get golfers from other courses” during inclement months, Tim Tarpley said, “because we have a lot of good drainage.”
Cross Creek also has a practice putting green and clubhouse with limited menu, including sandwiches and hot dogs.
Cross Creek opens at 6:30 a.m.
Scott Hicks and co-owner/wife Karla are in their fifth year at Oak Knoll. The course has been around for nearly 100 years, and Scott Hicks said the big change for the start of this season is that the front nine will “go back to the original, 1926 nine holes.”
That includes the interesting, 115-yard fifth hole, which has “probably the smallest green in the state,” he said, a surface that is about 15 feet wide and 20 feet long.
The fifth hasn’t played this way since the late 1980s, he said.
Once the grounds dry out further, the back nine will open, giving Oak Knoll golfers 18 holes at about 5,876 yards from the white tees, at a par-72.
The course will be open from 7 a.m. till dark.
Oak Knoll has a driving range and putting green, and the food service for golfers will feature a unique drive-through concessions through wide, garage doors on each side of the pro shop. The doors will allow players to pull in and get something to eat or drink between nines. As of last week, Oak Knoll was waiting to get the doors that will open the pro shop to the patio, Karla Hicks said.
The on-site restaurant is being used only for events, including weddings and parties. The state of work and employment is a factor in that, the Hicks said. “It’s really hard to get good help,” Scott Hicks said.
Karla Hicks said the goal for golfers at Oak Knoll is that they have a good time and have the time to learn and enjoy the game.
“We want it to be a place where a new player can come out and have fun,” she said. “We’re a little different than a lot of courses these days. We tell players to not feel stressed and to take their time, let others play through and don’t feel in a hurry. We want you to actually learn to play. It’s an experience, not just a golf game.”
Oak Knoll also has become known for a different type of golf – disc golf. The disc golf course there gets year-round play and tournament action during the more peak months.
“Disc golfers are here rain or shine,” Karla Hicks said.
Disc golf can be played on the golf course when it is closed to golf, and “in summer the play changes to outside of the course so the two aren’t overlapping,” she said.
ALTAMONT — Idle Hour Lake played host to the 10th annual Idle Hour Open disc golf tournament on Saturday. After 42 holes of golf, Logan Harpool of Valley Center took down the open division, picking up his first win of the year. The Idle Hour Open was sponsored by M.D. Disc Golf.
“It’s nice to see the same players showing up to all the tournaments. We really appreciate it,” tournament director Derick Spencer said. “It’s fun to see the tournament grow and see players keep coming back. It’s always a good time.”
This is Harpool’s third time at the Idle Hour Open, placing top three in the previous two years.
Harpool recorded 21 birdies, averaging 1011-rated golf between the two rounds. A 7-under first and an 8-under second was the hot score in both rounds, which was more than enough to take down the top prize of $564.
“He plays a lot of tournaments around here, and he’s a really solid player,” Spencer said. “All the guys who play open all play pretty well and have a similar high skill level.”
Although the weather conditions were perfect for scoring, the 21-hole 6,525-foot course still showed its teeth on numerous holes. Hole nine averaged over par in all six divisions in both rounds, averaging 1.5 strokes over par in the recreational division. The tight gap off of the tee gave players enough trouble to derail any sense of momentum built up to that point.
“We cut about three or four trees out, so it was actually easier to play than in previous years,” Spencer said of the 282-foot par-3. “We call it plinko lane because it’s only about a 5 foot gap to get out to the open.”
In the advanced division, Joshua Bernard of Oronogo, Missouri, took down first place. After an 8-under first round that included a single bogey, Bernard struggled in the afternoon. After leading by five strokes to start the round, Bernard threw a 67 in the second round to win the division by a single stroke.
Michael Boshears of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, shot even-par on the day to finish first in the masters 40+ division.
A 2-under first round put Jay Manly of Chanute in a tie with Boshears, before a 6-over second round dropped him to a tie for second place with Derick Spencer of McCune.
Although he only led by two strokes after the first round, Thomas White of Coffeyville took down the masters 50+ division by seven strokes. White notched eight birdies on the way to his fourth event win since 1999.
“There’s a lot of guys who have been playing for years around here, and they’re starting to get up there in age,” Spencer said of the masters divisions, noting that these veterans have started bringing their children to compete in the tournaments. “It’s nice to see that these guys aren’t quitting, and it makes the tournaments more enjoyable.”
Wyatt Semrad of Galesburg sneaked in under par with a 2-under second round to claim victory in the intermediate division by two strokes. This was Semrad’s second event victory, his first coming earlier this year at the Neosho River Open in Chetopa.
After coming up short of a victory during a playoff for first at the PK Open in March, Jason Brewer of Bartlesville, Oklahoma, took down the recreational division by seven strokes. Brewer, in just his second tournament, shot a 2-over second round, improving by nine strokes from his first round. In a division known for its over-par golf, Brewer dropped five birdies in his second round, missing an even-par score by just a few missed circle-one putts.
Recreational division players were spoiled with their player packs, receiving two premium discs, an Innova-branded Koozie and a Prodigy umbrella. Players’ packs and open division payout was bolstered by the following sponsors:
— Labette County Tourism, $750
— Altamont Recreation Commission, $300
— The Corner Store, $250
— Altamont Disc Golf Club, $200
— City of Altamont, $100
— White’s Tax Service, $100
— Tank Connection, $100
— B.J. Express Lube, $100.
“We don’t have those big businesses that can donate all the time, and we don’t have that big capital like Tulsa or Kansas City,” Spencer said. “We try to bring in new sponsors for each event, and the community around here backs us really well. We highly appreciate all that our sponsors do to help keep the tournaments rolling.”
Spencer and M.D. Disc Golf now look to their next event in the Big Hill Open, set to take place at Big Hill Lake on May 7. The crew will also be hosting a doubles event on the same course the weekend prior. Signups for both tournaments can be found at discgolfscene.com.
The sold out Taupō-Nui-a-Tia Disc Golf Classic is being held at Anzac Weekend. Photo / Getty Images
Taupō Disc Golf’s sold-out Taupō-Nui-a-Tia Disc Golf Classic will include a whole new course this year.
Nui-a-Tia, meaning the “Cloak of Tia”, encompasses the Taupō District as a whole. This represents the growth for the 20th year of this Taupō Disc Golf event and the growth expected in the future.
Because last year’s event sold out so fast, in addition to the permanent, premium disc golf course in Spa Park, the event team has announced they have secured the Taupō Golf Club Tauhara course as a second venue for the event from April 23 to 25.
The Taupō Disc Golf Club enlisted the help of Disc Shop Disc Golf, which has designed a world-class temporary disc golf course to be installed there for the weekend.
Disc golf on a ball golf course is rarely seen in New Zealand so the excitement is ramping up. Organisers will also be using the onsite clubrooms as an event headquarters.
One of the main goals for the event is to be shortlisted for the 2023 NZ Disc Golf Championships, potentially bringing the sport’s top event to the country’s premier event town.
This year, experienced tournament director Haydn Shore, from Disc Shop Disc Golf Events, will formally run the international PDGA sanctioned event. The assistant tournament director for the event will be Taupō Disc Golf Club secretary Ken Harris.
One-hundred-and-sixty players are registered from all across the country for the three-day event. The event caters to players of all abilities and will be attended by professional players right through to keen enthusiasts.
There is also a fun-style curtain raiser on the Thursday of the event, designed for locals who can’t or don’t want to play for the whole weekend.
It is free to spectate at both courses, but spectators must sign in if entering the Taupō Golf Club buildings. The event will be on at both Spa Park and Taupō Golf Club from 8am to 4pm Saturday and Sunday with the finals at both venues on Monday from 8am to 1pm.
Sponsorship Packages are still available for local businesses to become involved. Many local businesses have already jumped on board such as Pak’nSave, AJ Hackett Bungy, More FM, The Source Bulk Foods, Lakeman Brewing, #LoveTaupo.
• More information can be found at the Taupō Disc Golf Club Facebook event page: www.facebook.com/events/926685438035383
REGISTRATION: at Pitt County Community Schools and Recreation office, 4561 County Home Road
WHEN: 9 a.m.-noon July 25-28
WHERE: Farmville Central High School, 3308 E. Wilson St., Farmville
REGISTRATION: Deadline is July 25. Register from 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays or 8 a.m.-noon Fridays at Farmville Town Hall, 3672 N. Main St.
WHO: ages 9-12 (as of July 31)
WHEN: 5:30-7:30 p.m. July 11-14
COST: $45 for city residents, $60 for others
REGISTRATION: Register at a staffed recreation and parks facility or online at www.greenvillenc.gov. A $25 nonrefundable deposit, applied to the registration fee, is required.
WHEN: July 11-14, 9 a.m.-noon (ages 6-9) and 1-4 p.m. (ages 10-13)
WHERE: Ayden Arts and Recreation Community Center, 4354 S. Lee St., Ayden.
COST: $25 for Ayden residents and $35 for others
WHO: ages 9-12 (as of July 31)
WHEN: 5:30-7:30 p.m. July 11-14
COST: $45 for city residents, $60 for others
REGISTRATION: Register at a staffed recreation and parks facility or online at www.greenvillenc.gov. A $25 nonrefundable deposit, applied to the registration fee, is required.
WHAT: Campers will learn basic basketball skills, including dribbling, passing and shooting.
WHEN: July 11-14, 9 a.m.-noon (ages 6-9) and 1-4 p.m. (ages 10-13)
WHERE: Ayden Arts and Recreation Community Center, 4354 S. Lee St., Ayden
COST: $25 for Ayden residents and $35 for others.
WHO: ages 6-8 (as of Aug. 31,)
WHEN: 9-10:30 a.m. June 27-30
COST: $45 for city residents, $60 for others
REGISTRATION: Register at a staffed recreation and parks facility or online at www.greenvillenc.gov. A $25 nonrefundable deposit, applied to the registration fee, is required.
WHO: ages 8-12 (as of Aug. 31, 2022)
WHEN: 9-11:30 a.m. June 20-23
COST: $45 for city residents, $60 for others
REGISTRATION: Register at a staffed recreation and parks facility or online at www.greenvillenc.gov. A $25 nonrefundable deposit, applied to the registration fee, is required.
WHO: ages 9-11 (as of Aug. 31)
WHEN: 5:30-7:30 p.m. July 25-28
COST: $45 for city residents, $60 for others
REGISTRATION: Register at a staffed recreation and parks facility or online at www.greenvillenc.gov. A $25 nonrefundable deposit, applied to the registration fee, is required.
WHO: ages 12-15 (as of Aug. 31)
WHEN: 9-11:30 a.m. June 13-16
COST: $45 for city residents, $60 for others
REGISTRATION: Register at a staffed recreation and parks facility or online at www.greenvillenc.gov. A $25 nonrefundable deposit, applied to the registration fee, is required.
WHEN: 9 a.m.-noon June 20-23
WHERE: Farmville Central High School, 3308 E. Wilson St., Farmville
REGISTRATION: Deadline is June 19. Register from 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays or 8 a.m.-noon Fridays at Farmville Town Hall, 3672 N. Main St.
WHEN: 6-8 p.m. June 20-23
WHERE: Farmville Boys and Girls Club
REGISTRATION: Deadline is May 31. Register from 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays or 8 a.m.-noon Fridays at Farmville Town Hall, 3672 N. Main St.
WHO: rising first-fifth grades
WHERE: Wintergreen Intermediate gym
REGISTRATION: at Pitt County Community Schools and Recreation office, 4561 County Home Road.
CLIFF GODWIN YOUTH BASEBALL CAMP
WHEN: June 27-July 1, July 18-22 or July 25-29
WHERE: East Carolina University, Clark-LeClair Stadium
COST: $320 ($200 for half-day)
COLLEGE PROSPECT VOLLEYBALL CAMP
WHO: rising ninth through 12th-grade girls
WHEN: July 8-9 or July 15-16
WHERE: East Carolina University
WHEN: 9 a.m.-noon June 27-30
WHERE: Farmville Disc Golf Course
REGISTRATION: Deadline is June 25. Register from 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays or 8 a.m.-noon Fridays at Farmville Town Hall, 3672 N. Main St.
WHAT: The camp will offer safety education, bike maintenance, general skate park etiquette and skills/tricks using different ramps.
WHEN: 9 a.m.-noon June 13-17, June 20-24, Aug. 15-19, or Aug. 22-26
WHERE: Location to be announced
FAME ALL STARS SUMMER CAMP
WHAT: Campers will participate in indoor and outdoor activities at this cheerleading gym as well as arts and crafts and field trips.
WHEN: 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Mondays-Fridays from June 6 to Aug. 12
WHERE: Fame All Stars, 5162 Corey Road, Winterville
WHEN: 9 a.m.-noon July 25-29
WHERE: Ayden Arts and Recreation Community Center, 4354 S. Lee St., Ayden
COST: $25 for Ayden residents and $35 for others
FUTURE PIRATES LACROSSE CAMP
WHERE: East Carolina University, Johnson Stadium
COST: $225 for half-day option, $400 for full day
WHERE: Ironwood Golf and Country Club, 200 Golf Club Wynd
COST: $300 (includes lunch)
JUNIOR PIRATE (FOOTBALL) CAMP
WHERE: East Carolina University
WHEN: 8:40 a.m.-4 p.m. May 21 and 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m. May 22
WHERE: Ironwood Golf and Country Club, 200 Golf Club Wynd
COST: $400 (includes parent and child)
WHO: ages 5-10 (must have completed kindergarten)
WHAT: Campers will participate in sports and camp games, field trips and other activities, based on different weekly themes.
WHEN: 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Mondays-Fridays from June 13-Aug. 5 (no camp June 20 or July 4)
COST: $100 for city residents and $150 for others. There is a discount for the weeks of June 20 and July 4.
REGISTRATION: Register at a staffed recreation and parks facility or online at www.greenvillenc.gov. A $25 nonrefundable deposit, applied to the registration fee, is required.
ROSE’S GYMNASTICS SUMMER DAY CAMP
WHO: ages 3-11 (campers must be 4 or older for full-day camp)
WHAT: Campers will participate in gymnastics classes, arts and crafts, swimming and games.
WHEN: 8:45 a.m.-noon (half day) 8:45a.m.-6 p.m. (full day) Mondays-Fridays beginning June 13 and continuing through Aug. 12. (There is no camp the week of July 4.) Extended care available for additional fee.
WHERE: Rose’s Gymnastics Training Center, 1802 Old Fire Tower Road
COST: $115 per week for half day; $215 for full day (discounts for multiple weeks.)
WHO: ages 5-14 (as of July 31, 2022)
WHEN: 5:30-7 p.m. July 18-21 (ages 5-8); 5:30-7:30 p.m. July 25-28 (ages 9-14)
COST: $45 for city residents, $60 for others
REGISTRATION: Register at a staffed recreation and parks facility or online at www.greenvillenc.gov. A $25 nonrefundable deposit, applied to the registration fee, is required.
WHEN: 9 a.m.-noon June 20-24
WHERE: Ayden Arts and Recreation Community Center, 4354 S. Lee St., Ayden.
COST: $25 for Ayden residents and $35 for others
WHEN: 9-11 a.m. Aug. 8-11
WHERE: Farmville Athletic Complex
REGISTRATION: Deadline is Aug. 1. Register from 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays or 8 a.m.-noon Fridays at Farmville Town Hall, 3672 N. Main St.
WHEN: 9 a.m.-noon Aug. 1-4
WHERE: Farmville Central High School
REGISTRATION: Deadline is July 26. Register from 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays or 8 a.m.-noon Fridays at Farmville Town Hall, 3672 N. Main St.
WHEN: 5-7 p.m. July 11-14
WHERE: Farmville Athletic Complex
REGISTRATION: Deadline is July 6. Register from 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays or 8 a.m.-noon Fridays at Farmville Town Hall, 3672 N. Main St.
WHEN: 6:30-7:30 p.m. June 20-23
WHERE: Ayden Arts and Recreation Community Center, 4354 S. Lee St., Ayden.
COST: $25 for Ayden residents and $35 for others.
WHO: prekindergarten-sixth grade
WHEN: 1-4 p.m. July 11-15; 9 a.m.-noon June 20-24 or Aug. 1-5
WHERE: The Oakwood School, 4000 MacGregor Downs Road
WHERE: J.H. Rose High School track
REGISTRATION: at Pitt County Community Schools and Recreation office, 4561 County Home Road.
WHAT: Campers will try their hand at different sports such as kickball, relays, and other well-known activities. There will be an emphasis on a different sport/activity each day of this camp.
WHERE: Wintergreen Intermediate School
REGISTRATION: at Pitt County Community Schools and Recreation office, 4561 County Home Road.
WHEN: 9 a.m.-noon June 27-30
WHERE: Ayden Arts and Recreation Community Center, 4354 S. Lee St., Ayden.
COST: $25 for Ayden residents and $35 for others.
WHO: rising fourth through eighth-graders
WHERE: Wintergreen Intermediate School gym
REGISTRATION: at Pitt County Community Schools and Recreation office, 4561 County Home Road
The most famous shot in the history of disc golf was thrown in Ogden, Utah, on June 26, 2021. James Conrad launched a disc an arcing 247 feet to the basket on his way to besting the five-time winner in the final round of the world championships.
What fans call “the Holy Shot” was the best and worst thing ever to happen to MVP Disc Sports, Mr. Conrad’s new sponsor and maker of the yellow-and-blue Electron Envy disc he threw that sunny Saturday.
“He made the shot, and all of us were like, ‘Yay!’ then, ‘We’re screwed,’ ” said Steve Hollaway, MVP marketing manager.
To understand the state of American business, look no further than disc golf, a niche sport that has blossomed into a real business with a cult following. There is the morphing disruption in the supply chain, the crush of the labor market, the constant competition. Companies must adjust to pandemic-driven shifts in behavior and the demands of consumers trained to want what they want when they want it.
The sport, which mimics traditional golf but is played with airborne discs, got a boost during the pandemic. It can be played by almost all ages and is socially distanced by definition. But companies in the market are finding it tough to take advantage of the opportunity of a lifetime, while navigating a business environment that is the most challenging of their lifetime.
Inventory has hovered at historic lows for months for disc makers, thanks to a more than doubling of the number of discs sold since the pandemic began. Disc golf is played with angular and dense discs that differ from the soft and rounded Frisbees or “catch discs” often seen at the park or beach.
Manufacturers are in a daily fight to find more plastic than they have ever ordered at a time when the polyurethane used in most discs is in high demand, including for medical equipment such as face masks.
Disc-golf companies are paying more than $20,000 for shipping containers that formerly cost $5,000 to haul branded metal baskets from China, only to have them stuck for months at the Port of Los Angeles. They are adding overnight and weekend shifts but struggling to staff them, especially during the outbreak of the Omicron variant.
A worker uses a mold machine to form discs at Discraft in Wixom, Mich.
Photo:
Sylvia Jarrus for The Wall Street Journal
The latest worry is the continued availability of crude oil, the key ingredient in polyurethane. The war in Ukraine has caused an increase in the cost of crude oil over concerns about sanctions, as Russia is one of the world’s dominant suppliers.
The average retail cost of a disc has risen to roughly $20 to $25 from $10 to $15, according to Infinite Discs, a leading online disc-golf retailer and publisher of a trade blog.
“It’s been a nightmare,” said MVP’s co-founder Chad Richardson, of the logistics snarls. “I don’t see it ending.”
Within days of the Holy Shot, the company began production of a commemorative disc at its factory in Michigan.
To ensure uniformity, disc-golf manufacturers typically use only one mold for each specific type of disc, meaning only one machine can make one commemorative Electron Envy model at a time, in a process that takes about a minute.
MVP ran the Envy machine 24 hours a day for three months but fell far behind demand thanks to the avalanche of orders. The cost of a commemorative disc on online resale sites rose to more than $50 when fans couldn’t find the disc for $20 at retail outlets.
The company eventually sold tens of thousands of the commemorative discs. Thousands more are still sitting on the shelves, though, said Todd Durrant, operations manager of Infinite Discs, the online retailer. “It would’ve been nice when he won to have it a couple weeks later, but when it arrived, it was like ‘Oh, OK, the hot moment has kind of passed,’ ” he said.
Chad Richardson, co-owner of MVP Disc Sports in Marlette, Mich., with a custom swirl disc. The company grew during the pandemic.
Photo:
Sylvia Jarrus for The Wall Street Journal
Discs inside the warehouse at MVP Disc Sports.
Photo:
Sylvia Jarrus for The Wall Street Journal
Meeting demand in a timely manner for discs of all types, the company says, is stressing out employees, frustrating retailers and angering fans. “They think MVP is this magic box” that discs come out of, said Brad Richardson, who co-founded the company in 2010 with his brother Chad when they were undergraduates.
MVP now represents a share of the disc-golf market that is in the high-single-digits after growing during the pandemic, according to an analysis of 2.7 million discs used by players on the UDisc scorekeeping app. MVP has 114 employees with more on the way, up from 20 pre-pandemic. Discraft Inc., also based in Michigan, is another prominent yet more established manufacturer, with the industry’s biggest player being Innova Champion Discs, based in Ontario, Calif.
Before the pandemic, MVP grew by taking share from the industry’s big players in a way reminiscent of how craft-beer makers took on Big Beer. It experimented with blends of plastic, cultivated relationships with small dealers and rolled out new models and novelty discs regularly.
The pandemic put a halt to most of those hallmarks, as MVP dropped production of all but its bestsellers to avoid losing time required to change molds and test new concepts. The brothers used the windfall of cash from selling out of inventory to buy 15 disc-making machines in the past two years, up from two machines at the start of 2020. They ordered seven of the machines in the wake of the Holy Shot.
MVP produced more discs in 2021 than it did in its previous 11 years combined. The company will have increased production 10-fold since early 2020 when the last of its new machines comes online in April.
“All our resources are in those machines,” Chad Richardson said, including one machine that was offline for months for lack of a replacement part. “It’s always on your mind, always on your mind.”
Mr. Hollaway, the marketing manager, recently took over MVP’s
Facebook
page from longtime fan moderators to address criticism about delays and the lack of new models. The company started a supply-chain newsletter to explain how the container ship stuck in the Suez Canal contributed to the lack of MVP swag at local tournaments.
“I’ve been trying as hard as I can to educate the market because the market’s angry,” Mr. Hollaway said.
Disc golf has its origins in the years after the late “Steady” Ed Headrick patented the Wham-O Frisbee in 1966. Fans across the U.S. made up games that involved launching a Frisbee at a target, frequently a utility pole.
(California-based Wham-O, now owned by Wham-O Holdings in Hong Kong, continues to make Frisbees but isn’t a major player in disc golf.)
In 1975, Mr. Headrick patented the “Disc Golf Pole Hole,” a metal basket with a ring of chains, to avoid disputes over whether a disc hit a pole, according to the Professional Disc Golf Association, also founded by Mr. Headrick.
Just like with “ball golf” or “stick golf,” which is what disc golfers call the regular version, players carry bags. They are lined with discs designed to perform differently when thrown: slow-spinning putters of tacky plastic meant to grip the basket’s chains; fairway drivers for middle-distance throws; and distance drivers with an angled edge that are designed to fly far and arc left or right around trees or water hazards.
Disc golfers carry an assortment of discs in their bags.
Photo:
Ronda Churchill for The Wall Street Journal
Players throw from concrete tee boxes on an 18-hole course and adhere to rules of etiquette, such as letting solo players play through or returning stray discs if there is a phone number on the back.
For decades, disc golf was dwarfed in popularity by ultimate, originally called ultimate Frisbee, a soccer-like team sport common on college campuses. As players aged out of ultimate’s physicality, many took up disc golf, contributing to an annual growth in players of roughly 10% a year in the late 1990s and 2000s, according to the PDGA.
The pace of disc golf’s growth accelerated in the 2010s, thanks to YouTube streams, fan blogs and the ability of obscure athletes to build a following on social media.
Then came the pandemic. New players from young families to locked-out gym rats flocked to an outdoor sport that was free to play on most courses. Many rookies ordered their first discs online early in lockdown around the same time ESPN2 began airing live matches to fill the void created by Covid-19 cancellations of major sports. The professional association, PDGA, recently reported membership has doubled since 2019 to 109,000 active members.
“I started playing 11 years ago and if I told people I played disc golf, they looked at me like I didn’t know what the hell I was talking about or they automatically assumed I was a stoner,” said Steve Hill, marketing director for UDisc, a scorekeeping app. “Now I say ‘disc golf’ and people know what it is.”
As with many pandemic booms, it isn’t clear if the sport’s popularity has staying power. Data released by UDisc in February showed the pace of growth in new players slowed in 2021 from 2020. But it also showed new players tended to play as often and be as enthusiastic as experienced players.
Disc golfers on the professional circuit such as James Conrad, pictured during season kickoff in Las Vegas, travel nearly weekly during the 8-month season, much like NASCAR drivers.
Branded baskets on disc-golf courses are critical to marketing but difficult to get with current supply-chain issues.
The sport has experienced a growing fanbase thanks to social media and the ability to stream games every weekend.
The rules of etiquette of disc golf mirror those of traditional golf. A hushed crowd watches as Paige Pierce, the dominant women’s player, throws.
UDisc, the app maker, says it has more than one million users and only captures a fraction of the millions of active players. The company estimates the sport is at least the size of pickleball, whose governing body recently announced had 4.8 million players. “I don’t begrudge pickleball,” Mr. Hill said. “I just need to find their PR rep.”
USA Pickleball’s Chief Executive Stu Upson laughed when asked for comment. “Tell them, ‘I’m sorry, we’re just doing our jobs,’ “ he said. “Seriously, there’s plenty of room for many emerging sports.”
The number of disc-golf courses is increasing at a rate of more than five a day, according to UDisc, many outside the sport’s traditional strongholds in the Midwest and the Sunbelt. There are 13,323 courses globally, with the most in the U.S., a 70% increase from 2017, according to UDisc. The majority of U.S. disc-golf courses are in public parks, with local governments quick to set up courses as they require little maintenance and can occupy odd-shaped, swampy or otherwise little-used tracts of land, including a park in Girdwood, Alaska, frequented by moose.
A turning point for disc golf, the Holy Shot was the number one play on ESPN’s SportCenter Top Ten and went viral online, exposing thousands of people to the sport and its stars.
“I was there in person and I’ve never experienced anything like it at a sporting event ever,” Mr. Hill said. “It was the most mind-boggling explosion where everyone collectively lost their mind.”
Mr. Conrad, a 31-year-old former warehouse worker who made the shot, said hitting the best shot of his life at the exact moment he needed to win “was like being in a sports movie.”
He said he is proud that the popularity of the shot brought new fans to disc golf, even though he was disappointed that he didn’t win any subsequent major tournaments.
“The remainder of the season wasn’t able to match what I did at the world’s, but I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to match that,” he said. “It’s a weird thought that maybe the coolest thing I’ll ever do, I’ve already done.”
James Conrad in Nevada before the start of the 2022 Disc Golf Pro Tour season in February.
Photo:
Ronda Churchill for The Wall Street Journal
The player he beat that day has been the sport’s dominant player for a decade: Paul McBeth, a 31-year-old from Huntington Beach, Calif. He said he was happy for Mr. Conrad, who he has been competing against since they were both 15 and who he sees nearly weekly during the eight-month season.
“I was on the losing end of that shot, but I still know what it means for the sport and for us as players,” Mr. McBeth said. “It’s a chance for growth, a chance for more eyes to see our sport on a professional level.”
Mr. McBeth’s sponsor, Discraft, thinks his star power will help the company grow. Discraft signed him to a new 10-year, $10 million contract last year, a figure designed to plant a flag in a sport where most professionals typically make roughly $20,000 a year in sponsorships and tournament winnings. As a signing bonus, Mr. McBeth got a McLaren supercar.
“It’s the
Nike
strategy,” said Bob Julio, Discraft’s team manager. “Sign the player and the fans will follow.”
Bob Julio and Mike Wagner with dog, Cooper, at the Discraft manufacturing facility in Wixom, Mich.
Photo:
Sylvia Jarrus for The Wall Street Journal
Tiny plastics used in recycled discs at Discraft.
Photo:
Sylvia Jarrus for The Wall Street Journal
When the pandemic hit, Discraft shifted machines that made Ultimate discs to make ones for disc golf. When plastic became scarce, Discraft bought an industrial recycling machine and churned up factory seconds and castoff discs to make plastic pellets that could be mixed in with new ones. “You can’t even tell it’s in there,” Chief Operating Officer Mike Wagner said.
The company has 90 employees, up from 40 before the pandemic. It has doubled its number of machines but is struggling to staff them at every shift. Mr. Wagner says he has tried everything from gift cards to attendance bonuses to entice workers to the factory floor.
Discraft has upped its disc-golf production 600% in the past two years but isn’t accepting new retail customers or rolling out new models. Instead, it is sending longtime vendors an allotment of whatever it makes, dominated by the Buzzz, a 2003 design with an even distribution of weight that makes it comparatively easy to throw for new players.
“I want to get a handle on the 600% [growth] we’ve got,” Mr. Wagner said. “You’ve got to have a manageable pace because a lot can go wrong.”
OTTUMWA — Join in the fun as the Ottumwa Symphony Orchestra presents “Divas Who Dish” at Bridge View Center on Saturday, April 2 at 6 p.m.
Some of Ottumwa’s best lady cooks will offer samples of their favorite recipes. Enjoy your fill of their delicacies while participating in the Silent and Live Auction, a “Heads or Tails” game and the ever popular “Wine Pull.” A cash bar will also be available.
Divas who will serve you to date include Balba Chiapa, Mandy Walker, Ashleigh Vivian, Cherielynn Westrich, Brenda Anderson, Melissa Childs, Addy and Ellie Yates, Sandra Pope, Betty Ramirez, Sandra Thorne, Andrea Edge, Amy Nossaman and Kaitlyn Noal.
The Divas will be judged in Pre-Dining, Entrée and Dessert categories. The team of judges for the evening include Mark Fisher, Heather Nelson and Taylor Thornsberry. Attendees will select the People’s Choice award.
Items for the Silent Auction will be open for bidding upon arrival (be sure to check out the Blue Line Drawing). Auction items are available now for viewing at the Symphony website: ottumwasymphonyrochestra.net. Some items will be featured on the Symphony’s Facebook. All bidding will occur the evening of the event.
Live Auction items include a chef’s table for eight at Bridge View Center; a round of golf with five-time Ottumwa City Champion Dusty Stewart at the beautiful grounds of The Club. Dusty won Ottumwa city titles in 2004, 2005, 2012, 2020 and 2021. The Club is sponsoring carts and green fees at no cost for a group of up to three (date and time determined by winner bidder); and Wine among the Roses, where you enjoy a summer or fall evening among the roses. You and up to nine of your friends will be treated to fantastic wine tasting and food pairing in a gorgeous garden setting, sponsored by the Ottumwa Symphony Orchestra Guild.
Also included in the Live Auction will be “Food, Fun, and Fish if You Wish” for 12 that includes BBQ, fishing and kayaking by Patty and Alan Babb, sponsored by North Hy-Vee. A disc golf package will be auctioned off for a party of four (date and time determined by the winning bidder), and a disc golf basket, bag, four disc golf discs and a two hour lesson from seven-time Iowa State Champion and Iowa Disc Hall of Famer Bob Kramer, who has also qualified for the 2022 Disc Golf National Tournament.
Advance tickets are $20 and are available from any of the Divas at Bridge View Center or online at ottumwasymphonyorchestra.net. Tickets at the door are $25. For more information or questions, contact Cara Galloway at [email protected] or 515-509-3745 or Barb Sasseen at [email protected] or 641-777-5604.
All profits from the “Divas Who Dish” event go to support activities of the Ottumwa Symphony Orchestra, proudly serving Ottumwa by presenting seven concerts annually.
BANGOR – Disc golf is one of the fastest-growing sports out there these days, and the state of Maine is a particular hotbed. Now, one area group is seeking to introduce younger players to the game.
Maine Youth Disc Golf is the brainchild of Sam Betts, a local disc golfer who saw an opportunity to grow the game by reaching out to area high schools. Over the coming months, Betts – along with a bevy of volunteers from various courses (including the owner/operators of those courses) – will be operating weekly events in an effort to bring the game to as many new players as possible.
Beginning in April and running through May, every Sunday will feature a disc golf skills clinic at Orrington’s D.R. Disc Golf. In addition, numerous area courses will offer Friday afternoon rounds for program attendees. The list includes the two courses at D.R. in Orrington and their Orono course, along with Circle Two in Bradford, Hidden Acres in Old Town and Legacy Farms in Winterport. For details and more information, visit www.maineyouthdiscgolf.com or check out Maine Youth Disc Golf on Facebook.
I spoke to Betts about what prompted him to try and get this program off the ground, as well as why he chose high schoolers as his initial focus.
“Long story short, I want to help disc golf grow!” he said. “I’ve noticed in the Bangor area that there are not many young adults, high schoolers and kids playing disc golf! Personally, I did not know what disc golf was until I was in my twenties! I want to help change that. Being the first attempt, I wanted to target high schoolers.”
When asked about his plans for MYDG, Betts had a simple response.
“My vision for the program is just to introduce the sport to as many people as I can, make it as fun as possible and hope they continue to partake in the sport.”
Betts has made overtures to numerous local high schools regarding the program, reaching out to 10 different school administrators; the initial results have been a bit mixed – he’s heard back from five of the 10 schools so far – but he’s optimistic going forward.
“Early interest has been tough,” he said. “I personally do not know many high schoolers. I’ve reached out to as many parents as I know, and I’ve gotten word from 6 or 8 kids that they are willing to come out. I’m hoping I can get each youth to bring one friend to help double the numbers.”
While those early numbers might not be as high as Betts had hoped, there’s still time. And one thing is for certain – he’s got the area disc golf community behind him in his efforts, including the folks who own and run courses in the region.
“Local course owners have been amazing! Everyone is on board to help however they can,” said Betts. “Every disc golfer I’ve brought my idea to has been extremely supportive. It’s getting the word out to the youth that is the toughest part.”
Betts suggests that anyone interested in the program reach out – or have a parent reach out – and contact him through the MYDG website.
Participants in these early sessions can expect to learn the basics: different types of throws and grips and an understanding of the different types of discs – including the at-times-inscrutable-seeming numbers attached to them – and a breakdown of the fundamental rules of the game.
And of course, the most important part – having fun! Betts wants to make it clear that disc golf is a game with an extremely low barrier for entry, inexpensive and accessible for people of any age and skill level.
“It’s an activity for all,” he said. “It is a great way to be outside with peers, friends, and family; a nice way to get some laughs in at hitting trees all missing easy shots. It’s a good way to get some simple exercise in our beautiful Maine woods.”
For what it’s worth, I can vouch for that last bit. I started playing disc golf over 20 years ago, first learning the game at Trenton’s Hapana course and playing all over the state. While I have been and out of the scene in the years since – playing avidly for a few years, checking out for a few, picking the sport back up, lather, rinse repeat – I can state without hesitation that the area scene is as robust as it has ever been. And with dedicated disc golfers continuing to open new courses and refine existing ones, there’s no question that there has never been a better time to be a Maine disc golfer.
(Oh, and I’ve played on a card or two with Sam over the past couple of years – dude can play, just so you know.)
There’s real passion for the sport among its current adherents; what Sam Betts is trying to do is pass that passion on to the next generation of players. If you are a high school student with an interest in learning more about disc golf – or the parent of one – you should strongly consider taking advantage of this opportunity.
(Maine Youth Disc Golf’s initial offerings are scheduled to tee off the first weekend in April and run each weekend through the month of May. For updates or other information, you can visit the MYDG website at www.maineyouthdiscgolf.com or check out their Facebook page.)
A local store is combining disc golf holes with a fundraiser involving American flags.
Pecan City Disc Golf Shop is hosting a disc golf tournament in Seguin, bringing hundreds of competitors from across the country and as far away as Denmark. Proceeds will help the Guadalupe County Field of Honor with its annual planting of flags, Field of Honor chairperson Connie Ramirez said.
“That money is going back to help pay for the flags,” she said. “Anything after this, we will be able to cut a check to our beneficiary, which is the American Legion Post 245 in Seguin.”
Field of Honor places hundreds of flags annually in a field next to Faith Lutheran Church. Each flag represents a local hero and has a name of a local veteran, first responder, teacher or frontline worker attached to it.
Discs remain at a hole while a disc golfer practices at the Starcke Park Disc Golf Course.
The flags symbolize a lot to the organization and to the people who sponsor flags and have them placed in the field, Ramirez said.
“It’s not only a flag in the field, it’s a life,” she said. “This is a person who is serving our country or has served our country in some way.”
Hosting the tournament allows Pecan City Disc Golf Shop’s owners to highlight the sport of disc golf while also helping a worthwhile charitable organization, said Jericho Lomas, who owns the shop with his father.
“When we first dreamt of opening Pecan Disc Golf Shop, one of our values we wanted to focus on was giving back to our community,” he said. “This tournament is a great way to partner with our city and Humana to raise money for a local veteran organization.”
The city of Seguin is a co-sponsor and Humana is the title sponsor for the tournament, which will include 170 competitors including about 20 local professional disc golfers and two from Denmark. Amateurs will tee off alongside the pros in the tournament, Lomas said.
It will be his shop’s first sanctioned disc golf tournament in Seguin, Lomas said. So far, things look pretty promising with all the slots filled, he said.
“Through sponsorship money, I think we already raised over $8,000,” Lomas said. “The majority of that is going to go to the Field of Honor and what they do. That was the goal to try to get all their fundraiser money with just this one tournament versus having other fundraisers. The goal was knock it all out in one. Any extra funds will go to support the American Legion Post 245.”
The Pecan City Classic is set for 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. March 26 to 27 at the disc golf course in Max Starcke Park East. The community is invited to watch the players compete during the two-day tournament. Market Days also will take place during the tournament with more than 25 local businesses and vendors set up under the Patricia K. Irvine-King Pavilion in Starcke Park East. Spectators can browse and shop 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. both days.
“The Seguin Visitor Center has enjoyed working with the tournament organizers on bringing this event to Seguin,” said Kyle Kramm, Main Street & Convention and Visitors Bureau director. “Hosting these tournaments and events benefits Seguin in many ways, from increasing sales at restaurants to providing awareness about a growing sport in our community. It makes a tremendous impact on Seguin.”
The group plans to set up a miniature Field of Honor for which community members may buy flags for the full-scale Field of Honor.
This year’s Field of Honor will have more than 1,000 United States flags on display July 2 to July 9 at Faith Lutheran Church, 1326 E. Cedar. Flag sponsors are allowed to take home their flags after the event.
Field of Honor brings together community members to honor heroes in a meaningful way, Ramirez said.
“Throughout the event, we have speakers that come out and just tell about (their) flag, (their) person that’s out there,” she said. “Over the years, we’ve heard amazing stories. We have people from other towns that come out every evening and just sit out there and look at the display then talk about the time they served. There are some amazing people in this community.”
To help make it a rousing success, community members can participate in the disc golf tournament and events surrounding the tournament. Every bit will help make a difference, Ramirez said.
“We just hope we get a good turnout from the community,” she said. “We’re all intertwined and if there’s any way we can help each other out, that’s what we’re asking for.”
Spring in the Ozarks is far from the picturesque cliche of how we imagine the seasons changing- snow melting away to present beautiful tulips peaking through the frost. After six weeks of shorts and sandals one day to a winter coat and sleet attire the next, the weather is finally warming up to a sunny and 75 degrees. This means it’s time to bask in this beautiful weather by enjoying outdoor activities before the midwest heat and humidity chases us indoors for the latter summer months.
If you’ve already explored all of the local trails, try your hand at disc golf, pickleball or spikeball. These sports are multiplayer activities which are inclusive to a wide range of ages and physical abilities. These sports require very little equipment to enjoy recreationally, but in the past decade leagues and tournaments have popped up at the local, state and national levels.
Disc Golf
Disc golf, also known as frisbee golf, follows the traditional scoring system of golf but switches out the putting green and hole for baskets scattered throughout the course. The metal baskets standing just shy of four and a half feet are typically planted near obstacles like waterways or trees to increase the difficulty– and fun. There are specialty discs to improve accuracy in the game such as distance drivers, fairway drivers, mid rangers and putters. If you aren’t keeping score, any ordinary frisbee will still suffice for game play.
Branson has several disc golf parks which have baskets for beginners and advanced players. The Branson Trails Disc Golf Course is acclaimed as one of the top courses in the Midwest and features an 18 hole challenging course and nine beginner friendly holes. The course is open everyday from sunrise to sunset and costs 10 dollars a day or 40 dollars a year.
Branson Parks and Recreation has free nine hole courses at Eiserman and Sunset parks, and the level of difficulty is distinguished with a tee box for each level.
Pickleball
Pickleball is a mashup of tennis, badminton and ping pong. The court game uses flat paddles and a wiffle ball mimicking a jumbo sized form of table tennis. The game is versatile and adaptable for the abilities of your players because it’s easier than other racquet sports and all ages and genders can play against one another. It’s also accessible in the Branson area.
Pickleball courts are available at Eiserman Park and Stockstill Park. The courts are free to use but players need to provide their own ball and racquet.
Spikeball
A combination of volleyball and foursquare, spikeball gets the heart pumping but it’s a game changer for kickbacks or barbecues. The game is played with a small lacrosse sized ball and a net. Kick off your shoes, turn up the radio and find one other player to make a team with. Face off against another group of two, or if you have more than four players, play elimination style: the player to make a mistake is out! Spikeball sets range between 40 to 60 dollars.
disc, event, globe, golf, johnson city, pdga pro masters disc golf world championships, player, sport, tim barr
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