pro disc golf association

Posted Feb 28, 2022, 4:16 am

Alyssa Polczynski

Cronkite News

Though more people are taking up the deceptively difficult sport of
disc golf as a hobby, it has long been a way of life for pro disc
golfers, some of the best of whom participated in the recent
season-opening All-Star Weekend in Tucson.

“Everyone here is amazing,” said Lisa Fajkus, a competitor from Texas
who has earned more than $90,000 on the tour. “All the competitors are
good. Beyond good.”

While the COVID-19 pandemic complicated the sports landscape, it also
inspired some to seek new outdoor options. Disc golf was that for many.
Membership in the Pro Disc Golf Association increased from 53,366 in
2019 to 71,016 in 2020, according to the PDGA. And from 2010 to 2020, total prize money jumped almost $2 million to $4 million.

The sport is similar to golf. Participants start at a launchpad and
throw discs at a metal basket. Each hole is assigned a “par” number.

Opening the season with All-Star Weekend is unique to professional
disc golf. In most sports, the all-star competition typically takes
place midway through the season or near the end. The thinking behind the
placement of the disc golf tour event is that it serves as a kind of
trailer for the season, giving fans a glimpse of what they can expect
from their favorite disc throwers in future matches.

“It kind of gives me spring training vibes,” said Hunter Pickard, a
disc golf amateur. “You have these great players in one city, on one
field, basically, warming up for the season ahead. I think it encourages
more people to get into the sport because they see how competitively
fun it can be. It’s fantastic to watch and be a part of.”

Fans come from all over the country to attend live disc golf events,
including many who travel in renovated vans and buses from tournament to
tournament just like most of the players do.

One at All-Star Weekend was Bodhi, who is described in her Instagram
bio as a “toddler traveler.” She tours full time with her parents,
Stephanie and Taylor, in a “skoolie,” where they live and explore
different parts of the country, all while attending disc golf
tournaments.

Bodhi could be spotted in her plum-colored attire. Her bubbly and
rollicking personality was as hard to miss as her colorful wardrobe. She
held up a “Go Heather” homemade sign as she cheered on one of her
favorite pro disc golfers, Heather Young.

This year, the PDGA made the decision to spice things up and add a
snake draft to the mix for the very first time. The snake draft consists
of captains taking turns picking players to create teams. For the
women, team captains included Paige Pierce and Catrina Allen. Eagle
McMahon and Calvin Heimburg served as captains for the men.

The tournament lasted three days at El Conquistador Resort. Friday
consisted of a skills competition between teams. Doubles matches were
held Saturday, followed by singles matches on Sunday. Each event drew
intrigued fans who stood around and watched.

“You know, these fans are dedicated to watching and coming out each
season and to each tournament,” Disc Golf Pro Tour owner Todd Rainwater
said. “We want to give them the best experience possible. They’ve
traveled from all over to be here, and they deserve to have a good
time.”

Rainwater is banking on the fans returning home and talking to their
friends and families about the event. “That’s how the sport continues to
grow,” he said.

With tournaments all over the United States between February and
October, people have ample opportunities to take in a disc golf event –
either in person or through live streaming. All-Star Weekend was a
perfect example of the different ways to experience the event. Hundreds
of people of all ages surrounded the course and followed the players
from hole to hole. Those not able to physically attend streamed the
tournament online at DGPT.com. With improvements in technology, course
setups, and streaming, attendance is expected to continue to increase in
the coming years.

“We have a nice foundation,” said Rainwater, who added, “These
players put in so much work and are great at what they do. That needs to
be displayed for people to see and enjoy, whether that’s online or
in-person.”

Disc Golf is one of the fastest growing sports, according to Disc
Golf Mentor. With the COVID-19 pandemic severely impacting the sports
world in 2020, people looked for new ways to stay entertained. Suddenly,
disc golf became the new fad.

“It was never something I had even thought about, let alone doing,”
Pickard said. “When the pandemic hit, there was nothing going on.
Nothing was open, and if it was, there were so many safety regulations
and hour changes.

“So, I ventured to a park near my house to get some fresh air and
noticed the disc golf baskets. I figured, ‘Why not try it since I’m not
doing anything else?’”

Pickard is just one example out of the thousands of people who recently got into playing disc golf. According to Sabattus Disc Golf, approximately 50 million rounds were played in 2020, triple the number played the previous year.

All-Star Weekend was a big hit with the fans and competitors alike.

“Getting that text was so cool,” said Rebecca Cox, a pro disc golfer
and president and founder of Diversify Disc Golf. “It was a fun surprise
for me. …I got kind of lucky being an All-Star. I had to take advantage
of this opportunity.”

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