The growth of disc golf in the Parkland region took another step last November with the formation of a new association to promote the sport.
Representatives of a number of area courses met in Yorkton where the framework of the Parkland Association of Disc Golf (PADG), was forged, and an interim board put in place.
The PADG is an organization covering the sport in an area defined as within a 125 km radius of Yorkton.
Our Mission Statement is; To promote the sport and recreational benefits of disc golf across the Parkland Region.
The Association is dedicated to being a resource for disc golf. It can help;
• Provide this informational brochure to be distributed at recreation centres, park offices etc.;
• In finding people to host ‘how-to-play’ workshops in a community;
• In making presentations to municipal councils, regional park boards, or other organizations considering creating a disc golf course;
• Help municipal councils, regional park boards, or other organizations find individuals willing to design courses;
• Help with information and guidance in establishing local leagues and tournament events.
One of the major thrusts is a tournament series with as many courses involved as possible. The first confirmed event will be a Birdie Bash event at Springside May 29, and the Second annual Trilogy Challenge in Yorkton Sunday, Aug. 28.
Registration for the Springside event is already open at https://www.discgolfscene.com/tournaments/Vibram_Birdie_Bash_at_Springside_2016
In terms of local opportunities to disc golf new courses are opening across the region.
There have been three disc golf courses in the region for a number of years; Patrick Park Disc Golf Course in Yorkton, Kemoca Regional Park at Montmartre, and Shaker City Disc Golf at Benito, MB.
Last summer the sport mushroomed with seven new courses installed, including Springside, Melville, Lemberg, Fort Qu’Appelle, Sandy Beach at Good Spirit Lake, Carlton Trail Regional Park, and Rocanville.
We look to 2016 as an even bigger year in terms of the growth of disc golf across the region with courses planned for Birtle and Assessippi Beach and Campground in Manitoba, as well as Moosomin, Ituna and Whitesand Regional Park, Kelvington and Stockholm, which will mean 17 operational courses within a few weeks.
Over the coming weeks we will discuss in greater detail some of the course design efforts, events reports, and other happenings in the world of disc golf.
On a larger basis disc golf is growing dramatically across Canada, North America and the world.
While disc golf is a recreation for many, it can be played at a professional level too, with a pro tour, and major events around the world. Many can be seen via YouTube including live coverage at times.
In fact two major tours launch this year.
The Disc Golf Pro Tour with six stops scheduled across the United States, and the Disc Golf World Tour with five events including stops in the Czech Republic, Finland, Sweden and the U.S.
As it stands there are nearing 5000 courses in the United States, with several thousand more worldwide.
A Hall of Fame to the sport launched in 1993.
Internationally, the governing body is the Professional Disc Golf Assoc. It has seen growth of 12-15 per cent per year over past decade, with 2005 membership of 9600 and 2014 of 24400.
In early August 2015 the International Olympic Committee Granted full Recognition to Disc Sports including disc golf. It is the first step toward one day being on Olympic event.
Patrick Park Disc Golf Course
For those wanting to try the sport in Yorkton, Tuesday evening is the fun gathering at Patrick Park Disc Golf Course at 150 King Street. Come out, bring a friend, and give it a try. There are always players to help teach the basics, and there are always extra discs so you don’t need to worry about that either. The fun begins at 6:30 weekly.
Yorkton will host the Second annual Trilogy Challenge Sunday, Aug. 28.
The course features 9 DGA baskets. It was designed originally as a 9, but alternate tee pads installed last year allows for playing the course as an 18.
The front 9 is a Par 27 at 2379-feet, while the back 9 is a Par 33 at 3037-feet.
The key feature of the course is its wide open fairways which are ideal for beginners, but there are enough trees to make it challenging for seasoned throwers as well.
For more information contact the Association at padg.yorkton@gmail.com or join their Facebook page by searching Parkland Association of Disc Golf.
Rocanville-Moosomin Disc Golf Club
The Rocanville-Moosomin Disc Golf Club will open their inaugural season of non-competitive league play at the Rocanville Disc Golf Course on Tuesday, May 17. League nights will be held every following Tuesday beginning at 6 p.m. until the fall.
The club welcomes players of all skill levels. More experienced players will be made available to help with the rules of disc golf, equipment, proper throwing techniques and strategy.
Overall, however, the night is intended to be a social occasion, where players can simply have fun with North America’s fastest growing sport.
The club will also be hosting it’s first-ever tournament on Sunday, June 26; a team-doubles event that will see pairs of players share scores in a Texas scramble-like format. More details will follow in the coming weeks.
The course is located at the Rocanville Cross-Country Ski Club facility two km south of Rocanville. Turn south off Highway 8 at the curve southwest of town. Head south until you reach the Cross-Country Ski Club building.
The course is on walking/ski trails that wind through naturally forested area. It’s a challenging course that forces players to plan their shots in advance. Patience and smooth shooting pays on narrow fairways.
For more information, contact Chris Istace at 306.434.7937 or via email at christace@icloud.com. And like our Facebook Page for information about the league, area tournaments, skills clinics and the Parkland Association of Disc Golf organization and programming.
Chain Reaction
In other local disc golf news Calvin Daniels, Trevor Lyons and Doug Kerr have launched a weekly hour-long Internet radio talk show on disc golf.
The show, which airs at www.gametimeradio.ca, includes interviews with professional players, disc golf manufacturers, and people involved in disc golf across Western Canada and beyond.
There are also sections reviewing discs, course reviews, and a weekly update on the tournament scene.
Check the show out a 4, 8, or 11 p.m. every Wednesday.
