Frisbeegolf News

Threepeat: McBeth Wins His Third Masters Cup

05.19.14

An incredible weekend of tournament action concluded last night in Santa Cruz, where Paul McBeth emerged victorious from what was so far, the season’s most dramatic National Tour finish. Teammate Patrick Brown also earned the Masters division crown, outlasting defending Masters Cup Champion, Jonathan Baldwin, as well as teammates Micah Dorius and Chris Brophy.

The most intense action however, was definitely in the Open as Paul McBeth, Tim Skellenger, Ricky Wysocki, Steve Rico, JohnE McCray, and Simon Lizotte all found themselves in contention on Sunday afternoon. McBeth entered the final round with a 3-shot lead over Skellenger, who had a pack of heavy-hitters right on his heels. The course at DeLaveaga is known for its incredible beauty, but also for the potential danger on nearly every hole. Virtually no lead is safe at “DeLa”.

McBeth began his 24-hole final round slowly and carefully. His fellow competitors were not so patient, attacking the course with a sense of urgency. By mid-round it was clear that McBeth was not going to pull away. Paul was able to keep calm and string together 3 birdies on holes 19-21, followed by three pars to cap off a solid round of 68. Wysocki and Rico both posted rounds of 66 to finish 2nd and 3rd, as did Philo Brathwaite who jumped up to claim 6th.

For McBeth this was a hat-trick at DeLa. He won the Masters Cup in both 2012 and 2013 but this one was extra special. Paul described Sunday’s round as the “most epic” he had ever been a part of. Considering Paul is the highest rated player in history, owns the highest rated round in history, and back-to-back World Championship titles, that is an impressive statement.

Valarie Jenkins and Jessica Weese finished 2nd and 3rd in Women’s Open. It was smiles all around for both ladies. Val is fresh off her win of the Women’s Global Event last weekend, an event that drew more than 1100 women world-wide. Jess has been on a mission to prove herself atop the women’s game, so she was elated to capture the best NT finish of her young career.

One of the other great headlines from this weekend was Matt Dollar’s win at Hotlanta 2014. Matt won by two over teammate James Cole and picked up his first A-tier victory. Courtney McCoy won the Hotlanta title in Women’s Open, while husband Kevin McCoy clawed his way to a second place finish in Masters.

In Colorado it was Joe Rovere picking up his second straight A-tier win. Joe won the 303 Open in Denver in impressive fashion. He entered the final round with a 5-shot lead which he was able to pad down the stretch for a 7-shot win and a $1000 payday.

Other weekend winners include:

Kyle Crabtree – Rose City Open, Portland, OR
Barry Schultz – Tarheel Tournament, Chapel Hill, NC
Stephen Miller – King of the Hill, Newark, DE
Stephen Miller – Patapsco Punisher, Marriottsville, MD
Steve Brinster – Skylands Invasion, Warwick, NY
Jay Reading – Legion of Doom, Marion, IA

Simon Lizotte Wins Big at GBO

05.05.14

Congratulations to Simon Lizotte on an impressive win at the 2014 Glass Blown Open. Simon hails from Bremen, Germany but this year is touring the United States extensively with Discmania teammate, Avery Jenkins. So far Simon has finished no lower than 7th, quickly proving to be one of the most tenacious international players to compete full time in the US.

Make no mistake about it, Simon is no rookie on the global disc golf scene. Nicknamed “The Wunderkind”, Simon has been playing disc golf since he was 2 years old. The biggest win of his career came in 2012 at the Disc Golf European Championships. He followed that up with a very consistent 2013 season in which he earned the title of EuroTour Champion.

Simon’s first win in America came last weekend at the Eagle Eye Open, a B-tier event in Georgia. Prior to that he notched top ten finishes on the PDGA National Tour; 7th place at the Memorial Championship and the 2nd place at the Texas State Championships. With results like that, big-time tournament wins are just a matter of time.

While not a part of the PDGA National Tour, the Glass Blown Open boasts an equally impressive Open field. Simon had his hands full with US heavyweights such as Paul McBeth, Jeremy Koling, Ricky Wysocki, and Will Schusterick. Simon moved into the lead in round two posting the hot score of 49. He then pulled away in the third and final round with a solid 52. McBeth trailed Simon closely with a closing 53, but had to settle for a 2nd place tie with Jeremy Koling, a full 5 shots back of Lizotte.

Team Innova claimed a six pack of wins on the weekend as well, including Valarie Jenkins’ and Nathan Sexton’s sweep at the North Umpqua Invitational in Glide, OR. Nate’s opening round 43 set a new course record and carried a PDGA rating of 1077. He closed out the win, on his birthday no less, with a 1064-rated round of 47.

Gregg Hosfeld and Sandy Gast added a sweep of their own at the Orlando Open in Florida. Just up I-95 Brian Schweberger and Stephen Miller finished 1-2 in Men’s Open at the 2014 Tour De Richmond in Richmond, VA. And last but not least, Devin Frederick took down his fourth consecutive, Men’s Open title at the People’s Championship in Lehigh Valley, PA.

After only two years, an invite to the Georgia Team Invitational is becoming very sought-after commodity. Matt Dollar and Keith Johnson have teamed up with North Georgia Canopy Tours to offer a unique event on a beautiful and challenging course. Team “Charlottans” were honored to take home the win, one of the Spirit Awards, and both male and female MVPs. Austin Turner won Male MVP, winning all his matches and carding an ace. Also on the team were Alan Beaver and Innovites Henry Childres, Josh Day, and Matt Peckham.

We have two exciting weekends of tournament action ahead. This weekend we will watch as more than 1000 women will participate in Women’s Global Event tournaments around the world. The 2014 WGE stands to be one of the most significant occasions in the history of women’s disc golf.

Then on May 16th the National Tour returns to one of the country’s most beloved venues, DeLaveaga DGC in Santa Cruz, CA. Will Simon Lizotte maintain his momentum and grab his first NT? Will Paul McBeth win his third consecutive Masters Cup title? One thing is for sure… the 2014 tournament season is as competitive as we’ve ever seen so you better stay tuned.

Mister Masters

4.29.14

Barry Schultz may not have captured the US title last year, but he came charging back to take the title for the fourth time in five years. His stellar play in the typical windy conditions of Tulsa left him with a seven stroke margin of victory.

Barry Schultz grabbed the early lead at the Tim Selinske US Masters Championships over teammate Brian Schweberger. Barry fired a 1065-rated opening round of 48 that would propel him to his 4th (2010, 2011, 2012, and 2014) US Masters title. Barry adds just one more highlight to his brilliant competitive career. Other top finishers include Patrick Brown (3rd), Ken Climo (4th), and defending US Masters Champion, Brian Schweberger (5th). Kevin McCoy finished a solid 8th, most impressive after working hard to help prep courses for this PDGA Major event.

Along with Barry’s US Masters win, Team Innova had a host of impressive performances around the world this past weekend.
Paul McBeth emerged victorious at the The Rumble held across three cities; Bettendorf, Davenport, & Moline, IA/IL. He too grabbed the lead in round one and put it on cruise, notching a comfortable 7-throw win. McBeth continues to fine tune his game as he eyes the season’s next PDGA National Tour event, The Masters Cup in Santa Cruz, CA.

Across the pond it was Pasi Koivu and KJ Nybo dominating the field at the Copenhagen Open in Denmark. KJ held the lead early, however it was Pasi who turned up the heat down the stretch and took home the win. In addition, both players secured invitations to the 2014 United States Disc Golf Championship this October.

Joe Rovere picked up a nice win at the Pendaries Spring Classic in New Mexico, outlasting Ricky Wysocki who has been white-hot as of late. Joe found himself up one with three holes to play. A birdie on Hole 16 earned him another stroke advantage. He then needed only to play it safe on 17 & 18, which he did successfully to win by two. Teammate Jared Roan also placed well finishing in 5th.

Later this summer, Portland will host the 2014 PDGA Professional World Championships. Veteran promoters in the area have their hands full with event preparations, however not too full to run a ”Lite” version of the esteemed Beaver State Fling in nearby Estacada. Nate Sexton and Valarie Jenkins won Men’s and Women’s Open respectively; wins that will no doubt provide confidence when they return to the same courses in August.

Other top performances this weekend include:
Mike Moser – Seneca Creek Soiree, Gaithersburg, MD (1st Place Mens Open)
Christian Dietrich – Kooky Noosa Challenge, Libby, MT (1st Place Mens Open)
Bobby Musick – Lakeside Battle at La Mirada, La Mirada, CA (1st Place Mens Open)

Another incredible weekend of tournament action awaits as more than 500 golfers converge on Emporia, KS for the annual Glass Blown Open. Host city for the 2013 Amateur World Championships, Emporia truly embraces the disc golf community and provides a world-class disc golf experience.

For a complete list of upcoming PDGA events visit http://www.pdga.com/tour/events

Women’s Global Event- Boosting Female Participation

4.15.14

How to gain more female disc golfers remains to be a tough question, but the PDGA Women’s Global Event along with other all-women events and leagues are helping to bridge the gulf between the number of male and female disc golfers.

In what has become one of the PDGA’s most visible tools to promote female disc golf participation, women and girls will join together on May 10th at the 2014 WGE through dozens of participating tournaments across the U.S. and several countries. Participants of all ages and skill levels will earn a ‘global score’ from the first two rounds of their local tournament so they can see how they compare to females across the globe.

It’s a rare chance to see so many females from so many divisions gather all at once in a sport that sees so few women during regular co-ed tournaments.
”I think it’s really cool – for especially new girls – to go to a tournament that gives them a place to start and see where they fit in the world as far as their game,” said Erin Oakley, of Lansing, Mich., who is organizing a WGE tournament in Michigan.

The inaugural WGE in 2012 saw 636 registered players and broke history as the largest PDGA event for a single demographic. PDGA Women’s Committee Chair Valarie Jenkins, whose website Discgolf4women.com has been instrumental in WGE communication, said the 2012 WGE boosted female participation in disc golf and inspired female event directors to push forward.
”I considered it a success when I was getting emails from players that had never played in a tournament – and some that never played disc golf – looking for more info and wanting to sign up,” said Jenkins in an email.

Taking a page from the first Global Event in 2011 (co-ed), the WGE (run every other year) was organized by the PDGA’s Women’s Committee, which aims to attract and retain females to organized disc golf events.

WGE Tournament Director Karolyn O’Cull’s goal is to run a smooth event and increase turnout. Her team is off to a good start. Current registration has already well surpassed last year’s registrants.
When asked if the WGE would reach 1,000 players this year, O’Cull replied in an email, ”Of course, but I think it is a more reasonable goal for 2016.”

The more WGE participants, the better. Disc golf can use the exposure to boost female participation. Of the 8,304 active PDGA members in 2003, 625 or 7.5 % were females. Flash forward 10 years and of the active 20,587 members in 2013, the female percentage is virtually the same at 7.4%. Total up every member to sign up since 1976 (more than 62,000), females still account for only 7%.
”We’re growing rapidly, but the number of men compared to the number of women is not changing at all,” said PDGA Memberships Manager Sara Nicholson, who also acts as the PDGA staff representative to the Women’s Committee.

So what’s keeping more females from playing disc golf?
”This is a great question and I am not sure there is one right answer,” wrote O’Cull, who is on the PDGA Board of Directors and acts as the board’s liaison to the Women’s Committee.
Many feel the same way, but there are recurring clues as to why females aren’t playing including:

• A sport with so few females isn’t initially attractive.
• It can be intimidating to play alongside men, especially for beginner females.
• Women are generally the caregivers of children, so it’s challenging for mothers to find the time.

Though Nicholson agrees there’s no magic answer, she does find female growth in areas like Michigan that develop women’s leagues and clinics that foster female camaraderie and support.

Erin Oakley, also a Women’s Committee member, has had an average total of about 40 females the last few years in her female disc golf league in Lansing and she believes more should take the plunge.
”I hear so many times that girls don’t want to play in a women’s league because they’re not good enough. That’s not the case,” said Oakley, later adding that once women join they find that they’re actually better than they thought.

Genevieve Belanger, a member of the Charlotte Disc Golf Club Womens League, says she enjoys playing with women because they’re encouraging and they play at her speed. Plus, it’s not hyper-competitive says Belanger.
”It’s all about getting together and having a good time and improving your game,” said Belanger.

Though female golfers are the minority in regular PDGA events, given the right circumstances they become much more visible. By playing in their local WGE tournament, many of which are all-female, it’s easier for women to participate and feel they’re a part of something bigger.
”You can use the Women’s Global (Event) to grow the sport in so many ways,” said Nicholson, who is leading a WGE tourney at the International Disc Golf Center in Appling, Ga.

Glancing at the current WGE registered players there are all skill levels including many recreational and novice players. Plus, once you pay your local tourney entry fee, this year there’s no further cost to participate in the WGE.

Belanger, of Concord, NC, hadn’t been playing long before she played in the 2012 WGE in nearby Charlotte, which she said was a great experience. At the tournament, she was able to play with similarly skilled women, learn tips, and give advice to younger females. She’s playing again this year and helped encourage a woman new to disc golf to join her.

The WGE, which includes junior divisions, could also be that first step for school-aged girls since many are unaware of disc golf.

Can you imagine the PDGA without 3-time World Champ Valarie Jenkins? When asked if she would’ve found disc golf if her parents hadn’t been so involved in the sport Jenkins replied:
”I don’t know. In the town that I lived in, it (disc golf) wasn’t a huge influence. My parents were the ones driving the sport. I don’t think I would if my parents weren’t so involved and so much of a driving force,” said Jenkins.

You can see why O’Cull believes disc golf has to find girls much sooner through early education. Through a grant, the PDGA supports the EDGE program, which incorporates disc golf into the school curriculum. Disc golf can also find girls through Girl Scouts, homeschooling groups, and clinics, says O’Cull.

Females 25 through 39 years old make up 52% of the PDGA’s female membership, but there’s plenty of room for growth. Women only events like Oakley’s Disc Girls Gone Wild (in its 8th year) with its friendly atmosphere, sweet player’s pack, and female camaraderie have become a yearly female destination and help new women get hooked on the sport.

Sometimes women’s leagues fizzle-out because of low turnout, but Oakley urges league directors to be patient. She said it took two years for her league (with an average age of 30-ish) to show life and it took four years for her main event, Disc Girls Gone Wild to get going.

Stephanie Vincent, who co-directs Women Throwing Frisbees – a Central Texas women’s league, says she’s struggled to maintain strong weekly attendance since a lot of her members are mothers and find it difficult to play regularly.

Although league attendance is important, Vincent’s main goal is just to get females to meet and play whenever they can, and posting informal tee times on the Women Throwing Frisbee’s Facebook page is great for that.
”I’m basically just acting as a link for women to get up and talk to each other,” said Vincent, another Women’s Committee member.

Vincent encourages mothers to bring their children along to disc golf outings if they’re able. ”We’re trying to make it kid friendly,” said Vincent, who hopes disc golf promoters look closer into child care at events as a way to attract more females.

To find even more adult female disc golfers, promoters will likely have to go beyond the course. Oakley plans on passing out free disc golf promo bags to female strangers this year, while Vincent’s league Facebook page and websites like Discgolf4women.com as well as PDGA.com/women and their Facebook pages continue to reel-in new females from the web.

The effects of this year’s WGE will most likely add to the ranks of female disc golfers and may encourage others to play more seriously. It did for Belanger, who said she sought out more tournaments after her 2012 experience.

The emergence of all-female event series like the Poppy Series in Northern California and Oakley’s new Michigan series this year could be the competitive atmosphere more women need to take disc golf a step further.
Jenkins thinks these women’s series, which she says statistically get more women competitors than co-ed events, could be the look of the future.

Right now, though, the focus is on this year’s WGE. Who knows how many females will find the love for disc golf after playing the event? A more gender balanced disc golf won’t happen overnight, but the WGE is making steps toward that.
”It’s a great introduction to try a new sport,” said Jenkins.

Todd Harrell – Innova Disc Golf

GStar Prototype Daedalus

04.08.14

New High Speed Understable Driver
Just announced! The Daedalus, a new distance driver for humans who want to soar with gods. The Daedalus has wings to fly far down the fairway. Click ”Read More” to enter. WINNERS PICKED!

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