New disc golf course opens in Rosemount MN

Sean Buckley tossed a disc at the Brockway Park Disc Golf Course in Rosemount. Disc golf was added to the new park in response to the growing populairty of the sport. The park is being developed on the site of a former glass manufacturer. Playscapes and picnic shelters will be added this fall.

Innova Destroyer now in Champion plastic

About the Destroyer
The Destroyer is a very fast stable long distance driver. This disc is much like a faster Wraith, but with a little more high and low speed stability. Great disc for sidearm throwers and those with lots of power. Can handle headwinds and throws with off axis torque. Not suggested for beginning players.

Innova Xcaliber now in Champion plastic

About the XCaliber
The XCaliber is for those who have got to have the biggest and the baddest. Extremely fast with glide and stability. The XCaliber achieves maximum distance when thrown low, flat, and hard. This is the one for confident bombs in windy conditions. The XCaliber has the stability to let the biggest arms throw with full power. If you have a cannon for an arm, you'll want an XCaliber. Great disc for sidearm throwers and those with lots of power. Can handle headwinds and throws with off axis torque. Definitely not designed for beginning players.

Worlds wrap up

Avery Jenkins Wins World Championship
Completes Family Sweep in Open Division

by Dr. John G. Duesler, Jr.

It took one week, 140 holes, and a swarm of butterflies in the gut, but Avery Jenkins overcame some late putting problems and a strong closing surge by Josh Anthon to capture his first Professional World Championship title in Kansas City at the 2009 PDGA World Championships.

Avery Jenkins brought a two throw lead with him into the final nine holes, played at the scenic Blue Valley course in Kansas City. But a drive that came up short on hole five, and a missed putt on six left the door open for Anthon to capitalize and move himself into a first place tie.

The estimated gallery of 1500 fans that surrounded the Men's Open group throughout the afternoon were delighted at the intense drama that unfolded near the end. On the 476 feet long, hole nine of the finals, both Jenkins and Anthon had solid drives onto the island green, leaving them with relatively easy upshots and drop-ins to force the sudden death. And while Jenkins neatly hit the bottom the basket to rest easily with his drop-in, Anthon shorted his second throw, leaving himself with mind-numbing 27-feet putt that he needed to force the extra holes.

Anthon eyed the basket carefully, as the electrified gallery held their breath to see if Josh could make what, at that point, was the biggest putt of his career. He backed off his lie once, as if to punctuate the importance of that single throw, but stepped back up quickly and confidently and proceeded to hit the heart of the chains to make the shot and set the immense crowd roaring and sprinting into position to watch the epic battle continue in sudden death.

Both players seemed very tight on the first two holes, as each misthrew crucial upshots on hole one, and laid up on hole two to keep things tied up. But, if there were any butterflies on the first two holes, Jenkins and Anthon showed no signs of them on hole three, where they each unleashed booming uphill drives that were all of 400 feet into the fairway.

After the sudden death moved past the third and fourth holes, the fateful, and shorter hole five is where the tournament would be decided. Jenkins lead off with a low-liner up the sloping 287-feet hole, leaving himself with an 18-feet putt. Anthon's drive looked similar to Jenkins's, but the disc never faded towards the basket and landed some 35 feet away.

Again the crowd was hushed as Josh slowly climbed the hill towards what he knew was a must-make putt. And while his excellent throw was definitely chain high, Anthon's toss was off-center enough for the disc to fly-by without going in the basket.

This left the crowd bellowing chants of, "Come on Avery" and "Finish this now," as Jenkins stepped over his historic last putt. With the confidence that a World Champion must have, Jenkins smashed the chains in the middle of the post and won his first professional world championship, clearly the biggest win in his outstanding career.

Only one other Men's Open World Championship required a playoff, as Gregg Hosfeld defeated Mike Sullivan in Toronto in 1987.

For Avery Jenkins, his World Championship win was especially poignant, as his sister, Valarie Jenkins had earlier captured her third consecutive women's World Championship by defeating Des Reading.

The Professional Disc Golf Association would like to express our most sincere gratitude and thanks to the Kansas City Flying Disc Club for a most excellent 2009 PDGA Disc Golf World Championships. 922 players from 13 countries and 44 states attended the event making it the largest world championships in history. It was also stated by many of the competitors that this was also one of, if not the best, world championships in history. Tournament Directors Jack Lowe and John Chapman, along with Rick Rothstein and a bevvy of volunteers put on a show that will be tough to match for years to come and they should all be very proud of their accomplishments.

Log on to PDGA.com over the next couple of days as we will be publishing additional feature wrap up stories on the 2009 PDGA Disc Golf World Championships.

The PDGA would like to congratulate the following members for claiming world championship titles in the respective divisions:

Open - Avery Jenkins

Open Women - Valarie Jenkins

Pro Master - Phil Arthur

Pro Women Master - Elaine King

Pro Grandmaster - David Greenwell

Pro Women Grandmaster - Kathy Hardyman

Pro Senior Grandmaster - Dr. Rick Voakes

Legends - Jerry Robbins, Sr.

Advanced Men - Matt Keatts

Advanced Women - Maureen Higgins

Advanced Masters - Joe Rotan

Advanced Masters Women - Marie Fry

Advanced Grandmmasters - Paul Wright

Advanced Grandmasters Women - Sue B. Lande

Advanced Senior Grandmasters - Gary Camp

Junior <19 Boys - Nageeb Laborde

Junior <19 Girls - Audrey Quirk

Junior <16 Boys - Oscar Stenfelt

Junior <16 Girls - Nicole Cazares

Junior <13 Boys - Andrew Coggin

Junior <13 Girls - Gabriella Gray

Junior <10 Boys - Nicholas Duran

Junior <10 Girls - Lydia Dillen

Vibram Gets in the Game with Unique Rubber Disc Golf Putters

NORTH BROOKFIELD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Vibram is changing the course of disc golf with the introduction of two putter styles and a mini course marker, all made of Vibram rubber instead of the traditional plastic. Disc golfers throw discs from a tee area to a target (hole), completing each hole in as few throws as possible. Discs of various profiles (driver, mid-range and putter) with different flight characteristics are used, depending on the distance and terrain, just as woods, irons and putters are used in traditional golf.

“Usually, plastic has been the material of choice for discs,” explained Vibram Open Tournament Director Steven Dodge. “The Vibram X-Link rubber compound offers a step up in both grip and durability. Over the life of the disc, this will lead to a more consistent flight, which is the overall goal.”

The exclusive X-Link Vibram rubber compound offers many advantages over the traditional plastic material including more durability in hot and cold conditions and better grip, which leads to greater flight consistency. Designed by Quabaug Corporation, the exclusive North American manufacturing licensee for Vibram, the putters and mini will be launched at the Vibram Open at Maple Hill in Leicester, Mass. August 14-16.

Unlike plastic, which tends to shatter in cold and become floppy in heat, Vibram disc putters withstand extreme temperatures for consistent flight regardless of weather. The Vibram putters also resist scuffing, denting and warping, resulting in more reliable throws. As with all products made by Vibram, grip is paramount.

The VP (Vibram Putter) is a driving putter available in standard or firm X-Link. Referred to by one field tester as “the greatest driving putter ever made,” the VP will be released at the Vibram Open. The Summit, with a name borrowed from Vibram’s hiking legacy, is a straight putter for anhyzer (slice) approaches or drives. The Vibram Mini, boldly emblazoned with the Vibram logo, gets style points as a course marker. Expected MSRP for each putter is $17.95. Both putters and the mini will be available at Pinnacle Retail stores on August 14th.

About Quabaug Corporation and Vibram

With proven technology and a 70-year history in the manufacture of soling for footwear, Quabaug Corporation is uniquely qualified to offer disc golf products that capitalize on the superior resilience of rubber. Located in North Brookfield, Massachusetts, Quabaug Corporation employs 300 people and manufactures Vibram® shoe soling and QuaBoing® resilient rubber surfacing.

Quabaug Corporation also offers dog toys, training tools, leashes and collars in its line of Vibram® Pet Products. These include Vibram balls, sticks, discs and the Shooey Chewie tug toy, which are all molded in the USA from rubber compliant with California Proposition 65. In addition, they provide specialized hoof protection products for farriers.

Vibram is a registered trademark of Vibram S.p.A of Italy. Quabaug Corporation is the North American manufacturer of Vibram products under exclusive license. Visit Vibram at www.vibram.us.

New course at Bunker Hills to be done by mid Sept.

I have been talking to the director of Parks for Anoka county, and the landscape Architect for the county. The word is the Bunker Hills DGC work will begin this month and be open in early to mid Sept. The layout is 18 holes par 60. longest hole 850ft. 4 par 4's, one par 5, rest par 3's. The location is the first left in the park coming in from the Bunker Lake blvd side. This is the course layout.

Ringer is fantastic

I have played again with the new Discraft Ringer. It has replaced several discs in my bag. I can use this disc for most all shots from inside of 200ft., and it goes where I want it to go. If you don't have one, get one.

Check out this new distance driving video

http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=106382108943&h=nBzZm&u=fql4F&ref=nf

Ham Lake Park disc golf course to be expanded

The high amount of use of the disc golf course at Ham Lake Park led the Ham Lake City Council to approve expanding it from nine holes to 18 holes.

Public Works Superintendent Tom Reiner estimated that between 100 and 150 people probably play the course every day.

Chad Nowak plays disc golf at the Ham Lake Park course last month with some friends. The course will be expanded from nine holes to 18 holes starting sometime around Aug. 1. File photo by Eric Hagen

“It seems to be a good use of the park,” Mayor Paul Meunier said. “I can’t imagine anything getting that much use that we now have other than the baseball fields or the softball fields.”

Reiner told ABC Newspapers that the new nine holes will be installed sometime around Aug. 1.

Councilmember Gary Kirkeide questioned the impact the new nine holes would have on the park.

Reiner said the nine holes would be near the Don Hansen ballfield complex and more developed recreational areas and would not impact the less developed portions of Ham Lake Park.

According to Reiner, expanding the disc golf course means there would be additional walking trails, which he said improves the park.

The work will be done in-house and is capped at $4,000, Reiner said.

The disc golf baskets that players throw the frisbees into are easy to relocate if necessary.

“All we’re talking about is a basket cemented in the ground,” Reiner said. “We pull the basket out, fill the hole and we can move the hole anywhere we want.”

There have been concerns raised by some residents about trash and noise, but the council unanimously approved the expansion.

Trash cans were recently installed by the existing nine holes and Reiner said he only spotted a couple of cans when he played the course over the Fourth of July weekend and a couple of days since the park was last maintained, so there has been improvement in that aspect.

Where to find the best disc golf info online

The best tips on how to play
Discraft
Disc golf reviews
Innova
PDGA website
Youtube teaching videos
Flying disc magazine

Rules

Tournaments

Course listings

Best places to buy discs
Disc golf center
Gota go gota throw
Marshal Street

Best Flight Chart

Best disc golf interactive site

7 Reasons that you should try Disc Golf

July 7, 2009 by sgpease

1. Get some exercise. You can walk from 1/2 mile for a short 9 hole course, up to 2.5 miles for a long 27 hole course. Or play more rounds if you want more exercise. One Saturday last summer, some friends and I played 100 holes on 6 different courses at Highbridge Hills in northern Wisconsin. We played just under 60 holes on 3 courses the day before. So you can get a lot of exercise if you want.

2. Anyone, at any age can get out and get some sun and fresh air. There are players much older than me. I am in my early 50’s, and I can compete with the younger guys just fine. I have taken my 8 year old grandson out and he did fine. My point here is that you can play from young to older than most sports, and still be competitive.

3. Disc golf is easy to play and easy to learn. You can go out your first time and have a good time and not feel like a first timer. If you want to get good, it takes a lot of time and practice to get there. There are many shots that take touch, and many that take power. To get good, you need to be able to do both.

4. Inexpensive. Most courses are free. The ones that aren’t are very reasonable, generally $3 to $5 for the day. The discs are also very inexpensive. You can get started with 3 discs that you can get for under $30 for the 3. Even if you really get into the sport and spend allot, you still will be way under what most other sports will cost you. If you don’t loose the discs, they can last you for many years.

5. There are over 2700 courses worldwide, most in the U.S. There are more being built all the time. The sport is one of the fastest growing sports. The reasons here are are part of it. the other part of it is that cities can build the courses in already existing parks, and the cost to them is also relatively inexpensive.

6. It’s a lot of fun. Every throw has it’s challenge. There are trees to go around, ponds to go over or around, corners to navigate. You sometimes have to throw disc a direction that the disc doesn’t want to go.

7. It may be the only sport left that you can go out, learn to play and become a pro if you are 2o, 30, 40, even 50 or more years old. The pros get paid, not big paydays now, but they can make money. There are also tournaments all over for different skill levels if you want to go that way. Or you can just play for fun on your own with your family and friends.

If any of these reasons make you think maybe I should give it a try. Go for it. There are even some courses that rent discs, so you don’t even have to buy anything to give it a try. If you do try it, you won’t be disappointed. You will really love the game if you give it a try.

Disc Golf - Choosing Your first Discs

Steve Pease

There are well over 200 discs on the market to choose from. How do you choose which ones to start with when you are just starting to play disc golf?

Choosing the wrong discs will frustrate you, and could even make you decide to not pursue playing the sport. The newest, fastest, and latest discs to hit the market are likely not the best discs for you to start with.

You really need 3 main discs to start with the basics of how to play the game.
1. You need a Driver. The disc to get you from the tee box down the fairway. For a new player, any shots over about 200 feet would call for a driver.
2. You need an approach disc, to get you from the end of your drive, to close enough to putt the disc in the basket.
3. You need a putter, to putt the disc in the basket from 30 feet or less.

Driver. Your first driver should be easy to throw, easy to control, and not be subject to throwing the disc with a lot of snap to make it fly correctly. I recommend the Lightning #1 Slice as your first driver. It’s easy to throw, easy to control, and under 170g, and it floats. Get the disc in the 165g range for the best starting weight.

Approach disk. This disc is very important to get you scoring better. You must get the approach close enough to putt for par. The best disc in my opinion for a beginner is the Innova shark, in DX plastic. It can be thrown flat, or turn it for control to the basket. It just goes where you want it to go.

Putter. This is the disc to get you from your approach shot into the basket. My recommendation for the putter is a Discraft APX soft. This disc is not too hard, not too soft. It will fly flat and will grab the chains well.

As you play and get better and stronger and have more control, you will want to try more discs, faster and more over stable. If you get hooked you will want to try them all, but wait until you are ready for them.

I have been throwing discs since the late 1970’s and have thrown many discs. I learned what was best for me by trial and error as most players do. I feel that these discs will work well for all beginners. I still carry all 3 of these discs in my bag to this day, and use them for a variety of shots I do also have 16 other discs I carry in my bag. They all have their place.

Another reason these are my picks are that they are all under $10 each. A very inexpensive way to start playing one of the best sports you will ever play.