🇺🇸 The "best" tournament of the year

PDGA's Future, 700' Drives, and New Discs

October 06, 2022

Hello and welcome, this is The Players Meeting. The only newsletter that will ship your lost disc across country.Email Read Time: 5 Minutes & 27 Seconds

If you missed Tuesday’s edition, then I got you: The Lone Star Sidearm

Let’s get into it.

United States Disc Golf Championship

PREVIEW (10/6-9)

At the end of the Tour grind, Winthrop Arena sits waiting to challenge the top competitors. This prestigious event is hard to win with only a few repeats.

Since 1999, this event has always been controversial. The old guard defends it at all costs, while some label is as outdated or “gimmicky”.

Regardless, USDGC always turns pressure into diamonds with excitement through the end. Starting today, you’ll be treated to a “one of a kind” course filled with uniqueness, heartbreak , and celebration.

COURSE CHANGES

While it’s played at the same venue for 24 years, Winthrop evolves from feedback, skill changes, and other needs like spectator numbers.

This year has no shortage of changes including rocks lining OB and Christmas trees. Players need to manage the hard front 9 to attack the back 9.

  • Hole 2 - Shortened to par 3 and removed parking lot as possible route (recurring change with increased spectators)

  • Hole 3 - Combined previous 3 & 4 into par 4

  • Hole 4 - 2019’s gauntlet reintroduced

  • Hole 11 - Large hazard zones changed to pockets and bump outs. The change is welcomed by Big Jerm who called it a “brilliant reinterpretation of the original concept.”

  • Hole 13 - New MPO tee behind FPO’s and removal of island green for parking. Gone are the days of Locastro’s skip albatross

LAST YEAR RECAP

MPO/ It was a shootout. Hot rounds changed hands each day. Round 1: Nate Sexton & Terry Rothlisberger (-10, 1071 rated). Round 2: Chris Dickerson (-11, 1073). Round 3: Paul McBeth (-11, 1085) - giving him a 1-stroke lead into the final day.

Throughout Final Round, McBeth was on an island as the only players giving him a run were on chase card. He even lost the lead to Kyle Klein with several swing holes left.

But McBeth was on a mission and etched the letters C-L-U-T-C-H into his putters. Holes 14, 15, and 17 were all must-make putts that only he could manufacture. Pushing Klein into a playoff, McBeth made one final putt to secure his 3rd USDGC ring.

FPO/ Held on a modified layout, the Throw Pink Women’s DG Championship has continued its “awkward” A-Tier status while the USDGC is MPO’s 4th Major.

Last year, it seemed like a runaway victory by Paige Pierce who led the 1st day with an incredible -7 (1025 rated). But tragedy struck on Day 3 as Pierce crumbled with a +18.

Missy Gannon strut into the lead with smart decisions and safe play. She strung together -4 (999 rated) in Round 3 and E (997) in Round 4 to win her 1st TPWDGC.

Weeks later, she won the DGPT Championship, Player of the Year, and the nickname “Big Money Missy.”

You’ll be able to watch live all weekend on DGN as a subscriber or PPV package. Post-production will exist only on DGN until 11/8.

What Input is Needed?

The conversation surrounding transgender athletes has picked up traction and not just within our community. The Quillette - an online magazine based in Australia - published an article after Natalie Ryan’s recent MVP Open win.

The article intros the current landscape with testimonials from anonymous touring FPO pros. It explained how other sports are experiencing regulation changes and how the PDGA’s enforcement is “loose” - not requiring proof of compliance.

Whether this article sparked something, the PDGA is making moves on the eve of off-season. Yesterday (10/5) an email survey was sent out to all PDGA members.

It was filled with “uncomfortable” topics and loaded questions to be answered anonymously. It was created, not by the PDGA, but by Western Carolina University’s research study on “transgender people’s participation in sport.”

Some of the agree/disagree questions:

  • “It bothers me more to see a woman who is pushy than a man who is pushy.”

  • “The newer lifestyles are contributing to the breakdown of our society.”

  • “We have gone too far in pushing equal rights in this country.”

It’s unclear if the PDGA has already made their decision on FPO’s future or if they’re polling to finish it. Like many topics in this fine country, there are loud and strong opinions on both sides.

Whether the debate should be about inclusivity or fairness, it’s your opinion and you’re entitled to it. But the PDGA will eventually make a decision, and not all of its members will agree.

Today’s USDGC Edition is Sponsored by Powergrip USA

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Buy all 3 to complete your new glow set, and save 10% with code PLYRSMTGOCT22.

Random Dubs

1️⃣ The US Distance Championship happened on Monday, October 3rd at Winthrop University. It was on flat ground with average wind conditions.

David Wiggins Jr. took the Open title with a 698 ft smash, while Ella Hansen won Open Women’s at 552 ft. Hansen is just shy of Jennifer Allen’s current world record at 569 ft, so it’s only a matter of when Hansen will take it.

2️⃣ Nearly 2 weeks ago, the DG haven on Prince Edward Island, Canada was hit by Hurricane Fiona and took major damage over several courses. This area is slated to host the brand new Discmania Open as a DGPT Silver event in July 2023.

After the carnage, the community hosted the Maritime Love Drive that ended Sunday, October 2nd. They sold ~5,000 raffle tickets with >120 prizes to raise over $20k for course funds.

Meme of the Week

Thanks for reading today. Get out and play catch this weekend!

- Charlie

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