Disc golf tournament
Disc golf is quickly gaining in popularity with courses springing up all over the Maritimes and a sanctioned tour being established that will see New Minas hosting a tournament.
New Minas recreation director John Ansara said the tournament is being played Oct. 1 and 2 at the disc golf course outside the Louis Millett Community Complex at Lockhart and Ryan Memorial Park.
“It’s essentially a walk in a park but you get to throw things at the same time,” Ansara said. “There’s appeal there.”
Registration is Oct. 1 at 9:30 a.m. and play begins at 10 a.m. Two 24-hole rounds will be played Oct. 1 and the final round of 24 holes will be played Oct. 2. The plan is to make the tournament an annual event.
Ansara said he’s fallen in love with the sport. It’s gaining momentum and there are some professional disc golfers in the United States. The Maritime Disc Golf Association, under the umbrella of the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA), has been around for a few years now.
New Minas was the first permanent 18-hole disc golf course in Nova Scotia. Since it opened, others have sprung up in Chester, Bridgewater, Halifax, Truro, Antigonish and one could soon open in Windsor.
There’s now a tour with twoday tournaments being held in Sackville and Fredericton, New Brunswick, Halifax, New Minas and in PEI.
The tournaments are sanctioned by the PDGA and there are tour standings. Players submit scores and are assigned a rating, similar to a golf handicap. This allows players to determine which division to sign up for so they’re competing against players with similar skill levels.
It costs $35 to register in the amateur category or $45 to register for the open category. If the player is a member of the PDGA, then the fees are $30 and $40 respectively. There is also a $10 recreation registration being offered for anyone who wants to give the sport a try. These competitors can play as much or as little of the tournament as they wish.
There will be cash prizes awarded in the open division and merchandise and trophy prizes awarded in the amateur divisions.
Ansara said there’s also a women’s division. Organizers are hopeful that more women will give the sport a try. He said he’d also like to help more kids develop skills and get them playing tournament disc golf. It’s a sport that attracts people who might not be into traditional sports like hockey or baseball.
Ansara said it could be a great incentive to get people out walking. It can be a completely noncompetitive individual pursuit.
He said they’re thankful that The House of Dough has came on board as a sponsor, helping to make the tournament possible.