Professional disc golfers from around the globe will converge on the Monterey Bay Area this weekend for the Pro Disc Golfers Association Disc Golf World Championships.
The event, which draws disc golfers from as far away as Australia and Norway will be played at four local disc golf courses August 7 through 13 for the first time in county history.
The disc golfers will battle for a share of the largest pot in disc golf history, totaling more than $100,000 in three categories: Open, Masters and Women’s. Matches will be hosted by at DeLaveaga, Pinto Lake in Watsonville, California State University Monterey Bay, and the Ryan Ranch in Monterey.
Local masters competitors Jonathan Baldwin and Tim Messer of Scotts Valley and Chris Edwards of Felton will put pressure current masters champ and current leader Patrick Brown of San Francisco
“Over the last year or two (Brown) has really improved his game,” said Baldwin, who turned pro 11 years ago and is currently ranked fifth in the world in the masters division. “He and I have been just one stroke apart in the last couple tournaments we have played together.”
Publicity director for the championship and Felton resident, Jack Trageser is sidelined from action with a torn rotator cuff.
“I’d be playing if not for an injured shoulder,” Trageser said.
Baldwin said former Scotts Valley High School teacher Jamie Tuckey will travel up from his current home in Oceanside and will stay with Baldwin during the tournament.
The competitors docket filled to the maximum amount of 433 players quickly, according to Trageser.
Pro disc golfers from Norway, Sweden, Iceland, England, Australia, and all over the U.S. will play.
As a perk, gear, discs and merchandise will be handed out by big name sponsors like Keen, DGA, Latitude 64, and Innova to each competitor.
The game of disc golf has evolved over the last few decades, Baldwin said. What was once a game played from phone pole to street sign has evolved into a high-stakes technologically advanced, performance based challenge.
Disc golf discs are nothing like the early pie pan shaped plastic “Frisbees”. The air streamed saucers can cover 350 to 450 feet when thrown by an experienced disc golfer according to ten time world champion Ken Climo. Certain weight distributions and shapes then curve the throw left or right depending on the circumstance.
“These discs have already reached the pinnacle of their evolution,” Baldwin said. “There may be ways to design a disc that will get you 5 percent more distance, but the governing bodies that be, have regulated disc performance. Now it is up to the Indian and not the arrow to be the deciding factor.”
At a glance
For a complete schedule and player information: www.2011proworlds.com
