The South Gibson Star-Times serves the towns of Haubstadt, Owensville and Fort Branch.
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1471837
B-2 Tuesday, June 28, 2022 South Gibson Star-Times Lincoln Schmitt hits a volley at the net. World amateur disc golf tournament comes to area By Janice Barniak SG Star-Times Editor editor@sgstartimes.com The Professional Disc Golf Association amateur world tournament brought 411 play- ers to the region from around the world last week, beginning on June 18 through June 26 and using the Princeton Coun- tr y Club, Evansville's Mesker Park course, the Haubstadt park course, and Prides Creek Course in Petersburg. Indiana had 17 members make it to the PDGA finals, more than any other state. The economic impact of hosting the world tournament regionally was estimated by Vanderburgh County Visi- tors and Tourism as between $800,000 to $1 million. Many players came to play the cours- es a week earlier, which trans- lated into two weeks of hotel rooms, gas, dining, and more. Players even overcame storm damage at Prides Creek Park that happened June 17, with crews working quickly to clear the course for the tour- nament. According to Dads Fore Disc Golf organizer Steven Waites, one positive achieve- ment of the tournament was outside the excellent disc golfing done by the players. He said the entire tournament was paper-free and as waste- free as possible. Players used reusable plastic water bottles provided by the tournament, maps were provided digitally to players' phones, even box- es that supplies came in were recycled. "It was pretty cool to have that, knowing that," he said. Locals also came together to welcome players Tuesday at a block party in downtown Princeton that a few hundred players attended. The next step for the Dads Fore Disc Golf non-profit would be to modify courses to possibly host the Junior Disc Golf world tournament or to put in a bid on the master's world tournament. Players from Iceland espe- cially appreciated the courses Indiana had to offer, he added, and many attending the tour- nament enjoyed camping at Prides Creek. "Ever yone stepped up," he said of organizations coming together to provide Hoosier hospitality, along with the lo- cal staff, many of whom didn't play so they could assist with the organization of the tour- nament, which was sponsored by Toyota. "People made the players feel welcome," he said. Kinley Brasher intently watches the ball and has her racket ready to wallop it. Brianna Waters and brother Nolan play disc golf on the county courthouse square during the PDGA Amateur World Disc Golf championship block party Tuesday in Princeton. Nolan is going to play in the world junior division next month. Disc golfer Cadence Burge hugs her father after winning the women's disc golf world tournament in her division. Photo courtesy PDGA World Amateurs. Brittany Lundy, of You Do It Snowcones out of Ferdinand, ser ved snowcones to disc golfers during the PDGA Amateurs last week. By one estimate, the economic impact of the tournament was approximately $1 million. Levyn McEllhiney ser ves customers at a Princeton block party for disc golfers June 21. More than 170 kids attended the Gibson Southern tennis camp last week in three different sessions each night. Coaches and junior and varsity players helped out to run the camp that taught the basic shots and then each camper participate play in a match on Friday night.