Team Disc Golf World Championship 2016

PDGA&WFDFPDGA and WFDF Announce Inaugural Team Disc Golf World Championship Event in 2016; Host Organizing Bids are Sought 

The Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) and the World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF) are pleased to announce that the inaugural Team Disc Golf World Championship (TDGWC) will be held in mid-2016, and that they are seeking bids from potential local hosts to organize the event. A detailed bid package is now available.

The event will take place over four days. National teams will be composed of 6 players — 4 Open, 1 Woman, and 1 Masters – and all team members must be citizens and resident in the country which he/she is representing for no less than 18 months prior to the event. Teams will compete in multiple competition formats in both individual and doubles matches. Fast-paced matches will be 9 holes so that two matches at a time can be played in one 18-hole round of disc golf. The final competition format is still being discussed but, as a team event, the aggregate score will determine the national team medals and rankings. It is anticipated that there will be no fewer than 12 national teams in the competition, but participation from as many country is encouraged.

This new competition brings forth one of the most competitive, unique and under-utilized formats in disc golf: team play. As demonstrated with the National Collegiate Disc Golf Championship in the United States, team disc golf allows the spectator to build an association with a team, creating almost instant fandom. It allows for different styles of play throughout the competition, such as match play and doubles, to name a few. It also emphasizes the important attributes of cooperation, teamwork, trust and friendship.

“The PDGA couldn’t be more excited about this new competition and the opportunity for disc golf to grow on an international level,” stated Michael Downes, chair of the WFDF Disc Golf Committee and PDGA Events Manager. “Through this event, we hope to capture the excitement of a true World Championship and combine it with the cooperation and trust of being a member of a Team. These teams will represent their country, which is something that has never been done before in disc golf. It will be the World Cup for disc golf!”

Robert “Nob” Rauch, WFDF President, commented that “WFDF is really happy to be working with the PDGA to showcase a truly international disc golf event in this unique format for the sport. As the second largest disc sport discipline, disc golf is growing rapidly beyond its North American base and we expect that featuring national teams in competition will catalyze even further growth in current countries that have an active community as well as in new countries around the globe. This Team Disc Golf World Championship event cements the renewal of the partnership between PDGA and WFDF and we believe that this can only be of benefit to everyone involved in the sport of disc golf.”

In early 2014, PDGA and WFDF signed a memorandum of understanding to renew the cooperation between the organizations in managing and promoting the development of disc golf activities internationally. As a part of the arrangement, both parties agreed to the development of a joint Disc Golf Committee. One of the tasks of the committee was to develop a new jointly-sanctioned World Championship Disc Golf event, the format of which will be the national team competition being announced today.

The WFDF Disc Golf Committee, which mirrors the PDGA International Committee, is chaired by Michael Downes (USA) and includes Paul Arden (AUS), Tapani Aulu (FIN), Peter Bygde (SWE), Dan Doyle (USA), Darius Gricius (LTH), Brian “Guru” Hoeniger (CAN), Atsuhito Kawasaki (JAP), and Bernd Wender (AUT).

About PDGA The Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) is the international governing body for disc golf and is the largest organization for disc golf in the world. The PDGA is a member governed 501(c)(4) non-profit association based in Appling, Georgia, USA. Traditionally focused on the USA and Canada, PDGA activity in other countries has been growing exponentially since 2005, when the International Program was introduced. Today there are more than 5,400 total PDGA International members (out of the 72,000+ PDGA members) and 360+ PDGA Tour Events in Europe, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand. All told, the International Program is now strengthening and supporting the growth of disc golf and the PDGA brand in 28 affiliated countries worldwide.

About WFDF The World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF) is the international sports federation responsible for world governance of flying disc (Frisbee™) sports, including Ultimate, Beach Ultimate, Disc Golf, Freestyle, Guts, and Individual Events. WFDF is a federation of 64 member associations which represent flying disc sports and their athletes in more than 60 countries. WFDF is an international federation recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), a member of ARISF, SportAccord and the International World Games Association, and a registered not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation in the state of Colorado, USA.

For more information, please contact:

Volker Bernardi
Executive Director
World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF)
Neckarstraße 11, D – 55296 Harxheim Chair, Disc Golf Committee (WFDF)
Mobile: +49 176 6419 7702
eMail: ed@wfdf.org
www.wfdf.org

Michael Downes
Events Manager
Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA)
Phone: +1-706-261-6342
eMail: events@pdga.com
www.pdga.com

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