With disc golf getting more popular, Sportsmen’s League growing, local tournaments planned

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — There is no offseason in disc golf.

“The PDGA starts its season in January and ends in December … December 31st,” Anthony Chase said of the Professional Disc Golf League. “Just like the calendar year.”

Disc golf is played all over the world, on both sides of the equator. So it’s always spring or summer somewhere.

But disc golf — unlike ball-and-club golf — is more conducive to snow-covered fairways where it’s much easier to find an errand disc than an errand ball, no matter what the color.

“I play all seasons,” said Chase, who mentioned the growing popularity of mid-winter tournaments throughout northern Iowa.

Chase also mentioned the growing popularity of the sport itself.

“It has been blowing up during the last 10 years,” he said. “More people come out here than ever before.”

Charles City has two disc golf courses — an 18-hole course at Sportsmen’s Park and an 9-hole course at Riverside Park.

Chase heads the Sportsmen’s Disc Golf Club as well as organizes the Sportsmen’s Park Disc Golf League, which is about to start its third season on May 11.

“We only had a few people for our first league, but last year we grew to 22,” Chase said. “It’s a flex league that plays on Tuesdays so you can play whenever it best fits your schedule.”

Before the league takes flight, it’s holding the inaugural Charles City Mayhem Tournament, May 8, at both Sportsmen’s and Riverside. Among the top prizes for the tournament is a Philo Brathwaite Glow Destroyer disc.

“It’s a way to raise money for upgrades to the courses in the city,” Chase said.

The Pub on the Cedar, Hot Shots Billiards and Sportsmen’s Disc Golf Club are the sponsors for Charles City Mayhem.

The Sportsmen’s Disc Golf Club is also organizing a fundraiser tournament for the Charles City VFW. It will take place July 3 starting at 9 p.m. — and we stress PM.

“It will be a doubles best-shot tournament played at night with glow discs,” Chase said of the tournament entitled “Glow Vets”.

“It’s just another fun way to play disc golf.”

For signup information about the aforementioned league and tournaments, visit the Sportsmen’s Disc Golf League’s Facebook page.