PDGA Am Worlds 2018: Behind the Scenes of a Logistical Marvel
Date Published
The 2018 PDGA Amateur Disc Golf World Championships (Am Worlds) had finally come to a close on Sunday afternoon after a thrilling week of competition in North Carolina. As one of the most complex and logistically challenging events in disc golf, Am Worlds is a testament to the skill and dedication of its organizers. Charlotte has long been recognized as a premier host city for major disc golf tournaments, with its abundance of courses offering varying lengths and difficulties.
The junior divisions may now have their own separate world championships, but Am Worlds remains one of the most prestigious events in the sport. This year's edition drew a staggering 700 competitors from 14 different countries, who were divided into nine amateur divisions. To accommodate such a diverse range of players, the organizers cleverly utilized ten different courses throughout the week, with several featuring multiple layouts.
The behind-the-scenes work on Am Worlds begins well over a year in advance of the event. On a recent episode of PDGA Radio, Tournament Director Robert Leonard shared his insights into the challenges of running such a massive undertaking while living two and a half hours away in Raleigh and being a new father. When asked about the extra hours he was putting into organizing the event, Leonard revealed that it had taken around 30-50 hours per week, with a staggering total of nearly 2,000 hours invested in the project.
A closer look at the Course Schedule provides a glimpse into the enormous effort required to plan and organize Am Worlds. The Advanced division (MA1), which made up 40% of the entire field, was split into four pools, ensuring that players would face a challenging "Great Shuffle" after Wednesday's round results were announced. Similarly, the Amateur Masters 40+ and 50+ divisions were divided into two pools each, also facing a shuffle.
As Mixed Doubles and Field Events had already taken place, only one day of practice remained before the main event kicked off on Tuesday morning. With live scores being broadcast concurrently at pdgalive.com throughout the week, courtesy of volunteers, caddies, and event staff, the competition was sure to be intense. In fact, some of the divisions started their opening round early in the morning, spreading out across the greater Charlotte area.
The 2018 Am Worlds Mixed Doubles Champions, Ryan Wert and Deann Donaldson, made a memorable appearance during their second-round game at Robbins Park, captured by photographer Bob Carey's lens.
This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/news/spotlight-returns-charlotte-2018-am-worlds