PDGA Overhauls World Championship Format with Age-Based Divisions

The Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) Board of Directors has voted in favor of a significant overhaul of the organization's World Championship format. Starting from 2021, age-based divisions for both amateur and professional fields will be combined into a single Masters Disc Golf World Championship event. This decision was made after careful consideration of player feedback and evaluations by the PDGA.

The proposal, put forth by PDGA Majors & NT Committee Chair Nate Heinold, aimed to address concerns from players who felt that separate events lacked the "reunion" feel they experienced in combined tournaments. Attendance at previous Pro Masters World Championships had been low, with an average of just 157 participants. By merging age-based divisions, the PDGA hopes to create a more inclusive and competitive environment.

Heinold stated that the decision was made after listening to player feedback and evaluating various options for premier events. The change is expected to benefit players, tournament directors, event sponsors, and tourism departments alike. "We felt this change was a great compromise to our many stakeholders," Heinold said.

The new format will also allow for an expansion of the Amateur Worlds field, which currently has a capacity limit of 288 participants in the Advanced division. This could increase to as high as 432 players, providing more opportunities for a growing segment of the player base. "Our sport has been growing at a rapid pace," Heinold said. "We can't quite meet the current demand for players who want to participate."

The PDGA believes that this change will also have positive effects on host cities and tourism departments. With fewer top-flight courses required, more municipalities may be eligible to bid on hosting Am Worlds. Additionally, clubs bidding on Masters Worlds can expect a larger influx of players.

"The PDGA sees this change as an increase in opportunity – not only for our members wishing to compete in a World Championship event but also for the cities and tourism departments that wish to host," said PDGA Director of Operations Mike Downes. "The potential economic impact of each of these events is now more balanced and attractive, which will result in an increased interest to bid."

For this year's events, the Professional Masters Disc Golf World Championships will take place from June 22-29 at Smugglers' Notch Resort in Jeffersonville, Vermont, while the Amateur Disc Golf World Championships will be held from July 20-27 in York County, Pennsylvania. The host cities for the 2020 iterations of these events are set to be announced in December.

The introduction of this new format marks an exciting development for the world of disc golf, offering more opportunities for players and a potentially increased economic impact on host cities.

This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/news/amateur-masters-pro-masters-getting-combined-worlds-starting-2021