Smugglers' Notch Resort Hosts 2nd Annual US Junior Disc Golf Championship
Date Published
The 2019 US Junior Disc Golf Championship kicked off today at the picturesque Smugglers' Notch Resort in Vermont. This year's event marks the second iteration of this exciting tournament, which last year crowned its first-ever Official Junior National Champions for Disc Golf. The championship brings together a team of experts from four organizations: Kids Disc Golf, Eagles Wings Disc Golf, Disc Golf Vermont, and Smugglers' Notch Disc Golf Center.
The idea for the USJDGC was conceived by Matt Grayum, founder of Kids Disc Golf, who reached out to Jeff Spring and Smuggs DGC two years ago. Grayum's brother, Josh, is once again serving as Tournament Director, having worked tirelessly throughout the year to ensure a seamless and enjoyable experience for the young competitors.
The event has garnered significant support from local organizations, with Eagles Wings Disc Golf returning in a bigger capacity than ever before. Chris Young, Director of Disc Golf Vermont, has also played a key role in planning and development. Paige Pierce, a renowned disc golfer, flew in to provide support and run a free clinic for the kids, accompanied by Alyssa Van Lanen, who will be producing content throughout the weekend.
The off-course activities lined up for the participating youngsters are just as exciting as the on-course competitions. A country fair, ice cream social, bonfire, and fireworks display lit up the night sky on Thursday evening. Tonight, a Pizza Party and Fun Zone 2.0 takeover will transform one of Smugglers' newest family-friendly facilities into an action-packed zone featuring laser tag, an arcade, ninja warrior course, climbing wall, and more.
The U.S. Junior putting championship is set to take place in the FunZone, while on Saturday, competitors will participate in a mini disc golf championship organized by Young. The event's gold level sponsors – Discraft, Innova, Upper Park Designs, and National Life Group – have contributed generously to create special player packs for all junior competitors.
Smugglers' Notch Resort has earned a reputation as one of the top family-friendly destinations in the Eastern U.S. and Canada, consistently ranking among the best overall resorts in the region according to SKI Magazine's kid & family-friendly awards. Spring noted that the resort's focus on family activities makes it an ideal partner for Kids Disc Golf.
As part of their partnership with Smugglers', Discraft will return to host the Green Mountain Championship at the Smuggs Disc Golf Center, one of several major events scheduled to take place at the resort this year. "We designed our courses with four tee boxes from the start," Spring explained, "to ensure that they catered to both professionals and families alike."
The tournament is now underway, and junior competitors are already making their mark on the course. Follow along from home for updates, live scoring, and more at PDGALive.com!
This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/news/2019-usjdgc-kicks-smugglers-notch