The Future of Disc Golf: PDGA Acquires The Disc Golf Scene and Hires Lead Developer Pete Crist

The explosive growth of disc golf over the past decade has brought about an influx of new equipment manufacturers, websites, and apparel companies entering the market. However, one area that has seen a significant boom is the development of online platforms designed to help tournament directors and event staff stay organized. The Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) has been at the forefront of this trend, with its membership and sanctioned events growing by 20% year-over-year.

One key player in this growth has been The Disc Golf Scene, a web platform created by Pete Crist in 2007 to help disc golfers upload event information and results. As PDGA Technology Director Steve Ganz notes, "Pete had built the best tournament registration experience out there by far." In 2013, the PDGA partnered with The Disc Golf Scene as its preferred online event registration partner.

Since then, The Disc Golf Scene has continued to grow and evolve, adding features such as advanced tournament registration systems, automatic integration into the PDGA Tournament Manager, and customizable Player Card templates. Its success has caught the attention of the PDGA Board of Directors, who have now agreed to acquire The Disc Golf Scene, with Pete Crist set to join the PDGA as Lead Developer on January 1st, 2017.

This acquisition marks a significant step forward for the PDGA, which will now have its own tournament registration system and be able to fast-track exciting technology projects. As Brian Graham, Executive Director of the PDGA, notes, "This deal will allow us to provide additional services to our members and grow the sport in new ways." Pete Crist is excited about his new role and the opportunities it brings: "I'm really, really excited to be working on this full time... I have the opportunity to have a really positive influence on the sport and on the organization."

The PDGA has no intention of requiring the use of The Disc Golf Scene for tournament registration services. Instead, they plan to maintain the platform as an independent entity while integrating its features into their own systems. As Ganz notes, "We want to provide players with a choice and ensure that the player experience begins at the time of tournament registration."

The acquisition of The Disc Golf Scene is just the beginning of exciting developments for the PDGA. With Pete Crist on board as Lead Developer, they are already working on new features such as a fully functional mobile app and a feature for tournament series management. Stay tuned to the PDGA website and social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn) for more information about these projects and other developments in the world of disc golf.

This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/pete-crist-and-disc-golf-scene-join-pdga