Did you hear the big news yet? If not, the story of the day has a whole lot to do with Discmania CEO Jussi Meresmaa, who during the USDGC opening ceremony announced a whole new concept for disc golf: The Disc Golf World Tour. "DGWT" is a world wide professional disc golf tour, kicking off in 2016 and stretching to 6 destinations.
Meresmaa hopes to bring a new level of exposure to the sport in the United States, which has been on the edge of mainstream awareness in recent years. Meresmaa, who hails from Finland, has transformed the European disc golf scene into a very popular sport with the millennial generation. In his home country, disc golf courses now outnumber traditional golf courses by a 3:1 ratio.
“It’s necessary,” Meresmaa, who officially retired from competing at the beginning of this year, says, “These guys have worked extremely hard over the last few years to increase the level of competition. I’ve had this goal in mind for years now, and I realized I had to focus full time to make it a reality.”
The sport’s biggest star and #1 ranked player Paul McBeth agrees, “Jussi is creating a path for all of us. We have everything other sports have—the drama, the rivalries, the redemption stories, the fans who can’t get enough—all we’re missing is the spotlight.”
The sport of disc golf has also seen unprecedented growth worldwide. According to the Professional Disc Golf Association, in the United States, there are over 5,000 active courses, compared to less than 900 active courses just 15 years ago.
The Disc Golf World Tour aims to provide fans and spectators with an experience unseen before in the sport. Through increased media coverage, strategic advertising partnerships, and a bigger platform to showcase of the sport’s elite athletes the Disc Golf World Tour seeks to set the standard for professional disc golf competitions moving forward.
The tour’s inaugural season begins in March 2016 and has already scheduled events in four countries, with plans to add more. The Disc Golf World Tour will conclude with the Championship event back in Rock Hill, SC next October.
Visit the Disc Golf World Tour website here ->
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