2008 PDGA Membership - Club Bundle Applications
Re-posted: December 19, 2007, 10:47am
Josh Charlton is leading the PFDS effort to renew our Affiliated Club status with the PDGA for 2008 which results in our members having a dedicated bulletin board at PDGA.com, being able to take the PDGA officials test free of charge and other perks.
To renew, PFDS must collect at least 10 new or renewing PDGA memberships and send them in a bundle before Jan 1, 2008. PDGA membership is a great way to support the sport, get yourself a player rating as well as a subscription to the new publication Flying Disc Magazine.
PDGA membership is required to play in A-tier events like the 20th Pittsburgh Flying Disc Open and saves you from paying $10 temp fees every time you enter PDGA B and C tier events.
As a final incentive, PFDS will renew or instate a 2008 club membership for anyone who joins in the PDGA Affiliated Club bundle. PFDS members get a 10% discount on club merchandise.
Fill out the PDGA form, write a check for the full amount made payable to the 'PFDS' and get your membership to Josh today!
For more information, contact Josh directly at jmc2442@yahoo.com.
PFDS Club Affiliate Membership Form
Thank You from the Pittsburgh Flying Disc Society
Posted: December 16, 2007, 11:00am
The Pittsburgh Flying Disc Society and our members are going to miss three members who have contributed to the continued growth of disc golf here in Western Pennsylvania. Alex Fore, Jeremiah Libby, and Greg Meitus will be taking their games and talents to other courses in 2008.
Alex, whose beastly efforts in the construction of the Deer Lakes course will never be forgotten, is taking a job at the Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena, CA in January. We'll miss calling out his last name and hearing it echo across Deer Lake's Sherwood Forest on hole #14.
Jeremiah made huge contributions as tournament director of the Ironwood Open the past two years and by running the Sunday Devotional league at Knob Hill. Jedi's humor and energy will be missed as he and his family will move to Germany in a promotion by Bayer corporation. Libby will find some Germans to heckle we are sure.
Greg and his wife Alison will move to Syracuse, NY where Greg will pursue his career in education. Greg has been a Lifetime PFDS member for ten years, has served the club as Communication Director and directed Ice Bowl and PFDO tournaments. His dedication and leadership are appreciated.
Good luck to all and we look forward to your return to play in PFDS events.
Pennsylvania Scholastic Disc Golf Championship Results
Posted: November 1, 2007, 6:00am
From the desk of J. Gary Dropcho
Fifty high school and middle school golfers played 6 different courses in Allegheny and Beaver counties during the Fall '08 season to determine the best individual players and school teams in the Pittsburgh area. When all the putts were made and the strokes tallied, three things remain the same: Marcus Ranii-Dropcho and Chris Hoeg are the top high school and middle school players; Pine- Richland has the strongest team of golfers; and disc golf continues to grow at the junior level in terms of the number of new players and the level of competition.
The growth was most evident over the course of the series, where the smallest fields were at the first events at Phillips Park and Monroeville Park, but grew steadily through September and October to a record 27 golfers at the final event at the par-66 Deer Lakes Disc Golf Course on October 27. In fact, the high school fields doubled and sometimes tripled the am and pro fields that were contested at the same times as the scholastic tournaments.
Within the high school division, Marcus Ranii-Dropcho repeated as series overall champion, winning each of the six events. Marcus won Deer Lakes by 5 shots, Monroeville by 11, and Economy by 13 strokes, but the margin was close at some of the other events: 3 stroke victories over of Series Runner Up and Hampton High School Captain Sean Malone at Phillips Park and Knob Hill, and a one stroke victory over Rookie of the Year Justin Thomson from North Allegheny at Schenley Park. Ranii-Dropcho always had the answer, however, and lead his team to the Pipe and Chains trophy as well.
The competition is getting deeper at the high school level where 6 different players finished in the top 3 spots at each of the events.
Tenth and eleventh graders made up the majority of the players as well, pointing to continued growth in future years. All told, 46 high school players from 7 different school districts competed.
While Pine-Richland and Hampton were 1 and 2 again, North Allegheny resurrected their team for a close third place. Deer Lakes players represented at their home course and Mt. Lebanon high school showed up for the first time in a long while. Highlands School District and PA Leadership Charter School made their debuts in 2007.
The middle school division was all Pine-Richland as eighth grader Chris Hoeg repeated his title. Davis Karran (8th grade) finished second and Connor Karran (7th) a close third. More recruiting will have to be done in the intermediate grades to fill the spots as Chris and Davis will play high school next year. Another area for improvement is to have some girls playing in the series. (C'mon guys, bring your sisters and girl -- friends out to play. Disc Golf is a cheap date!)
Thanks go out to all the parents who carpooled kids to the courses, to the volunteers from the Pittsburgh Flying Disc Society who helped run the events at the various courses, to the parks that hosted the events (including Old Economy Park in Beaver County) and most importantly to Innova Disc Golf, Pittsburgh Flying Disc Society and Grip It and Rip It that sponsored the series with discs, tee shirts, trophies and prizes. Every participant got a golf disc at each event they entered, everyone in the series got a special edition T shirt, and the top three places at each event and in the overall series won trophies and prizes. Prizes were also awarded for Closest to the Pin and Longest Putt contests at each of the events.
In all, it was the biggest and best Scholastic Series yet! Thanks to all who participated.
J. Gary Dropcho
PSDGS Director
Download & Print the official PA Scholastic Disc Golf Championship Flyer!
Pennsylvania Scholastic Disc Golf Championship - September/October 2007
Posted: September 7, 2007, 10:00pm
The PA Scholastic Disc Golf Championship is open to all regional golfers in grades 6 through 12. The purpose of the PSDGC is to promote the sport of disc golf amongst the younger players in the area. More importantly, the PSDGC aims to provide younger players with clinics to help better their disc golf skills in driving, approach shots, putting, and disc selection. This event is open to players of all skill levels.
Entry fee for each event is $5.00 and includes a free golf disc. Play one or play them all! There will be divisions for boys and girls in grades 6-8 and 9-12. Prizes and trophies will be presented at each event! We look forward to seeing you on the course!
All participants in the EDGE Skill Shot Challenge earn a t-shirt and patches for each skill level they attain. Girls and Boys who play 3 of the 6 events are eligible for the Scholastic Disc Golfer of the Year award. Finally, the school earning the most points in the series wins the coveted Pipe and Chains trophy for one year!
Please direct any questions to J. Gary Dropcho, PSDGC Organizer/Director. J. Gary can be contacted directly by email at dropcho@nauticom.net.
SCHEDULE OF PSDGC EVENTS
2007 Discraft Ace Race at Knob Hill on Sunday, August 26th
Re-Posted: August 24, 2007, 2:00am
UPDATE: Due to overwhelming demand, we have ordered additional Ace Race players packages. If you would still like to participate Ace Race 2007 and have not yet signed up, there is still time! Please register with Jeff Stanek at the contact information provided.
The Pittsburgh Flying Disc Society and Discraft invite everyone to attend the 2007 Discraft Ace Race at Knob Hill Community Park in Warrendale, PA on August 26th, 2007 at 2:00pm. (Please note that this event will immediatley follow the regularly scheduled Sunday Devotional League.)
This event will consist of two rounds (36 holes) from the red tees. All players are only allowed one throw per hole. Holes are generally between 180 and 250 feet (55 to 75 meters).
Entry fee for this event will be $20.00 and all players will receive two identical, never-before-seen Discraft prototype discs, plus a SuperColor mini and a Discraft hat - thats a $55 value!
The object of the Ace Race is to acquire the most aces (hole-in-ones) after 36 holes. The player with the most aces is declared the winner. In case of ties, the number of metal hits is used as a tie breaker. If a tie persists, a closest to the pin contest is then used to determine the event winner.
Players are required to use the player package discs, and only these discs. If a disc is lost, the player has the option of using the second disc from the package. Only one throw per player per hole. Groups of up to eight players are generally acceptable, depending on course, time of day and TD discretion. Each player should have their own scorecard and mark "A" for aces and "M" for holes on which they hit metal. After all players in the group have thrown, discs are picked up and the group moves directly to the next tee. Players keep their scorecards for round two, using the next line on the card to record the round.
The grand prize is a Discraft merchandise package valued at or above $300. An optional cash side pot will also be running for those who wish to participate. This pot is then divided proportionally among the number of aces and/or metal hits.
For registration or other event questions, please contact the 2007 Knob Hill Ace Race Tournament Director, Jeff Stanek at jestanek407@zoominternet.net.
PFDS General Membership Meeting - Knob Hill - Sunday, August 12th, 2007
Posted: August 7, 2007, 6:45pm
Please join us for a PFDS General Membership Meeting on Sunday, August 12th following the Sunday Devotional. (~12:30pm) All are welcome to attend! Lunch will be provided for all current PFDS members!
The meeting will be held at Knob Hill Community Park, We will be discussing a variety of issues, including course improvements in preparation for The Hunt at Deer Lakes, our sanctioned C-tier on Sept 29, upcoming tournaments the 2008 schedule, the 2007 high school series, and forming three teams for next month’s Can-Am Cup.
If you are not a current PFDS member, this is a great time to join or renew and enjoy some free food. Support the club's efforts by contributing your membership dues -- $10 annual or the steal of a deal $80 Lifetime membership and get a PFDS hat. Contact PFDS Membership director Michael Hoeg and use Pay Pal to join.
Please RSVP to Greg Meitus via email at greg.meitus@verizon.net or call him directly (412-303-3170) by Wednesday, August. 8th at Noon so we can order the proper amount of food for the meeting.
Review of the 2007 Scholl's Bicycle Centers Pittsburgh Flying Disc Open
Posted: July 21, 2007, 9:16pm
Official PDGA Tournament Results 
Team Jenkins Sweeps Pro Open divisions; 111 players soak up sun, schwag, and so much fun at 19th Scholl's Bicycle Center Pittsburgh Flying Disc Open.
Avery Jenkins began the tournament with two rounds of 59 at the par 66 Lakeview Course at Moraine State Park and led the Male Pro Open field wire to wire, while sister Valarie shot a 1003 rated third round at Knob Hill to take the lead and cruised to a seven stroke win in the Female Pro division.
Kyle Crabtree blistered Knob Hill from the white tees with a 47 (1063 rating) in the final round to jump from the second card to second place in the Pro Open division. Former PFDO champ Mike Moser also brought the heat in the final round to finish third.
Current World Women Pro champ Des Reading lead after the first day, but couldn't stay with Valarie and finished second. Carrie "Burl" Berloger finished strong for third.
The field was stacked with half of the Open field carrying 1000+ ratings, three former world professional champions in the Pro Masters field, and three of the five Pro women being current or former World Champs.
Joe Mela successfully defended his Pro Masters title, winning by two over Jim Myers and 7 over Linc Morgan.
Jay Gobrecht won pro Grandmasters for the third consecutive year. Team Jenkins' papa Leroy finished a strong second and Tournament Co-Director J. Gary Dropcho was third.
$3,000 was added to the pro purse, with major contributions from title sponsor Scholl's Bicycle Center, host club Pittsburgh Flying Disc Society, host hotel Comfort Inn Cranberry, Dick's Sporting Goods, Dunham's Sporting Goods, as well as Ameriprise Financial, Playthings Etc, the Mid-Atlantic Disc Club, Ferrigno Chiropractic and Elite Finishes.
The total pro purse of $7,030 plus the pro player packages, end of tournament picnic, trophies and CTP prizes made the event worth 203% of their entry fees. Now that's value!
Sixteen year old Ziggy Bierikoven shot -4 under par for the tournament (including a 998 rated final round) to win the Advanced division by two shots over Jeff Vacha. Dan Hollingshead was third. The top 20% of the Advanced Field (nine places) qualified and will receive invites via email for the 2008 Am Nationals.
The tournament has many good stories, (including pro Master player Jerry Gotcher who visited a hospital emergency room two days before the tourney with an allergic reaction that swelled his hands and face to painful proportions but came back to cash in his division) but one of the best is about two intermediate women, Amanda Rabatin and Heather Eng, who stepped up to play with the Advanced women and shot above their player ratings. Alanna Houck, who won a paid entry to the Womens National Championship at the College Lodge in May, also shot over her player rating for the first three rounds to win by 8 over Amanda. Karen Farrell was third.
All the am players got a bag-o-stuff and belly-o-food with their entry, plus a photo of their play by professional photographer John West. West's other photos of the event can be seen and purchased at two galleries at his website:
Event Photo Gallery 1
Event Photo Gallery 2
The value of the AM event, including prizes, trophies, CTPs, player packages, and the picnic was worth $4801, 153% of the am entry fees.
In total the 2007 SBCPFDO was worth $13,083, but how can you put a dollar figure on the smiles seen, hugs given and received, and howls of joys heard echoing on the most glorious of summer weather weekends of the year? All of this was played out on two groomed and gorgeous world class courses that tested the mettle of every players' game.
Thanks to PFDS members and volunteers, including Tournament Co- Directors KB Clark and Greg Meitus, Tournament Official Sharon Jenkins, Fundraisers extraordinaire Jerry Gotcher and Jeremiah Libby, graphics and publication gurus Craig McCloud, Mike Hoeg and Chris Deitzel, Webmaster Larry Gioia, food and water service by Tim Wright and Scott Heintzleman and many many others who put time and effort into making this event such a success!
We look forward to seeing you all back in the burgh in 2008!
2007 Scholl's Bicycle Centers Pittsburgh Flying Disc Open - July 14th and 15th
Re-Posted: July 14, 2007, 6:00am
THE PFDS WELCOMES EVERYONE TO PITTSBURGH FOR THE SCHOLL'S BICYCLE CENTERS PITTSBURGH FLYING DISC OPEN! SPECTATORS ARE MORE THAN WELCOME AT BOTH OF THE COURSES THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND, BUT PLEASE BE CAUTIOUS OF FLYING DISCS!
Moraine pin placements are now tournament ready! Click Here!
Knob Hill pin placements are now tournament ready! Click Here!
At least $2500 added cash to the pro purse and sweet swag for the am player packages are only the first two reasons you should get yourself registered for the Scholl's Bicycle Centers Pittsburgh Flying Disc Open on July 14th and 15th at Knob Hill and Moraine State Park.
Two world class courses, chances to qualify for the 2008 Am Nationals, and points for the PDGA Supertour, Can-Am and MADC series, are more reasons to bring your bathing suit and summer attitude to Western Pennsylvania this upcoming July.
Our long time supporters at Scholl's have come up big to sponsor this years event, with added cash, discs for the ams, and as always, a sweet bike to be won. The Comfort Inn - Cranberry, is the official tournament hotel and a gold level cash sponsor. (Book your rooms at the Comfort Inn for tournament rate of $65). Dick's Sporting Goods has jumped in with gold level sponsorship and Dunham's Sporting Goods returns as the gold sponsor for the end of tournament Players Picnic. Ameriprise Financial, Playthings Etc, and Elite Finishes are also on board as cash sponsors.
Don't be late, it's gonna be great! Limited field of 72 pros and 72 ams. Use Paypal and don't forget to preorder your lunch delivered by Fairground Market. Details will be posted to the events section of our website in the coming days!
Sunday Devotional SBCPFDO Fundraiser - Sunday, July 1st, 2007
Posted: June 25, 2007, 5:10pm
THIS IS A DOUBLE-POINTS SUNDAY DEVOTIONAL EVENT!
Mark your calendars for Sunday, July 1st, 2007 for the Sunday Devotional Championship Double Points SBCPFDO Fundraiser at Knob Hill Community Park in Warrendale, PA. The cost will be $25.00 per person and will include a homemade BBQ ($5.00) with hamburgers and hotdogs from the grill. Seventy-five percent of the entry fees (excluding cost of food) will be directly donated to the upcoming 2007 Scholl's Bicycle Center Pittsburgh Flying Disc Open on July 14th and July 15th.
This will be a 2 round format, with registration from 8:15am to 8:45am and the first round starting at 9:00am Open and Advanced players will play from the blue tees, all others play from the white tees. The second round is tentatively scheduled for 2:00pm (after the BBQ). All players will play from the white tees.
We are also looking for volunteers to provide chips, pop, side dishes, ice water, etc. for this event. All money will be reimbursed, however you will need to speak with Jeremiah Libby before purchasing.
For more information or if you would like to volunteer to bring a food item, please contact Jeremiah Libby via email at jeremiahlibby@yahoo.com.
2007 Knob Hill Course Championship - Sunday, June 10th
Posted: May 27, 2007, 10:50pm
The Pittsburgh Flying Disc Society welcomes disc golfers of all ages and skill levels to compete in the Inaugural Knob Hill Course Championships on Sunday, June 10th at Knob Hill Community Park Disc Golf Course in Warrendale, PA. This 2-round event is a fundraiser for the PFDS and 100% of the proceeds will benefit our upcoming A-tier event, the 2007 Scholl's Bicycle Center Pittsburgh Flying Disc Open on July 14th and 15th. The winner of each division will receive a commemorative trophy and bag tag. In addition, we will offer CTP prizes for each division.
Two rounds will be played, with player registeration starting at 9:00am, a 9:45am players meeting, and a 10:00am tee time for all divisions. Registration is $20.00.
The format will be as follows:
Open & Advanced players will play their first round from the blue tees and a second round from the white tees. All women, Intermedidate and Junior players will play both of their rounds from the white tees.
Established in 1994, the beautiful and challenging Knob Hill Disc Golf Course is a favorite amongst players both near and far. The Knob Hill Course Championship will provide competitors an excellent opportunity to practice the challenging 18-hole layout in a tournament setting. Mark your calendars and plan to spend the day with us!
Note: the Sunday Devotional will be canceled due to this special event.
Toss for SAM Fundraiser - Asbury Heights Disc Golf Course - Saturday, June 30th
Posted: May 27, 2007, 10:50pm
Mark your calendars for Saturday, June 30th, 2007 for a Asbury Heights disc golf fundraiser tournament at the temporary Asbury Heights disc golf course in Pittsburgh, PA.
Two rounds will be played, with tee-times at 11:00am and 1:00pm. Registration is $20.00 and includes includes a custom disc and chances to win prizes. If you organize a group of 3 or more for the event, every person in your group will receive a discount of $5.00 from their registration fee. Raise $40 or more and your registration fee will be waived. Snacks and beverages will be available and music will be provided by DJ Dyno Mike.
SAM is an an acronym for Serving Asbury's Mission, which is to improve the lives of older adults through high-quality and compassionate care.
Since its beginnings, Asbury Heights has had a reputation of providing for those residents who can no longer afford the full cost of their care. Thanks to generous donations and fundraisers, the residents of Asbury Heights are guaranteed a home for as long as they wish.
This is a fundraiser event hosted by The Asbury Foundation in conjunction with the Pittsburgh Flying Disc Society.
For more information or to RSVP for this event, please contact Jon Ebel at (412) 571-5030 or via email at jebel@asburyheights.org.
Highlights From the 2007 Ironwood Open
Posted: May 13, 2007, 2:00am
From the desk of Jeremiah Libby, Ironwood 2007 TD
Well the Ironwood Open was a huge success. Although we had the same number of players as last year (even with a split field) we managed to increase the tournament payout value by $134 (from 2006) for the Pro field while the number of Pro's decreased by 8 players. This calculated out to a payout of 164% (including player pack)for the Pro field. The actual entry fees for the Pro's totaled $1,540 and the payout total was $2,125 or 138%. Brad Schick finished in 1st place shooting a 204 and taking home $400. Chris Barbo took 1st place in the Masters Division, after a 8 hole play-off with John Ferensen, shooting a 222 and taking home $245. Hometown Legend Red Whittington won the Grand Masters division shooting a 224 and took home $275.
For the AM field we had an increase of 8 players from the prior year while at the same time the payout (including player pack) value increased from $2,680 to $3,919 with a payout percentage of 187%. The total net entry fees for the Ams totaled $2,095 while the actual payout (without player’s packs) totaled $2,435 or 116%. The Pittsburgh professional Bagger Tim Wright won the Advanced division shooting a 210 and taking home the DisCatcher Sport from Innova and other prizes. Melissa Martin won the Women’s Advanced division shooting a 218 (3 rounds). Local proud dad Mike Hoeg came in 1st place in the Intermediate division shooting a 185 (3 rounds) while his son Chris (13 years old) came in 5th place shooting a 196. Heather Eng won the Women’s Intermediate Division shooting a 233 (3 Rounds).
The total added cash paid out to the divisions totaled $926 and the total additional cash raised to pay for the pro players packs totaled $264.
I'd like to extend a thank you out to the following individuals: Jerry Gotcher for his continued support with fundraising, course preparation, tournament preparation, running the tournament, and just his overall charm as a person. I also need to extend a thanks out to his wife Marie for the amazing cupcakes provided at the Lakeview Beach course championship!
I'd also like to extend a thanks out to Sid and Dave Olcott, Chris Deitzel, KB Clark, Leo liller, and Time Wright for their continued support in tournament preparation and for helping the tournament run so smoothly.
Also need to extend thanks out to Larry Gioia, Greg Meitus, J. Gary Dropcho, and the other PFDS members for their support in making the tournament a success.
Fundraising for next years Ironwood Open has begun. We have a hopeful prospect in Bayer MaterialScience as a tournament sponsor, as well as Custom Ink, Quaker Steak & Lube, and many of our other contributors from this year.
Hope you all had fun - See you at the Knob Hill Course Championship to raise money for the PFDO.
Highlights From the PA State Championships - Saturday & Sunday, May 5th & 6th
Posted: May 7, 2007, 10:10pm
Disc golf clubs from across the state sent their best players to the Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) College Lodge course in Indiana, PA on May 5th and 6th to compete to be the Pennsylvania representative to the United States Disc Golf Championships, the United States Amateur National Championships, and the US Womens National Championships.
Nick Schneider, PDGA #26395 (pictured in inset), sponsored by the Friends of Sedgley Woods, won the Open Division purse of $450 as well as the paid spot ($230) in the USDGC field by shooting a -19 under par over four rounds played on a newly christened set of B pins at College Lodge.
John Genter, PDGA #28087, of Kennett Square Discs Golf Club shot a -10 par 49 in the final round to come from 6 back and win the Advanced Men's trophy, a Ching Skill Shot basket and a paid spot in the United States Amateur National Championships in June.
Alanna Houck, PDGA #30819, playing for the host club Indiana Disc Links Association, shot two final rounds of 68 to answer the challenge of the course and best the field of 6 amateur women to earn a paid spot in the US Women's National Championship in September.
Major kudos for the participating PA clubs who contributed a total of $525 to pay the entry fees to the three national championships as well as special edition PA State Disc Golf Championship FLX Buzz discs for all the club-sponsored players.
Participating clubs: Boulder Woods Disc Golf Country Club, Bucks County Disc Golf Alliance, Creekside Disc Golf Club, Kennett Square Disc Golf Club, Indiana Disc Links Association, Pittsburgh Flying Disc Society, and Friends of Sedgley Woods.
Title Sponsor Indiana Cycle and Fitness donated the Skill shot, discs for the am player packs and a bike (won by 13-year old Chris Hoeg in a throw off). Major sponsor IUP Student Co-0perative Association welcomed the tournament to their pristine gem of a course and hosted the weekend of festivities in the Ski Hut overlooking #18 green. Big Mojo Tattoo donated fine tournament tee shirts to all am players, Discraft provided trophy discs and CTP prizes, and Grip It and Rip It provided merchandise for the event. Thanks to Tournament Director Michael Dropcho, IDLA members Kurt Poole, Bryan Schlemmer, Keith Hernandez, Alanna Houck, Christine Arroyo, Tim Kunkle and J. Gary Dropcho for putting on the best PA State Disc Golf Championship ever!
The event was a PDGA-sanctioned B-tier and MADC B-Series event and had a pro purse of $2,075 (132% of net entry fees) and an amateur event value of $3,610 (157% of net entry fees).
Complete tournament results here.
PA Sate Championships - Saturday, May 5th and Sunday, May 6th, 2007
Re-Posted: April 23, 2007, 1:38pm
REGISTRATION FOR THIS EVENT IS NOW FULL AT 90 PLAYERS. ADDITIONAL REGISTRATIONS WILL BE WAITLISTED!
Current Player Registration List
The College Lodge is the site of 2007 Pennsylvania Disc Golf Championships on Saturday May 5th and Sunday, May 6th.
Paid entries to the United State Disc Golf Championship and the United States Amateur Disc Golf Championships will be awarded to the top Pennsylvania pro and the top PA amateur player at this year's State Championship hosted by Indiana Disc Links Association on Saturday May 5th and Sunday, May 6th.
Pennsylvania clubs will have the first chance to get their best pro and advanced members in the 90-player field by sponsoring the event as a large, medium or small sized club before the March 10th deadline.
The remaining spots in the field will be filled through preregistration beginning March 11th and ending May 2nd.
The event is a PDGA B-tier, MADC B-series event with at least $500.00 added to the pro purse and handsome player packages for all Ams. Discounts and added money in all women's divisions.
For all PA State Championship event and registration information, please visit the Upcoming Events section by clicking here. Pre-registration is required by May 4th, 2007 for this event.
PA State DG Championships to Send Top PA Woman Player to Women's Nationals!
Posted: April 6, 2007, 11:03am
Thanks to the unprecedented support of Pennsylvania disc golf clubs, the 2007 PA State Disc Golf Championships to be held May 5th and 6th at the IUP College Lodge course in Indiana, PA, will pay the entry fee to the 2007 Women's National Championships for the highest finishing female Pennsylvania player .
The announcement by the host club for the PA States, Indiana Disc Links Association, completes a trifecta of state reps that will win a paid entry into their respective national championships. The top finishing Pennsylvania pro male at the May 5th and 6th State Disc Golf Championships will earn a paid entry to the United States Disc Golf Championship in Rock Hill, SC in October. The top PA Advanced male finisher at the IUP College Lodge course will win a paid entry to the United States Amateur Disc Golf Championship to be held at the Toboggan Course in Kensington, MI in June. Finally, the best finish by a Pennsylvania female will win her a paid entry into the United States Women's Disc Golf Championship in Peoria, IL on September 28th and 30th.
The field for the PA State Championships is limited to 90 players and as of April 3, only 22 spots remain to be filled. Any PDGA player can compete at the event with over $500 to be added to the pro purse and handsome player packages to all the ams. IDLA is hoping for a field of at least 10 women players and is discounting entry fees for women to encourage them to come and play! All the details, including on-line registration via Paypal, can be found here.
Big thanks go to the PA clubs that stepped up to sponsor their club players and enable the tournament to send state reps to the National championships: Boulder Woods Country Club, Bucks County Disc Alliance, Creekside Crawdads, Friends of Sedgely Woods, Indiana Disc Links Association, Kennett Square Discs, and Pittsburgh Flying Disc Society.
Finally, the baskets have been put back in the ground after the winter sledding season at the College Lodge course, and the new B pin layout has been revealed. The state championship will play rounds from the Blue and White tees to the B pins the first day, and to the A pins on Sunday May 5. If you've been itching for a road trip, plot your course to Indiana, PA to get in some practice. But if you aren't registered yet, you better send in your money before you head out the door or you might not get to play!
Schenley Park - Wednesday Night League Starts on Wednesday, April 11th, 2007
Posted: March 18, 2007, 2:40pm
Dust off your Wraiths, Rocs, and putters - spring is just around the corner and that means the spring/summer disc golf season will be heating up! The Schenley Park Disc Golf Course Wednesday Night League begins on Wednesday, April 11th, 2007 at 6:00pm and will run through October!
This is a recreational league run by the Pittsburgh Flying Disc Society (PFDS) with the goal of promoting the sport of disc golf. The league uses handicapped scoring so that players of all skill levels have a chance to win prizes and score points.
A $4.00 entry fee is required and goes to golf disc prizes for the top third of players the evening of play. As has been done in the past, a $1.00 optional ace pot fee goes to anyone who throws a hole in one (usually one or two a year). Tee off is at 6:00pm from the first hole at Schenley Park. Players typically gather around 5:45pm to sign-up and warm-up around the practice basket at the top of the hill.
Please visit the official Schenley Park Wednesday Night Disc Golf League website at http://web.mac.com/scotth2/iWeb/SPDGL/Home.html. This website will be updated on a weekly basis with scores, standings, and prize payouts!
Come out and join in the friendly competition!
It is an exciting time for disc golf in Western PA and PFDS will need the support and enthusiasm of all of its members in order to continue to grow the sport in the region. We will have the first official meeting of the new board (open to all PFDS members and participants) in late April or early May on a date to be announced.
In the meantime, the energy of all board and club members should be focused on helping Jeremiah Libby with the Ironwood Open, April 21st and 22nd at Knob Hill and Moraine State Park.
The PFDS thanks you for your continued support in making Western PA one of the best disc golf regions in the country!
2007 Lakeview Course Championship - Moraine State Park on Saturday, April 7th
Posted: March 21, 2007, 10:00pm
The Pittsburgh Flying Disc Society welcomes all disc golfers to compete in this year's Lakeview Course Championship at Moraine State Park in Portersville, PA on Saturday, April 7th, starting at 10:00am. Entry fee is $20.00 for all divisions except women & juniors, who only have to pay $10.00! This 2-round event is a fundraiser for the PFDS and 100% of the proceeds will benefit our upcoming B-tier event, the Ironwood Open on April 21st & 22nd. The winner of each division will receive a commemorative trophy and bag tag. In addition, we will have loads of CTP's and other prizes for each division. Come out to Moraine and join the fun!
Tee time is 10:00 am with registration beginning at at 9:00 am and a Players Meeting at 9:45am. All players should meet at the first hole parking lot area, unless it is closed. We will meet at the top of the road going down towards the first hole.
The scenic par 66 layout at Moraine State Park will be utilized in both the Ironwood Open as well as the PFDO in July (A-tier). The Lakeview Course Championship will provide players an excellent opportunity to practice the challenging design in a tournament setting. Who knows? You could be the next Lakeview Course champion!
The 2007 Pittsburgh Ironwood Open - Details Coming Soon!
Posted: January 11, 2007, 8:30pm
We are in the process of finalizing the details of the 2007 Pittsburgh Ironwood Open. We will be posting a flyer with event details in the coming weeks. Please check back to this site often, as we will be posting the details very soon! This year's event is shaping up to be an excellent event and bigger than it ever has been!
New Sunday Devotional Format and League Website
Posted: January 11, 2007, 8:30pm
After a successful first year, the Sunday Devotional Championship Series is back with new improvements. Please come and join us as we kick-off another great competitive year of disc golf in Pittsburgh! Here are the details of the new Sunday Devotional format:
Season: The Sunday Devotional Championship Series will be a 39 week season followed by a 4 week play-off in November. Points will be awarded based on a players top 20 Performances.
Dates Held: Sunday devotionals will be held every Sunday with a start time of 10:00am. Click here for the 2007 Sunday Devotional Schedule for more details.
Divisions: There will be a total of two divisions competing. Pro/open will pay out cash to the top 1/3 of total entries. Advanced/Intermediate will pay out plastic to top 1/3 of division
Points Rules: The Sunday devotional will have a points system which will award points to players according Players rank based upon there ranking in the handicap list. Players will be awarded a ranking from 1 to 10. Each week players will be able to win the total points of the players who are at that Sunday devotional (but not own points). Players points will be the top 15 points finishes in the year. If a player does not play in 15 events then they will receive 0 points for those weeks.
Challenge Ladder : The Sunday Devotional Championship Series will now include a Challenge Ladder. All participants are required to be a current PFDS member and must submit their membership fee's prior to obtaining status on challenge ladder list. Players participating may only challenge during Sunday Devotionals and results will be posted on the Sunday devotional page. Any player participating can challenge anyone, and all challenges must be excepted (unless another challenge has already been made) Players may not challenge the same player again until at least 2 Sunday devotionals have past (may challenge on 3rd Sunday Devotional). I will maintain a list of the current Ladder Rankings. If a player misses a Sunday Devotional, they will automatically drop one spot and the next ranked player who is at that Sunday Devotional will obtain the missing players rank. At the end of the year, the top 16 players will compete in the Challenge ladder play-offs during the Championship series play-offs in November (Must have played 10 matches to qualify). Players who do not show for there match will forfeit during the play-offs. Tie Breakers through out the year will go by match score, then overall score, then to lowest ranked player.
Playoffs: Players who play in a minimum of 10 events will be invited to the play-offs to compete for the cash accumulated over the course of the year. Players who do not compete in 10 events will still be able to play in the play-offs, but will only be able to win the money accumulated over the course of the play-offs (4 weeks total). (Note: During the three week playoff, entry fees will be collected and will not be paid out to individual winners for those three weeks. The cumulative winners of the three weeks combined will be paid out.) Play-offs will be held in November. Please see 2007 Sunday Devotional Schedule for more details.
Prizes: The Championship Play-offs will award prizes based upon scratch and handicap (see handicap calculation below).
League Entry Fee : Sunday Devotional League Entry Fee is $10.00. $5.00 of the entry fee will be used as a payout for the Sunday Devotional Challenge Ladder Play-offs. The other $5.00will be go to the Sunday Devotional points championship and play-offs.
Weekly Entry Fee: Weekly Entry Fee will be $5. A separate $1 ace pot can be entered
Official Website: The official Sunday Devotional website will be maintained by Jeremiah Libby and can be accessed at http://devontional.pfds.org. Here you will find the latest schedule, payout, standings, and player profiles.
The Pittsburgh Flying Disc Society wishes you and your family health and happiness and lots of new plastic this holiday season. A special "thank you" goes out to all who helped make the new course at Deer Lakes a reality. 2006 was an incredible year for disc golf in Western Pennsylvania and we expect even better things in 2007!
In the spirit of PFDS tradition, we would like to invite everyone to the New Year’s Day Round at Schenley Park on January 1, 2007. We will meet by the first hole (by the ice skating rink) at 12:00pm (noon). Come out and bring in the new year with your fellow disc golfers. (Hangovers from the night before are no excuse for not showing up!)
1st Annual Turkey Shootout at Deer Lakes - Thursday, November 23rd, 2006
Posted: November 21, 2006, 8:30am
We're really not having an actual 'turkey shoot', but everyone will be looking for birdies! Mark your calendars for Thursday, November 23rd (Thanksgiving Day) for a morning round of disc golf at Deer Lakes disc golf course. The PFDS is hosting a one-round holiday disc golf tournament on Thanksgiving starting at 9:30 am. Everyone should meet in the parking lot by Hole #1. What better way to kick-in your metabolism prior to the big feast (and the inevitable food coma which follows)!
Entry fee is only $5 with 100% payout in each division. The forecast is supposed to be nice that day with a high around 57 degrees. Disc golf followed by food, family and football....sounds like a perfect game plan!
Directions to Deer Lakes Park From Pittsburgh, take Rt. 28 N. Exit 13 at Russellton/Creighton. Left at stop sign on Crawford Run Road. 2.5 miles turn Right on Butler Logan Road. Approx. 2.5 miles turn right into Deer Lakes Park Main entrance. Follow road .5 miles, then turn right into Entrance #1. Park in upper end of Blue Gill parking lot. From the North, take Rt. 910 east and follow Orange Belt into Russellton and turn left into Deer Lakes Park Main entrance. Follow road .5 miles, then turn right into Entrance #1. Park in upper end of Blue Gill parking lot. First tee up steps.
Local Disc Golfers Win Scholastic Disc Golf Series
Posted: November 4, 2006, 10:00am
The twelfth edition of the Pittsburgh Scholastic Disc Golf Championship Series concluded with new individual champions being crowned in the high school and middle school boys divisions, and repeat winners for the school titles.
Thirty-two high school boys, one high school girl, and six middle school boys played in the four events of the series held at courses in Phillips Park, Knob Hill, Schenley Park and Deer Lakes parks. The events, sponsored by Innova Disc Golf, Pittsburgh Flying Disc Society, and Grip It and Rip It, gave out $250 worth of trophies, prizes valued at $300, and $940 worth of golf discs and tee shirts to the players of the events who paid $5 to enter each event.
Marcus Ranii-Dropcho (
), a ninth grader at Pine-Richland high school, won the Overall title in a close battle with Sean Ryan Malone (), a ninth grader at Hampton high school. Marcus won each of the four events in the series. Taylor Karran (), 9th grader from Pine-Richland finished third, and Peter Dudenas () of Hampton was fourth. The top three players all competed in each of the four events held on weekends in September and October.
Chris Hoeg (), a seventh grader at Pine-Richland, played in 3 of the 4 events and won the Middle School Division by just 11 points over Sam VanDusen (), also a seventh grader at Pine-Richland. Davis Karran (), an eighth grader at Pine-Richland won third place overall, just 6 points ahead of his brother Connor Karran ().
Pine-Richland repeated as high school team champion, winning possession of the Pipe and Chains trophy for a year. Hampton was a close second.
Pine-Richland also repeated as team champion in the Middle School division.
Seven players also earned badges in the Skill Shot competition, sponsored by Educational Disc Golf Experience (EDGE). Sam Brehm (), a junior at Pine-Richland High School, earned the highest Skill Shot Eagle award.
The number of players in the series increased by 30% from the previous year, reflecting the growth in the sport at local, national and international levels. The Pittsburgh Flying Disc Society (PFDS) has partnered with municipal, county and state park systems to design, install and promote eight disc golf courses in Western Pennsylvania since 1988. PFDS runs leagues, clinics, and tournaments at all of its courses, which are open to the public. The club’s website is the most current source of local information about disc golf.
The Professional Disc Golf Association reports 27,500 members since 1975, and 12% annual growth in membership, new courses and total prize money paid out on the PDGA tour in 2005.
Come out and represent your college or university as a current student or as an alumnus. The PA Collegiate Cup team trophy will be determined by the finish of the best four college players from a school (one school alumnus may be used). Players must show a valid student ID card (undergrad or graduate) or a proof of degree (under graduate or graduate) to compete for their school.
All collegiate and amateur players will receive a sticker, mini and disc at time of registration. For registration and detailed event information, Download the Fall Foliage Event Flyer!
Deer Lakes Pins Installed and Playable - Next Workday Scheduled
Re-Posted: October 2, 2006, 10:00pm
From the Desk of J. Gary Dropcho
We've lost count of the number of work days put into the Deer Lakes course, but we are making progress. You probably have heard that the baskets are in the ground.
Our next assault will occur on Saturday, October 6th and Sunday, October 7th. The plan is to meet at 9 am to build two foot bridges on hole #11 with material provided by the county. We are looking for a gas powered generator, as well as circular saws and/or a small table saw to cut wood to size for the bridges. We'll also need battery powered drills to drive screws through the decking into the bridge supports. Please contact J. Gary Dropcho at (724) 933-6969 if you can bring any of these tools.
If you haven't yet been out, of course we forgive you. Come out and lay into this project. People who have played it are saying what the course designers were hoping: Deer Lakes is going to be the best disc golf course in the PFDS rotation. Come and make it happen! Wear long pants and bring bow saws, pole pruners, loppers, work gloves and lunch.
Directions to Deer Lakes Park From Pittsburgh, take Rt. 28 N. Exit 13 at Russellton/Creighton. Left at stop sign on Crawford Run Road. 2.5 miles turn Right on Butler Logan Road. Approx. 2.5 miles turn right into Deer Lakes Park Main entrance. Follow road .5 miles, then turn right into Entrance #1. Park in upper end of Blue Gill parking lot. From the North, take Rt. 910 east and follow Orange Belt into Russellton and turn left into Deer Lakes Park Main entrance. Follow road .5 miles, then turn right into Entrance #1. Park in upper end of Blue Gill parking lot. First tee up steps.
Asbury Heights: Toss For a Cause - Saturday, October 7th, 2006
Posted: September 19, 2006, 9:32pm
Asbury Heights, a faith-based continuing care community located in Mt. Lebanon, PA, is hosting the first annual Toss for a Cause event at 10:00am on Saturday, October 7th, 2006 at Schenley Park in Pittsburgh, PA.
This event will be open to the public and players from all skill levels are welcome participate. Participants are asked to obtain sponsorship for each hole they play. All players who raise at least $25, players will receive a new disc, lunch, and a beverage. The suggested donation from families is $35. All money raised will benefit the Asbury Height’s benevolent care fund. Download a Sponsorship Form today!
ABOUT ASBURY HEIGHTS
Asbury Heights has provided quality and compassionate care to older adults since 1908. The Asbury campus is home to over 400 residents and employs over 440 people.
Since its beginnings, Asbury has had a reputation of providing for those residents who can no longer afford the full cost of their care. Thanks to generous donations from friends and families, the residents of Asbury Heights are guaranteed a home for as long as they wish.
2006 Steel City Championship Series #5 - Saturday, September 30th, 2006
Posted: September 19, 2006, 10:50pm
Mark your calendars for Saturday, September 30th, 2006, for fifth and final event of the Steel City Championship Series - the Knob Hill Finale at Knob Hill Park. This is the last chance to make your points for the final payout and take your friends cash!. All players should meet by the first hole for player registration and a players meeting with tee off at 9:00am.
This event will consist of 2 rounds playing the courses' shortest and longest configurations. Players will gain points at each event that go towards a final payout for the series. There will also be a daily payout as well, for those who can't make the entire series. The entry fee for this event is $20.00.
We really need a good turnout for the event if we are to make our goal of $500 raised for the PFDS. We could raise enough money to sponsor a hole at our new course, Deer Lakes, which will be featured in the series next year.
Please send all questions regarding the Steel City Series to Bryan Wright. He can be contacted directly from the Steel City Championship Series area under Upcoming Events.
Past event scores and current point totals can be downloaded by clicking here.
The Pittsburgh Ice Bowl 2008 (
The Pittsburgh Flying Disc Society is proud to announce the 1st Annual Hunt at 
The Pittsburgh Flying Disc Society is pleased to announce the addition of our newest disc golf league - the Deer Lakes Monthly! This tournament is open to players of all ages and skill levels. For league details, dates and times, visit the 
Are you interested in getting more involved with with the Pittsburgh Flying Disc Society and helping grow the sport of disc golf in Pittsburgh? If so, we would encourage you to consider serving as a PFDS board member. PFDS Board Members help promote disc golf in Western Pennsylvania by creating and maintaining courses, holding tournaments, and creating other events to introduce beginners to the sport. All board members hold a 2 year term. For more information, please email Greg Meitus, PFDS Communications Director, at 
Although the weather wasn’t ideal, the light rain didn’t keep away 12 folks from coming out to Knob Hill Park on Halloween night for a round of golf in the dark! We had glow rings and jack-o-lanterns to help illuminate the baskets, and used mini glow sticks and/or lights taped to our discs to help us locate them. All pins were in C-position. There was a 100% payout of the $5 entry fee for both divisions.