Playoff basket need to decide Yorkton tourney

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golf discs were flying at Patrick Park Disc Golf Course in Yorkton Sunday for the Second Annual Trilogy Challenge.

The event attract nearly three dozen disc golfers from across the province including; Saskatoon, Wadena, Regina, and Moosomin.

“It was great to see so many disc golfers out, although to be honest we expected a good turn out after last year, and the continued growth of the sport locally, provincially and worldwide,” said Trevor Lyons, tournament chair with the Parkland Association of Disc Golf (PADG).

The PADG represents courses within a 125 kilometre radius of Yorkton.

“We’ve had another year of major growth,” said Association chair Calvin Daniels. “We have 17 courses playable today, up from 10 this time last year. The most recent install is at the Ituna Regional Park. And we still expect courses to be installed in Kelvington and Katepwa yet this fall.”

Daniels added the PADG is aware of another 10 courses that are at least being discussed for installation, many potentially in 2017.

“That sort of growth is why we were expecting a good turn out Sunday,” said Lyons. “The sport has seen a world tour launch this year with events in Sweden, Finland, the Czech Republic and the United States, so it’s booming and that boom is certainly reverberating locally.”

At the Yorkton event Sunday disc golfers played the opening 18 amid a couple of light showers.

“Thankfully it wasn’t the downpour that shortened tournaments at North Ridge Disc Golf Course in Birtle, MB., or Rocanville (both in the PADG), early this year,” said Lyons.

By the time lunch was eaten the rain had ended for the second round.

After 36 Sandy Kerr had topped the field in the women’s division.

“It always seems a bit more of a struggle to get gals involved, but we had five ladies out, with local disc golfer having a solid 36,” said Lyons.

Josh Istace, 12, of Moosomin was the youngest disc golfer.

The top men weren’t finished though. The top four after 36; Mark Kienle of Wadena who led the field with a 121, Duncan Holness of Regina, Aaron Kienle of Yorkton, and Jeremy Taylor of Saskatoon, would head back to the course for a ‘Championship 9’.

“We wanted to create a highlight element for the tournament,” said Lyons. “As it happened, Joe Hunt who was one of the original designers of the now front nine at the course had created what is known as ‘Joe’s Jungle’. Players throw off specified tees to alternate baskets, for example tee one to the second basket. It was ideal for a final nine.”

The Championship Round took on some added flavour as Access 7 was on-hand to follow the action.

“It was an idea I mentioned to the guys at Access and they said sure,” said Daniels. “We can’t be 100 per cent sure, but it is likely this will be the first full round coverage on TV of a disc golf event in Saskatchewan.”

Daniels would be called into action to offer commentary on the round as the camera followed the cation.

“There were a few stumbles, but overall I think it went pretty well. The players were certainly understanding as we had to make them wait on a number of occasions as the camera moved around the course,” he said. “Next year we’ll have to get a golf cart to speed things along a little.”

With the scores from the first two rounds thrown out, it was a clean slate for the final four, and it was a close final. Mark Kienle led by a stroke heading home on the final baskets, but Taylor would catch him.

So after 45 baskets, a playoff was required. Kienle chose to start on the number six tee throwing to a temporary basket install on number three.

“We installed a temporary location last year, and players like it,” said Lyons. “This year we created an island green, there was an out-of-bounds (OB) area all around it. Since Mark picked it for the playoff the players obviously liked it.”

And it worked for Kienle. While both players did go OB, Kienle would ring the chains with a solid 20-foot putt for the win.

The next PADG event will be the MVP Challenge event in Fort Qu’Appelle Saturday (Sept. 3). Players can still register by emailing padg.yorkton@gmail.com There are only 24 spots so email soon.

Then on Oct. 1, the inaugural tournament at the Bredenbury Disc Golf Course will be held. You can find details by searching the PADG on Facebook.