Champions' Champion Event

It took 36 baskets on a day that started off windy and frosty but Jack Talsma of Fort Qu’Appelle would emerge as the inaugural Parkland Association of Disc Golf’s Champions’ Champion.

Saturday the Patrick Park Disc Golf Course in Yorkton hosted the Champions’ Champion Tournament. The event had the top two finishers at PADG recognized tournaments throughout the year, (eight in 2016) invited to the final if they were PADG members. The eight tournaments meant there were 16 spots, but two players, Chris Istace of Moosomin at Asessippi Beach and Campground and Bredenbury, and Jeremy Taylor of Saskatoon, at Sandy Beach and Yorkton, double qualified.

Of the fourteen players who could have participated two were non-members so ineligible, and one could not get the day off, leaving a field of 11 vying for the title.

“For the first year we’re satisfied with the turn-out. Sure we would hope every player who takes in a tournament in the PADG area bought a $20 membership to support the sport here, but not everyone will,” said Calvin Daniels chair of the PADG, and also an event finalist. “And real life gets in the way for people at times, although we know Chris Holt who was second in Stockholm really wanted to attend.”

The 11 golfers faced the difficult back nine with some added out-of-bounds to challenge them, then the original nine, before a second back nine to allow the cream to rise to the top.

“We knew we were hosting top players, so we wanted to challenge their skills,” said Dorian Bush, a local disc golfer who pitched in by designing the course changes for the day. “I was trying to make accuracy count and I think it worked out pretty well.”

“With a few new out of bounds on a some of the holes, my strategy along with the other golfers had to change. Tighter greens and a lot more trouble to get into made for a more technical approach, not that the course needs to be more challenging but at least we all had the same obstacles to go around,” said competitor Mark Kienle.

The plan was to send the top four back out for a final nine, challenging ‘Joe’s Jungle’ an alternate course layout by original course designer Joe Hunt, but Istace and Jason Kienle, a Yorkton player who had qualified by topping the Sandy Beach Tournament, were tied for fourth having shot 107, making it a fivesome in the final.

The remainder of the field were Holness with a 102, Mark Kienle, 101 of Wadena who also qualified through the Trilogy Challenge held in Yorkton, and Talsma who shot a 99. He had qualified by winning the MVP Tournament in his home town of Fort Qu’Appelle.

The final round, under the camera of Access 7 who recorded the nine basket finish, was a close affair. Istace made a move on the filed shooting a crisp 35, but leader Talsma matched the score to win the event with 134 over 36 baskets. Istace would climb into sole possession of fourth overall on the day.

Holness would toss a 37 over the final nine to leap frog Mark Kienle to finish second, as Kienle shot a 141.

Holness said the event was a great one.

“Playing in the Champions' Challenge was a great opportunity for me,” he said. “One, it gave me an excuse to play more disc golf in a tournament setting, and two, I got to reconnect with friends made earlier in the year, and to make some new ones.

“Playing challenging layouts and placing second were added bonuses for me."

Kienle said he was happy to be in the final five.

“This was a great event, seeing some of the same guys who I played with in other tournaments was a lot of fun,” he said. I had a blast coming out for this champions tournament and hope to qualify again next year, I think it is a great way to keep up the caliber of play and to promote the game of disc golf.”

And, the event was also a tough one, said Kienle.

“The level of players was really high and that increased the intensity not to mention the course changed its intensity a lot as well,” he said.

Jason Kienle would fall to fifth shooting 40 on the final nine to finish the day at 147.

Talsma earned the PADG Champions’ Champion jacket, which will be a made-to-fit, one-of-a-kind prize.

Merchandise awards were presented down to ninth place, including Doug Kerr of Yorkton who qualified out of the North Ridge Disc Golf Course event in Birtle, MB., Todd Schick of Melville who had qualified out of the Springside Vibram Birdie Bash, and Daniels who qualified in Bredenbury.

Also of note Josh Istace, 12, of Moosomin was the only Junior age player, to qualify out of the Asessippi Beach & Campground Tournament.

“It has been a great year,” said Trevor Lyons Tournament Director with the PADG, and also a finalist Saturday, qualifying out of Birtle. “We faced a rain storm in Birtle, a soggy course at Rocanville, big winds in Stockholm, but they were all fun events, and we have to thank everyone who participated at our events this year.”

As for the final major event of the season, Lyons said he hopes to find a major naming sponsor for the Champions’ Champion event.

“We’d love to find a corporate partner to raise the event’s profile. The event highlights the best disc golfers in the region, and we want to grow it alongside a major sponsor,” he said.

Lyons said they are expecting an even bigger year in 2017.

“There are currently 18 courses installed in the PADG, (an area within 125 kms radius of Yorkton), and we expect several of more of the courses will host events next year,” he said. “We know there is interest at Whitesand Regional Park, from the Lions Club at Katepwa to run an event at the new course there, our friend Duncan Holness has hinted he’ll spearhead a tournament at Kemoca Regional Park in Montmartre, and we certainly hope to see someone take on a tournament in Melville.”

And there will likely be more courses coming on stream in 2017.

“We know one has been designed to install in Kelvington, and have had word a course has been approved for the Wynyard Regional Park once the snow melts in the spring,” said Daniels.

“In addition, we are aware of at least 10 communities, regional and provincial parks, and First Nations within the PADG area.”

The interest speaks to the low cost of a disc golf course in terms of providing accessible sport and recreation to residents of all ages, as well as an attraction for visitors, said Daniels. He added anyone wanting information on a course can find the PADG on Facebook, or email padg.yorkton@gmail.com

And, disc golf is not over though, as Patrick Park Disc Golf Course will host a night event to mark Halloween on the evening of Saturday, Oct. 29, and a Turkey Shoot Tournament is planned for the afternoon of Nov.11.