Mark Sunday, May 29 on your calendar and then plan on being at the Springside Disc Golf Course to take part in the first 鈥榁ibram Birdie Bash鈥� tournament.
鈥淲e are really looking forward to this event. It鈥檚 one of the reasons we undertook to install a disc golf course in Springside, to host events for our local supporters, and hopefully draw some people to the community who have never visited before,鈥� said Shauna Stanley-Seymour, Community Wellness Program Coordinator, Springside Community Centre.
The event will be part of a Vibram Birdie Bash series that will see similar events held across North America and beyond.
So while participation will have players as part of a much larger fraternity of disc golfers, it is ideal for beginners.
鈥淭he Birdie Bash format is great for first time disc golfers,鈥� explained Trevor Lyons, Tournament Director with the newly formed Parkland Association of Disc Golf. 鈥淭he idea is to throw over a generally shorter course to make aces and birdies easier, and those count in the scoring of the event. You don鈥檛 need to have a big arm to throw 300-feet in a Birdie Bash.鈥�
In that regard the Springside course is a great fit.
鈥淲e had limited area to design the course, so it is a shorter course that makes use of trees and cover to be fun,鈥� said Calvin Daniels, interim president of the PADG, and co-designer of the course. 鈥淭he local community has done a great job clearing underbrush, and while we will need to adjust a few target positions once the snow goes, by tournament day the Springside course is going to be just a great deal of fun for golfers.鈥�
The Springside event will be part of a new PADG tournament series which will run from May through until October at courses across the area.
鈥淭he Springside Vibram Birdie Bash will be one of the first events on the new circuit we are currently working on,鈥� said Lyons. 鈥淪o that is exciting for the PADG.鈥�
The idea of the tournament series is to have each course in the PADG area that is interested to host one event where participation will provide points toward season-end recognition.
鈥淲e hope most courses participate as a way to highlight what they have to offer,鈥� said Daniels, who added by midsummer there is expected to be about 20 courses in the PADG area.
鈥淲e are seeing tremendous interest in disc golf with communities, regional parks and other organizations seeing the potential of providing such a low cost, all age, sport / recreation.鈥�
Seymour said that is what had Springside interested.
鈥淲e are always looking at ways to provide more recreation opportunities in our community, especially those that are accessible by nearly everyone, get people outdoors and are affordable,鈥� she said. 鈥淒isc golf covers all those criteria.鈥�
As for the Springside Vibram Birdie Bash, a 36-basket event played over two rounds of 18; the cost is $45 US, but the player package that comes with the entry fee is a great one, including a Vibram Fairway Driver and a Vibram Putt & Approach disc.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 a big part of why it鈥檚 great for people new to the sport. Everybody plays with the discs they get as part of the entry fee, and at the end of the day you keep the discs,鈥� said Lyons. 鈥淪o you are set to play all summer after that.鈥�
You also receive a polo shirt, water bottle and a few other 鈥榞oodies鈥� as part of the entry.
Entries are already open at http://www.discgolfscene.com/tournaments/Vibram_Birdie_Bash_at_Springside_2016
鈥淓nter early and come on out to the event,鈥� said Seymour. 鈥淲e are hoping for a full card (54), and lots of fun to really show off our course and our community.鈥�
Keep in the loop on all PADG events at www.facebook.com/PatrickParkDiscGolf.
