Pittsburgh Region to Host 2015 Professional Disc Golf World Championships in Summer 2015

The Pittsburgh region will host the Professional Disc Golf Association 2015 World Championships, hosted by the Pittsburgh Flying Disc Society (PFDS), organizers announced today.

Scheduled for July 25 – August 1, 2015, the tournament will be held on four courses in the region: Deer Lakes Park, Knob Hill Community Park, Moraine State Park Lakeview and Slippery Rock University, with the final day’s events being hosted by Slippery Rock University.

“We are really excited to host the PDGA World Championships here,” said J. Gary Dropcho, 2015 PDGA Pro Disc Golf World Championships Tournament Co-Director, who also serves as Course Superintendent of the Pittsburgh Flying Disc Society. “In addition to having an opportunity to showcase our region to the competitors and visitors, the event will have a significant financial impact. The 2005 Championships, held in Allentown, resulted in spending totaling $1.5 million.”

Representatives from the Pittsburgh Flying Disc Society (PFDS), the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA), the PA Department of Conservation & Natural Resources (DCNR) – Moraine State Park, the Allegheny County Parks Department, the Greater Pittsburgh Convention & Visitors Bureau (VisitPittsburgh), Slippery Rock University, the Butler County Tourism & Convention Bureau, and Marshall Township Parks & Recreation were all on hand for the announcement. Following the press conference, the partners also demonstrated disc golf and made the first tee shot of the Throwdown tournament. The “Throwdown and Hoedown” celebrates 25 years of accomplishments by the Pittsburgh Flying Disc Society.

“After much hard work, we are proud to announce that this exciting event is coming to our region,” said Jack Cohen, President of the Butler County Tourism & Convention Bureau (BCTCB). “The proposal process began in 2009 and, due to the growth of disc golf in our area, it is finally ours to share with our residents, as well as the athletes, their families, fans and spectators that will travel to enjoy it with us.”

BCTCB partnered with The Pittsburgh Flying Disc Society (PFDS) on the bid. PFDS is the host club for the Championship. An unincorporated charitable non-profit, the group is an association of flying disc enthusiasts which has organized and run clinics and leagues, as well as local and regional tournaments since 1988. The organization hosted 200 of the best professional and amateur players in the country at Scholl’s Bicycle Centers Pittsburgh Flying Disc Open National Tour event in August 2011, and has consistently ranked in the top 25 PDGA tournaments in payout value and field sizes for 24 years.

Allegheny County Parks Director Andy Baechle spoke to the unique partnership that resulted in the selection of the region for the Championship, “This group of partners really focused on what we could do as a region. Rather than working against each other, we were able to cooperate to bid on, and now host, this event where participants will compete at sites in both Allegheny County and Butler County. We are really proud that Deer Lakes Park is one of those courses.”

Deer Lakes Park (Tarentum Borough, Allegheny County) is a par-66 course with an even mix of tee shots, fairway approaches and putting greens that feature elevation changes, open air grass and mature forest corridors, a lake hazard and other out of bounds challenges. Knob Hill Park (Marshall Township, Allegheny County) is a par-59 course with elevation changes, grassy and tree lined fairways, fast greens, creek hazards and other out of bounds challenges. Moraine State Park Lakeview (Portersville Borough, Butler County) is a par-66 course which features a mix of elevated and flat tee shots, open grass fairway approaches and putting greens with deciduous and conifer defined corridors, a creek hazard and other out of bounds challenges. Slippery Rock University (Slippery Rock Township, Butler County) is a par-64 course which features a mix of elevated and flat tee shots, fairway approaches and putting greens with a front 9 that is open, airy and grassy with two ponds, a creek hazard as well as other out of bounds challenges.