WI Tour 2022 Updates & Goals

The WDSA board wishes to help players navigate planning so they can compete in the WI Disc Golf Tour 2022. 

There were 16 WI Tour tournaments last year. The most common WI Tour structure for an individual tournament is one day for upper rated divisions and one day for lower rated divisions, no matter how many courses are used. The WI Tour requires at least 144 player rosters to be available per tournament. The 2021 season had 135 different people play at least five WI Tour tournaments. That is very close to filling one 18 hole course using the most common tournament structure. During the 2021 season, there were six tournaments that offered 20 or less holes per round, one that offered 27 holes and six that used 2 courses per day. Three more tournaments used at least three courses per day. In March there were currently thirty two PDGA B Tier events in Wisconsin and seventeen are WI Tour events.

The Wisconsin Tour goal for the 2022 season is to increase roster spots. One way this could have been accomplished, is by eliminating divisions. We chose not to go that route. In order to support players committed to the WI Tour, tough decisions have been made and we understand that not all players will be happy with the final decisions.  Adding additional roster spots to the tour happened in two ways.  

1. More tournaments were added to the season. Going into our December planning meeting this happened by bringing back to the tour Standing Rocks Open, Prairie Open, and Mad City Open. Mayhem Open, an A Tier, has also been added. Standing Rocks Open has been replaced with The Great Glacial Washout as both use Standing Rocks Disc Golf Course. These have all been at least 200 player tournaments in the past, adding at least 800 more roster spots than last year. Further adjustments may be necessary.

2. PDGA Membership Requirement. The new PDGA rule changed B Tier events to include PDGA only members. We believe roster spots will open up because of that.

A cost of adding roster spots because of the B Tier membership change is that local players who do not wish to support the PDGA or can not afford the $50 membership may miss playing in their favorite local tournament. There are 51 C Tier events in Wisconsin scheduled for 2022 making the loss of favorite events for local non PDGA members more palatable. In addition, there are many local unsanctioned events that give opportunities for the non PDGA members. 

Every year the Tour committee critiques the WI Tour, resulting in changes. We try to figure out how to make it work for as many players and TDs as possible. The WI Tour started in 1993 with four tournaments. In 29 years it has grown from a small community into a highly popular sport - it has outgrown its shoes, house, yard, and garage.

REQUIREMENT TO EARN POINTS  

The tour had allowed a player to use their best 8 scores to try to earn a Champion or Runner up plaque. A new rule was added this year that the tour would allow a player to use half the number of tournaments that are completed in the current season. If we end up with 20 tournaments this year that would be 10 scores. If we end up 19, 9 scores would be used. 

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WIDISCSPORTS CALENDAR AND MORE 

I would like to remind players that widiscsports.com has posted a working calendar of all WI tournaments that go through the current PDGA State Coordinator, Mike Harrington. Not just WI Tour. We add as many registration links as TDs will give us, which is most.

This is the same website that includes tour points, rules, and an archive that is in the process of documenting WI people, places and events that have shaped Frisbee and disc sports in the state. 

This website also includes a list of every Developmental fund donation WDSA has awarded. Over $70,000 from 2000 to 2021. This is money raised with a $2 donation from every player at every WI Tour tournament. Perhaps a part of the reason there are so many disc golf courses in WI.

The DIVISIONS

Divisions recognized for black disc, points and tour champion

1. For divisions offered by the TD with 3 or more players, the tour will track points and offer a black disc to the division winner.

2. If a particular division is recognized and has participation at 5 or more events, the tour will award a Tour Champion for that division at the end of the season.

3. This is a points series meaning that the player earning the most points through the season becomes Tour Champion.  The number of stops that count toward your points total will be set prior to the start of the Tour.  This will be half the the total number of stops that are not division limited (Masters only or Women only) and are scheduled at the beginning of the Tour.  For example: 20 stops, 10 count.  19 stops, 9 count.  18 stops, 9 count.

A note to players,  Most TD's will be agreeable to include additional divisions if they are contacted in advance and if they are assured of having a minimum of players in that division. Also, players will only receive points in the division which they are registered. Example: In the past, if all Masters men played in the Open division, the best finishing Master would receive a black disc and masters points.  Per the new rules, this will no longer be the practice. Black discs will only be awarded to divisions with 3 or more players.

Wisconsin Disc Golf Tour Division Champions & Tour Finale

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In addition to the PDGA points you will earn on the tour at our stops, you will also earn Wisconsin points for your play on the tour. Participants will be awarded points based on their finish within their division. We award 100 points for first place regardless of the number within the division (3 person minimum). Points for the rest of the division will be a percentage of 100. For example if there are 4 players, first gets 100 points, 2nd gets 75 points, 3rd gets 50 points, and 4th 25 points. The intent is to evenly balance out the points awarded at smaller events with the larger attended events. These points you earn from your “best 8″ stops will help determine the divisional state champions for the season as well as who gets invited to the tour finale. We will only award spots to players based on their finish throughout the season. Make sure to play in as many events as you can to earn a spot.

Additional funds may be raised through fundraisers at any stop from the sale of merchandise. Please contribute generously to help make this a great tour that other states will look to as an example of a well-run, fun tour. We do this because we love it. Do not ever forget to keep it fun! For other specifics on any stop, contact the tournament director listed on the official tour calendar.

The 2021 Wisconsin Disc Golf Tour Champions are:

OPEN
MP40

MP50

MP60

FPO

MA1

FA1

MA40

MA50

MA60
MA2

FA2

MA3

FA3

MA4

FA4

MJ15

ANDREW       BROWN 

STEVE           HELD

KEN                KREIE

DON               HUNKEL

LINDSAY        FISH

MATT              HANNE

ELIZABETH   EMMENEGGER

JASON           BARNIER

JOHN             DORN

TOM               MC MANUS

JOSH             POOK

MICHELLE     SANDQUIST

ZACH             GLASER

LINDSEY        KRAUSE

JEREMY         WAGIE

CRYSTAL        SERNA

LANDON         UNFERTH

Year     Coordinator      Assistant

2022     Brad Wendt      John Terlap

2021     Brad Wendt      John Terlap

2020     Brad Wendt      John Terlap

2019     Brad Wendt      John Terlap

2018     Brad Wendt      John Terlap

2017     Brad Wendt      John Terlap

2016     Brad Wendt      John Terlap

2015     Tom Jenkins     Brad Wendt

2014     Tom Jenkins     Brad Wendt

2013     Tom Jenkins     Brad Wendt

2012     Tom Jenkins     Brad Wendt

2011     Tom Jenkins     Brad Wendt

2010     Tom Jenkins     Brad Wendt

2009     Tom Jenkins     Eric Paulson

2008     Tom Jenkins     Eric Paulson

2007     Tom Jenkins     Eric Paulson