WI Tour 2024 Updates & Goals
The WDSA board wishes to help players navigate planning so they can compete in the WI Disc Golf Tour 2024.
There were 22 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 roster spots to be available per tournament. The 2023 season had 190 different people play at least five WI Tour tournaments. That is equal to 48 holes of 4 players on each card. The popularity of tournaments in WI clearly shows that the WI Tour needs to provide a lot of roster spots. During the 2023 season, there were six tournaments that offered 18-20 holes per round, one that offered 27 holes and nine that used 2 courses per day. Six more tournaments used at least three courses per day. In 2023 there were more than 185 events offered in WI. Three A Tier, all on the WI Tour, 48 PDGA B Tier events in Wisconsin of which nineteen were WI Tour events. There were also 111 C Tier and 23 more unsanctioned events. Every player should be able to find events that work for them.
The Wisconsin Tour goal for the 2024 season is to increase roster spots. One way this could have been accomplished is by eliminating divisions. We chose not to go that route. 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 by adding tournaments or adding courses to existing tournaments.
1. The Spring Fling Women's only tournament at Rollin Ridge last year was the first dedicated division event that asked for and was accepted to the tour. Further adjustments may be necessary in future years. There are currently at least 2 Master only tournaments and more than two women’s only tournaments that are not on the WI Tour. There are Junior tournament organizers that have shown curiosity for possible connection with the WI Tour. We are always interested in listening to ways to promote disc golf.
Lake Superior Open and Highbridge Hills while still on the entire WI tournament schedule have left the WI Disc Golf Tour. A reason was not enough WI players entered. Losing a very good TD and many excellent courses is a loss to the WI Tour but I encourage players to attend these great events. We hope the Highbridge Hills group will find a weekend and director during the summer for a WI Tour stop. When that happens, it will be announced. Skyline is still figuring out what it will do in this 2024 season.
2. We recommend Tour Td's use a tiered entry system that could relieve some of the super quick sellouts of tournaments. Some Td's have been starting registration with set numbers of players for divisions, which helps as well. Especially for small divisions. If a WI Tour tournament is posted online even before registration is open and they do not have your division listed with an amount of spots saved for a certain amount of time, please contact the TD to give your division a chance to play.
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 31 years, it has grown from a small community into a highly popular sport - it has outgrown its shoes, house, yard, and garage.
The 2024 WI Disc Golf Tour Finale will be hosted by Josh Hamm of Riverside Disc Golf in West Bend using Riverside and Sandy Knoll Disc Golf Courses. Players must earn invitations using earned points at WI Tour tournaments. Tour champion plaques will be awarded at the Finale. Players do not have to be from Wisconsin to earn points toward qualifying for the Finale.
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, but any organized event. We will add as many registration links as we can. TDs should add links here.
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 $80,000 from 2000 to 2023. This is money raised with a $1 donation from every player at every WI Tour tournament. This is part of the reason that there are so many disc golf courses in WI.
There is a fun state map that interactively tracks the history of course development. From the few fists full to over 450 courses now.
The TOUR
In Wisconsin, we have an active tour that tracks player’s scores for a series of tournaments. The tour provides the “most coveted” black disc for each division’s champion at each tour stop. At the end of the season, trophies are awarded to the state champion and runners up in each division at our end of the season finale. This is a tour not a single tournament championship.
DIVISIONS
Divisions recognized for black disc, points and tour champion
1. For divisions with 3 or more players, the tour will track points and offer a black disc to the division winner.
2. If a particular division has been awarded a Black Disc 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 based of the number of completed tournaments of the Tour. This will be half the total number of stops of the Tour. For example: 21 stops 10 count, 20 stops, 10 count. 19 stops, 9 count. 18 stops, 9 count. There are 21 WI Tour stops for any division this year. If we end up with 21 tournaments this year that would be 10 scores.
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. Black discs will only be awarded to divisions with 3 or more players.
Waiver Rule; A change for the 2024 season; the WI Disc Golf Tour will not use the division waiver rule. All PDGA Sanctioned point series tours have the right to either use or not use this rule. This means a player may earn points earned from any division they play in to qualify for the Finale. All players must abide by the current PDGA rating system. Td’s must follow the system rules and move players to the division the player is currently rated in.
Wisconsin Disc Golf Tour Division Champions & Tour Finale
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 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.
FEES
There are 2 fees (or funds) that each player incurs while playing at all Wisconsin Disc Golf Tour stops. These extra monies are included in your entry fee for the tournament. First, we have a disc sports development fund that is collected from every player at each stop, this fee is $1. This money is made available for major upgrades on existing courses or installations of new courses here in the state. $80,000 have been donated since 2000. Second, we have a tour participation fee that pays for trophies and prizes/purse for the season finale. All Pro, Advanced, Intermediate and Recreational divisions pay $1 per tour stop into this fund. Juniors are not required to pay this fee.
FINALE BIDS
A celebration of the WI Disc Golf Tour for the completed year. A WI Tour Division Champion Award Ceremony and disc golf competition. Host proposals wanted; send to the WDSA board before December of the year before the Finale you wish to host.
What are we looking for?
The host will secure 18-36 holes, parking, toilets, shelter, a plan for lunch on site, room for 4 vendors and electricity. What else can a host entice us with? No rents, a lunch plan, or any cool ideas that the WI Tour does not need to be responsible for that will enhance the celebration. WI Disc Golf Tour will direct the competition, the Division Champion Award Ceremony and anything that goes with those.
To be a Finale vendor: First pay - first reserve. A $30 non-refundable reservation deposit. Only 4 vendors and the host can vend as well.
The 2023 Wisconsin Disc Golf Tour Champions are:
OPEN Benjamin Peliotes
FPO Barrett White
MP40 Steve Held
MP50 Aaron DeLair
MP60 Don Hunkel
MA1 Zach Seymour
FA1 Shayla Finley
MA40 Marc Ehler
MA50 John Dorn
MA60 Brian Usher
MA2 Mitchell Benedict
FA2 Bobbi Kilian Hovey
MA3 Justin Bertrand
FA3 Lindsey Krause
MA4 Sam Mulvaine
JUN Patrick Yu
Wisconsin Tour Coordinators
Year Coordinator Assistant
2024 Brad Wendt John Terlap
2023 Brad Wendt John Terlap
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
Year Coordinator Assistant
2008 Tom Jenkins Eric Paulson
2007 Tom Jenkins Eric Paulson
2006 Tom Jenkins Eric Paulson
2005 Tom Jenkins Eric Paulson
2004 Tom Jenkins Eric Paulson
2003 Tom Jenkins Eric Paulson
2002 Randy Schukar
2001 Randy Schukar
2000 Randy Schukar
1999 Randy Schukar
1998 Randy Schukar
1997 Randy Schukar
1996 Mike Cozzens Michelle Cozzens
1995 Bill Stolpa
1994 Eric Paulson Tom Jenkins-John Elsner
1993 Eric Paulson Tom Jenkins-John Elsner