A PDGA-sanctioned, C-Tier Pro-Am disc golf tournament will be held on Saturday, June 25, 2022, at the Four Seasons course in Snowflake. The event will help NPC Friends and Family provide scholarships for Northland Pioneer College (NPC) US military veteran students.
“NPC Friends and Family has partnered with the City of Snowflake and the City of Taylor to generate scholarship funds and raise awareness of the beautiful Four Seasons course, which shares grounds with the Snowflake Municipal Golf Course. The event draws attention to a wholesome, outdoor sport that the whole family can enjoy for a nominal cost,” says Betsyann Wilson, NPC Friends, and Family executive director. “Spectators are welcome to come and see what the sport of disc golf is all about!”
Through this tournament, NPC Friends and Family also promotes the Snowflake-Taylor area to disc golfers from the state and region, thereby advancing tourism to improve the local economy. “Our goal is to double our 2019 registration to 90 players, with not less than 40 of them being professionals,” explains Wilson. “Joining us in our vision, the towns of Snowflake and Taylor have each pledged $1,000 each so that we can add $2,000 to the cash payout for professional players! Amateurs will play for trophies and prizes.”
The communities of Snowflake, Taylor, Heber-Overgaard, Lakeside, and Show Low rely on tourism. People are drawn to the area for the high desert/mountain climate, camping, fishing, hiking, hunting, and even winter snow sports. However, the vast majority of businesses in the area are small, family-owned operations. In the true spirit of community, they give generously to the schools, sports, and community non-profits throughout the area, but their capacity for such giving is limited. This year, their capacity to give is severely restricted by the ongoing effects of COVID-19, followed by a spring drought that has led to fire restrictions across the national forest lands. As a result, businesses are struggling, yet the need remains. “We at NPC Friends and Family believe that disc golf can be the catalyst that makes a huge difference in our communities,” notes Wilson.
Disc Golf Hall of Famer Dan Ginnelly and “Snowflake” Steve Johnston, two pioneers of the sport, co-designed Snowflake’s Four Seasons course. Johnston will serve with Wilson as this year’s Co-Tournament Director. Registration is $60 for amateurs and $70 for professionals and includes lunch, two rounds of tournament action (morning and afternoon), and a gift bag complete with a new disc, tee-shirt, hat, and sunscreen. There will be categories for both men and women, pro and amateur players, and youths. The players in the pro division will play for a half-cash payback for the top third in each category, plus the additional cash purse of $2,000 provided by the cities of Snowflake and Taylor.
More information and a link to the online registration form at discgolf.com can be found at www.npc.edu/DiscGolf. Players can also request a mail-in registration form by contacting NPC Friends and Family Executive Director Betsyann Wilson at (928) 536-6245 or betsy.wilson@npc.edu. For questions about the course and tournament format, players are encouraged to contact “Snowflake” Steve Johnston at snowflakesteve@icloud.com.
