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2023 Amateur Worlds Invite Letter

2023 Amateur Worlds Invite Letter

Last updated: Tuesday, March 7, 2023 - 18:23

Dear PDGA Tour Player,         ​

Congratulations! You have been invited to enter the 2023 PDGA Amateur World Championships in Peoria, IL from June 27th to July 1st based on your excellent performance during the 2022PDGA tour. The PDGA and the local Worlds Team is looking forward to seeing you in Peoria later this year.  

Participants are subject to all eligibility requirements per Competition Manual 1.01, and nothing in this invitation shall be construed to create a right of the recipient to participate in this event.

Host  

Nate Heinold and his team are thrilled to host the 2023 PDGA Amateur Worlds and are excited to have you spend some time in Peoria this summer. The Peoria area is a hotbed of disc golf with many great courses in the area. The Peoria Frisbee Club has been around since 1981 and helped host the Peoria Open, which started as a B Tier in the mid 1990’s. They later hosted the Greater Peoria Open and the USWDGC six straight years from 2002 through 2007. More recently, Nate Heinold has stepped up to run the Ledgestone Open, an annual event that started in 2011. The Ledgestone Open has grown from a small event to one of the largest events in the country. Nate and his team also successfully hosted the 2019 PDGA Professional Disc Golf World Championships in Peoria, which was lauded as one of the most successful World Championships of all time. In addition, the Ledgestone team hosted the 2022 PDGA Combined Masters and Junior Disc Golf World Championships. 

Courses 

Sunset Hills DGC: This is a permanent course located on a ball golf course in Pekin, IL, about ten minutes from McNaughton Park and about twenty minutes from Peoria, IL. An 18-hole course with Innova Discatcher baskets, Sunset Hills was installed in 2014 and upgraded with all concrete tee pads in 2019. From the FPO tee pads the distance totals 7539 feet, and from the longs it totals 8772 feet. Sunset Hills plays as a par 61 from the current FPO layout. We have used this course for the Ledgestone Open for the last several years and this course has also hosted the local AM A Tier as well as four B Tiers, in addition to the 2019 PDGA Pro Worlds and 2022 PDGA Masters and Junior Worlds.  The course features a full clubhouse with a restaurant and restrooms. Sunset Hills offers parking for more than 300 cars, including street parking immediately next to the course. Wi-fi signals are strong here, allowing for live broadcast capabilities. This course is located within two minutes of four hotel options in Pekin, as well as within three minutes from many food and gas options. 

Wildlife Prairie Park DGC: This course took 8 years to build and is perhaps the most epic course in the Central Illinois area. Wildlife is carved out of a prairie park and is a gorgeous piece of property that plays up and down wooded hills and around ponds. It is an 18 hole course located about 12 minutes from downtown Peoria, IL in the city of Hanna City, which is a suburb of Peoria. The course has brand new Discraft Chainstar baskets and the course officially opened in August 2016. After the 2016 Ledgestone Insurance Open, Nate Heinold worked with the lead designer of this property to make design changes that helped the flow and safety of the course. Those changes were finished in July 2017. A majority of the course is wooded and the course includes multiple water hazards. The short tees are 5577’ and the long tees are 8828’. The course is a par 65 from the longs and a par 57 from the shorts. There are bathrooms on site and the course is located about 5 minutes from gas stations and restaurants. Full color signs were installed in the Spring of 2018. The property has room to park over 1000 cars. This course was featured in the 2022 PDGA Junior World Championships.

Northwood Park: Originally designed in 2002, Northwood Park underwent a redesign in late 2011 and then another tweak in 2017/2018, resulting in two courses, the Black and Blue Courses. Both courses have a mix of orchard-style and wooded holes. A 10,417-foot course from the long tees, Northwood Black plays as a par 68. The short tees reduce the length of the course to around 8,700 feet. Northwood Blue is 6,230 feet with a par of 58. The property is centrally located in Morton, IL, about twelve minutes from downtown Peoria. Both courses have newer Mach X baskets, installed five years ago, and concrete tee pads on both long and short tees. In addition, many concrete pads were replaced in 2018/2019. Between on-site parking spots and those in a small park across the street, Northwood can accommodate approximately 600 cars. A third parking lot near Hirstein Cemetery (by hole 4 of the former Gold course) was added in 2019 and will be expanded in 2023 to offer 200 more spots. Northwood Park has multiple restrooms and a brand newpavilion (installed in 2021) near hole 1. Northwood has hosted the USWDGC, The Ledgestone Insurance Open, the Greater Peoria Open, the 2022 PDGA Masters and Junior Disc Golf World Championships, countless B Tiers and C Tiers and the 2019 PDGA Professional Disc Golf World Championships. Between funding from the Park District and the LOC, more than $100,000 was spent on upgrading Northwood prior to the 2019 PDGA Pro Worlds. Northwood is a very secure park with two entrances. A multitude of gas stations, hotels, and restaurants can be reached in three minutes. This includes the Park Inn by Radisson, which has served as the host hotel for the Ledgestone Insurance Open multiple times. Northwood Black is lauded as one of the most difficult courses in the world and will be the featured MA1 course. Northwood Black includes the infamous par 5 Hole 12, which is the hardest hole on the DGPT.

There will be a cut after the 4th round, and the 5th and final round will take place at Northwood Park, with FA1 playing the Blue course and MA1 playing the Black Course. All rounds will utilize tee times. There will not be a final 9.

Lodging & Meetings 

Event staff will have a hotel link that will provide discounted rates at 7 local hotels. This link will be available at the event page. Here are two of the hotels we will be working with:

Comfort Inn and Suites – Morton: With an ideal location just off I-74, this hotel positions you in the heart of one of Illinois’ friendliest and fastest-growing communities. From the hotel, you can reach General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport (PIA), Caterpillar Headquarters and Northwood Park in less than 20 minutes. After a business meeting or a round of discgolf, head back to your room or suite, each with amenities like Free Wireless High-speed Internet. If you're traveling with a furry companion, we offer pet-friendly rooms to accommodate your entire group.

Stoney Creek Hotel & Conference Center: The Stoney Creek Hotel & Conference Center is situated beautifully along the scenic banks of the Illinois River, just off I-74. Whether you are looking to take a stroll along the river, catch a sporting event, shoot a round of golf or shop while in town, the Stoney Creek Hotel & Conference Center is just minutes from the many attractions Peoria has to offer.

Camping is available at Wildlife Prairie Park. Please call them directly for information: (309) 676-0998

Player’s Meeting: The player’s meeting/opening ceremony will take place at Five Points in Washington on Monday night, June 26th, at 7PM. 

Check-in: Check-in will be available on Monday at Five Points in Washington from 8AM to 6PM. 

Travel 

Those flying to Junior Worlds will probably find their best option is to arrive at the Peoria International Airport (PIA) which is within 30 minutes of all tournament activities.  The other option is to fly into Chicago O’Hare airport, which is about 2 hours and 45 minutes away. St Louis and Indianapolis also provide options, which are within a similar drive of about 2 hours and 45 minutes. 

Website 

More detailed information about everything surrounding the event can be found on the PDGA webpage for the event:https://www.pdga.com/2023amworlds

Field Events 

The field events will take place at Five Points/Washington High School. This is the location of the Players Dinner and Players Meeting and is 15 minutes down the road from Lake Eureka and Northwood Park. Times for the field events will be from 9am to 3pm on Saturday June 2th. If you decide to test your skills at the EDGE and Mini events, the latest start time is 2pm.  

Doubles at AM Worlds will be held with two rounds on Sundayat Northwood Park. The players meeting will be at Northwoodat 9am. Both divisions will play best shot the first round and alternate shot the second round on the blue course, which both the MA1 and FA1 play during the singles. Loosen up with a great game of doubles on a course all players will be throwing later in the week. You will be warming up your drives and putting anyway, so why not throw in a little competitive spirit with it? The field is limited to 36 doubles teams. 

Longest Drive and Putting: Think your drive is long? Is your putting accurate? Put your throws where your mouth is and step up to the line to give it your best. Rules are simple, have the longest drive or make the most putts.  

Skillshot: The SkillShot® program is presented by the EDGE program to test your throwing skills and proficiencies. Throws include backhand, sidearm/forehand, roller, upside-down, straddle, kneeling/seated, freestyle and obstructed will be scored by your accuracy to a certain target or area. You will have a great time challenging yourself to improve your disc golf skills. You will take many of these skills to the course. What a great way to warm up for those accurate shots. You will find that you are a better golfer and that your game will improve as a result ofSkillShot®! 

It is also important to note that you must be a current 2023PDGA Member and Certified Official before you can register for the event!

Entry Fees: Fees for all divisions this year is $150. 

Other Events: Other fun events during the week include Baseball Night at the Ballpark, Players Dinners, Flymarts, Ice Cream night, Band performances, Disc golf night at the Pool and more!

Sponsorship 

Sponsorship opportunities are still available for the event.  For more information please contact Tournament Director Nate Heinold for sponsorship information at 309.657.2301 or [email protected]

The World’s FlyMart will take place on Tuesday June 27th and Wednesday June 28th. The flymarts will be located at Five Points in Washington. Contact TD Nate Heinold for more information at [email protected]  

 

Sincerely, your 2023 PDGA AM Worlds Team, 

Tournament Director – Nate Heinold 

Please direct player registration related inquiries only to the PDGA HQ at: [email protected] or  706-261-6342. For all other inquires please contact TD Nate Heinold at [email protected]