2019 Pro Tour, NT and Major Schedule

[DGPT]

In continuing to work closely with the PDGA, we are excited to announce the 2019 Pro Tour, NT and Pro Major schedules. The Pro Tour is expanding to 11 events. We are adding one new event, welcoming back an event and removing one event.

2019 Schedule and highlights:

1. Expanding to 11 events
2. More and better media
3. $12,000 added cash minimum
4. Increased Points & Championship Payouts

We are happy to welcome back the Green Mountain Championship. The event took a year off the Pro Tour to host Pro Worlds. We are also happy to announce the newest event on the Pro Tour, the Portland Open, which will compliment the San Francisco Open as the fourth stop on the Pro Tour / NT West Coast Swing. Full details.

The Utah Open has become an affiliate event and will not be an official points earning Pro Tour event. Details in our news feed.

2019 Combined Schedule Map

2019 Disc Golf Pro Tour Map

 

[Fly_High]

Info on the Portland Open? Who's the TD? Course(I assume Blue Lake)?

 

[DGPT]

Info on the Portland Open? Who's the TD? Course(I assume Blue Lake)?

TD: Jeff Spring (Pro Worlds TD this year)
Asst TDs: Zoe Andyke and Dustin Keegan
Course: Blue Lake

That is all I have for now, except that it is going to be epic and I guarantee there will be at least a four hole playoff.

 

[mizunodave]

Man, Idlewild kinda gets screwed every year. This year it was the week after Konopiste. Next year it is the exact same week as the European Open.

 

[DGPT]

Man, Idlewild kinda gets screwed every year. This year it was the week after Konopiste. Next year it is the exact same week as the European Open.

Yes, it was the one significant conflict this year.
Silver lining: we get to see the future of the sport?

 

[mizunodave]

Already considered by many the hardest course on tour. Probably easy for a pro to convince themselves to skip that one if there is another attractive option. Ricky, Eagle, Simon, and Sexton have skipped it both years. This year a whole lot more will. I worry for the tournament's future. Pretty sad to see, especially after the awesome finish this year.

 

[DGPT]

Already considered by many the hardest course on tour. Probably easy for a pro to convince themselves to skip that one if there is another attractive option. Ricky, Eagle, Simon, and Sexton have skipped it both years. This year a whole lot more will. I worry for the tournament's future. Pretty sad to see, especially after the awesome finish this year.

Idlewild will prove itself again this year and it will be an amazing field of players. We agree that the conflict is bad and will work to avoid it as we all grow forward.

 

[esdubya]

I cannot imagine the amount of work to get this all hammered out and announced NOW. :clap:

Good luck in 2019! Keep doing what you are doing, the vast majority of us love watching the coverage and following along.

Also looking forward to seeing where the final will be held.

 

[brutalbrutus]

Man, Idlewild kinda gets screwed every year. This year it was the week after Konopiste. Next year it is the exact same week as the European Open.

Yes, it was the one significant conflict this year.
Silver lining: we get to see the future of the sport?

Already considered by many the hardest course on tour. Probably easy for a pro to convince themselves to skip that one if there is another attractive option. Ricky, Eagle, Simon, and Sexton have skipped it both years. This year a whole lot more will. I worry for the tournament's future. Pretty sad to see, especially after the awesome finish this year.

Idlewild will prove itself again this year and it will be an amazing field of players. We agree that the conflict is bad and will work to avoid it as we all grow forward.

This is crap. Third year in a row it conflicts with other big events...Was masters worlds or Master usdgc two years ago.


I need to win the lottery and make a contribution the pros cant afford to miss out a chance on...

 

[lyleoross]

Okay Steve, here's hoping that the Innova boys watch what you're doing more closely. Your intros and coverage have been really good. IMO, that's cause you look at what the top guys are doing and learn from it. Thanks.

 

[DGPT]

Okay Steve, here's hoping that the Innova boys watch what you're doing more closely. Your intros and coverage have been really good. IMO, that's cause you look at what the top guys are doing and learn from it. Thanks.

Thank you Lyle. We will continue to push.

The USDGC, NT Finale, and Pro Tour Championship - what a great finish to 2018 coming up! And to imagine the year it will be setting up. wow!

 

[Brockness Monster]

This is my first year really paying attention to this kind of stuff. Is there a reason that there is nothing happening, tour-wise, in Colorado? From what I hear there is a large population of disc golfers and amazing courses.

 

[JC17393]

This is my first year really paying attention to this kind of stuff. Is there a reason that there is nothing happening, tour-wise, in Colorado? From what I hear there is a large population of disc golfers and amazing courses.

Takes more than just players and courses. Takes people willing and able to step up and run the events. Running an A-tier or bigger isn't the same as running a B-tier, either. Way more work and way more effort.

 

[Brockness Monster]

So it is more about the locals wanting to put the work in? Bloom is not an A-tier event?

Edit: it is B-tier, quick google searches ftw
Edit again: it was A/B this year

 

[lyleoross]

So it is more about the locals wanting to put the work in? Bloom is not an A-tier event?

Edit: it is B-tier, quick google searches ftw

I work my bottom off, I can't do this. It takes a set of skills. I know it looks easier than it is. I worked with Dave Nesbitt and Neil Dambra on Texas States. I did field and basket prep. That is one tiny element of everything that has to happen. It really is a ton of work and experience. That's why, even if you have the money, the PDGA won't let you do an A-tier or an NT until you prove yourself. DGPT is a whole step above that.

That said, I think Colorado makes a great opportunity, but you need a lead. Someone running an event who will approach Steve and convince him they can do it.

 

[Brockness Monster]

Interesting. Thanks for the info Lyle and JC

 

[JC17393]

So it is more about the locals wanting to put the work in? Bloom is not an A-tier event?

Edit: it is B-tier, quick google searches ftw
Edit again: it was A/B this year

It is very much about having the locals who can put the work in. But I should amend a bit. While there is a gap between running a B-tier and running an A-tier, I think there's another gap between running a typical A-tier and running one that ascends to the level of the DGPT (ie. something attracts the attention of touring players).

Don't get me wrong, there are A-tiers (and some B-tiers) that are super high quality events that will attract some name players. But they are only going to get the touring types if they are fortuitously scheduled. For somewhere like Colorado, it would have to be a very quality event that falls on the right weekend to catch players that would be passing through anyway...essentially the first weekend in May for 2019. If the chips don't fall just right with the right course, the right TD, etc for just the right weekend, it's tough to pull off.

 

[_MTL_]

It's really great to get these out here now. Now TD's interested in running A tiers can have some good guidance of when to do something.

For example, if you are in Louisiana and want to run a Big A tier, you see that right after Waco is a perfect time.

Too many times A tiers are on the wrong side of the country as the tour and it just turns into a really big B tier. I don't know why TD's even want A Tier status when the are almost guaranteed to not get anyone that isn't local when they can do a great B tier with basically the same turnout and payout.

 

[JC17393]

Too many times A tiers are on the wrong side of the country as the tour and it just turns into a really big B tier. I don't know why TD's even want A Tier status when the are almost guaranteed to not get anyone that isn't local when they can do a great B tier with basically the same turnout and payout.

Funny thing is, now that A-tier TDs have this schedule with which to plan, everyone's trying to cram their events into a particular window when the "tour" is in their neck of the woods. I think A-tiers should be encouraged to counter-program the tour schedule (ie. run on the opposite side of the country). Chasing the touring pros might seem like a nice feather in the cap, but there's only so many events they can play. At some point, the effort to attract them becomes fruitless.

Just as an example, the weekend between the MVP Open and the Green Mountain Championship is a prime one for a New England A-tier (or big money B-tier). Over the past few years, that weekend has been grabbed by the Greater Hartford A-tier and the Nantucket B-tier. This year, things are complicated by the Selinske being hosted at Maple Hill that weekend, a Major that brings even more complications to scheduling (mileage restrictions). So it's likely that at least one of Hartford and Nantucket is going to change weekends but will still try to stay close to MVP and GMC on the schedule. In addition, there's an A-tier (which preceded MVP this year) and a big money B-tier that aspires to be an A (which immediately followed Worlds) in Maine that want in on the MVP/GMC related tour action too. That's not to mention that the Canadian Nationals (or at least the locale even if it isn't Nationals) is nearby and will want to be in the mix as well.

It's going to be ridiculously crowded in the northeast during that 4-6 week period. At least one of those tournaments is going to be left out of the A-tier mix and even as a B-tier, will not get the touring player attendance they want. Not to mention there might be a bit of overall event fatigue that could hamper attendance. Moving to earlier in the year and focusing on the local players instead of trying to attract a few names will probably be to their benefit and as well as give them an easier path to the A-tier schedule. But good luck convincing any of the TDs of that.

 

[DGPT]

This is my first year really paying attention to this kind of stuff. Is there a reason that there is nothing happening, tour-wise, in Colorado? From what I hear there is a large population of disc golfers and amazing courses.

The 303 is slated to be a DGPT Test Event in 2019.
If things go well and the schedule works, it will be a Pro Tour event in 2020.

In any case, if anyone is interested in hosting a Pro Tour event, here is the application:
https://www.dgpt.com/venues.html#/