The Disc Golf "Grand Slam"

[araytx]

Some golf ball golf history: when Bobby Jones won the Grand Slam, it was the (British) Open, the U.S. Open, the British Amateur and the U.S. Amateur. Mr. Jones and others then went on to form a club in Augusta, Ga., and put in a golf course so that they could have a tournament every year for players on the way to Florida. In the second of these tournaments Gene Sarazan hit "the shot heard round the world", the famous Double Eagle/Albatross... and The Masters became a Major.

The PGA Championship became the 4th major. There has been talk, mostly ginned up by the Media, but still talk about the Players Championship becoming a "fifth Major", but it hasn't happened. Tennis has the Aussie, French, U.S. Opens and Wimbledon, but tennis has declined in popularity in the United States, due to the lack of a popular, competitive male player in the last number of years.

So, we have this budding sport of Disc Golf. The Worlds and USDGC are big-boy and big-girl majors, with the USDGC set in Rock Hill.. IMHO, the creation of a recognized "Grand Slam" with the European Open in it every year would boost the popularity of that tournament, get more Americans over there (sponsors stepping up?), and it can be a big deal event. It can move around through Europe, especially Scandinavia, which might help its popularity.

That leaves a 4th event. If DeLa is as unpopular as some posts on here are suggesting, there's still some very good courses out there, from Oregon to Massachusetts, that can host an event. Call it something new, or not. Call it the PDGA Championship, or retain the "Beaver State Fling" (Philo albatross, "shot heard round the world"?) or "Memorial" or "Steady Ed" name... but it's there to be created. And IMHO, a Grand Slam chase will be good for Disc Golf and help it grow.

FTFY

I say that we make a new 4th big tournament (Worlds, USDGC, European Open) in multiple cities, rotating each year. It should be called the PDGA Championship,

Possible Cities:
Pittsburgh
Cincinnati
Charlotte

There's a lot more, but these cities don't have NT's every year and they have some of the best courses collectivelyin the nation.

Advantage East Coast, or Eastern half of the country.

i would have to disagree as both Wimbledon and the French Open are known events with lots of history and always lots of places to practice for said events. But I like that they have the 4 majors for a possible grand slam and then also a world championship each year for the top players.

I see your point. I guess I should have made mine more clear. I still think we should have world's each year. To me it just makes sense to have the same 4 majors which have a known quality and can be built upon over time.
Otherwise I would rather see 4 different courses each year consider as that years majors instead so that way they are truly different each year instead of 3 the same with one random thrown in.

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But if Worlds goes to 4 rounds at one course, I would include it in the Grand Slam.

And besides, "you just don't like it", what's the hatred for a different kind of event being included? Wouldn't that make the man/woman who finally sweeps them all in a year truly accomplished? Able to win in the mountains, at sea level, in the woods, in the open, across the pond, different parts of the country, short course, technical course, long course, etc. -- the most varieties overall, rather than an expert on just four single courses only. A couple people on this thread have advocated for the match play event to elevate itself to slam level. Nadal is a one of the greatest tennis players overall; his 14 grand slam titles puts him in that category. And even though he's one of what, maybe 7 or 8 men with a career grand slam, what do you think of when you hear Rafael Nadal? The greatest "clay court specialist" of all time, because 9 of those 14 are on the red clay that he grew up on, and most players didn't play on unless and until they become an elite pro.

 

[jjtwinnova]

Hmm… where have I heard that??

Did you say this already? Must have missed it.

 

[HarkeyPuck]

I have no "hatred" towards Worlds. (It's amazing the words that get put in your mouth here) i enjoyed the whole process last year. From course work to fundraising to spotting/crowd control and finally just as a fan. It's a great week long event. Screw the Grand Slam… we already have something different from the other individual sports, the WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS.

 

[HarkeyPuck]

Did you say this already? Must have missed it.

Pretty close…

Sort of. Not an NT. Like people were saying a new tourney. Call it what ever. USOpen, PDGA Players Championship, TOUR FINAL, yadda yadda… but it is played at the same time every year & rotates to top courses from year to year. The courses are jazzed up and made as hard as possible (OB, artificial obstacles) and it's a "Major"

USDGC is like the Masters in that it's at the same course every year.

EuroOpen, I'm not sure if that rotates courses or not.

I say that we make a new 4th big tournament (Worlds, USDGC, European Open) in multiple cities, rotating each year. It should be called the PDGA Championship,

Possible Cities:
Pittsburgh
Cincinnati
Charlotte

There's a lot more, but these cities don't have NT's every year and they have some of the best courses collectivelyin the nation.

 

[jjtwinnova]

Pretty close…

Sorry about that. At least we think alike.

 

[JC17393]

I say that we make a new 4th big tournament (Worlds, USDGC, European Open) in multiple cities, rotating each year. It should be called the PDGA Championship,

Possible Cities:
Pittsburgh
Cincinnati
Charlotte

There's a lot more, but these cities don't have NT's every year and they have some of the best courses collectivelyin the nation.

That sure sounds like what Worlds already is.

With MPO/FPO being separated out into their own Worlds that will apparently use a four round, 1-round-a-day event format, it should open up the opportunity to host for a lot more locations. Locations that may have 1-2 high quality, Gold-caliber courses but not nearly the capacity for the full blown 6+ round, 6+ pool traditional version.

The thing to keep in mind with all these locations that "don't have NTs every year and have some of the best courses" is there may be a reason they don't have an NT level event, which in an of itself is an obstacle in running a "major" there no matter what you called it. Courses aren't the only ingredient necessary for a large scale event. You also need folks willing and able to do the organizing. If there isn't a push for or an existing event in the area that could be scaled up easily to NT/Major level, it's going to be tough to create one, at least in the short term.

 

[HarkeyPuck]

^^^agreed. That's the problem with a lot of these ideas (including mine) is that you need the support from the area. It would be different if the PDGA came in and took over for the weekend and had an existing tournament team that came in and set up, ran the event, and broke down the tents, signs, markers, etc.

 

[HarkeyPuck]

Sorry about that. At least we think alike.

Nothing to be sorry about. We need to throw one of these days. We can play the 4 big courses and call it the Pittsburgh Grand Slam!!

:|

 

[araytx]

I have no "hatred" towards Worlds. (It's amazing the words that get put in your mouth here) i enjoyed the whole process last year. From course work to fundraising to spotting/crowd control and finally just as a fan. It's a great week long event. Screw the Grand Slam… we already have something different from the other individual sports, the WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS.

Again, you're out of context.

Here's what was meant. If you say there should be a "Grand Slam" (something like that), then why the objection to Worlds being part of it because it's a different format? You seemed locked in on the 4-day, 1 round per day being what you wanted for "Grand Slam" events, to the exclusion of any other type.

I was not saying you had hatred for Worlds itself, just "hatred" (in the slang sense) for a different format being part of the Slam of big tourneys.

 

[HarkeyPuck]

It's, just like my opinion man.

…and isn't Worlds headed that way anyhow?

 

[araytx]

It's, just like my opinion man.

…and isn't Worlds headed that way anyhow?

Got it.

And yes/no.

MPO/FPO yes.
Not the others divisions at all, Am or Pro.

And before people say only open players matter, you could win a Grand Slam or Duper Six in any division.

 

[sidewinder22]

And before people say only open players matter, you could win a Grand Slam or Duper Six in any division.

You are wrong according to your list. You can't win USDGC other than Open. You also can't win Worlds anything AM 2, 3, or 4.

Open and FPO are only what the vast majority of people care about though.

 

[dontBLAMEtheDISC]

FTFY




Advantage East Coast, or Eastern half of the country.





And besides, "you just don't like it", what's the hatred for a different kind of event being included? Wouldn't that make the man/woman who finally sweeps them all in a year truly accomplished? Able to win in the mountains, at sea level, in the woods, in the open, across the pond, different parts of the country, short course, technical course, long course, etc. -- the most varieties overall, rather than an expert on just four single courses only. A couple people on this thread have advocated for the match play event to elevate itself to slam level. Nadal is a one of the greatest tennis players overall; his 14 grand slam titles puts him in that category. And even though he's one of what, maybe 7 or 8 men with a career grand slam, what do you think of when you hear Rafael Nadal? The greatest "clay court specialist" of all time, because 9 of those 14 are on the red clay that he grew up on, and most players didn't play on unless and until they become an elite pro.

Pretty much every suggested grand slam had 3 tournaments that don't change location and world's. Which for me doesn't make as much sense as 4 of the same each year or a different 4 rotation each year.
As to your tennis point about not playing other surfaces till pro status I find hard to believe. Even before high school I had played quite often on clay granted grass courts are harder to find but even if your not in a tennis academy etc there's still lots of options for serious players to play on clay and grass.

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[rj29274]

Usdgc
Worlds
Beaver State
European Open

 

[araytx]

You are wrong according to your list. You can't win USDGC other than Open. You also can't win Worlds anything AM 2, 3, or 4.

Open and FPO are only what the vast majority of people care about though.

Yes, granted, but I'd let the equivalent tournaments stand in for the other divisions. In masters+ divisions the Selinske would be in place of the USDGC; in Ams the Am Nats would be in place of the USDGC.

I wouldn't have a "slam" for any "2+" division -- that's just how I'd label it. So in my mind a player could win the "MA1 Grand Slam" by winning, say The Memorial, Am Nats, Worlds, and Ledgestone -- if those are the chosen tourneys.

 

[Cgkdisc]

Sidenote regarding championships for older women > Who is the U.S. Advanced and Pro Master Women's Champion? The winners in FM1/FPM at the U.S. Masters event or the winner in those divisions in the USWDGC ? Likewise for the even older Am & Pro Women's divisions?

 

[araytx]

I am reviving this thread and now updating it, given the changes in disc golf since I started it.

TODAY I would say four events --

The Memorial
Pro Worlds
USDGC
DGPT Championship

I like the feel of a grand slam encompassing four slightly different kinds of events.

 

[araytx]

USDGC, Pro Worlds, Vibram Open, and Ledgestone Open. But isn't that already a Grand Slam? And since a grand slam in baseball means 4, it makes sense to keep it at 4.

a) why those four?
b) is your preference four, or would you see dg going with another number? why?
c) comment on the reasoning for choosing what are currently one NT, two Majors, and an A-tier.

DiscFifty .... give me your thoughts. Are they the same today?

 

[SonicGuy]

I personally think that the disc golf "Grand Slam" events should be in the same location every year, tennis style. So therefore Worlds is out. Worlds is worlds, no need to spruce it up. Winner is the world champion.

As to what events make up the grand slam, I can't pick four right now. Memorial gets a spot for sure; it has history and is a great spring break location. The memorial has always kicked off the disc golfing year and it should lick off the grand slam.

Ledgestone also gets a spot, mainly due to the amazing growth and sponsorship funding. The other two tourneys would probably need to get similar funding like Ledgestone to get the spots. I would love for some corporate sponsor to get behind the KCWO or MN Majestic. And then probably an event on the east coast to balance out the geography.

 

[GoobyPls]

I personally think that the disc golf "Grand Slam" events should be in the same location every year, tennis style. So therefore Worlds is out. Worlds is worlds, no need to spruce it up. Winner is the world champion.

As to what events make up the grand slam, I can't pick four right now. Memorial gets a spot for sure; it has history and is a great spring break location. The memorial has always kicked off the disc golfing year and it should lick off the grand slam.

Ball golf doesn't really do it that way. The US Open is held at different sites every year, but is still a major.