Welcome to the inaugural Kansas City Flying Disc Challenge!
This is the first big event during a holiday weekend on our courses! Please have patience and understanding. The courses are officially closed for non-tournament play. Please direct anyone attempting to play casually to your course coordinator. That said, at Swope and Blue Valley, we will be playing “outside the normal course.” There may be other park users; please work with them and smile while explaining the sport. You’re an ambassador for disc golf, the PDGA, and the KCDG, and we thank you. Educating and leaving a good impression helps us all out.
This event is a PDGA B-tier event, and all players are responsible for knowing all rules. Check them out at
https://www.pdga.com/rules
Please read this very long email – it is taking the place of a caddy book.
First, I’d like to thank our partners and sponsors:
Discmania
Eagle Products
Disc Dice
DG Nomad
DZ Discs
Dynamic Discs - Kansas City
Isaac Heinen
Kansas City Parks & Rec
Kansas City Disc Golf, Inc.
Launchpad Disc Golf
We also have had many players donate $5 to the well being of our volunteers. Thanks to all of you as well!
Second, a thanks to our volunteers. Each course will have a staff. That staff will have water bottles, can point you to holes, will have paper scorecards if you’d like one, and is there to make rulings. Thanks to our volunteer staff!
Cliff Drive: Michael Krueger (TD), David Herbert (Pop up tent, hole 1)
Water Works Park: Team MVP, Nova Politte and Kim Giannola (Pop up tent, hole 1 – also look for a feather banner for each course)
Swope Park: 2/3rds of Team ACE, Crispian Paul and Elisabeth Borg-Bowman (Asst TD). I believe some KC Beer League guys will be assisting at Swope as well. (Pop up tent, near the basket on Hole D)
Blue Valley Park: The Launchpadersons, Jerry (Asst TD) and Tina (Pop up tent near Bales Lake). Jerry’s number is (816) 724-9377
Other volunteers have dedicated time and energy to help get the courses in good shape:
Jack Lowe
Drew Nietzel
Jerry Patterson
Bowen Seiter
Mike Keizer
Dick Parker and Neighbor Mark for pop up tents.
Among others.
Third, a brief discussion of courses – maps (ones that I did and ones from uDisc) have been attached to this email.
An overview:
• Regular hole numbers have not changed. For example, Kessler Park (Cliff Drive) has holes 3-12, A, 13, B, 14-18. The numbers are CORRECT on both the PDGA site and uDisc. It’s just easier this way.
• OB will vary from course to course, so please know the OB rules at each course. For example, sidewalks and over are OB at Swope, unless the “over” is over to get to the basket (hole 11). No sidewalks are OB at Blue Valley. At Water Works, the sidewalk on hole 12 is the only OB sidewalk, all others are safe. Cliff Drive doesn’t need no stinkin’ sidewalks.
• OB lines are part of out of bounds.
• Water is casual on all courses EXCEPT Bales Lake is OB (Blue Valley). You may take casual relief from any standing or flowing water on the course per PDGA rules.
• If your card believes that you are in a dangerous spot (such as a sinkhole), you may take casual relief.
• Covid rules have been relaxed in Kansas City. No masks are required outdoors. You may have caddies or spectators with you.
• Please be aware of parking – do NOT park next to a basket or on the side of the road where your car could come into play. For example, do not park along the side of the road where hole 12 basket is at Cliff – instead, park along hole 1, which is not in play (across the street). At Water Works, please park at a diagonal if you’re in the circle.
• There are portable toilets at every course, except Blue Valley. Blue Valley has permanent bathrooms; they should be unlocked for the event. They are in the big shelter, which has been reserved by another party. We have to share facilities.
• Courses will NOT have big jugs of water. However, there will be SOME bottled water at each course. Please be prepared and bring water!
• If you’re on a heavily wooded or blind hole, please spot for each other! Remember, you only have 3 minutes to find a disc before declaring it lost. Lost discs require a rethrow from the previous approximate lie with a one throw penalty (and count all throws).
• Mandatories: Some are signs pointing you in the right direction, some are just orange tape. Look at the notes for the correct side, and also look for the Drop Zone, as it’s on the correct side (for the orange tape).
• There are some long walks to get from hole to hole. The longest is at Swope Park, Hole 10 to Hole A. It’s about a 4-and-a-half-minute walk for this 57-year-old writing this message. You’re an athlete. Remember that. Athletes should be able to walk 4 and a half minutes on flat ground. I say this tongue in cheek, but thank you for understanding.
• The distances on uDisc are different than “official” distances. Official distances were measured by range finder or survey equipment in most instances. uDisc measurements were based on my trying my best. For any distance, your mileage may vary.
Swope Park:
https://kcparks.org/places/swope-park/
We are using holes 1-10 (6 and 7 are combined), A – D (temp holes), 11-13, 17-18.
Baskets: Mach X
Out of bounds: On/over any sidewalk (except 11), on/over any road, on/over any curb, on/over any parking lot, on or in any shelter/tennis court/basketball court, over any fence, over any painted line (flagged). Any water on the course is casual unless you cross a painted OB line to get into it. Hole 1: Double mando (DZ). Hole 11: Island hole - first shot must come to rest on island inside painted lines or proceed to DZ. Normal OB after first shot.
On the temp holes, baskets 6 and 14 through 16 are being used. Look for the red flag on Hole A and yellow flags for the rest of the holes. The Temp holes also have temp pads. Hole A is a painted line; Holes B – D have mats. You may tee off from the mat or either side of it as marked by flags and paint.
Blue Valley Park:
https://kcparks.org/places/blue-valley-park/
This course is a combination of the junior course and the big course. Holes in use are A (temp pad on sidewalk near large shelter where bathrooms are to 1 long left), J2 (Junior 2 to Junior 3), J4, J6, J9, J1, 3 (temp pad on island in Bales Lake), 4-9, B (from the inner course pad to 9 long right), 10 (short pad), 11-12, 1 (to new long right basket – the nickel says 17). Holes 8-9 have blue baskets.
Baskets: Mach III (including the two blue baskets). Hole 1 was pulled from the regular course, so the nickel is incorrect; same with hole 6 as it was pulled from the Junior course.
Out of Bounds: Surrounded by water in Bales Lake. All other water is casual. On or over any road (parts of road may be marked by paint – we didn’t refresh the paint, but if there is paint there, use and make a group decision; benefit of the doubt goes to the player). Over any fence. DO NOT RETRIEVE DISCS FROM PRIVATE PROPERTY. Inside playground. On or in any shelter. Please note, sidewalks on the course property are all SAFE. Hole 3: You may proceed to DZ with two throw penalty (throwing three). If tee shot lands OB in Bales Lake, proceed to DZ with one throw penalty. Hole 7: Mando left (DZ). Hole 10: Short pad.
Water Works Park:
https://kcparks.org/places/waterworks-park/
The layout at Water Works is the most straightforward. Holes being played are 1 through 18, with 9 playing from a temp pad.
Baskets: Mach X
Out of bounds: on/over any road, on/over any curb, on retaining rock wall or steps, on/over painted lines, over any fence. Terrapin Station is safe. All sidewalks are safe EXCEPT on Hole 12; on or over is OB. Hole 3: NO MANDO, no DZ. Hole 5: Over fence, Caution Tape, and painted line on left (in to sinkhole) is OB. The OB area starts around the middle left placement. Hole 8: Double mando, go to DZ with one throw penalty if you miss mando. OB long (painted lines), normal OB rules if you’re OB long. Hole 9: temp pad. Hole 13: Mando Right (DZ). Hole 17: No mando, no DZ.
Kessler Park (Cliff Drive):
https://kcparks.org/places/kessler-park/
There are many combinations that can be used at Cliff Drive. For this event, we are skipping 1 and 2, playing 3-12, A (old 12), 13 (short pad), B (new hole), 14-18. Holes A and B have permanent pads playing to permanent placements.
Baskets: Mach III. Hole 18 has a blue coated Mach III. Baskets were pulled from the regular course for A & B, so the numbers will be incorrect.
Out of Bounds: On or over any road/curb (except B, where you have to cross closed road to get to hole, which plays as a river). Over any fence. On or over any painted line. The roads often have painted lines - use the painted line to determine OB. The roads were painted once, they may have faded, please look and remember the benefit of doubt goes to the player. Hole A: No drop zone. Hole B: Islands in road (river) are OB. 14: Mando RIGHT (DZ)
Reservoir:
https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/forgotten-kc-kessler-park-reservoir
If you throw your disc into the reservoir – it’s OB. Play it from where it went OB, and find it after the round if you must. Talk to MK or Dave about how to find discs in the reservoir.
Scoring: We are using PDGA live scoring. The URL is PDGA.com/score and the password is kcfdc2021 – I prefer each card to use live scoring and keep a backup, whether on uDisc or paper. MAKE SURE YOU FINALIZE YOUR CARD OR EACH PLAYER ON THE CARD WILL BE STROKED TWO THROWS per PDGA Rules.
https://www.pdga.com/rules/official-rules-disc-golf/808 subsection F.
Player packs:
• Shirts (all players, thanks to an unnamed benefactor who insisted on shirts for all players)
• Disc Dice (Ams)
• Discmania Disc (Ams)
Player packs can be picked up Friday at the Blue Line
https://www.thebluelinekc.com/ at 529 Walnut in the Kansas City River Market from about Noon to 7:00. If you cannot make it to the Blue Line, PP pick up will be at Cliff Drive when you play there.
Miscellaneous:
• There will be ghost cards in some divisions. They help the tournament flow and are much better than fivesomes. I hate fivesomes.
• Lunch will be approximately 1.5 hours after the last card is “turned in.”
• Courses, start times, and holes will be posted on the PDGA site.
https://www.pdga.com/tour/event/48583
• Please notify me if you cannot make it to subsequent rounds. Email me at [email redacted] OR text 913-306-0682. I keep my phone on silent but check for text messages frequently.
• There are CTPs for AMATEUR PLAYERS each round. Hole 3 at Cliff Drive, Hole 11 at Swope Park, Hole 8 at Water Works Park, and Hole J1 at Blue Valley Park. Thanks to KCDG, Isaac Heinen, and George Rousis for those prizes.
• Liz loves to crochet flowers, and every card winner at Swope should see her for a crocheted flower.
Awards/Payouts:
• Professionals – PayPal preferred. If you want a check, please let me know.
• Amateurs – You have chosen either Dynamic Discs – Kansas City OR DZ Discs. I’ll get those payouts to the respective vendors sometime on Monday.
Finally, we all would like to thank you for choosing to come and compete in the inaugural Kansas City Flying Disc Challenge. This event is new us, new to you, and new to the area, so please let us know how you feel about the event. Be mindful that work will be continuing on all the courses over the years, and that this may be the only time you play the hole in this configuration, the course this way, or event this style. Bottom line, we hope you have a good time. Kansas City is known for hospitality and great disc golf; we hope and strive to ensure you have a good time and enjoy the play here. We thank you for coming to Kansas City Missouri, and playing on a few of our courses this holiday weekend.
Jerry Patterson 
Miles Lemke 
CD Steiner 