11 Countries Face Off with a Single Disc... Yangju Disc Golf to Expand to 36 Holes Next Year

[Financial News] Reading the wind and the terrain, players send discs toward baskets lined with chains. Disc golf, which uses a disc instead of a golf club and ball, has wrapped up its second international tournament in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province. The event, which brought together players from 11 countries, is set to grow further next year with the addition of a course exclusively for professionals and the introduction of qualifying rounds for amateurs.
Crown Haitai Confectionery said on the 19th that 119 players—including 47 professionals and 72 amateurs—competed in the 2nd Yangju Art Valley Disc Golf Championship, held on the 17th and 18th at the Yangju Art Valley Disc Golf Course. The tournament was conducted under the rules of the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA).■ Jackie Chen takes the title... Kajiyama finishes runner-upThe professional competition on the 17th was played over two rounds, with competitors completing the 18-hole course (par 64, 2,086 meters) twice. Taiwan’s Jackie Chen won the men’s division with a total of 8 under par across the two rounds. Chen has a PDGA rating above 1,000, calculated based on recent tournament results.
Japan’s Manabu Kajiyama, last year’s winner who was seeking back-to-back titles, finished runner-up, while Hong Kong’s Tiji Homing placed third. In the women’s division, Japan’s Rika Takaki won with 23 over par in her first appearance at the tournament. Taiwan’s Chen Chen and Japan’s Yuka Nakagawara finished second and third, respectively.
The amateur competition on the 18th was shortened to one round because of torrential rain. Participants competed across five divisions—MA1, MA2, FA1, FA2 and MA65—on an 18-hole, par-64 course measuring 1,756 meters in total.
Amateurs are divided into categories by skill level and age, among other factors. MA is the mixed division and FA is the women’s division; MA1 and MA2, as well as FA1 and FA2, are separated by skill level.
Seth Waymer of the United States won MA1 with 3 under par, while South Korea’s Park Yoseph won MA2 with 4 over par. In FA1 and FA2, South Korea’s Lee Hyun-jin and Jo Bok-seon each took the title with 17 over par. The MA65 division, for players aged 65 and over, was won by Singapore’s Jeong Hu Tei with 19 over par.■ Distance and accuracy... the appeal of choosing the right discThe goal of disc golf is to complete the course with as few throws as possible. Courses generally have either nine or 18 holes. Players throw their first disc from the tee pad, the starting point, and make their next throw from where the disc comes to rest. Penalty strokes are added to the number of throws on each hole, and the player with the fewest strokes overall wins.
A player is under par if they take fewer throws than the course’s par, and over par if they take more. The professional and amateur courses at this tournament differed in length by 330 meters, but both had a par of 64.
The target corresponding to golf’s hole is a basket consisting of a pole fitted with chains and a catching tray. A hole is considered complete only when the disc comes to rest supported by the chains or the tray. Merely brushing the chains or landing on top of the basket does not complete the hole.
Just as golfers choose a club to suit the situation, disc golfers use different discs for different purposes. These include drivers for long distances, midranges for medium distances, and putters used close to the basket. The enjoyment of the game lies in choosing a disc and flight path based on the remaining distance, the position of trees, the slope and the wind.
If a disc comes to rest completely outside the designated playing area, in an out-of-bounds (OB) area, the player receives a one-stroke penalty. Even a long throw can cost strokes if it misses the landing area, so players must decide whether to approach the basket in one throw or advance in shorter stages along a safer route.
Natural features such as trees and slopes are also part of the course. Players may not alter the course—such as by breaking branches—to make their shots easier. Repeating the process of throwing a disc and walking to the next spot lets players enjoy outdoor activity and socializing at the same time.
■ New course for professionals... qualifying rounds for amateursCrown Haitai Confectionery plans to build an additional 18-hole course exclusively for professional players at Yangju Art Valley by next year. Together with the existing 18 holes, the venue will have a total of 36 holes. The plan is for professionals to compete on the new, longer and more challenging course, while amateurs play tournaments on the existing course.
The format will also change from this year’s schedule, in which professionals and amateurs each competed for one day. Next year, the amateur competition is set to run over two days, divided into qualifying rounds and a final. The aim is to expand opportunities to participate by securing space and time for amateur events alongside the new course for professionals.
This year, the number of amateur participants was limited to 72 because of constraints on the venue and schedule. With qualifying rounds, organizers plan to accommodate more people who wish to participate and have those who qualify compete in the final.
Disc golf is a sport that requires relatively simple equipment and combines throwing a disc with walking. Crown Haitai Confectionery aims to turn international tournaments into broader participation in recreational sports by expanding the course and increasing opportunities to take part.
Yoon Young-dal, chairman of Crown Haitai Confectionery, said, “I hope that anyone interested in disc golf, whether a customer or a member of the public, can learn and enjoy the sport at the Yangju Art Valley Disc Golf Course.”
[email protected] Jang In-seo Reporter