It might not be in front of a stadium full of people at an Olympics or Commonwealth Games (yet), and it’s played out in a fairly convivial atmosphere among members of the disc golf tribe from all over the world – but representing our country, with that coat of arms over the heart, makes every single throw matter like it’s never mattered before. The twelve members of the Australian Disc Golf team rode those emotional highs and lows together for a week of intense competition at the WFDF World Teams Disc Golf Championships from August 17 to 20.

After losing in heartbreaking fashion to eventual bronze medalists Canada in the quarter final, the Sugar Gliders won in a tense playoff for 5th place against Germany to finish the event. Australia entered the Championships seeded 11th. Before the event Captain Chris Hill (Chilly) made a bold prediction in an interview with AFDA: “My personal goal for the event is to make the top 8 teams. And then we are just 3 wins away from winning the whole championship… Who knows what might happen! …Let’s show the world what Aussie disc golf can do.” And show the world they did.

The team also won the the spirit award, as voted by all the competitors at the event. That’s a strong endorsement for the culture of the team and how they represented us all. Well done to The Sugar Gliders from everyone in Australian Disc Golf.

Story by Kingsley Flett and Emilie Cameron

100 women across Australia played together as part of a global event that linked 129 events and 3305 women around the globe in a PDGA ratings-based scoring system involving 23 divisions. In  Australia we had 7 events: the WGE – Run the Chains at Chichester presented by Julie Ormston & partners, Melbourne Celebrates, Adelaide Parklands,  WGE Sydney 2022 Presented by Disc Connection, Dubbo, Run the Chains at Mundaring and Koala Park.  

After humble beginnings, with one event and 3 women competitors in 2012, the event has more than tripled in competitors in Australia between 2018 and 2019 and then grew by a further 14 percent in the last year.

Like in the other golf, women make up only a small percentage of players overall, anywhere between 5 and 15% depending on how this number is calculated. Through the efforts of many volunteers nation-wide, this imbalance is being gradually redressed with initiatives like women’s leagues and social days in  Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth.

Central to this approach is the Women’s Global Event. In one sense it is an opportunity to encourage new women to try the sport, but the event also encourages Disc Golfers across Australia to reflect on how we can make the sport more inclusive of women and how to make their experience in the game more comfortable and enjoyable.

Stand out performers this year were: Gina Hill – 3^rd in FA1, Cassie Sweetten – 55^th in FPO, Gail Lynch  – 4^th in FA70+,  Jessica Holman and Lydia Philpott both finishing in the top 40 of FJ15 and, playing in her first ever tournament 81 year-old Merle Milentis, who finished 17^th in FA70+.

Encouraging too, was the fact that 5 of the 7 events had women as their tournament directors: Sue Summers in Mundaring, Julie O’Donoghue in Chichester, Janet Ford Adams in Melbourne, Emilie Cameron in Koala park and Lisa Wallis in Sydney.

As the chatter across social media over the weekend showed, this event has grown into having a spirit all its own and has fast become a valued part of the Australian Disc Golf calendar.

The World Team Disc Golf Championships are on 17 to 20 August. Last year Team Australia member Paul Noesen was kind enough to share with us some insights into his game and his outlook on the sport.

PAUL ‘NOISY’ NOESEN – WA – PDGA #24666

Q:What are your strengths as a player?

A: I feel my strengths are that I have many tools to work with; forehand, backhand, tomahawk, thumber, rollers…..there aren’t many shots I can’t utilise.

Q: What is your best or favourite competition result to date?

A: Gentlemen’s Club Challenge in 2010 playing MA1, I took second place on very little sleep and the top 3 received automatic invites to the National Amateur Disc Golf Championship which was amazing to experience.

Q: What are your disc golfing ambitions and plans for the next two or three years?

A: I want to continue to develop a very consistent and dangerous putt, bring my rating up and attend Masters Worlds in the United States.

Q: Can you share a top form tip or something that substantially helped you improve your play.

A: The biggest thing that has helped me is to worry about what I’m doing and not how others are shooting. Don’t get angry at a mistake, think about what you can focus on or change to help correct it for future throws/events.

Q: What top pro player do you look up to and why?

A: Calvin Heimberg – He is as cool as it comes, very focused and enjoys playing the game.

Best of luck for Croatia Noisy, so great to have you representing Australia on the world stage.