YORKTON - You might not think of disc golf as a team sport but there is a team option to the game.
The World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF) hosted its inaugural Pan American Team Disc Golf Championship Nov. 10-12.
The event, held at the Langley Pond Disc Golf Park in Warrenville, South Carolina, has expected five countries to send teams but Mexico and Brazil withdrew leaving only Columbia, Canada and the host USA to test drive the concept.
The gold medal came down to the USA versus Canada, with Team Canada emerging with the win.
“I really enjoyed it. It’s a different format than we typically play,” said Thomas Gilbert a Team Canada member from Ontario.
Gilbert said he really liked the feeling of being part of a team representing Canada against other national teams.
“It felt really cool being part of the team. We were six competitors all very valuable to the team . . . It was working together to achieve a single goal.”
Sofia Donnecke, from B.C. who was teamed with Gilbert on the final day said there was a surprising feeling of a team to the event.
“I’ve done some team sports and I’d argue it felt very similar to that,” she said. “. . . When we all came together after it really felt like a team. I really appreciated that about this event.”
Playing for her country played a factor in the feel of things too, said Donnecke.
“It felt like we were representing Canada, playing for Team Canada,” she said.
Other Team Canada members were Karen Martel, Stewart McIsack, Justin Da Silva and Jake McIntosh.
The team format features match play, where winning the most baskets on a round is the goal.
On the final day it was doubles action for the gold, with all six team members in action and Canada winning two or three.
The format is one which changes how players must approach things.
“There’s a lot more thought about strategy,” offered Gilbert. “Each hole (basket) mattered.”
If a basket was won it was a point. Tied baskets didn’t factor into things, so it was who outright won the most baskets out of 18 that won for the team.
The concept is one Donnecke said has potential, noting there has been talk of disc golf in the Olympics at some point, and the team format would seem a great fit for that.
Donnecke said the mind set was quite different.
For example if you were ahead you might lay up on a 25-foot putt, to make sure you at least tied the basket.
Down a basket you might make a run at the basket, even with a water hazard behind it, because it was not a case of giving up strokes, only winning or losing the basket mattered.
“You wanted to put pressure on your opponent,” she said. “. . . There was a lot more strategy.”
And there was pressure playing for gold.
“I was taking an extra second and thinking about my shots,” said Donnecke.
Up next is the World Team Championship to be held in Australia in 2024, and both Gilbert and Donnecke have their eyes on the event.
“This year (heading to South Carolina), there wasn’t any financial help for travel,” noted Gilbert, adding they are hoping for some help getting to Australia.
“They’re hoping to do a bunch of fundraising to go to Perth next year.”
“It’s definitely on my radar,” said Donnecke.
The competition in Australia will be tougher.
“There was over 20 (countries), at the last world championship,” said Gilbert.
