Interview with 2008 USDGC Tournament Director Jonathon Poole | 1000 Rated Disc Golf Players, News, scores, and more

Interview with 2008 USDGC Tournament Director Jonathan Poole

1000 RATED: The United States Disc Golf Championship is widely described as the most exciting and well run tournament in the sport. Originally TD’d by Harold Duvall, you’ve held the reigns of this tourney since 2002. What makes the USDGC so special, how did the tourney come to take place in the first place and what has changed since you’ve been involved?

JP: Harold Duvall and I created the USDGC together. Planning began in 1998, the year after we had hosted the Pro Worlds in Charlotte. Harold is the tournament’s chairman and has played in every event. I have served as the event’s director each year.

1000 RATED: How do you prepare for something of this capacity? Is it a year long process? Also, what is your strategy for bringing in big time advertisers in order to supplement the payout, bring attention to the sport, and formally professionalize the event?

JP: The Championship never stops. It takes two solid months to prepare for the event, then another month or so to wrap everything up. Preparing for the spring release of USDGC Rocs takes the better part of two months. USDGC qualifying usually begins in March and continues throughout the year. Fundraising is about relationships so we strive to care for those relationships constantly. Again, it never stops.

1000 RATED: Do you have a load of volunteers that help achieve your goals at this event? What do some of these people do and who has been a big help over the years and why?

United States Disc Golf Championship staff JP: We have been holding steady at a little more than 100 people on our tournament staff. That is what sets the USDGC apart. Most big things cannot be done without motivated and intelligent people. We put a lot of energy into motivating volunteers and putting them in the right positions. Whenever you can channel the passion and energy of that many people, the results will often exceed what you thought was possible.

1000 RATED: For those who have never had a chance to play the course at Rock Hill, can you explain what it’s like and why (other than the size and the depth of the field) it’s so difficult to place well?

JP: Winthrop Gold can make a good disc golfer look silly. You cannot let your guard down anywhere on the course. You cannot get rattled. If you lose your confidence, it’s over. The weak and the timid simply have no place to hide.

1000 RATED: For those who have never watched the tournament first hand, what types of reasons would you give them to make the trip and watch the event live?

Avery Jenkins tees off at the USDGC JP: We make the course available to spectators on Sunday after the tournament. If you are serious player then here’s your chance to see how you stack up against the world’s best. If you think you can hang with a Ken Climo, Barry Schultz, or Dave Feldberg, Winthrop will likely bring you back to earth. Those guys really are a lot better than you are. Once a year you get to watch them face their toughest challenge and then get up on stage yourself. Everybody needs to do it at least once.

Also, most people have a fairly localized perception of what disc golf tournaments are like. Whatever your perception, the USDGC will blast it completely apart. It isn’t what you think.

1000 RATED: Some talk on the PDGA discussion board and elsewhere has focused on getting Mike and Mike from ESPN to cover some of the event. Billy Crump and Brian Graham have been lobbying for this, as well regular golfers who keep e-mailing ESPN. Is this a possibility? What other kinds of media coverage are you hoping to attract?

USDGC contestants JP: From a media standpoint, I just want coverage to be sincere. Many jock sportscasters are meat and potatoes guys. If they aren’t discussing football, baseball, or basketball, then it’s a crap shoot as to how they are going to present you.

Mike and Mike know that some of their audience will blast them for paying attention to a Frisbee gig. If they come here and make light of things in an effort to save face with their crowd, then I’d question the value. If they come and get into it, that could be good. You just need to understand who you’re dealing with before it’s too late. If players will just focus on improving their game both on and off the course, the media will eventually follow.

1000 RATED: USDGC obviously brings a lot of commerce to the local economy. How has the city of Rock Hill and Winthrop University reacted to the event over the years?

JP: Winthrop University has been as gracious a host as we could have hoped for. They are first class in every sense placing us in an extremely fortunate position. The City of Rock Hill, the Tourism and Sports Commission, the Chamber of Commerce, and Parks and Recreation are all very supportive. The USDGC brings welcome business to a relatively small town. In these economic times, every little bit helps.

1000 RATED: Dave Feldberg is a likely favorite, Avery Jenkins is always a contender, Brian Schweberger usually fairs quite well, Nikko Locastro is hot right now, and one can never count out Climo or Schultz. Do you have any predictions for this year?

Dave Feldberg holds his 2005 USDGC trophy JP: There are only a handful of guys who can win here. That’s just where we are right now. If Feldberg wins, he will have had the most remarkable season I can remember anyone ever having. Dave would become the only person other than Ken Climo to win the “Kenny Slam” which is both Worlds and USDGC in the same year. Ken accomplished this in 2000 and again in 2002.

Ken has already won here five times which is a massive advantage. Winthrop looks and feels much like his stomping grounds back home in Florida so he’s comfortable here. There may be guys as confident as Ken, but no one is more confident in their ability to get the job done. Put it like this, if this year’s winner isn’t one of our former Champions, or perhaps Nate, I would be surprised. Excited for disc golf, but surprised.

1000 RATED: On a personal level, what is your favorite part of this event every year?

JP: This is a family reunion for me. I get to spend a week celebrating disc golf with many of the greatest friends I have ever known.

1000 RATED: We know this might be a difficult question to answer, but we ask everyone; who is your favorite 1000 rated player and why?

JP: Most of your current 134 players are people I’d call friends. I would not play favorites among them.

. ***Images in this article were graciously provided by and are a copyright of USDGC and Innova ***We would like to thank Jonathon Poole for taking time out of his busy schedule (right before the tournament no less) to speak with us

Brad Folsom on September 23rd, 2008 at 6:20 am

Heading up from Tallahassee for this for the first time and can’t wait. yikes I wish I had the ganme too play this event against those peeps. Sunday I will try my chances at it though. wow I hope I don;t lose discs in the water. Thanks to Innova for all of there hard work with this event and stuff - I bet the players cup would never have happened without it.

Bill on September 25th, 2008 at 3:45 pm

Soooo close now, I can almost hear the discs whizzing by….

Spectators should remember to bring water, it is a very long course and facilities are limited.

Havard on September 25th, 2008 at 4:57 pm

Didn’t Barry win both Worlds and USDGC in 2003?

admin on September 25th, 2008 at 7:33 pm

Yep…the same year he won the National Tour Series

Ryan Robbins on September 26th, 2008 at 1:24 pm

I don’t want to sound to critical but winning World and the USDGC, doesn’t really qualify as a slam. They need to have four majors to count a slam. The roots of a golfing slam started with Bobby Jones winning the only four majors all in one year; US Am, British Am, US open, and the British open, a feat that is no longer possible.

In disc golf though, A true Grand slam is still possible in disc golf USADGC, Am worlds, Pro worlds(if they are on separate weekends), and the USDGC, but I don’t think anyone is going to hang onto their Am status to try and do this.

Correct me if I’m wrong, I think Feldberg is the closest person to achieving any real slam, which he calls the “Borg slam” 2007 Players cup, 2008 Japan open, 2008 Worlds, and the 2008 USDGC.

admin on September 26th, 2008 at 1:39 pm

Ryan,

You are correct, and Dave refers to this “Borg Slam” in our recent interview. If he can take USDGC this year, he will be the only person to hold all four of those titles at one time - a true Grand Slam.

On the other hand, he’s already the first person to have won all 5 Major majors - 2005 USDGC, 2006 Europen Open, 2007 Players Cup, 2008 Japan open, and the 2008 Worlds.

Tom on September 30th, 2008 at 8:52 am

If you make it to the USDGC, make sure to say hello to Bear Dog and his owner Chris Roberts. This dog is amazing. Everyone should have a bear dog, you would hardly ever loose a disc. I am proud to have him and his owner as dear friends and travel partners.

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