Hudson Mills Metropark Hosts 30th Annual Discraft Great Lakes Disc Golf Tournament

Disc golf players of all sizes and skill levels converged on in Dexter on Saturday for the 30^th Annual Discraft Great Lakes Open (DGLO) Disc Golf Tournament.

The tournament, which is hosted by the Ann Arbor Area Disc Golf Club, is the single largest event of its kind in the area, Jeff Lewis, course director for Hudson Mills said.

“We draw players from all over the country,” Lewis said. “This year we have 11 professionals and 153 amateurs registered.”

Lewis said the tournament is broken up into a two-day event utilizing two of the park’s 27-hole permanent courses and a 24-hole temporary course and participants compete in their appropriate skill level.

“There are people with all different skill levels who enjoy playing disc golf,” Lewis said. “We have folks as young as 13 and as old as 60 playing in the tournament. Michigan has a huge disc golf following because its one of the least expensive sports to play.”

Utilizing much of the same rules as golf, disc golf requires individual players to throw a flying disc into a basket or at a target under par. According to the Professional Disc Golf Association, the object of the game is to traverse a course from beginning to end in the fewest number of throws of the disc. As with golf, Lewis said players are required to play the disc where it lies, even if its thrown into high grass or bushes. Different discs have varying weights and are used as putters, drivers and mid-ranges.

“It’s a lot of fun and great exercise once you get into it," he said.

In 2000, Hudson Mills hosted a world championship tournament and saw more than 1,000 athletes attend.

“Our goal is to bring the world championship back here in the future,” Lewis said.

Jason Hulbert of Saranac, said this was his first time playing at Hudson Mills.

“A bunch of my friends kept talking about last year’s tournament, so I decided to come out and play this year,” he said. “It’s a lot of fun."

Cody Haggadone of Howell has been playing disc golf for three years and has attended the tournament the past two years.

“The Hudson Mills course is a nice well-kept course with a good mixture of locations,” he said. “Overall this is a well established tournament. If you keep a level head it’s a lot of fun. If you don’t, this game will tear you up.”

Lewis said the tournament will continue Sunday beginning at 10 a.m. followed by an awards ceremony at 2 p.m.