USDGC VS Pro Worlds

[Brodie]

If you had a choice to attend either the USDGC in Rockhill or Pro Worlds in Emporia...as a spectator...which event would you chose?
Which offers a better spectator experience?
Would weather be a factor (Emporia in August vs Rockhill in October)?
Thanks,

 

[eric40817]

For me it would be USDGC. Emporia is a beautiful course, but I like Rockhill better. Although I've never played both, Youtube and my Chromecast have given me a pretty good look at the courses lol. Weather isnt necessarily a factor, but October in SC is probably much more tolerable than August in KS. Mid-high 70s vs high 80s-low 90s

 

[DavidSauls]

What Eric said.

Add to that, USDGC has lots of experience with hosting spectators. It draws a pretty good gallery on the final day, and it's fun being part of that.

A bonus, if you care, is that if you travel to the USDGC, in the time you're not watching you can play some excellent courses nearby.

 

[bradharris]

I've played in 3 USDGCs. If I was choosing to go spectate one event, I would definitely return to Rock Hill. There's just something special about that week that is very difficult to replicate anywhere else. Pro worlds may have more variety and activity, but settling in for a week of disc golf in Rock Hill is a perfect disc golf vacation.

 

[Dana]

Generally, October weather in Rock Hill is pretty darn good. Without looking, I'd guess Emporia is going to be on the hotter side of things. The people of Emporia are awesome and extremely welcoming and I'm sure DD will go above and beyond to make it an enjoyable experience for spectators. On the flip side, USDGC does a pretty good job with spectators and as David said, they have lots of experience with it.

Final answer- USDGC. This has nothing to do with Emporia or anything, its just that I'd recommend spectating USDGC over spectating Worlds 9/10 times.

 

[Spinthrift]

I've played in Emporia and Winthrop and hands down Rock Hill in October is much more pleasant then Kansas in August. And I liked Emporia in July a lot. Winthrop Gold is also a very friendly spectator course.

 

[eric40817]

A bonus, if you care, is that if you travel to the USDGC, in the time you're not watching you can play some excellent courses nearby.

This is a main factor for me as well. Traveling all the way to SC and not playing any disc while Im there is like drinking decaf coffee, or O'Douls. Just doesn't make sense.

 

[mullethead326]

If I wanted to see disc golf, I'd go to Emporia. If I wanted to see some bizarre mutation of disc golf, I'd go to Rock Hill.

 

[@iDiscGolf]

If I wanted to see disc golf, I'd go to Emporia. If I wanted to see some bizarre mutation of disc golf, I'd go to Rock Hill.

Exactly. I agree with the this.

Worlds anywhere > usdgc. x1000

Usdgc is so far down in my list, I have no real excitement for the event in comparison with the other nt s of the year.

 

[bhadella]

Exactly. I agree with the this.

Worlds anywhere > usdgc. x1000

Usdgc is so far down in my list, I have no real excitement for the event in comparison with the other nt s of the year.

You've seen what the Emporia courses are like, right? Especially the Country Club Course the MPO will be playing? They certainly don't have lots of long open shots and punitive OB and some gimicks thrown in....LOL.

 

[Discette]

If you had a choice to attend either the USDGC in Rockhill or Pro Worlds in Emporia...as a spectator...which event would you chose?
Which offers a better spectator experience?
Would weather be a factor (Emporia in August vs Rockhill in October)?
Thanks,

I also have played in the USDGC and at the GBO in Emporia as well as 10 Pro worlds. I would choose USDGC no matter where they are hosting Pro worlds.

Here are my opinions:

Both Emporia and Rock Hill are super friendly communities.
USDGC is very spectator friendly and they have awesome event deals in the Pro Shop.
If you are flying, there are far more options to Charlotte than Topeka (nearest airports).
If you are driving, the scenery is far more varied in the Carolinas.
USDGC has better weather in October, than Emporia in August.
Rock Hill has more to do if you are not disc golfing.
While the disc golf in Emporia is fantastic, Rock Hill (and Charlotte) have many more disc golf options and a wider variety of courses.
The Winthrop Gold course is available to play on the Sunday after the event with all the ropes and regalia.
Emporia is literally in the middle of nowhere, Kansas. So you are stuck there to eat and for entertainment. Rock Hill is very close to Charlotte which has everything the big city can offer, including a night on the town.

 

[Brodie]

Thanks for the input. Sounds like the wife might enjoy Rockhill more since she is not a disc golf fan and with weather factored in, I will probably wait and go to USDGC.
And the boys and I definitely want to play the course after the tourney...

 

[@iDiscGolf]

Sounds like the wife might enjoy Rockhill more since she is not a disc golf fan

Oh the lols.

 

[JTacoma03]

If I wanted to see disc golf, I'd go to Emporia. If I wanted to see some bizarre mutation of disc golf, I'd go to Rock Hill.

Both tournaments use rope OB liberally, assuming Worlds course layouts are similar to GBO.
------

Experience: Played all courses for GBO (except Peter Pan), played Winthrop Gold, spectated at GBO 2014, worked at USDGC.

Overall: Honestly, you really can't go wrong with either. Both are small towns that LOVE disc golf. The locals in both locations know and support the tourism that accompanies these big events.

- I think Winthrop is a better course, but I also don't think Emporia has bad courses.

- The tournament experience and hospitality are great at both locations. The volunteer staff is well coordinated and top notch at both as well.

- I personally prefer tournaments at a single course for spectating...and playing for that matter.

- The "block party" at GBO is fantastic, I can only imagine that Rusco and co. will outdo that at Worlds. When they hosted Am worlds a couple years back people raved.

- Spectator day at USDGC is such a cool experience. To wake up the next day and play the same exact layout you just watched the pros struggle with for 4 days really puts things in perspective. It should be a disc golf bucket list item.

- North and South Carolina are the MOST beautiful in October in my opinion (I lived in Raleigh and Chapel Hill for a combined 6 years of my life).

- The DD brick and mortar in Emporia is really, really nice (and I don't even throw their plastic!)

- The Pro Shop at Winthrop has GEMS...I mean even some of the pros are in there trying to flip that plastic they release.

- USDGC hasn't typically hosted FPO players...but man the way Catrina and Paige are playing this year, it might be their time if they try to qualify. It's also going to be the DGWT finals, so if that registers on your radar mark that one down too.

- Worlds has huge drama because...it's Worlds...USDGC is equally as prestigious...but the fact that it's the same course every year is important. Worlds is the US Open, USDGC is the Masters.


I've got to give the edge to USDGC, for the weather, and the fact that there's something so satisfying about seeing the last putt of the touring season drop in. It always energizes me to get out and play in the offseason.



(Obviously I can't be 100% unbiased...I have more relationships with people at Innova East, but I'm attempting to be as fair as I possibly can in this review. I have lots of respect for the DD crew.)

 

[JTacoma03]

How could I forget BEER??


Charlotte has KILLER breweries, but don't sleep on Emporia - Radius is good too!

 

[LukeButch]

I vote USDGC, and I've been to both emporia as a player and US as a spectator. Emporia courses are good, but imo nothing can beat being in the gallery at USDGC as they approach the 17th green and the drama that you KNOW is about to happen!


One positive for emporia vs other pro worlds I would say is that because its such a small town there will be disc golfers everywhere you go all week, vs last year the courses were really spread out and you wouldn't see anyone all week unless you were in the same pool...with the exception of Primati Bros haha

 

[bneely]

I've spectated at two Worlds (2011 and 2014) and visited the USDGC once. In terms of the spectator experience, I'd vote for USDGC, but I do think where Worlds is hosted matters; in 2014 I highly enjoyed Portland's variety of courses, for example, and the day I spent watching the top pros navigate that Trojan layout will always stick with me.

One thing I'll echo is that the USDGC is so well organized and staffed with volunteers that the spectator experience really feels special. The fact that most of us know the holes so well from years of past tournaments makes following the groups enjoyable. The comparisons of Worlds to US Open, USDGC to Masters are accurate ones.

 

[mj20300]

This is a main factor for me as well. Traveling all the way to SC and not playing any disc while Im there is like drinking decaf coffee, or O'Douls. Just doesn't make sense.

We have tons of good courses around the area to play if you come to the usdgc