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How Tournament Directors Are Staying ProActive

How Tournament Directors Are Staying ProActive

Tuesday, August 7, 2018 - 06:39

Trophies being displayed at the 2018 San Francisco Open (left) and the 2017 Ed Headrick Hall of Fame Classic (right) that ProActive Sports Disc Golf engraved and provided. Photos: DGPT / PDGA

In a milestone year, 2017 saw a 15% jump in active PDGA membership. Tournaments have seen a 13% increase this past year to keep up with the sport’s rapid growth. As disc golf gains momentum and further recognition in the sports community, the stakes are higher than ever to create a seamless tournament experience. Between the course prep, registration, staffing and merchandising, balancing the process components can have its challenges.

As the Tournament Director for the 2018 PDGA Amateur Disc Golf World Championship, Robert Leonard understands these challenges first hand. He was tasked with providing quality player packs and awards for the high-profile event. This portion of the tournament process was streamlined for Leonard when he discovered ProActive Sports Disc Golf. They assisted by providing an array of custom engraved trophies and insulated drinkware that came in under the event’s budget.

“Being in charge of an event like the World Championships that has 700 players, there’s a ton of moving parts,” Leonard commented on his experience, “these moving parts resulted in changes ... and lots of communication. ProActive Sports was great throughout this whole process and made a critical part of the event very smooth for me.”

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ProActive Sports Tempercraft insulated drinkware is now offered in 13 sizes and styles with up to 12 different colors, all capable of having an event logo custom-engraved. Courtesy photo

For over 32 years, ProActive Sports has been a leading supplier of accessories, carts, tournament gifts and awards to the ball golf industry. In early 2017 they established PASDiscGolf.com to showcase their disc golf line. With over 45 employees, a 35,000 sq. ft. facility, and years of distribution experience, they proved early-on their ability to serve the needs of the disc golf community. Robert Leonard expanded on his experience with PAS Disc Golf, describing their products as “high quality, very professional and blend[ing] perfectly with the needs of tournaments and players.” One of the product lines that stood out to Leonard was Tempercraft insulated drinkware. ProActive Sports developed Tempercraft in 2015 with three bottle sizes and three colors, which has since grown to 13 sizes and styles with up to 12 different colors, all capable of having an event logo custom-engraved. With hydration being a key factor for athletes over long tournament days, Tempercraft insulated bottles provide an edge by keeping contents cold for up to 24 hours.

The Disc Golf Pro Tour’s Director, Steve Dodge, also spoke on the Tempercraft line’s quality by stating, “These are the best water bottles I have ever used,” adding that “the Pro Tour looks forward to doing business with them for many years to come.” The DGPT established a relationship with ProActive Sports Disc Golf in early 2017, utilizing several different trophy styles and Tempercraft bottles for events on the tour.

ProActive Sports has shown its commitment to disc golf through sponsorships with the DGPT, PDGA, Beaver State Fling and other organizations. They have since been regarded as a reliable single-source outfitter to tournaments of all tiers. Robert Leonard acknowledges that ProActive Sports Disc Golf is “a company that not only provides a great usable product at a great price, it comes with no hassles and a smooth experience. Any PDGA event should use this for their needs.” The company has listened to directors’ feedback during their introductory year, leading them to expand their product collection. They now offer customizable microfiber towels, bag tags, umbrellas, and accessories for discounted tournament packages. It appears that ProActive Sports Disc Golf is here to stay.

Comments

Submitted by BDHYYZ on

Quote: "In a milestone year, 2017 saw a 15% jump in active PDGA membership — the largest annual increase in the organization’s 40-year history."

Correction:  2015 provides the largest annual increase both in member #s and %.  Per PDGAs demographics files from 2014 to 2015 active members grew from 24443 to 30454 a jump of 6011 members or 24.6%. As compared with 2016 to 2017 when active members grew from 35662 to 41067 = a gain of 5405 or 15.2%.