SAFFORD — The first thing you notice at a disc golf tournament is the sound.
It is not the crack of a bat or the thud of pads. It is the sharp snap of a high-speed driver cutting through desert air, followed by the rattle of chains when a putt finds its mark.
That sound echoed throughout Discovery Park on Saturday as the Gila Valley Disc Golf Club hosted the 4th Annual Ducks on the Pond Powered by Prodigy. Directed by local sports radio broadcaster Lee Patterson, the event drew 61 players and showed how far the sport has come in Southeastern Arizona.
For those unfamiliar, disc golf works much like traditional golf. Players throw specialized discs from tee pads toward metal baskets. Each throw counts. Lowest score wins. The difference is the speed and creativity required. Players shape shots around mesquite trees, fight desert wind and control distance with precision that often leaves them just feet from the target.
At the professional level, those scores can drop well under par.
In the Mixed Pro Open division, Connor Rock of Lakeside demonstrated exactly that. The 1021 rated professional, who has 30 career wins and more than 200 tournament appearances, fired rounds of 54 and 54 to finish 28 under par and win by 11 strokes. Carter Olson traveled from Lone Tree, Colorado to take second at 17 under. Nathan East of Benson placed third at 12 under in his first professional event.
The Mixed Pro 40 plus division brought decades of experience to Safford. Pete Ulibarri of Mesa, Arizona’s PDGA State Coordinator and a 57 time tournament winner, shot 54 and 55 to finish 27 under. David Taylor Jr. of Fountain Hills, a professional since 2004, finished second at 17 under. Josh Draper made the trip from Oakland, California and placed third at 10 under.
In Mixed Pro 50 plus, Randy Mattingly of Hutchinson, Kansas claimed the title at 11 under. Gregory Bowyer of Willcox finished second.
The amateur divisions showed just how wide the tournament’s footprint has become.
Eric Puhlmann of Mesa won the MA1 division at 11 under. Cory Blain of Tucson placed second and Safford’s David Frisbie finished third, giving the hometown crowd a podium presence.
Josh Allred of Benson captured MA40. Reggie Alvey of Phoenix finished second and Jonathan Lawson of Phoenix, a Safford High graduate, placed third.
Michael Thompson of Pima won MA50. Jesse Chamberlin of Safford took second and Eric Weber of Phoenix finished third.
In MA2, Peter Chalou of Sierra Vista earned the victory. Clifford Hughes of Thatcher placed second and Colton Cook of Pima tied for third.
Rob Wright of Fort Huachuca won MA3 at 2 under. Seth Yeanoplos of Tucson finished second and Cody Wilkerson of Pomerene placed third.
James Patterson of Tucson won MA4 in his first ever tournament. Roman Baca of Safford finished second and Richard Larry of Tucson placed third.
The women’s amateur division featured a hometown highlight as Krista Zale of Safford claimed the FA3 title. Keturah Thatcher of Pima and Sarah Allred of Benson tied for second.
In the junior division, Theo Davis of St. David shot 2 under to win MJ18. His brother Amos finished second, while Titus Wheeler of Safford placed third.
Players came from Lakeside, Mesa, Fountain Hills, Benson, Pima, Tucson, Sierra Vista, Thatcher, Willcox and Fort Huachuca. Others traveled from Colorado, Kansas and California to compete in Safford.
Veterans with decades in the sport walked the same fairways as first time competitors. Brothers competed side by side. Local players battled visiting pros. A course that once hosted mostly casual rounds now attracts talent from across state lines.
That is how a sport grows.
Ducks on the Pond began as a local tournament. It is quickly becoming something more, while still keeping its roots firmly planted in the Gila Valley.
United Way of Graham and Greenlee Counties supported the event with a sponsorship.
