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January 9, 2024
MANITOWOC – Are you ready for some “frolfing?”
For those not familiar with frolfing – or disc golfing, as it’s commonly known – there will soon be a chance to see some of the best women in the world compete in Northeast Wisconsin.
Discover Eastern Wisconsin Disc Golf (D.E.W. Disc Golf) and Lakeshore Ladies Disc Golf Corporation (LLDGC) were recently awarded their bid to host the 2025 U.S. Women’s Disc Golf Championship in Manitowoc County.
Disc golf is a sport where players throw a disc at a target (baskets), usually at least several hundred feet away, played using rules similar to golf.
The baskets are formed by wire with hanging chains above the basket, designed to catch the incoming discs, which then fall into the basket.
More about the tournament
According to organizers, this tournament will draw the top female disc golfers across the globe to compete at four Manitowoc County courses – Silver Creek Park (3001 S. 10th St.) Indian Creek Park (North 8th Street and Albert Drive), Lower Cato Falls Park (County Trunk Highway JJ) and Rollin Ridge Disc Golf Course (21315 HWY US-10).
“We are excited about this event coming to Manitowoc County,” Tournament Director Jim Van Lanen said. “Not only will it bring the world stage to Wisconsin, but it’s also going to highlight the women – (who are) growing in the sport.”
Van Lanen said the event could be held anywhere from late July to mid-August.
“We should find out in the next few weeks what the exact dates are,” he said.
From a community standpoint, Lindsey Krause, president of LLDGC, said it will bring lots of people to the Manitowoc County area.
“In addition to the 300 competitors, there will be caddies, camera crews (the Disc Golf Network), event staff and spectators,” she said. “The event will bring in people who maybe otherwise might not have a reason to visit Manitowoc, Wisconsin. The players will be here days in advance to practice – it’s a four-day event – so these folks will be in our hotels, eating in our restaurants, buying gas, etc.”
Four courses in Manitowoc County will be used for the 2025 U.S. Women’s Disc Golf Championship. The Business News File Photo
Krause said Manitowoc County is a beautiful disc golf community.
“I can’t wait to show the world,” she said.
Van Lanen, who works as a hotel manager, said the economic impact will be “significant.”
“(The summer) is our peak season (for hotel use),” he said. “We’re talking about a half million dollars in economic impact for this event. With the 2025 NFL Draft coming to Green Bay (April 24-26, 2025) a few months before this event, this is another great opportunity to build on that.”
Assistant Tournament Director Matthew Strathmann said organizers appreciate the trust of the PDGA (Professional Disc Golf Association) in “awarding us this opportunity.”
“We can’t wait to showcase some of the best disc golf in the world on the shores of Lake Michigan,” he said.
Bid process
Strathmann said the bid process was extensive.
“We’ve been working on bringing the event to the area since 2020,” he said. “All the work is going to be worth it and seeing it come to fruition. We now have about 18 months to make this the best event possible.”
The bid process, Strathmann said, wasn’t just about “throwing some ideas together.”
“We had to submit event venues, what hotels we’d use, food ideas, get a volunteer and spectator plan, show marketing and publicity plans, a proposed budget, sponsors and provide a schedule for the whole week and specific details about the courses,” he said. “We also had to show what course updates we will be doing before the event and what experience we have running disc golf events.”
Van Lanen – who organized the Silver Cup, a disc golf tournament at Silver Creek/Rollin Ridge, since 2001 – said with Madison hosting the 2022 championships, PDGA officials said it was “too soon to come back to Wisconsin” in 2023 or 2024.
So, officials awarded the 2025 event to Manitowoc County.
“They didn’t want to come to the same location two years in a row – that’s why 2023 and 2024 wouldn’t work,” he said. “Out of six bids submitted for 2025, we were told our bid ‘far out passed the competition.’ It was an easy choice for them to come here.”
Van Lanen said the budget needed to host the event is $150,000.
“We’re also looking at $50,000 for course improvements,” he said. “We’ll be looking for grants and sponsors for that. Some of that $150,000 will be coming from event registration, so it’s not totally coming from the local organizing committee. We have about five or six committees we’re putting together. The Course Development Committee will be pouring concrete and putting in new baskets – things that will make the courses better for years to come.”
The courses
Silver Creek and Rollin Ridge, Krause said, are among the most challenging and scenic courses in the state.
“UDisc has ranked Rollin Ridge and Silver Creek Park as being in the top 100 courses in the world, as well as two of the top five courses in Wisconsin,” she said. “That’s part of what the players are looking for. These pro women want that challenge and to showcase that talent they work on.”
Lisa Fajkus, a professional disc golfer, plays the “Lighthouse Hole” at Silver Creek Park in Manitowoc. Photo Courtesy of Alyssa Van Lanen
Krause said the event isn’t just for the professionals, and will cater to different ability levels as well.
“From professionals to amateurs,” she said. “We’ll utilize all four courses for different abilities. The professionals will be using Silver Creek and Rollin Ridge.”
Perhaps the most famous hole to be used for the tournament, Van Lanen said, is the Lighthouse Hole at Silver Creek.
“We have more photos on that hole than any other basket in the State of Wisconsin or the Midwest,” he said. “It’s a popular hole.”
With Lake Michigan as a backdrop, hole 22 at Silver Creek sits atop a six-foot-lighted lighthouse and is surrounded by the lake on three sides.
Officials said it wouldn’t be uncommon on a windy day, coupled with a bad shot, to see your disc end up in the lake.
Organizers said volunteer opportunities will be available in preparation for and during the event.
Those interested in being involved can reach out to 2025uswdgc@gmail.com.
