Dear PDGA Competitor,

You are receiving this letter because it is my privilege to inform you that you have qualified to register for the 2019 PDGA Professional Masters Disc Golf World Championships at Smugglers’ Notch Resort, Vermont, USA. Smugglers’ Notch Resort, the PDGA, and Disc Golf Vermont are excited to welcome you to Vermont for the competition, which will be held the week of June 22nd to June 29th, 2019. Please note that while you have been invited to register, registration will take place in tiers. This tiered system, along with the registration schedule is included in this invitation package.

Area Attractions & Information

As hosts, we are thrilled to welcome you to Vermont and our corner of the state called Smugglers’ Notch Resort. The resort is situated at the base of the Sterling Mountain Range, a portion of the Green Mountain spine that runs up the center of the state from Massachusetts to Canada. The Sterling Range drops off precipitously into a natural feature called “Smugglers’ Notch” before rising even more dramatically to the highest point of the highest peak in the state, Mt. Mansfield. The notch was dubbed “Smugglers’” due to its history of goods and alcohol being smuggled through the notch, much of which was hidden in caves found in its rocky outcroppings.

For those invitees who register and/or attend the World Championships, we hope that you take advantage of the numerous recreational and cultural opportunities afforded to you in the area! The resort is situated in the town of Cambridge, Vermont, and is surrounded by the village of Jeffersonville to the North and the town of Stowe to the south. Both towns offer great local farm-to-table dining, craft beer, cider, and spirits, and many other recreational opportunities such as biking, hiking, zip- lining, tree-top obstacle courses, farmer’s markets, ball golf, swimming, waterfalls, and much more! The towns of Waterbury, Essex, and Morrisville are all also within a 30-minute drive and feature tourist attractions.

Disc Golf Information

Of course, the main draw for disc golfers to the area, and the reason you are attending, is the Smugglers’ Notch Disc Golf Center. Built, owned, and operated by Smugglers’ Notch Resort, the Disc Golf Center is happy to announce that, in addition to the two world championship courses (Brewster Ridge & Fox Run Meadows), competitors in Pro Masters Worlds will enjoy a brand new pro shop that debuted for Pro Worlds in 2018, which is located on site and will be used for the event.

The Disc Golf Center allows Smugglers’ to provide a unique experience for competitors at the PDGA Pro Masters Worlds; no travel. Indeed, both courses being used are on resort property and start within 300 feet of each other. This does not mean that the challenges presented by the two courses will be similar.

Brewster Ridge, established in 2012, is primarily wooded and stretches approximately 8,000 feet through the forests and foothills of the Sterling Mountain range. Beautiful wooded lanes, several with options on how best to attack, and interesting greens characterize this course which has consistently ranked as one of the country’s best for the past five years. The course will see a few tee pad upgrades in preparation for the Masters World Championships but will remain otherwise unchanged from the layout that was used in 2018’s Pro Worlds.

Fox Run Meadows was first a 9-hole course in the fields adjacent to Brewster Ridge. As the sport grew in popularity at Smugglers’, Fox Run’s 18-hole potential was realized and the yin to the yang of Brewster Ridge was born. At over 9,300 feet, Fox Run was expanded to include a large swath of land running out and around Smugglers’ Bootlegger’s Basin. The basin comes into play, but the course is also characterized by its length and need for placement and control all the way until the disc has come to rest. With many holes lined with out-of-bounds, players need to play cautiously aggressive to score well on this track. While I designed Brewster Ridge, Steve Brinster took the lead on the expansion of Fox Run to 18-holes, and we are grateful for his consultation on both courses at the Smugglers’ Notch Disc Golf Center!

Of note for both courses is the existence of 4 permanent tee layouts – gold, blue, white, and red – for each course. The event team will utilize the different tee layouts to make sure the challenge of each layout is appropriate for corresponding divisions.

Resort Lodging Information

In addition to our Disc Golf Center, Smugglers’ Notch Resort itself boasts over 3,000 guest beds. Arranged in several types and sizes of condo units, and with discounted rates and inclusions for competitors, most players choose to stay on site in order to get the most out of their stay as well as to make the most of the on-site amenities. Those who lodge at the resort will receive the following list of benefits:

• Free shuttle service around the resort, including to the Disc Golf Center. Park your car and forget about it!
• Free entry into our evening events curated for the Masters Worlds.
• Unlimited use of our water facilities including 8 heated pools, 4 waterslides, and 2 hot tubs.
• Unlimited use of the Ozone at FunZone 2.0 and access to the entire facility which features pay-to-play activities including a large arcade, laser tag, a ninja warrior course, a large climbing wall, among other activities!
• Guided walks & hikes.
• Nightly entertainment in our bars & restaurants.
• Village Amenities such as entry into facilities like “Teen Ally” and unlimited use of Basketball, Shuffleboard, Tennis, Volleyball Courts, Mini Golf, and Resort Disc Golf Courses.

If you plan on lodging with us at the Resort, please don’t wait to book your stay! We do anticipate that we will have many competitors, spectators, volunteers, and players’ friends & family members planning on being in attendance. We have set aside a players’ room block, but that will expire on June 1, and some types and sizes of units could fill. To access the special rates for players, please call our Vacation Planners at (877) 456-8745 to make your reservation.

Be sure to mention this special player offer and reference the PDGA Pro Masters Worlds!

Lodging rates vary based on the size of the unit, the length of stay, and the amount of people in your party. Generally, the player rates range from $89/person/night (long stay in a larger unit with many people), to $99/person/night (shorter stay for two people in a studio). If you decide to investigate alternative lodging, there are plenty of options in both Jeffersonville and Stowe. Feel free to contact our team at the number listed above for more information and consult the attached area maps for a better sense of where the surrounding towns are in relation to Smugglers’.

Travel Considerations

For those competitors travelling via plane, the closest airport is the Burlington International Airport (BTV). Only 45 minutes away from Smugglers’, Burlington International is fairly small and known to be an easy airport to fly in and out of. For those searching for the lowest fares, Montreal, Quebec (1.5 hrs.), Manchester, NH (2.5 hrs.), and Boston, MA (4 hrs.) are also hubs in the general New England area. For those competitors who choose to fly, please indicate your interest in shuttle service to and from the airport on the registration form, as the resort may be able to organize a few pick-up times from Burlington International Airport. This would eliminate the need for a rental vehicle since, once you are on site, there is no need for a vehicle due to the centralized Smuggs Village and shuttle service to the Disc Golf Center.

Preliminary Schedule

Below you will find a general outline of the week’s schedule. As we get closer to the event, the schedule will be updated with more events, details, and specific times.

Saturday, June 22nd

• Doubles World Championships – Brewster Ridge Course
  • Note: The Fox Run course is open for practice

Sunday, June 23rd

• Player Check In & Field Events
• Practice Day @ Smuggs Disc Golf Center
  • Courses open for practice to competitors only.

Monday, June 24th

• Player Check In
• Practice Day @ Smuggs Disc Golf Center
  • Courses open for practice to competitors only.
• Worlds Opening Ceremony
  • Banquet Dinner
  • Players’ Meeting

Tuesday, June 25th

• Round 1 of Singles Competition
• Texas Hold ‘Em Poker Event & Live Music in the Meeting House

Wednesday, June 26th

• Round 2 of Singles Competition
• The Great Shuffle
• Glow Golf on the Village Green

Thursday, June 27th

• Round 3 of Singles Competition
• Evening Entertainment TBA

Friday, June 28th

• Round 4 of Singles Competition
• Cut to Semis
• Players’ Party
  • Live Music
  • Fly Mart
  • Craft Beer & Cider

Saturday, June 29th

• Semis - 18 holes
• Cut to Finals – 9-holes
• Awards at Tourney Central

Sunday, June 30th

• Courses open for play

Charitable Cause – Special Olympics of Vermont

Every winter Smugglers’ Notch Resort sends an adaptive ski & snowboard team to the Vermont Special Olympics. Our team competes with dozens of other ski & ride teams. The winter isn’t the only time that the Special Olympics runs events! They fundraise year-round in order to provide recreational opportunities and events for people with intellectual disabilities. We are continuing our tradition of assisting with their fundraising efforts by naming the Special Olympics of Vermont as our charitable cause for the 2019 Pro Masters Worlds! Please consider giving anything you can during registration, or during our fundraising campaigns for the event.

Special Olympics Vermont was incorporated in February 1971 as a Vermont non-profit corporation [501(c)(3)] and is accredited every two years by Special Olympics, Inc. Special Olympics Vermont is founded on the belief that people with intellectual disabilities can, with proper instruction and encouragement, learn, enjoy, and benefit from participation in individual and team sports.

Special Olympics Vermont believes that consistent training is essential to the development of sports skills, measuring progress, and providing incentive for a person’s growth. Special Olympics Vermont contributes to the physical, social, and

psychological development of people with intellectual disabilities. Through successful experiences in sports, our athletes gain confidence and build positive self-images, which follow with them into their homes, classrooms, jobs, and communities.

Sponsorship & Vending Opportunities

The PDGA Pro Masters World Championships is one of the most anticipated disc golf events of the year. This translates to a media production with views and engagement in produced content from fans of the game. For those interested in partnering with the event to increase their brand’s exposure, or for those who are interested in simply providing support for the event, we have a partnership program set up for your consideration. For more information and to view the Sponsorship Program, please visit: www.smuggs.com/mastersworlds and click on the Sponsorship tab!

Throughout the week there are also opportunities to vend on site! On Friday night the resort will be hosting live music with craft beer and local food on site, which is also when we will be holding the 2019 Pro Masters Fly Mart. There are also vending opportunities at Tournament Central throughout the week. To reserve space, please select the vending slots that you would like to register for on the registration form, and email me at [email protected] with any questions. Once you register, we will follow up with more details about vending set up and expectations!

A Note on Registration

As noted previously, registration will be conducted in tiers. The cost to register for Singles is $225 of which $10 is a facilities fee, $5 is an Ace Pot fee, and $10 is a non-refundable registration fee, so $200 of each registration fee goes towards payout. Divisional Doubles costs $25 per player and both players on a team must register separately. Field Events cost $20 each.

$10 of each $20 registration fee for Skillshot is donated to E.D.G.E. For Singles there are 288 spots available across all divisions, and we hope to fill the event at that number. Please review the information included in this invitation closely to ensure that you understand all the parts and pieces, including the area map, the registration schedule, and the course schedule. Once competitors have successfully registered for the event, we will provide a final package of information confirming all event details.

Any questions concerning either invites or registration should only be addressed to the PDGA Tour Manager at [email protected]

In closing, on behalf of Smugglers’ Notch Resort, the local organizing committee and the PDGA, we are honored to host you for the 2019 PDGA Professional Masters World Championships! Again, congratulations on your invitation, and good luck during registration! We hope to see you in the Green Mountain State come June.

Best Regards, Jeff Spring