An AF Tournament Profile
Friday April 12th thru Championship Sunday April 14th
DGPT Elite Event
aka
Jones
Tournament Director: Brad Pietz
Assistant TDs: Matt Lloyd, Eli Webb and Daniel Lee
Team: Jonesboro Disc Golf Club
Title Sponsors
Westside Discs
Play It Again Sports
Course in play for 2024 event
Disc Side of Heaven
Championship Course
Course Designer: Brad Pietz
Disc Side of Heaven also a recreational course on the property
Championship Course established 2013
54 total holes in play during the 3 round event
Turf tees with Prodigy T1 Pro baskets
Located in Jonesboro, AR
This is the 8th annual Jonesboro Open
…. designed to challenge the best players in the world. The hills, the trees, the wind – all come into play on every shot thrown on the course. It’s a course that demands physical and mental stamina. And it does this every year.
TD Brad Pietz
There are several updates to the layout in 2024
from the 2023 Jonesboro Open.
All hole numbers for the 2023 course have changed to new hole numbers in 2024. What was hole 14 in 2023, is now hole 1 in 2024. Likewise hole 18 in 2024 used to be hole 5 in 2023. Most of the holes are about the same, but reason for the change is to ensure better flow during the pro tournament rounds. Hole 17 in 2023 played as a longer hole, and in 2024 is now hole 9, playing as a short par 3. Also hole 15 in 2023 was the shortest hole on the course, and is now nearly a 100 feet longer playing as hole 8, with more elevation changes. The remaining holes are same holes from 2023, with different hole numbers and a few holes have some added OB.
FPO Par = 66 on 8792 feet Disc Side of Heaven
MPO Par = 63 on 9775 feet DSoH
Hole Lengths MPO
• 10 par 3’s = 315 to 520 feet
• 7 par 4’s = 560 to 820 feet
• 1 par 5 = 855 feet
Hole Lengths FPO
• 9 par 3’s = 255 to 385 feet
• 6 par 4’s = 535 to 630 feet
• 3 par 5’s = 750 to 818 feet
Disc Side of Heaven
A decade ago, a new course opened in the rolling hills of Jonesboro. Designed to have all facets of the sport: noticeable elevation changes, woodsy navigation, water hazards, and playing long. An elite course.
The Championship Course sits on 50 acres of nothing but disc golf and is very scenic while being quite challenging, at the same time.
TD Brad
In its 5th year, it would host a B tier Pro/Am, with a small field of 66 total pros. In both divisions, combined. Yet big names, with Ricky and Pierce winning in 2017, and Simon and Hokom as runner-ups. The following year had over 100 in MPO, and 15 in FPO. Ricky and Pierce won that year as well.
Last year’s Jonesboro Open, had a combined pro field of 158 players. Around 13th strongest field on tour in 2023, for fantasy relevant events. Calvin and Kat won. It was Calvin’s third, and final, elite win of 2023, in his walloping historic season. And it was Kat’s only win on pro tour in 2023.
In 2024, 6 more FPO are registered for the event, on a course that has become a staple in the early southern play of every pro season, thus growing by leaps and bounds, in just a decade.
Putting the event together and making it one that elite pros keep wanting to return to takes dedication and a whole team of supporting members. The Jonesboro Disc Golf Club appreciates all the help it gets from devoted regulars to event volunteers. Or as TD Brad puts it:
Our Club does all of the upkeep and extensive preparing for the tournament. There’s too many to thank, and several team members who put in countless hours.
PHOTO CREDIT
All photos and logo are courtesy of Brad Pietz
Hit the Links
- Jonesboro Open Tournament website
- PDGA Event page
- DGPT Caddie Book link
- Highlight reels – 2023
- FPO – Round 1 – Front 9 (JomezPro)
- MPO – Round 1 – Back 9 (JomezPro)
- MPO – Round 2 – Front 9 (JomezPro)
- FPO – Round 2 – Back 9 (JomezPro)
- FPO – Final Round – Back 9 (JomezPro)
- MPO – Final Round – Back 9 (JomezPro)
Nearby Attractions
Disc Side Of Heaven is on the west side of Jonesboro, or within 15 to 20 minute drive of hotels in downtown Jonesboro. On southside of Jonesboro, is Craighead Forest Park, which has 42 RV sites. And it has a disc golf course as well, which helps explain why it is often sold out during weekends before, during and after the Jonesboro Open.
Keep in mind, if you’re ever visiting the Jonesboro area, outside of the schedule for the Open event, you can play the Championship course at Disc Side Of Heaven, from same set of tees (gold) that the elite pros play. It is P2P as you’re playing on a private course, which just happens to be one of the more coveted stops on the pro tour.
And according to TD Brad, downtown Jonesboro is a happening town. With apparently some great places to eat. There’s the pricey but very popular Roots cuisine, or great za at the Lost Pizza Co., or you could stop in at The Social, which is same place the Player’s party will be during the Open. Pics above show just how appetizing it is.
How Jonesboro Open fits within the 2024 Pro Tour
- 7th Fantasy relevant event of the 2024 season
- 5th DGPT Elite event of the season (same as 2023)
- after Persimmon Ridge Retreat (A tier)
- before Music City Open (Elite)
- 2nd of 3 events playing early 2024 southern leg of tour
- Jonesboro does play in all standard fantasy leagues
- In 2023, Jonesboro was 13th in length of field (most players)
How Many Pros Play
- For 2023, 112 played in MPO
- 91 were rated 1000+ (81%)
- 31 were rated 1025+ (28%)
- For 2024, 112 are registered again to play MPO
- 107 are rated 1000+ (96%)
- 38 are rated 1025+ (34%)
- For FPO in 2023, 46 total played
- 40 of those were rated 900+ (87%)
- 25 of those were rated 940+ (54%)
- For 2024, 52 are registered to play FPO
- 47 are rated 915+ (90%)
- 26 are rated 950+ (50%)
- 35 are rated 940+ (67%)
MPO Best Average Finish
in Past 5 Years
| Order | MPO Player | Prev Ord | Avg Finish | Times Played |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Calvin Heimburg | T3 | 4.4 | 5 |
| 2 | Paul McBeth | 1 | 5.0 | 5 |
| 3 | Chris Dickerson | 2 | 6.8 | 5 |
| 4 | Ricky Wysocki | T3 | 6.7 | 3 |
| 5 | Matt Orum | 7 | 7.5 | 2 |
| 6 | Ben Callaway | 13 | 10.7 | 3 |
| 7 | James Conrad | 9 | 11.8 | 4 |
| 8 | Corey Ellis | UR | 10.0 | 2 |
| 9 | Simon Lizotte | 6 | 12.0 | 3 |
| T10 | Kevin Jones | 5 | 15.0 | 5 |
| T10 | Ezra Aderhold | 12 | 14.0 | 4 |
| 12 | Garrett Gurthie | 8 | 16.2 | 5 |
| 13 | Thomas Gilbert | UR | 16.0 | 4 |
| 14 | Alden Harris | UR | 18.5 | 4 |
| 15 | Kyle Klein | UR | 19.0 | 4 |
| 16 | Gannon Buhr | UR | 19.8 | 4 |
| 17 | Adam Hames | UR | 21.2 | 5 |
| 18 | Drew Gibson | UR | 21.0 | 3 |
| Calvin Heimburg continues as defending, 2023 Champ, He also won in 2022 and 2020. Ricky won in 2021. McBeth won in 2019. | ||||
| If disregarding Eagle's 2022 DNF, he would be among top 2 with 3x counting toward 3.0 average. With the DNF, his average is 31.3. For 2024, Jonesboro is the event happening right before Eagle returns to pro tour (for MCO). | ||||
FPO Best Average Finish
in Past 5 Years
| Order | FPO Player | Prev Ord | Avg Finish | Times Played |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paige Pierce | 1 | 2.8 | 4 |
| 2 | Catrina Allen | 2 | 4.2 | 5 |
| 3 | Kristin Tattar | UR | 3.5 | 2 |
| 4 | Holyn Handley | UR | 4.5 | 2 |
| 5 | Hailey King | 6 | 7.6 | 5 |
| T6 | Missy Gannon | 4 | 8.0 | 5 |
| T6 | Ella Hansen | UR | 5.0 | 2 |
| 8 | Henna Blomroos | T13 | 5.5 | 2 |
| 9 | Jessica Weese | 5 | 10.0 | 4 |
| 10 | Vanessa Van Dyken | 7 | 11.8 | 5 |
| 11 | Alexis Mandujano | 8 | 10.0 | 3 |
| 12 | Sarah Hokom | 3 | 12.0 | 4 |
| 13 | Kat Mertsch | UR | 13.2 | 5 |
| 14 | Macie Velediaz | 12 | 12.3 | 3 |
| 15 | Kona Montgomery | 10 | 11.8 | 3 |
| 16 | Jen Allen | UR | 12.0 | 2 |
| 17 | Valerie Mandujano | UR | 12.5 | 2 |
| 18 | Deann Carey | UR | 15.6 | 5 |
| Kat Mertsch is current, 2023 Champ. Tattar won in 2022. Catrina won in 2021. Pierce won 4 straight years from 2017 thru 2020, though the stats above are for 2019 thru 2023. Min. of 2 times played to qualify for list. Most unranked (UR) players had previously played just 1 time in past 5 years, but that changed in 2023. | ||||