Throw Pink Women’s Disc Golf Championship 2023

An AF Tournament Profile

Thursday Oct. 5th through
Championship Sunday Oct. 8th

A PDGA A Tier Event

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aka

Throw Pink

Tournament Director: Sara Nicholson
Supporting Club:
Innova Disc Golf
and The US Disc Golf Team

Title Sponsor: Innova Disc Golf

Course in play for 2023
Winthrop University Arena Course
A & B Pin Positions
Course Designers:
Current: Andrew Duvall
Original: Harold Duvall
Course established in 1992

Located in Rock Hill, SC
This is the 3rd annual Throw Pink Championship
During the 25th anniversary of USDGC

72 holes in play
during the 4 day event

Concrete tees, as well as some grass tees, and wooden dock tee on hole 18
DISCastcher baskets

We want the players to step up to each tee pad and be met with equal levels of anxiety and excitement. Maybe except Hole 17, we just want anxiety there.

Course Designer, Andrew Duvall

Winthrop University plays as a par 69 for the FPO’s Throw Pink Championship. There are 2 layouts that change during the tournament based on pin positions, A & B. The front 9 (4334 feet) plays same pins all 4 rounds. The back 9, plays 100 feet longer for A positions (4453 ft), compared to the B positions (4353 ft). Rounds 1 and 4, play A layout, and Rounds 2 and 3, play the B layout.

Hole Lengths – Includes both layouts

• 8 par 3’s = 249 to 342 feet
• 5 par 4’s = 362 to 657 feet
• 5 par 5’s = 647 to 901 feet

Hole 17 is the shortest hole on the course, at 249 feet. It is same distance tee to basket for MPO during the United States Disc Golf Championship, which plays the same weekend. It is an island green (pictured below), that has multiple drop zones. Here are some interesting stats from how the hole played in 2022 MPO and FPO events:

• Dozens of birdies happened in each division over 4 rounds. It is a par 3.
• At least 8 MPO rounds scored an 8 on the hole, over 4 days
  • which was 3 strokes better than the worst score an MPO player took in Round 2 (an 11)
• Paige Shue aced hole 17 in the 4th round in 2022
  • the only player in either division to do so during the whole tournament
• Of the top 5 finishers in FPO and MPO last year, only Gannon Buhr played all 4 rounds without taking a bogey or worse on hole 17. He finished in first place.

Hole 17 has also evolved. It was an island all along but went from a flat, lakeside open hole, and transformed into a downhill, wooded 249′ throw directly at the lake. Despite the complete redesign of the hole, it somehow has been able to keep its role as the climax of the course – No lead has ever been safe until you are past hole 17.

The diabolical Andrew Duvall

I think some cool things to look at are the evolutions over time. 

The honorable Andrew Duvall

Stay Gold

The Throw Pink Women’s Championship is in just its 3rd year, which means history in the making. Catrina Allen is defending champion and Missy Gannon the inaugural champ. A growing tradition in its younger days, as we fans witness the magic of soon to be legends of the game.

A championship level disc golf course on a college campus. With enough water and elevation changes to rival top courses on tour. Being a campus ‘rec area,’ the course design makes use of many elements. Which, it pretty much has to with tennis courts, baseball field, and a multipurpose park area. The 2023 layout, like many years before it, makes use of extensive OB, well sprinkled hazard areas, 8 holes with a single mandatory (mando), 1 hole (first hole) with a double mando, and then 2 more holes with triple mandos.

Withrop is a course that since its inception in the 1990’s, the fairways were designed to be tight. Compact, while making excellent use of space. Course designers Harold and Andrew Duvall, along with USDGC TD Jonathan Poole and Dave Dunipace set out to create a course for the future of disc golf. In 1999, USDGC launched at Winthrop, with room for the spectators, as an objective of design. A way to grow the the sport, and immerse fans of the game in a PDGA Major. All relatively new at the time. And all part of a growing tradition.

Team Fun Delivers

The US Disc Golf Team takes great satisfaction in hosting the elite players at the final Major of the PDGA season. With a super charged collaborative effort, the prestigious tournament delivers a week long experience with a highly festive atmosphere.

Backed by a major disc sponsor (Innova), set on a bustling college campus, with lots of food and lodging nearby, the Winthrop Arena offers 4 days of elite competition. Add to that nightly jazz, funk and bluegrass music at Championship Village on the same grounds. A place for fans and players to congregate. Where rows of vendors and days of clinics entice the roaming spectators. There are VIP areas and private Yurts (think premium relaxation tents) for fans looking for a little extra comfort.

Players are here to soak it all in, but mainly to battle in the last big PDGA event of the season. MPO playing in their 2nd biggest Major of the season. While FPO competes for an even bigger reason. Throw Pink shines a bright light on pro disc golf’s efforts to end breast cancer. An excellent opportunity to raise funds and more importantly awareness around an important issue.

Like most events on tour, prepping the course for the big event is half the battle. There’s of course ongoing maintenance, final touches, and tweaking layouts based on slight changes to hole designs. Without an organized effort by a dedicated team and many volunteers, these best of the best events wouldn’t happen. On a course that makes use of water, grass, wood chips and sand, the upkeep routinely displays an immaculate course. And yet, it’s still a course that is evolving, with challenges that are unique.

Hole 7 and the iterations of the bamboo wall. It went from something that had to be thrown over, to something that could be thrown over or through, to the triple mando version it is today. It even was toppled in a storm and held up for play by the staff one year. 

Andrew Duvall

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Photo credits

All logos and graphics courtesy of US Disc Golf Team Media
All images credited to Chad LeFevre Photography

Hit The Links

• Throw Pink Tournament website
• PDGA Event page
• Throw Pink 2023 Caddie book
• UDisc Live page
• 2023 Highlight reels
  • Round 1 – Highlights (DGPT)
  • Round 2 – Highlights (DGPT)
  • Round 3 – Front 9 (Jomez Pro)
  • Final Round – Back 9 (Jomez Pro)
  • Top 5 Shots of event (DGPT)

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Nearby Attractions

The shortest, most direct version of what to do in the area is perhaps best found on the York County visitor guide webpage.

There are hotels within 5 miles, and camping within 10 miles of Winthrop University. Or just 8 miles away is another course, Camp Canaan, that also has camping.

In terms of good places to eat nearby, here’s a short list offering variety:

• Slow Play Brewing – adult beverages with Cibi Cibi food truck
  • official beer sponsor of USDGC
• The Dixie Pig – great BBQ with southern hospitality
• Groucho’s Deli – gourmet subs and sandwiches

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How Throw Pink fits within the 2023 Pro Tour

• 32nd Prominent event of the 2023 season
• 5th FPO Major event of the season
  • This is only place on the profile where it’s referenced as a Major
    • but that is how AF treats this event
  • 5th and final Major for FPO division
  • after Carolina Clash (A Tier)
  • before DGPT Championship (Elite finale)
• Sixth of 6 tournaments during the east coast swing at end of the season
• Throw Pink does not play in standard fantasy leagues

How Many Pros Play

• In 2022, Throw Pink had 41 pros played
  • 38 were 900+ rated (93%)
  • 19 were rated 950+ (46%)
• In 2023, Throw Pink has 40 registered pros
  • 38 are rated 900+ (95%)
  • 21 are rated 950+ (53%)
• 19th largest field of 2023 for FPO out of 35 events tracked

Best Average Finish
in Past 5 Years

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2023 Results – Top 10 Finishes

FPO PLAYER	2023 PLACE
Holyn Handley	1st
Kristin Tattar	2nd
Henna Blomoroos	T-3rd
Eveliina Salonen	T-3rd
Ella Hansen	5th
Missy Gannon	6th
Alexis Mandujano	7th
Silva Saarinen	8th
Hailey King	9th
Kat Mertsch	T-10th
Eliezra Midtlyng	T-10th