Mar

2016

Disc Golf World Tour takes over Europe – Konopiste Open

After the official kick off of Disc Golf World Tour in the form of the inaugural La Mirada Open, it’s time to take look at the 2nd event in the Disc Golf World Tour schedule for 2016, the Konopiste Open.

The fastest growing disc golf destination in Europe

For many, the Czech disc golf scene is still somewhat unknown. While the growth rate of the sport in Europe has been noticed by most people following the disc golf scene, the majority of the attention tends to go towards the Nordic countries. Finland is the nation running the pack in sport development with their 500+ courses, 100,000+ casual players, but other countries are quickly starting to follow suit. This brings us to Czech Republic, the land of castles, rolling hills and scenic mixed forests that provide perfect sites for current and future disc golf courses.

Konopiste Open Tournament Director Premysl Novak handing out champagne to 2015 Karl-Johan Nybo.

Konopiste Open Tournament Director Premysl Novak handing out champagne to 2015 Champion Karl-Johan Nybo.

While there are many Czech pioneers doing invaluable work for the growth of the sport, the leader of this development has been the DiscGolfPark country representative, sports promoter Premysl Novak and his team. In just a handful of years ”Premek” has been able to turn the sport of disc golf from the remote edges of marginality to a mainstream ready sport of the new generation. As a close collaborator of Discmania CEO Jussi Meresmaa, Mr. Novak has been able to duplicate the successful Finnish formula of rapid growth, spiced with his and his team’s Bohemian touch.

A welcoming community

The rapid success of the sport also finds momentum from the tight-knit community of disc golfers. The majority of the Czech players have started playing disc golf just in the last couple of years. As a travelling disc golfer, you’ll be hard pressed to find such a warmhearted and welcoming group of people anywhere else in the world. These people are hungry to see the best of the best compete on their home soil, and enthusiastic to show their support for all players no matter where they come from.

If you’re able to extend your stay in Czech for a little bit you can visit one (or more) of the 60 public courses around the fine country. Finding company for your endeavours should not be a problem – all foreign players are considered friends of the local disc golfing community.

Much like the Czech disc golf scene at large, the tournament itself has been growing fast since its inception in 2013. For the first couple of years this event was the most popular event in Czech Republic and last year it found its way to the big league, being the most competitive EuroTour event of the year. What speaks volumes of attraction of the event is the total of 106 foreign players that made the trip to Czech Republic for Konopiste Open 2015, a number that will be tough to beat for just about any tournament out there.

The most scenic course you’ll ever visit

The Konopiste Open takes its name from its surroundings. The tournament course is coined ”Franz Ferdinand” after the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, who’s famous last residence was the Konopiste Castle located right next to the DGWT Tournament course. For any history buffs out there, the Konopiste area offers a lot to explore.

Aside from the historical value of the tournament site, the Konopiste region features probably the most scenic environment we’ve seen for disc golf. Designed by course designer extraordinaire Jussi Meresmaa, equipped with very minimal use of artificial OB areas, the course features lengthy par 3’s, 4’s and 5’s along beautiful natural fairways. The park itself, an old hunting ground of Franz Ferdinand and other aristocrats of the Austro-Hungarian regime, is almost like it’s been built for disc golf.

At Konopiste, you can feel a whiff of history everywhere and the first ever European DGWT event offers you a chance to become a part of history in the making. It’s a nature and wildlife experience tough to beat – here you’ll find yourself playing around trees of hundreds of years of age and on the rolling hills and sunny meadows with lots of pheasants, peacocks and deers.

Combining disc golf & travel

Located just a 45-minute drive north from the tournament site, you’ll find the historic capital of Czech Republic, Prague. Widely considered one of the top 10 cities to visit in existence, ”The mother of cities” offers something for every taste. From its historic sites and museums to its always vibrant night life, Prague is a must see.

Weather-wise the start of May is also a great time to visit Czech Republic, as by that time Spring is in full gear with the surroundings lush and green. Temperature around that time is typically around 20°C (68°F) which is perfect for disc golf.

Another great benefit of the Czech Republic is that you don’t have to break the bank to enjoy your stay. Compared to many European countries, Czech Republic is a very cost-effective destination. A night at a hotel starts at 20€, dinner in a nice restaurant is around 10€ per person and beer is less than 1€. What else do you need 😉

5 reasons to book your stay early

The Course

The Jussi Meresmaa designed “Franz Ferdinand” Par 67, 3,000+ meter (10,000+ ft) course located in a historical botanical park is like a disc golf dream come true. Fall in love with its aesthetics and enjoy the challenge of a world class course in unique surroundings. See the course map of the 2015 event here.

The Community

The Czech disc golf community is among the most welcoming in the world. No matter whether you travel alone or in a group, at Konopiste you’ll always be among friends. If you’re able to extend your stay, make sure to visit some of Czech’s 60 public disc golf courses.

The Weather

By the start of May, the Czech spring is in its full gear. Enjoy the lush green surroundings full of life in a comfortable ~20°C (~68°F) temperature.

The Economics

For most, Czech is a very cost-effective destination. The prices for accommodation, travel, food and drink are well below average in central Europe which means you can enjoy your stay without worrying about going over budget.

The Mother of Cities

Prague is a well preserved central European capital that has served as the most important hub of commerce in the greater Bohemian region from the dark ages to this day. The beautiful historic infrastructure and friendly people will make you fall in love in this lively metropolis.

Sign up! Registration is open!

The registration is open at Disc Golf United. We highly recommend you to place your registration well and early, as this is an event you will not want to miss! More info about the registration here.