History of Disc Golf

The first official disc golf tournament was held in Brookside park, Pasadena, CA, USA in 1969. It was one of the events during the “All Comers Meet”

Jay Shelton won golf. The goals were natural objects marked with a ribbon.

In 1974 Disc golf was played in organised tournaments in USA. OCTAD was won by Keith White, The Northwestern Frisbee Tournament was won by Bruce Koger. Finally at the American Flying Disc Open (AFDO), Dan Roddick finished first and won a car. In this tournament small wooden boxes were put on the ground as targets.

The year after, disc golf was introduced into the World Frisbee Championship and the tournament was played on the first permanent course in Pasadena, California

  • 1975: WFC, Tom Kennedy, USA,-
  • 1976, WFC: John Kirkland, USA, Jo Cahow, USA
  • 1977, WFC: Mark Horn, USA, Marie Murphy, USA,
  • 1978, WFC: John Connelly, USA, Gail McColl CAN
  • 1979, WFC: Snapper Pierson, USA, Michele Marini, USA
  • 1980, WFC: Jeff Watson, USA, Michele Marini, USA
  • 1980, Santa Cruz: Dave Dunipace, USA, Michelle Marini, USA
  • 1981, WFC: Craig Hunter, USA, Judy Horowitz, USA
  • 1982, WFC: Scott Zimmermann, USA, Joann Loftus, USA
  • 1983, Santa Cruz: Jerry Garrett, USA, Tami Pellicane, USA
  • 1983, US Open: Dave Dunipace, USA, Judy Horowitz, USA
  • 1984, Santa Cruz: Travis Reynolds, USA, Tami Pellicane, USA
  • 1984, US Open: Steve Bentley, USA, Tami Pellicane, USA
  • 1985, US Open: Randy Amann, USA, Judy Horowitz, USA
  • 1985, WFDF: Sam Ferrans, USA, Tami Pellicane, USA, Mikko Laakso, FIN
  • 1986, US Open: Randy Amann, USA, Wende Coates, USA
  • 1987, US Open: John Ahart, USA, Chris O’Cleary, USA
  • 1987, WFDF: Harvey Brandt, USA, Amanda Carreiro, USA
  • 1988, US Open: Randy Amann, USA, Anni Kreml, USA
  • 1988, WFDF: Snapper Pierson, Chris O’Cleary, USA
  • 1989, US Open: Randy Amann, USA, Amy Bekken, USA
  • 1989, WFDF: Mats Bengtsson, SWE, Joanne Gallagher, CAN, Timo Pursio, FIN
  • 1990, US Open: Steve Valencia, USA, Tami Pellicane, USA
  • 1991, WFDF: Jim Oates, USA, Amy Bekken, USA
  • 1992, US Open: John Schiller, USA, Anni Kreml, USA
  • 1993, WFDF: Snapper Pierson, USA, Amy Beken, USA
  • 1994, US Open: Scott Stokely, USA, Amy Bekken, USA
  • 1995, SWEdisc Open: Anders Swärd, SWE, Linda Isberg, SWE
  • 1996, US Open: Tomas Burvall, SWE, Anni Kreml, USA
  • 1997, WFDF: Hartmut Wahrmann, GER, Regina Olnils, SWE
  • 1999, WFDF: Laszlo Persson, SWE, Amy Bekken, USA
  • 2001, WFDF: Snapper Pierson, USA, Tita Ugalde, USA, <18 Boys- Vehro Titcomb, USA, <12 Boys- Lee Chia-pin, ROC, <18 Girls- Lee Chen-chieh, ROC, <12 Girls- Tsai Hsin-jung, ROC
  • 2003, WFDF: Conrad Damon, USA, Niloofar Mossavarrahmani, SWE
  • 2005, WFDF: Snapper Pierson, USA, Jennifer Griffin, USA, <19 Boys- Woody Wendt, USA
  • 2007, WFDF: Randy Lahm, USA, Tita Ugalde, USA, <16 Boys: Jeff Palmeri, USA, <12 Boys: Kevin Palmeri, USA, <19 Girls: Ann-Charlotte Johannison, SWE, <16 Girls: Yuriko Subue, JPN
  • 2009, WFDF, Jacksonville, FL: Greg Hosfeld, USA, Mary Lowry, USA
  • 2011, WFDF: Austin Montgomery, USA, Lori Merriman, USA
  • 2013, WFDF: Avery Jenkins, USA, Niloofar Mosavar Rahmani, SWE
  • 2015, WFDF: Robert McLeod, CAN, Juliana Korver, USA, Anton Kappling, SWE

Prior to 1982, there had been no separate world championships held for disc golf and the winners of disc golf at the World Overall Championships were considered the world disc golf champions for each particular year. In 1982, the Professional Disc Golf Association began offering world championship events. The winners of those contests are now considered to be the world champions of disc golf for each particular year.

For PDGA World Championship results, go to: http://www.pdga.com/awards/pdga-pro-worlds-champions