21st Gateway Open – This Weekend!! – Hotel Info

The 21st Gateway Open is this weekend, Saturday and Sunday, May 19,20th, so act fast to reserve your rooms at a hotel near the course.

If you need reservations for a hotel, we found two cheaper rates in the area:

Super 8 - $70 for two bed/person room per night
Valley Creek Dr
Farmington, MO 63640
(573) 786-0344
less than 5 minutes from Engler Park

Super 8 – $55 for two bed/person room per night
Northwood Dr
Bonne Terre, MO
(573) 358-5888
about 25 minutes from Engler Park

21st Annual Gateway Open

Come out Saturday and Sunday, May 19th and 20th and play at the 21th Annual Gateway Open!

This 54-hole event is open to everyone and takes place at the Engler Park Disc Golf Course in Farmington, Missouri. Registration is from 8:00 a.m. to 9:40 a.m. and the players’ meeting is at 9:45 a.m. on Saturday.

More details are on the flyer available here.

Gateway basket guarantee!

Thanks for your interest in Gateway Disc Sports, our disc golf products and specifically the disc golf baskets!

Let me start off by saying I stand behind the quality and functionality of our Disc Golf Baskets so much, that I would be willing to guarantee the purchase of a Bulls Eye or Titan pro 24 portable…100%. If for any reason you are not satisfied with your purchase within 30 days you can return the basket and discs on our shipping account and I’ll refund the money you spent on the basket.

Either target would come with 6 putters of your choice, as you may already know Gateway disc sports Putters ( Wizard, Magic, Voodoo and Warlock) are each available in 4 different flexes ( soft, super-soft, super-stupid-soft and medium) and are considered by most to be the #1 putters in the game. You get to choose your exact 6 putters!!!

Even after just 1 session of practicing on the Bulls Eye Basket, you will notice a huge improvement in your putting.
The concept of aiming at a smaller target (12″ diameter with 15 outer chains) will make a regulation size basket much easier to hit as you learn to aim in the center.
The catching ability of a Bulls Eye when hit in the chains is as good as any target ever made, with literally no cut throughs or bounce backs.
Ive heard many top pros ( including Nikko,, who has trained on the prototype of this basket many times over the last 3 years) say that they wish this size basket was used for competition at the highest level. When your putt hits dead center on this target is pretty much always stays in, which can not be said for most current targets approved for championship play, where spit outs and cut throughs are very common.

The Titan Portable is the best catching target on the market with 24 chains and smaller diameter rings for holding them closer together.
This target is a scaled down version ( using 3/8ths” and 1/4″ steel) of our Titan pro -24 which uses 1/2″ steel for its entire construction.
I’ll put the titan 24′s up against any basket in the industry for durability and catch ability!!!

Both portable targets are engineered to set up and dis-assemble withing 1 minute and are designed so no bolts are required ( we use a swagging or “crimping” method for a tight fit).
They are as sturdy as a permanent, with 3/8ths” steel used for the entire base and the outside rings of the chain assembly and basket as well.
In a recent ring of fire at our clubs ice bowl,, I saw 17 discs stay in the basket at once and the target barely even rocked.

The red/ white color combination makes it a very attractive basket for placing in a back yard, the chains are all hot dipped galvanized,,,not electro-plated.

The cost of the BullsEye is $239 and the Titan pro-24 portable $299… both would be about $25 to ship. ( the value of the 6 free discs is $72.00)

Want to get a new course in your home town???

Everyone wants a new course and its easier than you think when you take the right
steps. Closing deals and getting a park/city/county to move forward on installing
 a new course, often requires "speaking their language". Key power points like:
 low  cost family recreation,
sustainable recreation,
prevention of obesity are direct and to the point and help allocate land/funds,
especially if the funds come from an existing grant or one they may want to write.
Rarely does a park have concerns about tournaments or leagues, but there are occasions
when it’s important as is the ability to generate revenue through admissions or disc sales.
 Theres also a keep up with the Joneses mentality where its important that residents from their
community are not going to another city for recreation that can easily be created
 and at a very low cost compared with any other park facility. It may also be
important for a city to have a course before a neighboring city,, city's are
very competitive with each other and for the low cost of a course and the ability
to use areas that cannot be used for other recreations,,,sometimes it just takes
a really good proposal in writing. Proposals that include free donations of any
equipment or labor get the attention of the higher ups, including the mayor.
Phone calls to park departments makes it too easy for one guy to say no, while
an official proposal in writing or given in front of a city council produces
many more course approvals.

Making parks/cities aware the hillsides and unused areas of the park are just
as good for disc golf as the well maintained park land that many parks already
have slated for passive areas or future developments. 

Our course design and installation contracts come with up to 300 FREE custom
stamped discs for the park/city/club to use as they see needed.
These can be sold as fund raisers to help off set the cost of a course or for
future course improvements. The FREE discs can also be given out at a grand
opening or a club launching event.

Gateway is NOW paying ADDATIONAL commission on leads that turn into course
contracts. This compensation will be 15-20% paid in merchandise and can be
great for disc golf clubs who can use the products to help grow disc golf
in their community or raise funds for benches or tee pads.

Most park dpeartments are in the middle of developing the 2012 budget,,,,,
Please don't hesitate to contact me personally to help get the ball rolling
for your towns NEW COURSE!!!!

314 303 1488 or david@gdstour.com

Earn Commission on course design and installation contracts.

Everyone wants a new course and its easier than you think when you take the right steps.
Closing deals and getting a park/city/county to move forward on installing a new course, often requires “speaking their language”.
Key power points like low cost family recreation, sustainable recreation, prevention of obesity are direct and to the point and help allocate land/funds, especially if the funds come from an existing grant or one they may want to write.

Rarely does a park have concerns about tournaments or leagues, but there are occasions when it’s important as is the ability to generate revenue through admissions or disc sales.
Theres also a keep up with the Joneses mentality where its important that residents from their community are not going to another city for recreation that can easily be created and at a very low cost compared with any other park facility. It may also be important for a city to have a course before there neighboring city,, city’s are very competitive with each other and for the low cost of a course and the ability to use areas that cannot be used for other recreations,,,sometimes it just takes a really good proposal in writing. Proposals that include free donations of any equipment or labor get the attention of the higher ups, including the mayor. Phone calls to park departments makes it too easy for one guy to say no, while an official proposal in writing or given in front of a city council produces many more course approvals.

Making parks/cities aware the hillsides and unused areas of the park are just as good for disc golf as the well maintained park land that many parks already have slated for passive areas or future developments.

Our course design and installation contracts come with up to 300 FREE custom stamped discs for the park/city/club to use as they see needed.
These can be sold as fund raisers to help off set the cost of a course or for future course improvements. The FREE discs can also be given out at a grand opening or a club launching event.

Gateway is NOW paying ADDATIONAL commission on leads that turn into course contracts. This compensation will be 15-20% paid in merchandise and can be great for disc golf clubs who can use the products to help grow disc golf in their community or raise funds for benches or tee pads.

Most park dpeartments are in the middle of developing the 2012 budget,,,,,Please don’t hesitate to contact me personally to help get the ball rolling for your towns NEW COURSE!!!!

314 303 1488 or david@gdstour.com

2011 Gateway Open Recap

This past Saturday we hosted the 20th annual Gateway Open at Foundation Park DGC in Centralia, Ilinois. I’d like to start off by saying this disc golf course plays as close to ball golf as a course can get. The course and park were in immaculate condition with the entire 18 holes cut down to 3-4”, virtually no sticks laying on the course and long, flat natural tee offs on every hole. The course played to a par 71 for both rounds. The first round was played from the short tees and the second round was played from the long tees; all par threes were set up in the short position and all other holes were set up in the long position for both rounds. Birdies were extremely hard to come by; you had to execute at least 2 good shots on every hole to score well. Making par after par on this course is actually a good thing and if you’re not making bogeys, I’d say you’re playing awfully well.

Brian Johnson had the low score both rounds, shooting a very respectable 64 from the short tees and a GREAT round of 65 from the long, for a total of 129. If I’m not mistaken, that 65 is a course record from the long tees. Justin Bunnell took second place with a score of 65-71=136, and Jerry Barklage at 47 years young took third with 2 -69′s and a total score of 138. Those three players were the only ones under part for the event.

Rob Nahlik won the Advanced division with a score of 73-77=150, and our own James “Ozzy” Osbourn took the Rec division with a score of 74-84=158.

Last but not least, Doug Bickell took the Bullseye basket prize by winning a Ring of Fire competition with a Wizard after qualifying on an accuracy shot using a Slayer. Way to go, Doug! Congratulations to you and all the division winners.

Results are below:

Open Division Payout
Bryan Johnson 64 65 129 $200
Justin Bunnell 65 71 136 $140
Jerry Barklage 69 69 138 $100
Aaron Walther 68 76 144 $80
John Ruvalcaba 66 79 145 $60
Tom Murdick 72 75 147 $40
Roger Reyes 73 74 147
Tim Lewis 73 75 148
Greg Doh 73 77 150
Doug Bickell 70 80 150
Matt Wellman 77 74 151
David McCormack 76 76 152
Dave Dick 80 85 165
Jay Baird 83 90 173
Advanced Division Payout
Rob Nahlik 73 77 150 $60
Dave Rudibaugh 76 81 157 $40
Butch Apfel 78 83 161 $20
Eric Fussell 84 81 165
Jeff McClusky 76 89 165
Tony Devoto 80 93 173
Rec Division Payout
“Ozzy” 74 84 158 $60
Steve Bevel 80 88 168 $40
Greg Van Horn 81 87 168 $20
Drew Weyenberg 95 109 194
Tony Nasser 106 111 217
Danny McLean 83 DNF

Justin’s Mid-America Open Recap

Last weekend I traveled the 99 miles west to Columbia, MO for the Mid America Open, which I believe was my first PDGA tourney in 3 years other than the Gateway or Ozark Mountain Opens. The Men’s Pro division turnout was pretty weak with only 9 players, but three were 1000-rated pros and a few others were Columbians who knew the courses really well, so I knew this would be a tough event to win.

During the first round at Indian Hills I played with Fred Garver and Jake Bowen, both of whom I hadn’t seen in a long time. Since I hadn’t played that course in years or much disc golf period, my score suffered; I struggled and shot a 58. Many of the pin placements were tougher to get to than I remember and some I had not seen before at all. Fred ended up shooting the hot round in Open with a 52, which was pretty solid. He made a lot of jump putts and all of his testers for par.

Gateway Disc Sports has supported Fred Garver with discs and apparel for many years and this weekend Fred put those discs to good use. Fred threw “E” Warriors and “E” Scouts for most of his mid range shots with many parked right under the basket. He also made nearly everything inside 40’ with his trusty array of Wizards. It was obvious from the start that he was there to take nothing less than first. The only good thing about the first round for me was that I was only 6 shots out of first place, but little did I know that would be the closest I got.

Fred went on to shoot the best score in the second round, giving him a six-stroke lead after day one. I sat in fourth place, eight strokes back. After a better day two, I was sitting in third place going into the final nine, 1 back of Ken Franks and five ahead of Bryan Johnson. Fred again had the low score and cruised down victory lane to win the 27th annual Mid America Open by twelve strokes. I can honestly say that even on my best day I probably wouldn’t have beaten him. The crowd was behind him and he never let off the gas, hitting big putts and playing really solid golf all weekend. Hats off to Fred, he played great! As for me, I’m happy with second place; I didn’t really think I was going to take first because I’ve played maybe 20 rounds in the last two years. During the final nine I threw some great shots, some big drives, and made some solid putts with my own trusty Wizards, one of which I’ve had in my bag for nearly ten years. During the final nine I realized I had forgotten how it felt to perform in front of a crowd and how it felt when the crowd reacts to a great shot; it was awesome!

All in all, I had a great time seeing my old friends and meeting new ones, shooting some okay golf and discovering my love for competing in disc golf all over again. Keith Amerson, George Smith, and Mark Ehlert of the Columbia Disc Golf Club do such a great job of running this event and Gateway is happy to be a proud supporter of their club.

On a related note, Fred has been working hard on his course at Garverland and plans are under way to get Titan Portable targets out there soon. If you’re coming through Columbia in the near future, make sure you call Fred and set up a time to stop by his place and play his killer disc golf course.

–Justin Bunnell

20th Annual Gateway Open

Come out this Saturday, July 16 and play at the 20th Annual Gateway Open!

This 72-hole event is open to everyone and takes place at the Foundation Park Disc Golf Course in Centralia, IL. Registration is from 8:00 a.m. to 9:40 a.m. and the players’ meeting is at 9:45.

More details are on the flyer available here.

Gateway is now on Twitter!

Our official Twitter page is now up and running! Follow us at http://www.twitter.com/Gateway_Discs.

Nikko Wins Stockholm Open for 2nd Year in a Row

Nikko cruises to a 9-throw victory in Sweden; unfortunately he went straight to Amsterdam with his winnings and hasn’t been heard from since, so there’s not much more I know to the story.

If you would like to know more about Nikko’s travels, please go to his blog and leave a comment asking for more details:

www.nikkodiscgolf.com