Emporia, Kansas: The Disc Golf Destination

A month ago, the annual Dynamic Discs Open disc golf tournament was held in Emporia. As one of the largest disc golf events in the world, we were interested in how many people actually visited Emporia for this week-long tournament. After a quick analysis of some data, graciously sent to us by Dynamic Discs, we discovered there were 706 players that participated in the Dynamic Discs Open. 75% of the total player registration was from amateur players and the remaining 25% was from professional players. The number of people who played wasn’t the only statistic we were curious about. We also found that there were 1,284 spectator tickets sold! A wonderful turnout for Dynamic Discs and Emporia.

As we handed out visitor information and the ever famous Hostess snacks at registration this year, we had the opportunity to talk with many participants. Some accents of the players made us curious about where they were from. Statistics told us that the competitors came from six different countries outside of the United States. These countries were Canada, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. The country with the furthest travel distance and largest number of foreign participants was Estonia. All 15 participants traveled nearly 5,000 miles (one way). We thought this turnout was impressive after the COVID-19 travel restrictions from last year.

There were many different states represented at the Dynamic Discs Open this year, as well. In total, competitors came from 43 different states, not including Kansas. The top three states with the most competitors were Missouri (78), Texas (55 players), and Colorado (47 players). These states are fairly close to Kansas, but there were two states with one competitor in each that traveled a great distance to participate in the Dynamic Disc Open, Hawaii and Alaska. 

As a destination marketing organization, we love seeing people in Emporia, especially ones from such great distances. Our mission is to provide quality, memorable experiences, inspiring people to visit Emporia. This is why we want people from far and wide to participate in the world-renowned events that Emporia has to offer. 

Disc golf is a growing sport that brings many to Emporia. The new Supreme 18 disc golf course at Jones Park, disc golf Connect4, putting baskets placed at popular locations around Emporia, and the creation of the new disc golf field guides substantiates the claim that Emporia is the  #1 Disc Golf Small Town in the U.S. (UDisc). The community welcomes disc golfers with open arms which in turn enhances their experience in Emporia. There is always high praise from visitors about how Emporia knows disc golf. We want to say thank you to our community members who recognize the importance of disc golf in Emporia. Also thank you to Dynamic Discs for continuing to make Emporia the most distinguished disc golf destination in the United States.