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2018 Pro Worlds - Welcome Letter

2018 Pro Worlds - Welcome Letter

Last updated: Monday, August 27, 2018 - 12:05

Dear Worlds Competitor,

It’s my great honor to officially welcome you to the 2018 PDGA Pro World Championships at Smugglers’ Notch Resort! This packet serves as official event confirmation for registered players and provides you with the details about the event, the resort, and the surrounding area for planning and reference during your visit to Vermont. The event team is made up of Smugglers’ Notch Resort and PDGA staff, as well a host of volunteers from the Green Mountain Disc Golf Club and states from around the New England region. Without the sustained efforts of this group of dedicated folks, the event would not be possible. Our entire event team has my sincere thanks.

It has been both a long and short journey to this event for the team here at Smugglers’. It was only six years ago that we broke ground on Brewster Ridge Disc Golf Course. Ever since that summer, it’s been a wild ride as the course became well loved, the Green Mountain Championship was established, we installed a second course (Fox Run), and we saw our event grow to include the first ever DGPT Championship among other milestones. There are a few things that haven’t changed through the last six years. While disc golf has also grown in numerous ways, we all still embrace its core values of camaraderie, community, health, well-being, and a connection to nature. Those benefits interlock with the values of our Vermont community and we are very proud to be a part of a sport that integrates a care and love for all those who share the sport with and the environment that we play it in.

This event is also about celebrating Vermont, particularly this beautiful corner of it called Smugglers’ Notch.  Surrounded by the mountains of the Sterling Range and Mt. Mansfield (Vermont’s tallest peak) the town of Jeffersonville serves as home to many different businesses, artists, farmers, recreational activities and, of course, Smugglers’ Notch Resort. There are so many wonderful facets to this area that work together to create a unique community designed to delight visitors, entertain and welcome families, and provide a sense of connection with the land that seems increasingly rare. Many of the people and businesses in, not only Jeffersonville, but the entire Vermont and New England area have come together to contribute to this event. We all hope you enjoy your time in our home and get a full chance to take in all the activities that are offered this weekend.

Indeed, World’s Week, September 2nd-9th, is going to be truly special! We are very excited to offer this event (nearly) entirely onsite at Smugglers’ Notch Resort. As a competitor, all you need to do is get here and we can help take care of the rest. With both courses on resort property, everything within walking distance, and a robust on-demand shuttle system you can park your car and leave it there for the week! Please read through this welcome letter and confirmation packet closely, as there are many event details that we would like everyone to be tuned into! Thank you tremendously for joining the PDGA and all of us here at Smugglers’ for a wonderful week in the Green Mountains!

Burlington International Airport Shuttle

For those of you flying into Burlington International Airport, we have arranged a shuttle system to transport you to the resort and back to the airport if you so choose. This shuttle will be available the following days and times:

Thursday, August 30th - Monday, September 2nd

7:00 AM - 12:00 AM

Please email discgolf@smuggs.com for more details and to arrange a shuttle pick up at the airport.

Competition & Event Schedules

Attached to this packet you will find the official competition schedule as well as the general event schedule. Smugglers’ Notch Resort has rolled out the red carpet for the competitors in order to provide a truly exceptional and unique experience both on and off the course. Please review the events that we have lined up for you during the week, join us for them, and spread the word to friends and family that are also in attendance!

Smuggs FallFest

The most notable event off the course is the two-night FallFest celebration. Running over both Friday and Saturday nights, FallFest features six acts of live music, a limited edition beer release of Fiddlehead’s “Inside the Circle” double IPA brewed specifically for Pro Worlds, six other craft beer and cider vendors, and delicious local food. Ticketed at $20/night or $35/both, this event is free for all competitors! Please note that friends and family do have to purchase tickets to get in and we encourage you to spread the word on how fun these nights will be! For guests lodging at the resort, there is a discounted rate for FallFest tickets, simply contact your reservationist to add it on to your lodging. Many disc golf fans from around the country are booking lodging and tickets to the event in order to pair it with a fun spectating weekend, so don’t wait as FallFest may sell out! Also, please consider sharing this with your networks! We hope you join us, not only for FallFest, but for the array of events we have lined up for competitors throughout the week.

Parking & Transportation

Tournament Central has limited parking available. Therefore, in accordance with our efforts to streamline and reduce vehicle traffic at the venue for (1) increased competition quality and (2) to limit emissions for environmental purposes, there will not be free parking at Tournament Central from Tuesday, September 4th - Sunday, September 9th. Parking at the venue outside of those dates is free. We have set up a free shuttle system to get players to and from the competition venue! This shuttle system will run from 7am-7pm daily from the following places:

Shuttle From the Resort Village:

Players staying and parking in the resort Village will have on demand access to shuttles that will run from individual condos and the Welcome Sign at the end of the main parking lot directly to Tournament Central. 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM Daily. Free. Please allow 20 minutes of travel time to and from the venue.

Shuttle From Village Operations Center Parking Lot:

For those players and spectators traveling to the resort daily, we ask that you park in our Village Operations Center Parking Lot located across the Resort’s main entrance. There will be ample signage and parking attendants to direct you to this parking location. We will have two shuttles running daily to reduce any potential wait time. 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM Daily. Free. Please allow 20 minutes of travel time to and from the venue.

Tourney Central & Bootleggers Basin Week-Long Parking Passes

We do have a limited number of parking spots at Tournament Central and at Bootleggers Basin (at the Fox Run Course) that competitors and spectators can buy a week-long parking pass to! Players that choose to buy passes will receive their parking passes as check in or can pick them up from Tournament Central. They will give you access to your own spot all week. These will cost $60 for the week for Tourney Central Parking and $40 for the week for Bootleggers Basin parking. you can purchase them online at:

If these do not sell out, we will open remaining spots for $10/day at Tourney Central and $5/day.

PDGA’s Throw Green Initiative

The PDGA’s “Throw Green” initiative is focused on introducing new standards of environmental responsibility to PDGA events. While there have been not set standards in the past, the 2018 PDGA Pro World Championships are helping to help establish and lay the groundwork for future events! As a recognized Environmental Business Leader by the State of Vermont, Smugglers’ Notch Resort is thrilled to work together with the PDGA to help enact policies that promote treating the environment and land around us with respect and reverence!

In accordance with this goal, we are striving to be a low-waste event. Therefore we have included branded Pro Worlds water bottles in all player packs as a gift for competitors and for your use during the event. Many thanks to Tempercraft, one of our event sponsors, for helping make this possible! The event staff will have ample water at tournament central and across all courses. This effort is aimed at reducing reducing plastic water bottle waste.

In addition to this effort, we are are expanding out resort composting program to include Tournament Central and FallFest Central. We will have a compost, recycle, and trash station present at every waste station. We encourage you to limit your contribution to the trash, and ask that you please follow direction on waste signage closely!

Lastly, while at the resort, please remember the following list of how to be a good environmental steward! Many thanks!

While at Smugglers’ Notch Resort during Pro Worlds:

  • Leave no trace/No litter/carry it in/carry it out
  • Use reusable water bottles
  • Compost food scraps
  • Do not disturb wildlife
  • Do not enter wetland areas
  • Park your car/ride the resort's  shuttle buses
  • Recycle plastics and paper products
  • Do not disturb plants
  • Stay on trails
  • Minimize your impact on the natural environment

Sponsors & Partners

Lastly, we want to thank our premier and gold level sponsors and partners for joining us in making this event as great as it can be for all involved!

Premier Sponsors

  • Innova - Fox Run Course Sponsor, Fiddlehead “Inside the Circle” Double IPA Sponsor
  • Discraft - Brewster Ridge Course Sponsor

Gold Level Sponsors

  • Discmania 
  • DiscGolfPark
  • DGA
  • Outside TV
  • Black Ink Discs
  • Disc Golf Pins
  • Paragon
  • Tempercraft

Partners

  • Brinster Design - Steve Brinster’s design company has helped shape the courses and tournaments at the Smugglers’ Notch Disc Golf Center for the past 5 years. Many Thanks!
  • Worm & Cutt & Associates - Dave Jackson and J Cutt have put in countless hours alongside our crew to help prepare the courses for the event this year. Many Thanks!

Once again, thank you for attending the 2018 PDGA Pro Disc Golf World Championships at Smugglers’ Notch Resort! We hope you truly enjoy your stay. Please be on the lookout for updates as we approach the event and travel safe! We’ll see you soon.

Best,

Jeff Spring
Tournament Director
2018 PDGA Pro Worlds
Smugglers’ Notch Resort, Vermont
jspring@smuggs.com
802-730-6397