Watching discgolf was never as boring as it was this weekend. I am sorry but what even was that? Contrary to the opinion of this sub, I think the DGPT is a competent organisation and makes the right choices most of the time. But man did they fumble the ball here.
The Course:
Why the hell are we playing at Ivy Hill. This course is literally the worst course on tour. It's not even close. So many boring brain-dead hyzer shots. Only a few shots that are really exciting. Some examples:
Hole 2: Just way too easy. You cannot have 29 out of 32 Birdies. That makes it pretty much a 17-hole-course.
Hole 3: Has potential, but why is the tree in the beginning not a Mando to the left. That would make it much more interesting. The players would have to decide if they play an aggressive flex-shot or lay-up with a forehand and go big on the second shot into a tight green. But no it's just another hyzer from the tee.
Hole 4: Luck fest.
Hole 6: Luck fest. Especially from the long tee. There is no decision making here. Just chuck it at the trees and see what's happening.
Hole 10: The idea is great, but the fact that half the shots just stand up and roll god knows where, make it once again a luck fest.
Hole 11: Just a weird hole. On paper it looks fine but I just can't stand it. :D
Hole 14: The A placement is great. The B placement is too easy and it's not enticing to go for eagle.
Hole 18: Way too easy, especially if you can play it for par. No drama on the final hole.
It's just infuriating to me. The course is pretty much the same since 2024 worlds. Almost nothing has changed. The holes were already bad back then. And the property actually looks great. One might think a way better course could be designed on this, with big downhill shots, nice water carries and tricky landing zones. I hope they work on the course for next year but I honestly doubt it. At least it won't be the tour championship anymore.
The format:
I think this was bound to happen. That the last three tour championships were tight was more of a coincidence than anything else. Yes of course you should give the best players an advantage. But I don't think this is the right way. The format with the quarterfinals and semifinals we had back in the days was actually great. I can understand that the DGPT felt like they had to change it because Nathan Queen became the Tour Champion out of nowhere, but he honestly deserved it. He fought through four rounds of Discgolf and beat the best players of the season in two of them. That's a well deserved win in my book. I'd hope they bring that back, but I doubt it. But something has to change after the snooze-fest we had this weekend. I think the advantage for the best players has to be smaller. I am also open for making the points champion after the last tournament the official tour champion and separate the Pro Tour Finale from it.
Sorry for my long rant. Might have got a bit carried away. But to me, and I also think to many other discgolf fans, the Pro Tour championship should be the biggest and most exciting non-major event of the year. But with a boring course and a format that practically eliminates half the field, before the tournament even starts, automatically from being in contention for the win, it just isn't.