Group of Effingham Area Disc Golfers Compete in Illinois Amateur Championships

Seven area disc golfers spent the weekend in the Pekin/Peoria/Morton area to compete in the 7th Annual Illinois Amateur Disc Golf Championships.

The area disc golfers competed in divisions ranging from Advanced to Intermediate to Recreational to Novice.

Joseph Garland, Mark Jones and Andrew Burgholzer competed in Advanced, the next step below Pro.

Garland finished tied for sixth with a six-over 126 total. The scheduled three rounds was trimmed to two, one Saturday, one Sunday, due to heavy rainfall in the area. Garland finished -3 in the Saturday round at McNaughton Shorts, and +9 at the tough Northwoods Gold course on Sunday.

74 disc golfers competed in the Advanced Division.

Jones finished tied for 39th at +15 52-83=135. Burgholzer finished tied for 49th at +18 59-79=138. 

In the Intermediate Division, Hadley Majors tied for 23th at +12 74-57=131, while Cole Mintert tied for 32nd at +18 76-61=137. 

In the Recreational Division, Ben Ruholl finished 27th at +31 88-63=151.

In the Novice Division, Ben Keller finished eighth at +24 73-71=144. 

On Friday, some of the area disc golfers got in a round in the Advanced Division at the Illinois Amateur Flex C-Tier at Northwoods Gold. 

Garland tied for top honors at the event with a +9 73. Majors was fifth with an +17 81. Mintert finished sixth with a +18 82, and Jones finished seventh with a +25 89.

A reminder that the area golfers are gearing up for their own event, the Effingham Open, the Battle at the Crossroads. The tournament is set for Saturday, October 10 at the Community Park course, an 18-hole layout. The tournament is sponsored by EDGE (Effingham Disc Golf Evangelists). The 72-player field is already full, a month before the tournament.