Local wins amateur world disc golf title
A first-year student at the University of Toledo is the winner of the 2025 Professional Disc Golf Association’s Amateur World Championship, held last week in Columbia, Mo.
Hayden Carroll, 18, graduated from Perrysburg High School in May.
He came out on top with a birdie on the 18th hole of the five-day event, which ended Saturday. He had the best score of 340 amateurs from 14 countries, of which 283 were in his division.
“I was really happy,” Mr. Carroll told The Blade on Tuesday. “My goal was to be in the top 10. I had no real thought in my mind I could have won. It was a big shock to me.”
Going down to the last hole, Mr. Carroll was down one “throw,” the disc golfing equivalent of the word “stroke.”
The birdie gave him the victory.
“It came down to the final hole of the tournament,” said Hayden Henry, PDGA communications manager. “It was a close battle throughout the week.”
Upon his return to Toledo, Mr. Carroll got ready for his first week of classes as a UT freshman.
He said he plans to major in marketing.
Disc golf, also known as Frisbee golf, is a game with nearly identical rules to traditional golf except that players toss a variety of flying discs instead of hitting golf balls with golf clubs.
Though it is one of many outdoor activities that got a huge boost in popularity when people were told to distance themselves from others during the coronavirus pandemic, it’s been around a lot longer than that. The PDGA, the official governing body, began in 1976. It is marking its 50th anniversary next year.
Mr. Carroll said he began playing disc golf at age 11 or 12.
He finds the game attractive because it allows him to compete outdoors as a solo act.
“I’m not the biggest fan of team sports,” he said.
The PDGA has four types of national championships. Besides amateurs, there are divisions for professionals, masters (40 years of age and up), and juniors (ages 8 to 18).
Mr. Carroll said he competed in the nationals as a junior the past two years and didn’t get as high up in the rankings as he did as an amateur this year. He said he plans to turn pro this fall.
The difference this year, he said, was “just having a lot of confidence in myself and knowing what I can and cannot do.”
The PDGA sanctions nearly 10,000 tournaments, Mr. Henry said.
The nationals are by far the biggest.
Disc golf is a “sport for everybody,” with players often landing between the ages of 8 and 80, Mr. Henry said.
“You can grab a disc for $15,” he said. “That’s all you need.”
Joel Szirony, owner of Saucy Disc Golf, a Toledo disc and apparel vendor, said Mr. Carroll’s triumph is “huge” because it will raise the profile of disc golf across northwest Ohio.
“It’s amazing,” Mr. Szirony said. “It’s honestly the biggest thing anyone from this area has accomplished. It is something that will etch his name in history books forever.”
He said he’s one of many people who became more involved with disc golf during the pandemic.
“It really boomed after COVID,” Mr. Szirony said.
Those who are serious players use more than one disc. Some carry as many as two dozen for different shots along disc golf courses, akin to golfers choosing which clubs to use in given circumstances.
Website udisc.com allows viewers to find disc golf courses near them.
Area courses include those at Maumee Bay State Park in Oregon, Woodlands Park in Perrysburg, Trail Marker Disc Golf Course in Woodville, Ohio, Ottawa Park in Toledo, Brentwood Park in Northwood, Whiteford StoneCo Park in Ottawa Lake, Mich., Parmelee Park in Lambertville, Walsh Park in Fremont, Mary Jane Thurston State Park in Grand Rapids, Ohio, Vienna Park DGC in Temperance, Riverbend Disc Golf Trail in Findlay, Sandra Park in Whitehouse, and Carter Park in Bowling Green.
Contact Tom Henry at