The 2010 PDGA National Tour is barrelling towards the finish line, as disc golf’s top throwers convene in Palmerton, Pennsylvania for the Skylands Classic at Blue Mountain next week.  

When the planet’s best disc golfers venture onto the newly developed Blue Mountain courses at the peak and valley of the mountain, almost all of them will be starting with the same knowledge of the course to help them navigate the nearly three-mile long trek--and that knowledge is next to nothing. 

The just recently installed disc golf complex at Blue Mountain will be a great neutralizer for many of disc golf’s touring pros, as this will be the first time they have either played or competed on this impressive expanse of land.  Indeed, the move to Blue Mountain may have been sudden, but according to highly respected course designer Chuck Kennedy, the move is certainly not a stretch . 

After a recent visit to the Palmerton, Pennsylvania facility, Kennedy said," The Blue Mountain Peak course is one of the best ski mountain courses amoung those I've played across the country.  Designer Doyle was able to incorporate natural openings and pathways other than strictly follow the ski trials which allowed more creativity in hole design than is typically allowed on ski hills."

Unlike the PDGA National Tour event held at Sugarbush in 2007, where the peak course and base course were played separately, Dan Doyle, Skylands Classic tournament director, with some prodding from Kennedy, has decided to create a hybrid layout that features the best holes from both the Skyline and the Valley courses at Blue Mountain.  This will allow the Skylands Classic to accommodate a growing number of competitors during the three day weekend, but also feature a stunning, par-70 layout that will challenge disc golf’s best throwers at almost every turn.  

Besides the challenging layout, Doyle, and the Blue Mountain staff have helped to accelerate the orginal time-table for this resort to host a top-tier disc golf event.  The facility is less than 30 minutes from the Lehigh Valley, where the 2005 PDGA Pro World Championships were held.   

“The entire organization at Blue Mountain have been great to work with,” Doyle said.  “Though hosting a major disc golf event in 2010 was not in our original plans, once we floated the idea to them, Barb Green (President of Blue Mountain) mobilized the entire staff, and we are ready now.  I truly believe this will be one of the top NT’s of the season.”  

In addition to the three rounds of championship disc golf, fans will also be treated to the very popular PDGA Touring Players clinic on Thursday at 6:30 pm at the Valley portion of the course.  Here is where even the most casual of players can gain access to many of the tips from the sport’s top players.  There will also be a players’ party on Saturday evening at the resort.  The dramatic finish to the Skylands Classic at Blue Mountain will occur Sunday afternoon and promises to feature some of the most highly rated disc golfers in the sport.  

For more information on the Skylands Classic at Blue Mountain, please visit the tournament Web site at http://www.nynjdiscgolf.com/new_site/index.php.  You can also visit the PDGA Skylands Tournament page to check out who will be competing at this next National Tour event.