Photo of the Disc Golf History Exhibit at the Lemon Lake Flight Center provided by Deb Svitko #45678.

If you were one of the hundreds of competitors or spectators that made it out to Pittsburgh for the 2015 PDGA Professional Disc Golf World Championships, we can only hope you took the time to stop by the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum to walk through one of the most significant collections of disc golf artifacts ever assembled, the Disc Golf History Exhibit. Premiering on August 3rd during the 2015 Pro Worlds Players Meeting, the exhibit wowed flying disc fanatics of all demographics.

After a three month stay in the heart of downtown Pittsburgh, it was time for this incredible piece of disc golf history to find a new home. And what better place for its second stop than the host venue of both the 2010 and the 2013 PDGA Professional Disc Golf World Championships and the home of the Indiana State Disc Golf Museum; the Lemon Lake Flight Center in Crown Point, IN.

Lemon Lake is an awe-inspiring disc golf complex, boasting five different 18-hole courses and the Lemon Like Flight Center Pro Shop. The Flight Center, as well as the dozens of events that take place on the property, are run by Jay Svitko #7307 and his wife Deb Svitko #45678. Their dedication to the sport and to the management of the Lemon Lake courses made selecting the next semi-permanent home of the Disc Golf History Exhibit an easy decision.

Lemon Lake Named PDGA Regional Development Center

The arrival of the Disc Golf History Exhibit isn't the only cool thing that's happened this year to the Lemon Lake Flight Center. Earlier this summer, PDGA Executive Director Brian Graham #5861 made his way up to Crown Point, Indiana to officially announce that Lemon Lake would be named the first ever PDGA Regional Development Center (RDC).

The concept of a PDGA RDC is still a work in progress, conceived by Graham and the PDGA Board of Directors. "In short, PDGA Regional Development Centers are places around the world where our members can go to receive training and education on PDGA initiatives and events. The Director’s Cup event here at the International Disc Golf Center (IDGC) is just one example of a program we can offer at Lemon Lake to engage our members in the Midwest. In the future, we hope to offer Tournament Director training, course design classes, and other educational opportunities that we develop for our members. For now, the concept is still in development. Overall, it is a way to help our members around the world better interact with the PDGA without having to travel to the IDGC here in Georgia", Graham explained.

Exhibit Contents

The Disc Golf History Exhibit is a project spearheaded by the Disc Golf Foundation, a nonprofit organization funded by the PDGA, DGA, and several other donors with the mission of "promoting disc golf through Education, Advancement and Endowment." The exhibit includes artifacts and memorabilia on loan from Disc Golf Hall of Fame member Lavone Wolfe #580, the "Steady" Ed Memorial Disc Golf Museum, the Disc Golf Hall of Fame, and many more individual contributors.

With dozens of extremely rare discs, full color displays detailing the "Evolution of the Flying Disc", and one of "Steady" Ed's first prototype Pole Hole baskets, it's something that every disc golfer and flying disc enthusiast should have the opportunity to see.

"Steady" Ed Funding the History Exhibit from the Grave

A majority of the funds used to purchase the Disc Golf History Exhibit display and traveling cases came from "Steady" Ed himself, literally. After he passed away in August of 2002, Ed had his body cremated, but it doesn't end there. Per his request, Ed's ashes were added to disc molds and the discs were made available for purchase. The discs, appropriately named the "Steady Ed Memorial Ash Discs", are still being sold today, but with a limited quantity remaining. The revenue earned from the Steady Ed Memorial Ash Discs are put towards the "Steady" Ed Memorial Fund, the single biggest contributor to the Disc Golf Foundation 501(c)(3).

All of the information below was taken directly from the Steady Ed Memorial Ash Discs page on the official DGA website.

“Steady” Ed Headrick Memorial Disc Golf Driver and Putter Set

Discraft facilitated molding the Last Flight Memorial Discs and making Ed’s unique last wish to have his ashes incorporated into discs a reality. Ed’s Ashes were incorporated into a very very special blend of elite plastic into the immortal XL™ and APX™ molds. The one of a kind artwork was created by Ed Headrick’s close friend Sharon Kinzie.

• All proceeds go to the Disc Golf Foundation as part of the “Steady Ed Memorial Fund”
• Limited and rare discs
• A tangible and unique part of Disc Golf & Frisbee History, & History in general.
• High-resolution custom color artwork prints
• Discraft XL™ and APX™ molds

“Steady” Ed Headrick Limited Run “Lines of Headrick Memorial Freestyle Disc”

“The Lines of Headrick” memorial disc is a very limited edition Discraft Ultrastar 175g mold carrying Ed’s ashes. “The Lines of Headrick” commemorates the life of the founder of disc sports and father of Disc Golf.

• All proceeds go to the Disc Golf Foundation as part of the “Steady Ed Memorial Fund”
• Limited and rare discs
• A tangible and unique part of Disc Golf & Frisbee History, & History in general.
• Limited edition Discraft Ultrastar
• Feature the lines of Headrick that have made it all the way from Ed’s original Frisbee Patent

Bring the Disc Golf History Exhibit to Your Town

The Disc Golf Foundation in cooperation with the PDGA has put together a Request For Proposal (RFP) for those interested in bring the Disc Golf History Exhibit to their town. The basic requirements are listed below and the full RFP is available for download. 

• Ability to house the exhibit for 4-6 months
• Secure viewing area of approximately 100 square feet
  • Photos and/or floor plan of the proposed viewing area
• Fork lift or lift gate for receiving the delivery (approx. 1300 lbs.)
  • NOTE: Shipping costs are covered in full by the PDGA.  
• Certificate of property insurance to cover the artifacts and display
• Details of security measures during the exhibition run
• 250-word description of how the exhibit will be promoted and used to feature the history of disc golf,
• Proposed time table for the exhibition run

View the full Request for Proposal»

Interested in bringing the traveling Disc Golf History Exhibit to your home town? Complete the Request For Proposal and email it to [email protected].