When did volunteers have to start paying to help out?
http://www.2011proworlds.com/volunteers/
I volunteered for the 2006 Worlds and didn't have to pay and was well compensated for giving up a week of vacation. $60 for $115 of schwag? Plus you cover your own travel and hotel expenses? Sounds like a deal to me. I don't think the USDGC charges volunteers, but they get a nice bit of schwag for helping out. Are you guys low on sponsors already? That's $12,000 you're asking from the volunteers.

From the link you provided, the answer to your first question would be now:

We are requesting an investment of $60.00 from each volunteer. While this practice is common for premier ball golf events, this is a first in the disc golf world.

Other questions might be best asked of the people coordinating the event.

Tom Sawyer would be quite impressed.

In this case, another Tom is giving the fabled technique a Schott...

I'm very curious on how this will work out. Credit to the organizers for trying something different.

Tom Sawyer would be quite impressed.
Only if they pull it off. I don't see that happening, but I've never painted a fence for free, either.

...could be the first spotter-less worlds...

Only if they pull it off. I don't see that happening, but I've never painted a fence for free, either.

I think Tom would admire the chutzpah, whether the fence get painted or not.

Myself, I respect anyone willing to undertake a fence like hosting Worlds, so despite a little skepticism I hope it all goes well.

For those of you who may not be aware, the Monterey area of California, where several of the 2011 Pro Worlds courses will be located, is also home to some world class ball golf courses on which the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am is contested every year. This tournament uses the Spyglass Hill, Monterey Peninsula Country Club and Pebble Beach Golf Links golf courses. The latter is also very famous for the U.S. Open tournament held there about once a decade or so. The PGA Tour also has a stop nearby - the Frys.com Open in San Martin. The President's Cup was also held in 2009 at TPC Harding Park in San Francsico which is an easy drive up from Santa Cruz or Monterey.

For these and pretty much all other ball golf tournaments, the local area recruits hundred of volunteers who work as marshals for these events. These marshals' primary responsibilities are to patrol the golf course, crowd control, keeping the pace of play up and responding to golfers' questions or concerns. For these PGA ball golf events, it is not uncommon for these volunteers to pay a nominal fee but which also gets them a super nice tournament crest-embroidered polo shirt, chair, umbrella, and other schwag. It also gets them full access to all of the tournament grounds during the entire competition, and of course, up-close access to the world's premier ball golfers.

What PDGA Pro Worlds 2011 tournament directors Tom Schot and Russell Jacobson are doing is tapping into this core of volunteers. Historically, PDGA World Championship tournament volunteers are often gathered at cruch time, and many positions go unfulfilled. Through this method, the TDs are ensuring that the PDGA Pro Worlds 2011 may be the most heavily staffed and professional feeling event in history! Furthermore, this may help to raise a great deal of money for the tournament purse. If you factor in 100-200 volunteers at $60 a head, and subtract out the costs of the volunteer packages, we could be looking at thousands of dollars of additional added cash towards the purse. With touring players constantly complaining that the Pro Worlds payouts have not increased significantly in the past decade, this idea should be warmly received.

Though he has been a fixture in our sport for decades, I just met Tom Schot for the first time at this year's Pro Worlds event at Lemon Lake in Indiana. I could tell right away that he is an idea man with prolific enthusiasm and isn't afraid to go outside of the box with his thinking. With four courses of 27 holes each and everyone playing just one round a day with tee times, this is going to be one of the most unique and fun Pro Worlds events ever. I for one can't wait to see just how awesome it's gonna be!