Do you play disc golf on occasion with your buddies, just a few times a year without really understanding the rules? Are you someone that’s never considered playing in a sanctioned tournament? Do you see disc golf as a fun hobby, but not as a genuinely competitive and athletic sport? No need to worry -- that’s perfectly ok with us. We all took to the tee pad the first few times with the same attitude. The point is, as much as we love all disc golfers, this article probably isn’t for you.

For those of you that are still with us, we thank you for your dedication and passion for the awesome and increasingly popular sport that is disc golf. Perhaps it’s time to take that passion to a new level.

As we get closer to July, the hunt for the best and brightest minds the sport has to offer is in full effect. The annual elections are quickly approaching with three open slots for the PDGA Board of Directors and 29 open slots for State and Provincial Coordinators up for grabs. Elections take place online from July 1-31, 2018 and the terms will begin September 1, 2018.

Why do we have a Board of Directors? The short answer is, we have to. On top of the fact that having a board is written into the PDGA Bylaws, it’s also a requirement to maintain our 501(c)(4) nonprofit status. The short answer, though, is just the insignificant tip of the iceberg. The beauty of a Board is that it allows for new people to be elected into office by their constituents which, in our case, are active PDGA members. They bring with them new ideas, proposals, and analyses from their own perspectives and from those they represent. Without this process, the sport would never change and, perhaps, could never grow into something bigger and better as it has with every passing year.

Organized disc golf takes place at the local, regional, national, and international levels. There are now more than 7,000 courses around the globe, and the numbers continue to rise each year. It takes more than just a Board of Directors and a small team of employees in Appling, Georgia, to maintain and govern such a vast landscape. This is why we also have State, Provincial, and Country Coordinators, who work with the PDGA and with the clubs and players in their region to help keep the sport organized and moving in the right direction.

If you’re interested in running for one of the three PDGA Board of Directors openings or one of the 29 State and Provincial Coordinator openings, you can find more details about what the jobs entail on our elections page. If this is your year and you’re ready to give it a go, download and complete the Candidate Biography Questionnaire. As stated on the elections page, we strongly encourage that candidates produce a 3-5 minute video, post it to YouTube, and link to it on the questionnaire. This gives people a better opportunity to see who you are and to hear exactly what ideas you want to bring to the sport.

This form may also be requested by contacting the PDGA office or by calling (706) 261-6342. The completed form must be returned to the office along with a candidate statement no later than June 8, 2018, for Board candidates and June 22, 2018, for State Coordinator candidates. We look forward to seeing some new faces this year for the annual elections!

Below is the list of the State Coordinator positions up for election this year. Terms for these positions will be September 1, 2018-August 31, 2020 unless otherwise noted. If your state or province is not listed, the position is not up for election this year but will be next year. Please join us in extending thanks and appreciation to all the incumbents for their voluntary service to the PDGA and to disc golf in general. Many of these key contributors will be seeking re-election, while many others will be seeking election for the first time.