Riverview Golf Club hosts inaugural PDGA-sanctioned tournament

Posted on November 14, 2024 by Ryan Dahlman

Riverview Golf Club

Over the Nov. 2-3 weekend, Riverview Golf Club proudly hosted its first-ever PDGA (Professional Disc Golf Association) sanctioned disc golf tournament, marking a significant milestone for the club and the growing sport in Redcliff and Medicine Hat. 

The inaugural C-Tier event attracted 23 disc golfers from various locations, including one player from Texas, a handful from Lethbridge, and six competitors from Saskatchewan, with some traveling from as far as Regina.

Despite challenging conditions (wind gusts reaching up to 60 km/h), the tournament saw impressive participation. In addition to the competitors, 12-15 spectators braved the elements to catch a glimpse of the action on the club’s newly-installed 18-hole championship-level disc golf course, the first of its kind in the area. Among the competitors was one of Canada’s top professional disc golfers, Noah Higgins, who recently placed 2nd in the 2024 Canadian Disc Golf Tour. Higgins made a stop at the Riverview tournament before heading to Australia to represent Canada at the Disc Golf World Championships, and to compete in the Australian Open, where he’ll join fellow Professional Canadian players Thomas Gilbert, Casey Hanemeyer, and Max Retignig. Higgins’ participation added prestige to the event and highlighted the club’s potential for hosting high-caliber tournaments in the future.

The event finished with several outstanding performances including one local winner from Redcliff, Alberta:

• Noah Higgins (Lethbridge, AB) – Mixed Pro Open

• Donny Maess (Regina, SK) – Mixed Amateur 1

• Branden Aasman (Redcliff, AB) – Mixed Amateur 2

• Hayden Bucheler (Gull Lake, SK) – Mixed Amateur 3

The newly-installed disc golf course at Riverview Golf Club, set up on the back nine of the golf course with great views of the river valley, Echo Dale and Medicine Hat, is a championship-level layout designed to challenge players of all skill levels. With four sets of tee boxes, Silver (Pro), Blue (Advanced), Yellow (Intermediate), and Red (Beginner), the course is perfect for everyone from beginners to experienced players to play a round of disc golf. The club encourages newcomers to start on the Red Tees and move back as they become more comfortable.

Looking to the future, Riverview Golf Club is committed to growing disc golf in the area and hopes to elevate the tournament to a B-Tier event, which would attract disc golfers from across Western Canada.

In collaboration with the Medicine Hat Disc Golf Club, Riverview is already planning exciting events for the 2025 season to continue promoting and expanding the sport in the region.

The course is currently free to play, and the club invites the public to try it out during the off season and provide feedback. Input from players is essential to helping Riverview shape the course into a premier disc golf destination in Southern Alberta.

This inaugural event was a huge success for Riverview Golf Club and a promising step forward for disc golf in the local community. The next tournament at Riverview will be a fun Glow Tournament scheduled for November 16.