HUNTSVILLE – For the third time, and the first time in more than 30 years, the world of disc golf is coming to Madison County.
The Professional Disc Golf Association announced Thursday that Huntsville, Madison, and Madison County have been selected to host the 2027 Amateur Disc Golf World Championships.
“We are proud to welcome the Amateur Disc Golf World Championships to Huntsville in 2027,” said Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle. “With our long history and enthusiasm for the sport, the championship provides an exciting opportunity for our community to showcase what we offer disc golf players and supporters.”
The tournament will be played on four courses in the area: John Hunt Park (Huntsville), Sunshine Oaks (Madison), Sharon Johnston Park (New Market), and Mastin Lake (Huntsville). All four courses are either new or recently retooled to meet the needs of the modern game.
“This is a special opportunity for our entire community to welcome the world championships,” said Madison Mayor Paul Finley, who also plays. “We have a large and growing disc golf community that has worked hard with city leaders to make sure our courses meet the requirements to host an event of this size.”
The area has a long and storied history in disc golf, having hosted the PDGA Professional Disc Golf World Championships in 1983 and 1993.
Huntsville is also the home of three PDGA Hall of Fame members – Tom Monroe, Lavone Wolfe and Dean Tannock. Monroe was an 8-time PDGA Masters 50+ world champion. Wolfe is a legend in the disc golf course design world and is the architect of the courses that will host the championship. Tannock, better known as “Dean-O”, is best known as a fierce competitor with his own career collection of wins and top finishes – including a Masters World Championship and US Grandmasters major title.
“Disc golf is a part of the fabric of our community and I look forward to all of the competitors coming to see all of our area in this event,” said Madison County District 1 Commission Tom Brandon. “The investments across the county in disc golf continue to pay big dividends, and we are proud to be a host of this memorable championship.”
A key element of the proposal was the cohesive work between all the government entities: Huntsville Sports Commission, Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau, and the Rocket City Chain Gang, the association for local disc golfers. Local PDGA pro Larry Burge will serve as the tournament director.
“Thanks to the leadership of the cities and the county for their continued support of disc golf and fostering our community,” said Lamar Futch, President of the Rocket City Chain Gang. “This is a tremendous opportunity for our area to return as one of the leaders in the disc golf championship space and we can’t wait to show off these great courses.”
The course at John Hunt Park will serve as the base for the championship and be the home of the final round of the event. It will have a special setup that is only in place for the tournament.
“With our large disc golf community, we are honored to be selected to host the world championships in 2027,” said Mark Russell, Executive Director of the Huntsville Sports Commission. “We will make this a memorable experience for all of the players, staff, fans, and officials.”
The event is projected to attract more than 450 competitors for a week of competition and activities, generate more than 2,500 room nights, and have an estimated economic impact of more than $2.1 million.
“It takes a tremendous team effort to bring a world championship together and I’m so proud of everyone on our team for their work in bringing this to fruition,” said Joel Lamp, Sports Development Manager for the Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau. “This event will bring a significant economic impact to our region during the summer of 2027 and is yet another opportunity to showcase the beauty that is all across Madison County.”
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