Australian Disc Golf is growing at a record pace. To ensure our sport remains a safe, fair, and professional environment for everyone, we are officially adopting the National Integrity Framework (NIF).
The “Why” and the “How”
Constitutionally, ADG operates as a branch of the Australian Flying Disc Association (AFDA). While ADG maintains full financial and decision-making autonomy over disc golf, we share a commitment to the highest standards of sports governance.
The AFDA has formally adopted the National Integrity Framework (NIF), a suite of gold-standard policies developed by Sport Integrity Australia (SIA). By aligning with this framework, ADG ensures that our players are protected by the same independent oversight and consistent rules used by Australia’s major sporting bodies.
These policies apply to all participants and organisations involved in all disc golf activities.
Over the coming weeks, we will introduce this framework, beginning today with The Member Protection Policy.
Part 1: Keeping Our Sport Safe and Respectful
What is the Member Protection Policy?
The Member Protection Policy is designed to ensure that everyone participating in disc golf is treated with respect and dignity. It establishes clear standards of behaviour and protects participants from harmful conduct including abuse, bullying, harassment, sexual misconduct, discrimination, victimisation, and vilification.
What is covered?
This policy defines “Prohibited Conduct” to ensure our community is shielded from:
Abuse & Bullying: Physical, emotional, or repeated unreasonable behaviour.
Harassment & Sexual Misconduct: Any unwanted conduct that offends or intimidates.
Discrimination & Vilification: Unfair treatment based on race, gender, disability, orientation, or religion.
Victimisation: Protecting those who have the courage to speak up.
Why This Matters for You
As an ADG member, you have a right to a safe environment and a responsibility to treat others with dignity. This policy doesn’t change the game we love; it provides the professional framework to protect it.
As we head into the 2026 season, there are several significant updates to the PDGA Official Rules of Disc Golf and Competition Manual. Some of these changes are global, while others are from the international guide and are specific for events held in Australia.
Below is a summary of the major changes you need to be aware of for your events this year.
Major Rule Changes (Effective Jan 1, 2026)
Mandatory Scoring for All Players (Now Mandatory in Australia): Following the 2025 transition period, every player on a card must now keep an independent scorecard for the entire group. A player who refuses to keep score must be disqualified.
New “45-Second” Fairway Rule: The traditional 30-second clock still applies to tee shots, drop zones, and putts within 20 meters. However, for all other fairway shots (scrambles/approaches), players now have 45 seconds.
Addressing the Lie (Clock Start): The clock now officially starts when a player “addresses their lie.” This includes actions like marking with a mini, using a rangefinder, or clearing casual obstacles.
Group Voting (Thrower Excluded): When a group needs to vote on a ruling (e.g., OB or a stance violation), the thrower is now excluded from the initial vote. If the remaining players are tied, only then does the thrower vote to break the tie. Lobbying the group for a favourable call is now a courtesy violation.
Relief areas: These are now named required relief areas and casual areas to avoid confusion. Required relief areas are played like out of bounds, but without a penalty throw, (you cannot also take line of play relief or return to the previous lie without penalty); casual areas allow for optional relocation without penalty.
Casual obstacles: can be moved by a player without penalty. A casual obstacle must not be an item intentionally placed as part of the course, embedded into the playing surface and is not a larger item such as a large branch or rock.
TD Cheat Sheet: Quick Reminders for Players
To help your players adjust during the first few events of the year, here are the key bullet points for your player meetings:
Scorekeeping: “Everyone on the card must keep score. If you don’t have a phone for digital scoring, you must use a paper card.”
Fairway Clock: “You have 30 seconds on the tee and green, but 45 seconds on the fairway once you’ve addressed your lie.”
Group Rulings: “If there’s a call to be made, the thrower stays quiet while the rest of the card votes. No lobbying for your own safe call.”
Casual Obstacles: “You can move loose debris, but if it takes two people to move it, it’s not a casual obstacle—leave it alone.”
Required Relief Areas: “If you land in a required relief area, you must take relief without a penalty, but you play it like OB (no line-of-play relief).”
At Australian Disc Golf, we want to ensure every new club has the tools they need to succeed. That is why we are thrilled to shine a spotlight on the ADG Grant Program as we head into 2026.
We have streamlined our categories, and refined our selection process to be more transparent and objective to ensure that funding gets exactly where it’s needed most. To see what this looks like in practice, one need only look at the thriving new disc golf course in Wagga Wagga, where a recent grant helped turn a local vision into a concrete reality.
The Wagga Wagga Course
Last year, Wagga Disc Golf Club turned their vision of installing a disc golf course at Rawlings Reserve into a reality with the assistance of local council grants, community support and a successful ADG grant application for course signage. Janet and Dean Cartwright of Wagga Disc Golf Club share some words about the ADG grant process.
As a 2025 recipient of an ADG grant, we are pleased to share how valuable this support was for our new club and would strongly encourage other clubs to take advantage of the opportunity. The application process was remarkably straightforward, handled entirely via email, and coordinated smoothly with NSW Disc Golf backing. The grant funding was instrumental in helping us install course signage, increase community awareness, and demonstrate national backing for our parallel council grant application to purchase 9 baskets and install a course. We feel very fortunate to have a proactive national body that promotes disc golf and supports new clubs, and we encourage others to make use of this program to help grow the sport in their communities.
The course signage was huge for getting the word out and making their new club feel “real” to the community during those first few months. When they applied for the Wagga Wagga City Council Annual Grants Program, having ADG’s national support gave their application credibility and they were successful in securing $6,320 from the council to install a 12-basket course.
Where Will ADG’s Grant Program Take You?
The story of Wagga Wagga is a testament to what can happen when local passion meets national support. Dean and Janet “feel very fortunate to have a proactive national body that promotes disc golf and supports new clubs,” noting that for them, “this support was essential to our development and long-term success”.
We want to see your club tell a similar story. Whether you are running an event, expanding an existing course, or developing new coaching materials, the refreshed ADG Grant Program offers up to $1,000 to help move your project forward.
We strongly encourage clubs, tournament directors or other volunteers to take advantage of this opportunity to help grow the sport in their communities. The path is clear, the process is simple, and as Wagga Wagga has shown, the impact is lasting.
Recently, ADG held its annual general meeting which saw the election of two new Board members, Mathew Wallis and Mark Donnelly. Today we would like to take some time to introduce ADG’s new State Representative Liaison for 2026, Mat Wallis, who is acts as the connection between the ADG Board and the State Representative Committee.
I’m Mat Wallis and I’ve volunteered to the be the ADG State Rep Liaison for 2026.
I started playing disc golf back in 2017 after walking through the Newington Armory and seeing a group of disc golfers throwing frisbees a crazy long way. 6 months later and I already had a bag, a stack of discs and well on my way to a plastic addiction.
My first tournament was the Aussie Disc Golf Championships in Canberra in 2018, where I finished dead last in MA2. Lots of practice and 12 months later, I was MA40 Champ at the next Aussie Championships in Mount Gambier. That is an amazing course and easily top of my must-play list.
Since then, disc golf has been a key part of my life. I’ve run numerous tournaments, been president of Sydney Disc Golf since 2021 and NSW state rep for ADG for the past 3 years. I’ve also dabbled with a YouTube channel called Disc Golf Down Under with a focus on MVP discs that got a shout out from Simon Lizotte when he signed for Team MVP in 2023.
Outside disc golf, I work as an engineer and live next to the Newington Armory course in Sydney. I’ve got 2 boys, who have zero interest in disc golf, but I have managed to drag my wife into the sport and she loves to come out and play in tournaments.
I’m hoping to play lots more disc golf in 2026 and looking forward to my role as state liaison on the ADG board.
Welcome to the Board, Mat. Here’s to fostering a strong relationship between the local clubs, state representatives and the ADG Board in the year ahead.
Recently, ADG held its annual general meeting which saw the election of two new Board members, Mark Donnelly and Mathew Wallis. Today we would like to take some time to introduce ADG’s new Secretary for 2026, Mark Donnelly, who has kindly shared a little about himself and his background.
My name is Mark Donnelly, and it’s a privilege to step into the role of Secretary for the Australian Disc Golf Association. My journey with flying disc sports began back in 2008, when I stumbled into the Brisbane Mixed Ultimate League by pure chance. That moment changed everything for me. A special shout-out to Scott from Denver (now Adelaide)—mate, if you’re reading this, thank you for opening the door to this incredible sport all those years ago.
Over the years, I’ve had the joy of playing in several national tournaments (ultimate) and contributing to the growth of disc golf in a variety of settings. Most recently, I’ve been involved in helping establish disc golf within the Queensland Police Service Police and Emergency Services Games, a project I’m extremely proud of. Before that, during my time living in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, I played an active role in growing disc golf and flying disc sports in Mongolia.
With experience serving in secretariat roles across multiple associations, I’m excited to bring that background into this position and support the continued development, governance, and professionalism of our national community.
Outside of disc golf, I’m a proud father of seven, living in Brisbane, Queensland. Above all else, what keeps me inspired in this sport is simple: our people. The spirit, inclusiveness, and passion within the disc golf community are its greatest assets, and I’m honoured to contribute to its future.
I look forward to serving our members and supporting the growth of disc golf across Australia.
I’m sure you’ll join ADG in welcoming Mark as we look forward to the year ahead in disc golf in Australia. Watch this space to welcome Mat Wallis next, who has volunteered as the ADG State Representative Liaison on the Board for 2026.
The ADG Tournament Committee has now finalised the ADG Tournament Directors Guide for the 2026 tour year with several important changes.
By far the most significant change is the inclusion of the MP50 and FP50 divisions as ADGTour divisions for the first time.
ADG receives many requests to add additional divisions to the tour each year. After reviewing the number of qualifying players, ratings distributions of players and likely effects on other divisions we have concluded that MP50 and FP50 have the greatest potential for participation in 2026.
We also believe offering these divisions will improve the competitiveness of the existing MA50 and FA50 divisions by providing a pathway for higher rated players currently in those divisions to level up.
As part of our review we additionally modelled the inclusion of MA60 and FA60 as this has been another division we have seen demand for. While we understand there are many players who would like to see this division included as well, the number of qualifying players and likely level of participation were not as strong as what we saw for MP50 and FP50.
Of course as always if a division, which is not considered an underserved division, has less than four registered players it may not run and players will be relocated to the next divisions they qualify to play in with the ability to keep their tour points in the division they originally registered in.
To assist event organisers with managing potential extra costs associated with offering two additional divisions, ADG has also updated the trophy requirement for ADGTour Major events to require trophies for all division winners rather than 1st – 3rd place. We believe overall this will result in lower event costs and allow organisers to use their available funds where it will make the most difference to players.
We will be continuing to review participation levels and feedback during the 2026 tour year to plan out any further changes for 2027.
There are quite a few other smaller changes for the 2026 tour. The updated ADG Tournament Directors Guide for 2026 is available here:
Appendix A at the end of the page lists all of the changes which have been made for 2026 and we encourage both players and organisers to review them before the start of the tour year.
The Australian Disc Golf community has wrapped up another outstanding year, and ADG is thrilled to announce the 2025 Tour and Community Award winners who have made this season truly memorable.
Female Division Champions
Clare (Huss) Hussey dominated the FPO Division with a series of impressive performances throughout the season. Her consistency and skill earned her the top honour in women’s professional disc golf.
Speaking about her victory, Huss shared: “I really enjoyed playing in the events that contributed to the tour win. It’s a bonus getting recognition for performance too.”
Female Division Winners:
FA1: Claire Bruton
FA40: Carol Hartley
FA50: Janet Cartwright
FP40: Sue Summers
FA2: Jasmin Barr
FA3: Krystal Goscombe
FJ15: Miley Nicholson
Mixed Division Champions
Blake Houston claimed the prestigious MPO Division title with exceptional performances throughout the year. His podium finishes at major events including ADGC, Eruption, the Queensland Open, and the ACT Championships demonstrated consistent excellence at the highest level. Blake’s year was made even more remarkable by his selection to co-represent Australia at the 2025 IWGA World Games.
Reflecting on his achievements, Blake said: “This year has been incredible for me, and I’ve enjoyed every moment of it. I’ve been fortunate enough to travel around Australia for some bigger events and even got to participate in the world games, representing my country has been a life goal for me since I first started playing sports. I’m very happy with my performances this year however it all wouldn’t be possible without the support of many people. I’d like to thank my family, Mum, Dad, my competitors for pushing me to be better every tournament, and my sponsors; Discraft, Hyzerflight, and Flying Fox Disc Golf. Looking forward to 2026!”
Mixed Division Winners:
MA40: Justin Clarke
MA1: Pen Liu
MA50: Lotus Kingston
MP40: Patrick Willson
MA2: Alex Young-Jackway
MA3: Leah Manning
MJ15: Marcus Davies
Community Awards: Honoring Our Volunteers
ADG proudly recognises Joel Rub (Tournament Director of the Year) and Matt Tulip (Volunteer of the Year) as the 2025 Community Award winners. Their incredible dedication and unwavering commitment have made a significant impact on their local disc golf communities and beyond.
Disc golf in Australia thrives because of volunteers who step up and give their time and energy. Every event, program, and achievement exists thanks to these dedicated individuals who contribute to the present, shape the future, and leave a lasting legacy for generations to come.
Special recognition goes to Jason McCormick and Sue Summers for their exceptional effort and dedication in hosting the 2025 Australian Disc Golf Championships in Mundaring, Western Australia.
To all our volunteers, tournament directors, and mentors: thank you for building the future of disc golf in Australia. We see you, and your contributions make all the difference.
Congratulations to all our 2025 winners, and we look forward to seeing everyone back on the 2026 ADG Tour!
It has been another lively year for disc golf in Australia, and the ADG board has continued to work hard guiding steady participation and supporting tournaments and Major events across the country. The 2025 ADG annual report outlines what the board has been up to and some of the highlights from the year of disc golf in Australia. Thank you to everyone who has volunteered their time to help run a club, TD an event, support a TD, or assisted in growing the sport.
The year also brought important changes at ADG. A heartfelt thanks to outgoing Board and committee members Christie Hales-Thornton, Benn Kennedy, Clayton Beck, Jon Munnikhuis, and Margaret Trail for their dedication and contributions. After more than a decade of consistent and passionate dedication as Secretary, Emilie Cameron has stepped into a General Member role, and we welcome Mark Donnelly to the Board. We’re excited to continue with Jeremiah Flickinger as Chairperson and celebrate the strengthening of our operations through the addition of Erica Buckett as Administration and Communications Assistant. With our team of returning and new Board and committee members, plus enhanced administrative support, we’re well-positioned for continued growth in 2026.
On Friday December 12, 2025, at 8:00AEDT, ADG will be hosting the Tour Awards to recognise the champions of the 2025 ADG Tour in addition to crowning the winners of the 2025 Community Awards. Earlier this year we sought nominations for the TDs and Volunteers that made this year in disc golf exceptional. These people often work tirelessly to give our community the events and support that can so easily go unrecognised. Ahead of the awards night, ADG would like to showcase the nominations we received and the time, energy and dedication each of the nominees have given to the sport.
TD of the Year Nominees
First up, the nominees forTD of the Year. Five TDs for four events were nominated this year. Each nomination praised how well the events were received, how hard the TDs worked to make their community feel welcomed, and just how much fun everyone had. I’ll leave it to those who saw these TDs in action to say it best:
Photo by: Kingsley Flett
Jeff Brunsting & Anthony Pearsall
Aussie Masters
“The event was a big success and should set a legacy as a masters tournament becomes a fixture on the Australian disc golf calendar. This sort of innovation should be celebrated. As well as being great TDs these two also contribute in other ways to the community.”
“Jeff and Anthony’s inaugural “Aussie Masters” that was hosted in Ballarat this year, has been amazing for (the) clubs reputation with not just those that played the event, but with the Mount Xavier Golf Club, The City of Ballarat, and every other organisation that was involved.”
Photo by: Kingsley Flett
Jason Vidot
Queensland Open
“…(has) the competitors experience at the forefront of his mind.”
Joel Rub, pictured left
Joel Rub
Garden City Open
“Nothing but positive feedback and happy dispositions come out of these events which Joel commits himself to organising.”
“Joel is a perfect representation of a passionate TD trying to grow the sport.”
“Joel creates events that are not only competitive and well-run, but also welcoming, inclusive, and fun. The kind of tournaments that players talk about long after they’re over.”
“He is constantly welcoming new players with open arms, asking if they need discs, or want to have a go.”
“Joel is dedicated to disc golf, dedicated to helping the sport grow throughout the community.”
Wayne Govan, pictured right
Wayne Govan
Cobden Carnage
“Started a brand-new tournament from the ground up, from approaching the golf club to designing the course from scratches and to engaging in promotional information and managing to fill the field cap of 72 players for the event. Players packs were amazing, all players were happy and have received very positive feedback in regard to wanting the event run again next year”
Volunteer of the Year Nominees
Now let’s turn our attention to the nominees forVolunteer of the Year. We received nominations for three volunteers that poured their heart into making their disc golf community thrive. Each nomination praised how well tirelessly each volunteer worked while acknowledging the amount of effort involved in creating something worth doing. Those who nominated Matthew Tulip, JJ Jonas and Bryan Rauwerda were lavish with their praise so I have summarised their contributions below.
JJ Jonas, pictured left
Jonathan “JJ” Jonas
Newcastle Disc Golf Club
JJ has run the Newcastle Disc Golf Club since 2010, running weekly club training during summer and monthly league days. He has been instrumental in the installation of 6 courses in the region helping to grow and spread the sport. This year, JJ’s leadership was especially evident as he took on the enormous task of TDing the NSW Disc Golf Open, managed the daily setup of the new course and coordinated a dedicated team of club volunteers—an effort that reflects the deep respect he commands within the community.
Brian Rauwerda, pictured left
Bryan Rauwerda
North Queensland Disc Golf Club
Bryan is passionate about bringing disc golf to the community. He manages the NQDG club as president with patience and commitment. He encourages others to enjoy the game and advocates the sport whenever he can. He works well with others, includes others in the decision-making process but isn’t afraid of making the tough calls when required. He’s also done all he can to train and support other TDs and club members in the betterment of their game.
Matthew Tulip, pictured left
Matthew Tulip
South Australia Disc Golf Club
Matt is always the first person to arrive and the last person to leave any of our events and sets up, sweeps tee pads, paints lines, does general course maintenance and all this with a smile on his face and never complaining. He recently stepped up into the world of TD’ing and has been assistant TD for almost all our leagues this year and some tournaments as well. The course is often half setup before any other volunteer arrives. On top of that he never misses a community even. He lives disc golf.
Here’s the to the people who make disc golf such a strong and engaging community year after year in Australia. Thank you to everyone for your nominations and to the photographers who captured the TDs and volunteers hard at work. Join us in awarding the community awards on Friday 12 December at 8:00PM AEDT. See you there.
The annual ADG Tour Awards night will be held on Friday 12 December at 8:00pm AEDT. The night will see the place-getters of the ADG Tour crowned as Australian tour champions. To see how you finished you can check the tour leaderboard here.
We will also recognise the recipients of the 2025 Community Awards which celebrate the outstanding work done by TDs and Volunteers, as nominated by you. See which of our stellar nominees will take home the honour of TD of the Year and Volunteer of the Year by tuning in using the link below. See you there!
ADG Tour Awards 2025 Friday, 12 December · 8:00PM AEDT Google Meet joining info Video call link: https://meet.google.com/ahf-axfw-ait Or dial: (AU) +61 2 9051 3735 PIN: 145 391 215# More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/ahf-axfw-ait?pin=5074969965554
