From Kale Nelson, Larry H. Miller Utah Summer Games
PAROWAN, Utah (May 17, 2025) — Larry H. Miller Utah Summer Games athletes journeyed to the Parowan Canyon Disc Golf Course on May 17 for a 36-hole competition split into two 18-hole rounds.
In MA-1, the advanced division, Scotty Wilson threw an impressive -15 across both rounds to cement himself as a gold medalist. He narrowly edged out Disc Golf Coordinator Nate Porter, who scored a -14 to earn silver. Racing into third for the bronze medal, Dave Armour threw a -8 in the second round, bouncing back from a rocky first round for a -10 score overall.
Michael Wayman logged a -4 to clinch first in the intermediate MA-2 division. Justin Wayman threw a +6 for second, and David Jordan took third with a +9. In MA-3, Brandon Farnsworth won gold with a +2, Josh Hiemstra secured silver with a +4, and Nathan Wallentine landed bronze with a +5.
Porter and his co-coordinator Brian Fullerton ensured the tournament ran smoothly while also playing in its most competitive division. Fullerton shared that both the sport of disc golf and the location of southern Utah are crucial components of the experience.
“We have beautiful courses in the area, and [disc golf] combines throwing stuff and hiking. That’s what I like about it,” Fullerton shared. “It’s not very eloquent, but I like walking around and I like throwing stuff.”
One participant, Wesley Snider, traveled from Circleville, Utah to compete. With no courses in his hometown, the Parowan Disc Golf Course is the closest option, so he adopted it as his home course.
“I’m glad that people are [hosting tournaments] around here. I’m from Illinois and it’s all flat farmland with trees,” Snider explained. “The terrain out here is one of the reasons I moved out here. Utah has very unique terrain that’s like no other place.”
While he’s excited to participate in tournaments taking place on his home course, Snider has been working on a project that will make it easier to hone his skills from closer to home. By upcycling old materials, he has started to piece together a disc golf course in his own backyard.
“It gives me a chance to practice everyday without having to drive all the way here,” Snider said. “All you need is a pole, a base, a tire, and some chains.”
Up Next
USG will hold their doubles disc golf event on June 7, giving competitors an opportunity to try out the Thunderbird Gardens Course. Teams and individuals interested in registering for doubles and any other sport in the 2025 program year can sign up at utahsummergames.org.
