More than 30 disc golf competitors took part in the 2nd annual SEK Ice Bowl on Saturday, a local charity event and a part of the Disc Golf Monkey Ice Bowl Tour. At the inaugural event last year, only six players participated.

“If it keeps growing like this, I’m going to be tickled pinked in a couple of years,” said event organizer Kevin Elrod. The Ice Bowl began more than 20 years ago in Columbia, Mo., as a way to raise awareness about the sport and make money for local charities. Now, the event even takes place internationally, with the Springfield-based group Disc Golf Monkey helping to host eight of the tournaments, from a stop in Miami, Okla., to Joplin, Mo.

Proceeds from the local 12-hole tournament benefit Project Warmth and Wesley House, both local charities. All money raised will go toward Project Warmth, while the food donations will go to Wesley House. An official fundraising total was not available on Saturday.
Along with just being a fun way to spend a Saturday, Elrod said the event is extra special because it’s for a good cause.
“This tournament shows that these golfers care about their community,” he said.

One of the featured players at Saturday’s tournament was Russ “Disc Golf Monkey” Burns, who has been playing professionally since the early 1990s and is now sponsored by Innova Disc Golf. Burns said he was asked to help organize this year’s tournament as a way of helping to boost participation — and he was glad to do it. “They only had six players last year and Kevin asked me if I’d help with this one this year,” Burns said. “I was able to bring in some players, but I really think that this being for charity is what helped get the numbers out.”
Elrod said the popularity of disc golf is growing by “leaps and bounds,” and he expects each tournament to be bigger than the last
Saturday’s Ice Bowl will likely not be the only major disc golf event in Pittsburg this year. Elrod said another tournament is expected to take place this summer at a new, 18-hole course near the Pittsburg Industrial Park.

More information about the PITT Disc Golf Club can be found at http://pittdgc.110mb.com.