Dear Businesses, Organizations, Advertising Managers, and Private Sponsors:
Would you be willing to help bring a recreational past time and a healthy sport to the residents of Watertown and
surrounding areas?
Hi, I am John Luetzow, Founder and President of the Rock River Disc Club. The RRDC was created to promote the
sport of disc golf in Watertown and the surrounding area. Disc Golf (also known as Frisbee golf) is a sport that is
rapidly growing throughout the world. There are currently over 57 courses in Wisconsin alone. Madison has three of
those, with another in the works for Middleton. Beaver Dam just added another 9 holes in September of 2003, to
make a complete 18 hole course. Sussex opened a course in June of 2003. Rockford, IL, added another 18 holes to
make 2 complete courses at the same park. In 1998, Appleton was the host city for the Professional Disc Golf
Association Amateur Disc Golf World Championships at their three area parks. Highbridge Sports Complex opened up
in the summer of 2004, and will have 9 complete courses at the same location by 2006. Now, Watertown has joined
these other cities and has a permanent disc golf course for all to enjoy. On May 7th, we officially opened 9 holes at
Brandt/Quirk Park called the Rock River Disc Golf Course.
What is Disc Golf? Disc Golf is a sport that any person can enjoy. The sport is a family activity that any age and
ability can play. “If they can throw a Frisbee, let them play disc golf.” Part of what makes it such a great family oriented
sport is that the costs involved in playing are very minimal, only the cost of a disc or two. Discs are flatter, faster, and
fly further than the conventional Frisbees, but Frisbees are just as fun for the recreational player. The sport of disc
golf is also a professional sport, including tournaments with cash prizes for the pros, and points towards turning pro
for amateur winnings. The Professional Disc Golf Association (www.pdga.com) is the governing body for tournament
play and for the sport over all.
The rules are fairly simple. It is played just like the game of golf with clubs and balls, with only two exceptions. The
game uses discs instead of a club and ball, and tosses into a basket (also referred to as ‘pins’) instead of a hole in
the ground. The best score is the lowest amount of strokes taken to rest the disc in the basket. A pin is a device
created to catch the disc and allow it to rest in a basket about 30 inches above the ground. As of Aug 5th, 2004,
the RRDC has purchased the first ten baskets for a permanent course. The baskets were presented to the Park and
Recreation Department in Aug of 2004, and the course was opened May 7th, 2005. The goals of the club are to
purchase another 9 baskets as soon as possible and have 18 holes for the public to enjoy. Also planned is the
installation of cement tee pads and unique signs for each tee pad when funds become available. Fundraising
scrambles and other events are being planned to help raise money for these projects. Not only is this the first course
in Watertown, but also in Jefferson County.
The proposition in front of you is this: we need your help to purchase more pins (baskets), tee pads, and tee signs
for the course. Each pin costs about $300, and then the tee signs and the tee itself (hopefully a cement slab) are
above and beyond that. Donations of at least $500 will receive special recognition a specific tee sign stating, “Hole
sponsored by (company/private name)”. Donations of at least $50 will receive their name on the entrance kiosk
stating the type of donation, whether it be a Bronze ($50 - $150), a Silver ($151 - $250), a Gold ($251 - $499), or a
Platinum ($500 and up) donation.
What good does your advertising do once it is on a disc golf course? The disc course will bring in tourism and help to
increase the local economy. I can personally attest to this fact. I have been known to drive to Madison and other cities
more than once a week to play. While there, I have met people that have come to from miles around just to “get in a
round”. Also, tournaments bring in people from around the state, and even across state borders to compete in these
events. At past events sponsored by the RRDC here in Watertown, players have come from as far a Stevens Point,
Madison, Barneveld, Milwaukee, Eau Claire, Kenosha, Wausau, Sheboygan and even Illinois. Whenever disc golfers
see a business name at a hole or on the sponsor list at an entrance kiosk, they try to support those establishments
before others. Tournaments and other events can mean lots of tourism, including the need to eat, buy gas, stay
overnight, and some entertainment. Leagues will bring out the local players and friendly competition, who already
patronize your business. Advertising will also exist in the way of tournament sponsors and names on T-shirts and
other items to be given away in players’ packages and prizes to players and observers alike. We all know that it
always helps to see a business name on the back of a person to spark interest in patronizing that company.
If you have any inquiries into the game itself or about how to sponsor a hole, feel free to call me at GymTastics -
(920) 206-9323, on my mobile phone - (920) 342-9324, or email me - john@rockriverdiscclub.com. You may also see
local course updates, and tournament information at www.rockriverdiscclub.com. I appreciate the time you have spent
to review this proposal, and sincerely hope that you seriously consider this offer. Please make any donations
payable to the Rock River Disc Club.
Sincerely Yours,
John Luetzow
Founder/President
Rock River Disc Club