To make an event like this happen, you need a strong organizing team and an army of volunteers. Their jobs range from spotting on the holes and keeping score to helping at the tournament center or building and taking down the course. During the final round, we stopped a few of them to ask what brought them here and what memories they’ll take home.

This article is translated from its czech original.

Matěj Štěpán

head scorekeeper

I was in charge of the scorekeepers, that means making a schedule of who goes when, finding as many people as possible, training them, and also doing scorekeeping for other groups myself.

I got this role because I texted Kryštof (the tournament director) that I wanted to help. This tournament is amazing and I feel good when I can be part of it. Kryštof gave me the main scorekeeper role and I said yes. I have final exams coming up, but I just couldn’t miss this.

I was already here in 2021 and 2023, and what keeps bringing me back is the people. It’s always them, the atmosphere and the chance to give something back to the sport and be part of a strong and passionate community.

My best memory? Probably when I won the putting contest last year, that was fun. But honestly, it’s not about one moment. It’s about soaking in the whole atmosphere. I feel almost at home here. The disc golf community feels like family to me. The players treat me like another friend walking the round with them, and I’m really happy we have this kind of vibe here.

Matouš Novák

starter

I managed to register as a starter, and the organizers trusted me to handle this role. My job is to send players off from hole one. I announce their names, sponsors, and countries. I’ve done it before, but I still get nervous. But I think that nervous feeling pushes me to do my best, to make it a nice moment for the players.

Pronouncing foreign names is a challenge, but I already practiced that two years ago. I prepared for five hours on the train from Opava to Benešov. This year I did the same, I went over the starting list about four times. My best helper is Google Translate, I use it to hear names in different languages, and if I’m not sure, I ask the players before the first round.

Players appreciate that we take care of them, both volunteers and the Konopiště organizing team. I have to say, just like me, the players love it here. For me it’s about new memories, friendships, lots of handshakes, photos, fist bumps… yeah, it’s all about the experience. Honestly, I don’t even know where to store all these memories.

Michael Studnička

safety official

My main job was to keep the course safe, for players, spectators, and just to make sure everything runs smoothly. Before the event, I had meetings with the DGPT safety manager and sent him some documents to go through the basic safety points for the tournament.

I wanted to volunteer because the Czech Disc Golf Association (which Michael is the head of) was helping organize the event, and also because this is one of the biggest, or probably the biggest, disc golf events in the Czech Republic this year. I wanted to be part of it and see how disc golf is growing here and what kind of events we can host.

It’s hard to choose one best moment. But seeing how many people come to a tournament in the Czech republic and how we all work together to make DGPT happen here, that’s really something.

I felt great. The team works really well, Kryštof’s planning, the course from Greplík and Peca, and Pavel Prachař with the volunteers, everyone does a great job. I feel good being part of this and it’s been an amazing experience.

Robert Novobilský

spotter

I’m working as a spotter, first I was on hole twelve and now on hole five. I was here two years ago and I loved it. It connects with the amateur event where my son played, and we both signed up to help. Every helping hand counts.

It’s great here. The players are nice and often thank us for being there. You even get to see disc golf celebrities that you usually don’t. My biggest moment? Seeing players like Niklas, and of course our Czech players: Jakub, Knapy, Bohdan and others.

Honza Vejrosta

spotter

I’m spotting on hole sixteen, mainly for safety, to make sure players don’t throw into each other’s backs, and also for spectators. When the men’s groups come, I help by the basket on fifteen as well.

Since I help with the Běchovický Trn in Prague, helping at events is nothing new for me. You get to see top players and enjoy the event in a different way. This is a higher level tournament, and it’s cool to see throws that maybe one day you could make too.

I’ll definitely remember Ezra’s eagle on sixteen, he parked it from about 160 meters. Shots like that look different on TV, but in real life it’s unbelievable. And yesterday I won the putting contest, I don’t know how. Putting isn’t my strong skill, but when you have three putters instead of one, it works better. So yeah, awesome.

Dominik Luong

course builder

I helped build the course and took care of it during both the amateur and pro events. There were six or seven of us building. It’s not super hard, but it’s a lot of work and high standards, but we enjoy it. We’re passionate and I’ve been coming here since 2013.

We have a good time here. After building, we usually play the five hole course near the Myslivna, often with a beer bet. A cold beer after work is perfect. And then guitar, singing, fun.

During the tournament, our role changes, we prepare the course before the first flight, and after each round we check the condition, fix tee pads, baskets, and so on.

Honestly, I signed up because Greplík told me he’d be building the course with Peca and asked if I wanted to come. We’ve been coming here for years. Good people, and being part of something big, that’s the best.

From the amateur event, the biggest memory is helping Nikol (Mikuláštík) win as her caddie. And from the pro event, she made it into the top 20 as well as the the cash list, and I hope it continues that way.

Jarča Havířová

scorekeeper

I worked as a scorekeeper, or statskeeper, I walked with a flight and wrote down every throw. It was great. All the players I went with were super nice and thankful that someone was doing it for them. I really enjoyed it.

I joined because of Kryštof’s call on Ať to lítá. I had already been thinking about volunteering, and when he posted that, it was an easy decision. Being with the players, watching how they play, comparing it to my throws from last week, it’s just great.

I don’t remember one special moment, more the full atmosphere. The throws, long putts, those are the things I’ll remember. As a player, this tournament is a challenge, but I also see how much the sport has grown and what the team managed to organize here.

Pavel Prachař

volunteer coordinator

Being the volunteer chief means doing a mix of things. The most important is to make sure all volunteers are happy, relaxed, and have no problems. Another big part is assigning positions for the next day, mostly spotters on holes and scorekeepers for the groups. Then we have a few special jobs too, but nothing too hard. People here are really happy to help, so I don’t have to force anyone to do anything.

Everyone seems happy. Today some guys told me that walking crowd control with the lead FPO flight felt like a reward, they loved it. Even my own kid is here as a spotter and enjoyed it a lot. Some of the top players even thanked him personally. I think people like this job and enjoy being here. I walked crowd control with the MPO lead card both days, so I’ve seen the course a few times already. I’d love to see even more, but this is great anyway.

This is my second time doing this. It started as a bit of a coincidence two years ago, I met Kryštof and basically asked if he had a job for me. He said, “Sure, why not.” Back then I did it together with Štěpán Macek, who isn’t here this year, so now I’m doing it alone. But yeah, I kind of invited myself. I told Kryštof I wanted to help, and he said yes.

There are always small challenges, like when water runs out on a hole, or someone needs to go join crowd control, or we need to switch spotters on the other side of the course. Today, for example, we had a minor injury with a scorekeeper and had to solve it quickly. It’s not one big job, it’s a lot of small things that need quick solving, and I hope I’m doing okay. Nobody complained yet, so I think it’s fine.

My official reason for doing this is simple: I want to drive the Gator, that four-wheeler we use on the course. It’s just fun and not something I get to do in normal life. That alone would be enough of a reward. Add to that the amazing burgers Julda grills here, that’s more than enough! Honestly, this is a break from everyday life for me. I work full time, and I take vacation just to be here. It’s something completely different and I’m surrounded by nice people who are thankful and happy with what we do. For me, it’s an active but very real kind of holiday.

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