The field of 90 includes former men’s and women’s world champions, as well as most of New Zealand’s top players.
Tournament co-director James Smithells, of Queenstown, said the 18-hole course usually set up at the Paradise Trust property had been tweaked and extended to 27 basketed holes to accommodate the large field.
"It’s now more of a championship course."
The sport had been played at Paradise for the past 18 years and the Paradise Plate tournament usually followed on from the Queenstown Classic each March.
"It’s a special course and such a beautiful place. In New Zealand it’s known it’s known as ‘the’ place to play disc golf."
Jointly hosted by the Queenstown Disc Golf Club and Disc Golf Wanaka, the tournament begins with 27-hole doubles today. Singles over 27 holes start tomorrow and continue on Sunday.
The tournament will culminate with a "Super 6" final in which the top six players play an extra six holes.
The field includes former world champion Avery Jenkins, three-time world women’s and current women’s masters world champion Des Reading, her husband, five-time world putting champion Jay Reading and United States champion Jeremy Koling, all from the US.
Top New Zealand players taking part are Auckland’s Simon Feasey and Queenstowners Hemi Te Awhitu and Ben Wiel-Lake.
