King of the Lake 2015 - A Player's Retrospective

This post comes from Amanda Zaccone, a friend of TMS and avid disc golfer (PDGA #59547) residing in Sacramento, CA. Amanda was a top 10 finisher at the 2015 King of the Lake Tournament!

There are a select few disc golf tournaments which I consider to be a must attend every year. The first on this rather short list is the King of the Lake A-Tier event which takes place in Tahoe and Truckee. This tournament features 5 epic North Lake Tahoe courses over 3 days; Bijou Park & Zephyr Cove in South Lake, Sierra College & Truckee River Regional Park in Truckee, and Lake of the Sky in Tahoe Vista, which solidifies this event as the ultimate challenge and test of disc golf endurance I have ever had the privilege to experience.

This was my second year attending King of the Lake and it proved to be just as wonderful both years. Sponsored by several well established and young disc golf companies local businesses, including Tahoe Mountain Sports, competitors receive awesome player’s packs loaded with gear, attire, souvenirs, and snacks for the trail. This years pack had both a DGA disc, (I picked out the new Hellfire) and a dri-fit KOTL shirt which I was ecstatic about! Most tournaments I’ve played have one or the other, so this made it more memorable. I do love my swag. I take home with me these tokens of my experience and wear my shirt with pride. I’ve been asked about it several times and this gives me the opportunity to tell people all about the King of the Lake Tournament in Tahoe!

As for the disc golf portion of the event, King of the Lake really has everything a player could want in a tournament. In addition to the stacked players field, the courses each offered its own set of challenges and features to make this event truly memorable. We started our first day at Bijou Park for the first round and then headed over to Zephyr Cove for round 2. Bijou Park is one of my personal favorite courses to play. With 27 holes there are so many different kinds of shots to take and with it being relatively flat, you are not exhausted after a round there. Bijou has plenty of trees to navigate, and some nice hard ground for your skip game, but you better be careful of the stumps that might just stop you short. Bijou is perfect for your first round, because when you get to Zephyr Cove, you’re going to be hiking up some steep hills and you’ll want that energy to see you through. The challenges at Zephry Cove include more elevation changes than Bijou, which faces you with some strategic decision making when it comes to your game. A player will always feel accomplished after a round of 18 at Zephyr Cove, and those hikes are really worth the effort because when you get to Hole 9 up top, you are treated to one of the most breathtaking views of Lake Tahoe. Zephyr Cove is truly a gem and not only a local favorite, but famous among disc golfers from all over the world.

The second day this year and last year were held at the Truckee Courses; Sierra College and Truckee River Regional Park. This would be a day opposite from the first day where the more difficult and challenging course that is Sierra College comes first, and then we finish round two at Truckee Regional, AKA Truckee River, on account it runs right along the banks of the Truckee River. Sierra College offers those changes in elevation which requires some adjustment in a player’s game and also has plenty of trees to throw around. This course has a couple par 4 holes and some ups and downs. Sierra College is definitely a hike, but also has some incredible views of Truckee once you get to the top of Hole 5 and Hole 12. After a round at Sierra College, Truckee Regional feels like a nice walk along the river. Challenging and fun, this course has plenty of birdie opportunities and some really fun shots. Truckee tends to get a bit breezy, so players will now have to play their best wind game.

On the last day we finish up the tournament at another of my favorite Tahoe courses, Lake of the Sky (in Tahoe Vista, CA). This course has everything. Long holes, short, holes, wide open and tight, technical lines, elevation changes,a little hike here and there, and of course, a fantastic view of Lake Tahoe. I really have a lot of fun at this course.

The stellar design at all five King of the Lake courses along with the wonderful and dedicated disc golf community make King of the Lake a memorable and unrivaled tournament!