Davis Johnson
NEFA #7, PDGA #044
NEFA #7, PDGA #044
Nomination
Player to be nominated: Davis Johnson
Nominee PDGA #: 44
Nominee NEFA #: 7
The State where the nominee currently lives: MA
Nominee’s age: 75
Number of years the nominee has been involved in organized disc sports: 52 years
Describe the nominee's involvement as a Course ambassador:
-1990s: Created Pulpit Rock disc golf course on his property and neighboring acreage in Monson, MA, and ran annual tournaments there
-2000: Co-designer of disc golf course at Holyoke Community College
-2007: Co-creator and co-designer of the highly rated Crane Hill disc golf course in Wilbraham, MA
Describe the nominee's involvement as an Event ambassador:
-Co-TD of the 1996 and 2002 World Masters overall tournaments held in Massachusetts
-2017-present: TD for the annual Massachusetts Senior Games disc golf event at Crane Hill.
Describe the nominee's involvement as a Grow the Sport ambassador:
-1973, Saint Louis University: Taught a Free University course in basic Frisbee skills
-1976: Created and promoted the "Throw across the Charles" event in Cambridge, MA with John Kirkland, attempting to throw frisbees across the river. The event attracted thousands of spectators and introduced them to the beauty of frisbees in flight.
-NEFA: Founding member 1988, President 2000-2002, co-editor and frequent contributor to NEFA News 1988-2006
-2000-present: Taught disc golf skills to Springfield College freshman at their annual orientation week
Describe the nominee's involvement as a Player ambassador:
Davis has been an incredible disc golfer for an incredibly long time. Often playing against competitors much younger than himself, he established himself as a continual podium contender during his long career. He is the 4th oldest PDGA current member to have a rating, has 12 wins and nearly $5,000 in winnings over the years. Some selected highlights from his resume:
-1973: Participated in his first Frisbee tournament, the IFT in Houghton, Michigan
-1974: Set his first world distance record at the Octad at Rutgers University with a throw of 388 feet, using a C.P.I. Allstar borrowed from Victor Malafronte
-1974: Competed in the first Rose Bowl WFC in Pasadena, California
-1975: Won the first indoor distance contest at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California setting a World Record, followed a few days later by winning the outdoor distance competition in the Rose Bowl in the second WFC championship
-1975: As a WFC winner, his is one of 4 signatures on the Wham-O World Class 119g and 141g frisbee discs that were sold in sporting goods stores across America
-1976: Became the first ever to throw 400 feet plus, breaking his own world distance record at the Rose Bowl with a throw of 412 feet using a World Class 119g frisbee, and awarded 412 silver dollars
-1976, W.F.C.: Competed in the first ever disc golf tournament using Ed Headrick’s patented disc golf “pole hole” basket targets at Oak Grove disc golf course in Pasadena, California.
-1978: Indoor and outdoor frisbee distance records first appeared in the Guinness Book of World Records
-1990s: 2x NEFA Finals champion
-1980s and 1990s: competed in a number of PDGA Worlds and Worlds Overall Masters events
-2025: Gold medal winner in the 75-80 division at the first National Senior Games disc golf competition in Des Moines, Iowa.
Other information the committee may find useful. Please reference the specific section or sections of the criteria above. Provide examples of the nominee's impact on the disc golf community:
No one else in New England has been involved disc golf and frisbee activities longer and at such a high level than Davis Johnson.
Nominee PDGA #: 44
Nominee NEFA #: 7
The State where the nominee currently lives: MA
Nominee’s age: 75
Number of years the nominee has been involved in organized disc sports: 52 years
Describe the nominee's involvement as a Course ambassador:
-1990s: Created Pulpit Rock disc golf course on his property and neighboring acreage in Monson, MA, and ran annual tournaments there
-2000: Co-designer of disc golf course at Holyoke Community College
-2007: Co-creator and co-designer of the highly rated Crane Hill disc golf course in Wilbraham, MA
Describe the nominee's involvement as an Event ambassador:
-Co-TD of the 1996 and 2002 World Masters overall tournaments held in Massachusetts
-2017-present: TD for the annual Massachusetts Senior Games disc golf event at Crane Hill.
Describe the nominee's involvement as a Grow the Sport ambassador:
-1973, Saint Louis University: Taught a Free University course in basic Frisbee skills
-1976: Created and promoted the "Throw across the Charles" event in Cambridge, MA with John Kirkland, attempting to throw frisbees across the river. The event attracted thousands of spectators and introduced them to the beauty of frisbees in flight.
-NEFA: Founding member 1988, President 2000-2002, co-editor and frequent contributor to NEFA News 1988-2006
-2000-present: Taught disc golf skills to Springfield College freshman at their annual orientation week
Describe the nominee's involvement as a Player ambassador:
Davis has been an incredible disc golfer for an incredibly long time. Often playing against competitors much younger than himself, he established himself as a continual podium contender during his long career. He is the 4th oldest PDGA current member to have a rating, has 12 wins and nearly $5,000 in winnings over the years. Some selected highlights from his resume:
-1973: Participated in his first Frisbee tournament, the IFT in Houghton, Michigan
-1974: Set his first world distance record at the Octad at Rutgers University with a throw of 388 feet, using a C.P.I. Allstar borrowed from Victor Malafronte
-1974: Competed in the first Rose Bowl WFC in Pasadena, California
-1975: Won the first indoor distance contest at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California setting a World Record, followed a few days later by winning the outdoor distance competition in the Rose Bowl in the second WFC championship
-1975: As a WFC winner, his is one of 4 signatures on the Wham-O World Class 119g and 141g frisbee discs that were sold in sporting goods stores across America
-1976: Became the first ever to throw 400 feet plus, breaking his own world distance record at the Rose Bowl with a throw of 412 feet using a World Class 119g frisbee, and awarded 412 silver dollars
-1976, W.F.C.: Competed in the first ever disc golf tournament using Ed Headrick’s patented disc golf “pole hole” basket targets at Oak Grove disc golf course in Pasadena, California.
-1978: Indoor and outdoor frisbee distance records first appeared in the Guinness Book of World Records
-1990s: 2x NEFA Finals champion
-1980s and 1990s: competed in a number of PDGA Worlds and Worlds Overall Masters events
-2025: Gold medal winner in the 75-80 division at the first National Senior Games disc golf competition in Des Moines, Iowa.
Other information the committee may find useful. Please reference the specific section or sections of the criteria above. Provide examples of the nominee's impact on the disc golf community:
No one else in New England has been involved disc golf and frisbee activities longer and at such a high level than Davis Johnson.
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