LIBERTY, Mo — As temperatures heat up this weekend, some people are already getting a jump on spending their days out in the sun.
Disc golfers at the Kansas City Wide Open Disc Golf tournament in Liberty said there are very few conditions that will keep them away from the course.
“When you are out there, it wears on you,” said Jerry Patterson, the tournament's director. “But the biggest thing is to make sure they have water available and everywhere on the course.”
Patterson said it takes almost a year to plan the weekend event.
The summer months always call for ample amounts of water and snacks to keep the 145 athletes and 75 volunteers at the top of their game.
Professional disc golfer Jennifer Allen has been in the sport for 25 years. She said the only thing that keeps her off the course is a lightning strike.
“We will be out here wind, sleet, snow, rain, and 110 degrees. So, it doesn’t really matter what the weather is,” she said. “It just adds a little more element to it. We definitely love the game, and that’s why we’re here.”
To mimic the sweltering heat, Allen trained in a hot yoga studio earlier in the week.
Young athletes competing for their spot on the tour have a different approach.
"Some people get taken out, but I’m only 23, so I still got young blood in me," Noah Fiveash said. “So I was good to go today.”
With “feels-like” temperatures predicted in the triple digits this weekend, athletes are hydrating 24 hours a day to prepare.
Patterson said they’ve never had to cancel an event due to the heat.
As a precaution, the Liberty fire department dropped off any gear they’d need on the course in case of an emergency.
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