What are some fun tournament formats?

[aardvarkious]

Disc golf is brand new in our town. In this town there are about 10 dedicated players, and about 20 very occasional players. That is it for who knows about disc golf. We are installing a course this month, and hope that will start changing things.

One goal we have is to have a monthly event designed to attract new players and give them a fun time. These events need to be fun, and should seem to non-discers kind of unique. We are hoping to attract people who would usually be uninterested or too intimidated to show up to a tournament, league night, or scheduled doubles game. Here is what we have so far:

• ace race
• glow golf
• doubles tournament where every team has a beginner
• women only night
• juniors only night
• dollar store night- you can only use discs from the dollar store
• ultimate night- you can only use Ultimate discs

Any other ideas?

 

[mashnut]

Doing a random draw doubles with upper and lower pools of players so newer people get paired with more experienced players is fun.

 

[tdschrock1]

Doubles format is fun. 1 disc, 2 disc or putters only could be fun...

 

[Bultx1215]

Putter only is a blast. Teaches you tons while you have fun.

 

[Snore]

You can do a One and Done tournament - Only aloud to use one disc and if you lose/break it your done

 

[scarpfish]

Any other ideas?

Here are some suggestions....

http://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?t=42530
http://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32067

If the sport is new in town, I would also take it easy on formats that exclude classes of people or certain types of discs until things get more established. Doubles is IMHO the best means of getting things rolling.

 

[Rip Van]

I've always wanted to see a Deuce 'Em All format.

Everyone plays a short, easy course. Players mark their cards only with the holes they deuce. Second round (assuming no one shot a -18), you get to skip the holes you've already deuced. Eventually, you wind up with one or more players who have gotten a two on every hole. If there's more than one, you have a playoff.

You get the fun of skipping holes you've two'ed and the pressure of trying to get the ones you haven't. If the group is small enough, you can have everyone play together after the first round ("Gotta stop at #6 -- Pete hasn't gotten this one yet".) Depending the course and players, though, you may have to play a few rounds to deuce 'em all.

 

[crazykrug]

We talked about a doubles night where you trade bags with your opponent for the night and can only use their discs.

Better have a spotter ready though

 

[sugarnot]

Doubles 666
6 best shot
6 worst shot
6 alternate shot

I hate the fact that its 666 but unless you had 21 holes or some other number divisible by 3 ur stuck with that

 

[KniceZ]

Doing a random draw doubles with upper and lower pools of players so newer people get paired with more experienced players is fun.

^^ This is the best way to introduce new players. They get to know and learn from experienced players.

I also like the idea of limiting the number of discs. Then the new players don't feel intimidated by the 20+ disc mules. But I'd limit to three - putter, mid, driver. Putter only might work but some new players may feel lost without a driver (even though they don't need it).

A glow event is also a blast if the course is right - easy to navigate, relatively open, and low risk of discs getting lost.

 

[Tfire25]

Scottish doubles. It's doubles but alternating shot. For instance, if I putt you drive and then I have next shot etc. I got stuck with a guy that had never thrown a disc last time I played it though. We got destroyed but it helped my midrange. Matter of fact I think that is where I first tried to forehand a midrange.

 

[aardvarkious]

We already have a weekly doubles game going where we partner new players with experienced players, and we are going to keep that up. However, I have had a few people say they don't want to go to it because they will drag their partner down (despite all the re-assurances I can give). So these formats will be in addition to the doubles game. Thanks for all the ideas so far!

 

[sugarnot]

idea based off of another thread in the general area. What about a age gap type set up. The guy was talkin about playin a doubles tourney with his dad. So basically something like actually playing with your dad if you both play, or if nothing else that the two players on a doubles team have to be atleast so many years apart to be reflective as if it were a parent/child thing. I think the minimum ACCEPTABLE age gap would be like 16yrs difference.

ohhh and i guess if you didnt have enough of one group or the other u could use handicaps to offset. Like if two young guys played together that the variation they are off from the minimum difference they would have to give up that many strokes, or the other way around that if it was two older guys that they would pick up that many strokes. Am i making any sense?

 

[IHearChains]

We talked about a doubles night where you trade bags with your opponent for the night and can only use their discs.

Can't announce that ahead of time, or some smarta$$ shows up with nothing but Grooves and Archangels in their bag.

 

[hiflyer]

Ript revenge. It's a card/golf game. Pretty fun. I've heard of people doing tourneys, but i've never played one.

 

[AndyJB]

Another great thing, thant nobody talks about, is the awards for a tournament. The more fun/unique the awards are, the more people tend to play. If you have a crafty person in your DG group, have them make some handmade trophies. Gift cards for unusual places (you get a LOT of sponsors that way!) Title belts is another great trophy I've seen.

It brings in the casual golfers, who in turn tell their friends and start showing them the sport, who then come to your course to play, who then get better, who then join your tourneys...you get where I'm going with this.

It's always a good idea to do regular tourneys for awhile, and have special events with more fun foremats. Maybe get a local band to play, get a local pro (or someone who is just awesome at disc golf) to give clinics for the youngsters while their parents/older siblings are playing the tourney...

There's really all sorts of ideas. Disc golf is all about fun, and it's certainly MUCH less rigid than "ball golf." So there are really no limits. I also play slow-pitch softball and that's where I get a lot of ideas, jsut the crazy tournaments I've been to over the years. Have fun, and make sure you keep us updated on the developments!:thmbup:

 

[The Ox]

The most popular events in Charlotte are weekly Am Leagues that use handicapping and give away tons of plastic. (Sugaw Creek recently averaging 60-70 players/week)

Get with your local plastic dealer and ask them to donate discs for CTPs and prizes. Offer to use their name in the title of the Am League (Sugaw Creek Am League presented by Alpine)

Make an attractive flyer and post it all over town. (If you don't have that ability - send me a PM and I can create one quickly)

Keep it casual - don't play roads/pavement as O.B.

Cheap entry also helps, no more than $5.