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Ultimate Disc Golf Derby Guidelines

 

USA Ultimate / Professional Disc Golf Association - 2020 Ultimate Disc Golf Derby Guidelines

Summary

The Ultimate Disc Golf Derby is a collaboration between USA Ultimate (USAU) and the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA). This event launches a new program designed to help introduce disc golf to ultimate players, provide another way for ultimate players and teams to continue training and staying active with ultimate discs, and help bring the communities of both sports closer together. The program is essentially disc golf using USA Ultimate-approved ultimate discs. 

The larger derby competition is made up of a set of local events, held through December 6, where participants will earn PDGA round ratings. Several age and gender-based divisions will be offered. Players and teams across the events will then be ranked based on their best round ratings to earn bragging rights and a shot at some great prizes!
 

Event Dates

Oct. 31 – Dec. 6

Event dates vary by location (see below).


Event Locations/Dates

Nashville, TN - November 21 - Cane Ridge Disc Golf Course (Short)

Boulder/Denver, CO - CANCELLED - Valmont Disc Golf Course

Oceanport, NJ - November 22 - Wolf Hill Disc Golf Course

Raleigh, NC - November 27 - Cedar Hills Disc Golf Course

Augusta, GA - November 28 - Pendleton King Disc Golf Park

Minneapolis, MN - CANCELLED - BrookView Disc Golf Course

Amesbury, MA - December 5 - Amesbury Pines Disc Golf Course

Salem, OR - CANCELLED - Church Park Disc Golf Course
 

Dates, course details and additional locations will be added as they are confirmed. Local organizers interested in hosting an event should email discgolf@usaultimate.org. 


Player and Team Requirements

Players:

  • Players must have a current USA Ultimate player membership (Youth, College, Adult, Coach + Player or Affiliate), a current PDGA membership or purchase a $5 USA Ultimate single event membership. This includes signing any waivers that are attached to the membership. 

    • USAU Coach and Friends & Family memberships will not be accepted. 

  • For U19 divisions, players cannot turn 19 before 1/1/2021.

  • For 40+ divisions, players must turn 40 during or before 2020.


Teams:

  • All players on a team must meet player eligibility requirements.

  • Teams must consist of exactly 4 players.

  • Mixed teams must have a 50-50 male-matching/female-matching ratio.


Event Registration

  • Players and teams will register through the USA Ultimate event registration system. The events will be sanctioned by the PDGA.

    • Registration will close at 11:59pm MT the Wednesday before each event to allow for player registrations to be uploaded into the PDGA system and for the event schedule to be set.

    • Participation fees will be designated by the local organizers and will vary by event (generally between $20 and $40) based on event costs.

    • In order to register, players must first create a USAU account (this can be done for free).
       

  • Participants in the individual and team competitions must first register as individuals.

    • Individual Registration

      • See our registration How-To Guide for how to register as an individual.

      • Player fees must be paid when registering. 

    • Team Registration

      • As you register as an individual (see above), indicate during the registration process that you are also on a team and identify the team name.

      • Teams are made up of four individuals.

      • There is no additional fee for registering as a team.

      • See Team Competition Guidelines below for more information.
         

    • Participants must sign USAU and PDGA waivers in conjunction with membership or event registration. 
       

    • Local organizers (both USAU and PDGA) will be managing each event.
       

    • Events are contingent upon a sufficient number of registrations to cover event costs. If an event is cancelled, refunds will be provided, minus the cost of any unrecoverable expenses and the cost of your USA Ultimate membership. 


Competition Guidelines

These are X(C) Tier events under the PDGA rules, which allows for experimentation and more flexibility with rules and participation.

Individual Competition:

  • Divisions:

    • U19 Boys’/Girls’ - players cannot turn 19 before 1/1/2021

      • PDGA Amateur equivalent - MJ18/FJ18 (male/female, junior, 18 and under)

    • Open Men’s/Women’s

      • PDGA Amateur equivalent - MA1/FA1 (male/female, amateur, no age restrictions)

    • 40+ Men’s/Women’s - players must be 40+ by 12/31/2020

      • PDGA Amateur equivalent - MA40/FA40 (male/female, amateur, 40 and over)
         

  • Play will follow the PDGA rules with the following approved waivers:

    • Players may only use USAU approved 175g ultimate discs from the Championship or General list. Youth participants under the age of 12 may opt to use any of the approved Juniors discs.

    • Mandos and out-of-bounds will be limited to those required for course safety (avoiding dangerous areas, hitting people, etc.). 

    • Course-specific rules will be clarified by event organizers directly with participants prior to competition.

    • Scoring will be done according to PDGA rules

      • Players will earn PDGA individual round ratings based on their round score(s). Final rankings for the overall derby competition will be based on a player’s best individual round rating at the conclusion of the event.

      • Final round ratings will be announced December 8. 

      • Players may play multiple rounds and may play in multiple events. Only a player’s best round rating will be used in the overall derby competition.

      • Scores will be reported through the PDGA Digital Scorecard.
         

  • Players’ meetings will be held before each event (virtual or in-person) following local government Covid-19 guidelines to allow organizers to inform the players about course and time requirements and any announcements that need to be made. Players can ask questions about the format, etc.
     

  • Schedule/Format: Each event schedule will be determined by the local organizers. This includes the number of days and rounds, and which course(s) will be used (including number of holes).  This information should be available to players prior to registration.
     

Team Competition:

  • Divisions:

    • U19 Boys’/Girls’/Mixed - players cannot turn 19 before 1/1/2021

      • PDGA Amateur equivalent - MJ18/FJ18 (male/female, junior, 18 and under)

    • Open Men’s/Mixed/Women’s

      • PDGA Amateur equivalent - MA1/FA1 (male/female, amateur, no age restrictions)

    • 40+ Men’s/Mixed/Women’s - players must be 40+ by 12/31/2020

      • PDGA Amateur equivalent - MA40/FA40 (male/female, amateur, 40 and over)
         

  • Teams will consist of 4 players. Mixed teams must have a 50-50 male-matching / female-matching ratio.
     

  • Play will follow the PDGA rules with the following approved waivers:

    • Players may only use USAU approved 175g ultimate discs from the Championship or General list. Youth participants under the age of 12 may opt to use any of the approved Juniors discs.

    • Mandos and out-of-bounds will be limited to those required for course safety (avoiding dangerous areas, hitting people, etc.). 

    • Course-specific rules will be clarified by event organizers directly with participants prior to competition.

    • Scoring will be done according to PDGA rules

      • Team scores will be determined by averaging the best individual round rating taken from each of the four team members. Teams will then be ranked based on the highest average round rating. 

      • Team members do not have to compete at the same local event. They only need to earn a round rating at one of the events included in the overall derby competition. 

      • Final ratings will be announced December 8. 

      • Players may play multiple rounds and may play in multiple events. Only a player’s best round rating will be used in their team’s score for the overall derby competition.

      • Individual scoring will be done according to PDGA rules.

      • Scores will be reported through the PDGA Digital Scorecard.
         

  • Players’ meetings will be held before each event (virtual or in-person) following local government Covid guidelines to allow organizers to inform the players about course and time requirements and any announcements that need to be made. Players can ask questions about the format, etc.
     

  • Schedule/Format: Each event schedule will be determined by the local organizers. This includes the number of days and rounds, and which course(s) will be used (including number of holes).  This information should be available to players prior to registration.


Prizes

Overall Derby Competition

  • Individual

    • The top three finishers (highest round rating) in each division will receive Ultimate Disc Golf award discs.

      • The top three finishers will also earn extra entries into the Prize Raffle (see below) and an increased chance at winning other great prizes.

    • The top three finishers in each local event in each division will earn extra entries into the Prize Raffle (see below) and an increased chance at winning some great prizes. 
       

  • Team:

    • Members of the top three finishing teams (highest team average using each player’s best round rating) in each division will each receive Ultimate Disc Golf award discs. 
       

  • Prize Raffle:

    • All participants who register and compete in an event will receive an entry into a raffle drawing for some great prizes.

    • Earn additional raffle entries!

      • All 1st place winners in both the overall ratings event and in each local event, in each division, will receive three additional entries into the drawing.

      • All 2nd place winners will receive two additional entries. 

      • All 3rd place winners will receive one additional entry. 

      • Purchase a disc during registration and earn one additional entry.

      • Individuals that register for and participate in more than one event will receive an additional entry for each event.

    • Participants are limited to winning one raffle prize from the drawing.

    • The raffle prize drawing will be held following the December 8 player ratings update and the determination of final individual and team rankings.
       

  • Raffle Prizes:

    • USA Ultimate annual membership gift certificates

    • Additional prizes will be added to the list in the coming weeks

 

Local Events

  • Local prizes, if any, will be determined by the local organizers and based on the number of players registered for the event, player fees and sponsorships.


Spirit of the Game and Fair Play

Like ultimate, the Ultimate Disc Golf events are self-officiated competition. Participants are expected to follow the principles of Spirit of the Game, including knowing the rules, being responsible for following them and respecting others participating in the event. While there are developmental and competitive elements to the event, it is primarily intended to be fun!

All PDGA and course rules should be followed as laid out by the event organizer at the pre-event player’s meeting (virtual or in-person).


Health and Safety

Participants should follow both the USA Ultimate Health and Safety Guidelines as well as Return to Play requirements, as well as the PDGA Requirements and Best Practices to mitigate risks associated with COVID-19.

All participants will be asked to agree to the terms of the Covid-19 participant waiver. 

For more information, check the PDGA Covid-19 Info and FAQ page. 


Contact/Questions

Please reach out to discgolf@usaultimate.org with questions or comments.