Goldsboro Disc Golf Club to hold its first event at Stoney Creek Park
By Ty Johnson
Published in News on October 31, 2012 1:46 PM
Organizers are in the midst of registration for the first event hosted by the Goldsboro Disc Golf Club, scheduled for Nov. 11.
Online registration ends Friday at 1 p.m. for the Greater Goldsboro Turkey Shoot, a two-round disc golf tournament sanctioned by the Professional Disc Golf Association as a C-Tier event.
Play at Stoney Creek Park on Ash Street begins at 10 a.m. although the players meeting is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Check-in will begin at 8:30 a.m.
Cooper Johnson, club member and tournament director, said the tournament could be a boost to the city's course, its chances at hosting future tournaments and its tourism industry.
"If we can run one good tournament as a club, it will spread by word of mouth amongst the disc golf community," he said.
If the tournament is a success, subsequent ones could attract participants from the far corners of North Carolina and other states, helping the city better make its case to host a major PDGA event in the future.
Travel and Tourism Director Betsy Rosemann said this summer the city was bidding to host the PDGA U.S. Women's championship and Time Selinske U.S. Masters championships in 2013, 2014 and 2015.
That would mean the city's plans to build an 18-hole golf course at Berkeley Park at an estimated cost of $6,000, would likely come to fruition, as well. The PDGA requires tournament hosts to have two courses within 20 miles of each other.
For now, though, the Goldsboro club is keeping its eyes fixated on its first tournament, which will feature eight divisions, including professional divisions.
Costs to participate in the divisions are as follows:
* Men's and Women's Open and Men's Masters (Professional) - $50
* Men's and Women's Advanced and Advanced Masters - $40
* Men's Intermediate - $30
* Men's Recreation - $25
* Boys 19 and Under (Junior) - $30
* Girls 19 and Under (Junior) - $25.
The player pack, which Johnson said was "definitely" worth the value of the entry fee, will feature a disc voucher, a pocket disk and a number of other items from sponsors of the tournament.
Besides competitions in the divisions, there will also be prizes awarded in Closest to the Pin and Ring of Fire contests.
While winners in the professional divisions will receive cash prizes, those who place in the amateur and junior divisions will receive discs, shirts, water bottles and other prizes.
Online registration runs through Friday at www.discgolfunited.com although there will be registration on-site Nov. 11. Registration will be limited to 90 participants.
For more information, contact Cooper Johnson at (919) 920-8967.