Chain Reaction, July 25th

[Mark_Stephens]

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c275/markthehammer/ChainReaction_color.jpg

Pre-registration is now available for the 3rd Annual Chain Reaction tournament. This year's tournament is a PDGA C-Tier event as well as a Michigan Disc Golf Organization Featured Event. As such there will be 16 berths available into the Michigan State Championship Tournament on September 5-6 in Ludington, MI.

We will have a great AM player pack. A Discraft Z plastic disc (choice of a Force, Flash, Avenger SS, & Buzzz) , a super color mini, & a pint glass. AMs will be paid out at 150%.

There will be $500 added cash for the Open Divisions as well:
$100 added to the Men's Open Winner & $200 added to the Men's Open Division
$50 added to the Women's Open Winner & $50 added to the Women's Open Division
$50 added to the Men's Open Master winner & $50 added to the Open Master division.

So, for example in Men's Open: $200 is added to the pool. The money is split up per the PDGA requirements, then the $100 is added to the winner on top of that. We believe that winning the event should come with a premium.

I do believe that Dark Horse Brewing Company (to be verified soon) will be donating some of their wares for the event for those 21+. We will have water on site for those that do not wish to indulge. The perfect way to break in that new pint glass! Red Line Disc Golf will also be there with their clothing line for purchase.

Camping at the Holly Recreation Area State Park where the tournament is being held is available. See the link below.

Plans are being made for an Early Check In/Registration on Friday. You can pick up your player pack and register so you do not have to worry about standing in line in the morning. We also plan to give away a basket at the Early Registration! When I have the location for this pinned down I will post that information.

Pre-Registration:
http://www.pdgasignup.com/Qstore/Qstore.cgi?CMD=011&PROD=1245316038

Camping Reservations:
http://www.midnrreservations.com/SearchPark.aspx?ParkID=70

[janttila]

This looks like it's gonna bee a good shindig, Mark! With the added cash, players pack and tastey beverages.......why is this being sanctioned as a C-Tier? It looks like you are meeting all the requirements of a B-tier.....Anyways, I'm bumming I'll bee outta town this weekend:-(

[Mark_Stephens]

Yes, you are correct on the B-Tier. In all honesty, I saw no need to send the PDGA another $100+ for this event on top of what we are already going to be sending them. I think that we have a great event planned and I am hoping for a good turnout in return. I know we are going to lose a small number of potential players as they head to play in Worlds as it starts that Wednesday after the event.

[bruce_brakel]

Yes, you are correct on the B-Tier. In all honesty, I saw no need to send the PDGA another $100+ for this event on top of what we are already going to be sending them. I think that we have a great event planned and I am hoping for a good turnout in return. I know we are going to lose a small number of potential players as they head to play in Worlds as it starts that Wednesday after the event.More TDs ought to think that way. A TD running a 2-day A-tier with $1500 added cash can save $300 to $600 by sanctioning it as a C-tier. When there's added cash, the word gets out, no matter what the tier is.

[bruce_brakel]

Are you counting on the six new holes being ready, or are you planning on setting up extra holes by the pavillion and in that open area around the corner?

[Mark_Stephens]

Early Friday Onsite Registration will be at the Holly Woods Course. We will be giving away a basket as well as some other items. Your player packs will be available at that time so you will not have to wait in any lines the next day. See you all there!

[Mark_Stephens]

Side Games for the event:

Auction Items. Tickets are 8 for $5 or $1 each

*2008 Worlds Disc signed by many pros: Klimo, Felgberg, Bennett, Jenkins, etc
*2009 USDGC Roc
*First Run Glow Starfire
*Limited Edition ESP Venom
*2009 Holly Woods Classic ColorMax

MDGO Sponsored Basket Throw-Off.

*DGA Mach Lite

Ace Pool

*$5

50/50 Hole 4

*$2

[Mark_Stephens]

Are you counting on the six new holes being ready, or are you planning on setting up extra holes by the pavillion and in that open area around the corner?

I had missed this Bruce. The six holes will be in for the tournament. The state park is working on the holes every day and will be doing so up until the tournament. The first few holes look really good and I believe the baskets are now in the ground. They still need some more of the smaller trees to come down yet. I plan to look at the conditions this weekend.

[bruce_brakel]

They looked interesting on the walk through, but it all depends on whether they are going to cut fairways. The hole along the swamp will be brutal if they don't cut plenty of trees.

[bruce_brakel]

So do you have a specific or even general plan for how you are awarding berths? It has been years since we've been up for the State Championships, basically whenever they started doing berths. It is hard to orchestrate everyone in the family winning a berth.

[Mark_Stephens]

On the holes:

I know and it had been a point of STRESS for me. State furloughs and equipment problems have delayed the project well beyond my comfort levels. Some holes are probably going to be more than Par 3. They are supposed to be working on it until the tournament.

This is what planned for berths. If there are not that many people in a division or if they already have berths they will be bumped elsewhere.


2 Open Men
2 Open Women
2 Open Master
2 Adv. Master
2 Advanced Men
2 Intermediate Men
2 Recreational Men
1 Adv. Women
1 Inter. Women

[bruce_brakel]

You have the last two digits in Andread Gilstadt's PDGA number swapped on your pre-reg.

The new holes have some nice elevation changes. There were nice elevation changes on them when we laid them out, but now you can see the elevation changes.

I'm glad you're running this tournament while the new holes are still new. The course is crowded enough as it is.

[Mark_Stephens]

Thanks on Andrea. I had seen that and changed it in the spreadsheet and then not saved it. So, it got over-written on the next update.

All of the new baskets are in and the State Parks are going to continue to clear the smaller trees throughout the week.

[bruce_brakel]

Thanks on Andrea. I had seen that and changed it in the spreadsheet and then not saved it. So, it got over-written on the next update.

All of the new baskets are in and the State Parks are going to continue to clear the smaller trees throughout the week.
They are doing a good job of removing what they cut. Someone should sneak out there with a can of yellow spray paint while they are still cutting. ;)

[Mark_Stephens]

I am doing that tonight but, no sneaking is required. They know that I am going to be marking trees. They will continue to do their best.

All of the baskets are now in as well.

[Mark_Stephens]

Registration is up to 33 players. I am expecting to get more online registrations today and a good number of them on the Friday registration at the course. So, if you are planning on playing I would recommend one or the other as Saturday number of slots are going to be slim.

[bruce_brakel]

<TABLE class=results cellSpacing=1><TBODY><TR class=even><TD style="TEXT-ALIGN: left" noWrap>Kris Bensette (http://www.pdga.com/player-stats?PDGANum=38658&year=2009) </TD><TD align=right>38658</TD><TD align=middle>Yes</TD><TD align=right>904 </TD><TD>Washington</TD><TD>MI</TD><TD>USA</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Rated too high to play Men's Rec.

[DSproAVIAR]

Isn't that situation covered by the 2-week grace period rule?

[bruce_brakel]

His rating history shows him as having had that rating since May 19, 2009.

[cyferban]

on the flyer posted here it says registration is from 7:45am - 9:00pm. is that a typo on the pm part i assume.

Registration is from 7:45 - 9:00 am
players meeting approx?
First round tee-off approx?

Thanks Mark
Bill

[Mark_Stephens]

Player's Meeting will be at 9:00am since the tournament is sold out. FULL.

1st Round Tee-Time should be no later that 9:30am.

[Mark_Stephens]

Results are posted:

http://www.pdga.com/tournament-results?TournID=8629&year=2009&include_ratings=1#Open

[Mark_Stephens]

I would like to thank everyone that came out and played. I hoped that you had a nice time while you were at our event.

As I said at the awards ceremony the length of the rounds was something that I was not pleased with at all. I had hoped having 6 spotters out on the course would help but the new 6 holes still created a bottleneck. The course was a little late in getting installed and we will continue to work with the park on improving the holes to insure better flow next time (Holly Woods Classic in 2 weeks is the original 18 only).

Thanks to my spotters:
Doug Olson
Canessa Andrews
Brian Boggs
Mrs. Hanson

Tournament Staff:
DJ Hunt
Patrick Kelley

Club Captains:
Preston Wnuk
Paul Grasso
Gary "Jones" Chalice
Adam Kann
Dale Dotson
Rob Belprez

Tournament Sponsors:
Austin's Collision
HyzerDiscGolf.com
Red Line Disc Golf
Baby Cakes Bakery
Dark Horse Brewing Co.
Innova
Gatewway
DGA
Discraft