Player Packs and Amateur Prizes are typically made up of tangible merchandise with value that counts towards the overall value of the player pack or prizes. Sometimes a voucher/coupon will be included in player packs or prizes, and it is important to note whether that voucher/coupon has “True Value” to the player, or just a “Possible Value” to the player.

Only those items with “True Value” may be used in the calculation of player pack or prize values. If it is a voucher/coupon for a specific item or worth a specific amount of money towards an item that the player can use to get merchandise without the need to go out of pocket, then that would count as a “True Value” towards the value of the player pack or prizes.

However, if it is a “percentage off” voucher/coupon, a “get $X off as long as you spend at least $Y voucher/coupon”, or a “get item X for free if you purchase item Y” voucher/coupon, then that is only a “Possible Value” to the player and would NOT count towards the value of the player pack or prizes. The easiest way to determine if a voucher/coupon has “True Value” or only “Possible Value” is whether the player must go out-of- pocket to realize the value.

GOOD: If the player can realize the value of the voucher/coupon without going out-of-pocket, then it has “True Value” that counts towards the value of the player pack or prizes.

Items with “True Value” that count towards the value of the player pack or prizes:

• A voucher for a free T-shirt at the Pro Shop. Players turn in the voucher at the Pro Shop and are handed a T-shirt with no out-of-pocket cost to themselves.

• A $10 voucher to the Pro Shop. Players can spend it on merchandise at the Pro Shop either to get items costing $10 or less with no out-of-pocket cost to themselves, or they can make the choice to purchase more by adding cash out-of-pocket above the $10 voucher.

• A voucher for a free meal at a food vendor. Players turn in the voucher to the vendor and receive a meal with no out-of-pocket cost to themselves.

• A $10 voucher to a food vendor. Players can spend it on lunch either to get items costing $10 or less at no additional cost to themselves, or they can make the choice to purchase more by adding cash out-of- pocket above the $10 voucher.

BAD: If the player must go out-of-pocket to realize the value of the voucher/coupon, then it is only a “Possible Value” and does NOT count towards the value of the player pack or prizes.

Items with only a “Possible Value” that do NOT count towards the value of the player pack or prizes:

• A voucher for a free T-shirt at the Pro Shop with the purchase of a disc. Players must go out-of-pocket to receive any value from the voucher.

• A $10 voucher to the Pro Shop, where the lowest cost merchandise is $15. This is just an up-to 66% off coupon, the players must go out-of-pocket to receive any value from the voucher.

• A 10% off coupon to the Pro Shop. Players must go out-of-pocket to receive any value from the voucher.

• A coupon for $10 off a purchase at the Pro Shop when spending at least $30. This is just an up-to 33% off coupon (if you spend $30 you get 33% off, if you spend $40, you get 25% off, etc.) Players must go out-of-pocket to receive any value from the voucher.

However, common sense still needs to be applied when it comes to the redeemability of a voucher or coupon:

• If the event is in California and the player receives a voucher for a free T-shirt worth $15, but only redeemable in-person at a shop at the Jersey Shore, then common sense says the limited redeemability means it doesn’t have True Value and wouldn’t count towards the player pack/prize value.

• If the player receives a voucher for a free tune-up of a 1982 Toyota Landcruiser it may have a huge value of $350, but common sense says the limited redeemability means it doesn’t have true value and wouldn’t count towards the player pack/prize value.

ALSO BAD: If the prize item in question is functionally equivalent to awarding money, it is not eligible for Amateur player pack or prize inclusion, because only Professional-class players in Professional divisions are awarded money, see CM 2.02.G. The classic example is a prepaid debit or gift card from a major credit card company that can be spent virtually anywhere cash can be spent.

• For example, a Visa prepaid debit card has True Value but is equivalent to money, and therefore cannot be used for Amateur player packs or prizes.

• However, a gift card to a chain of grocery stores has True Value and is not equivalent to money (because, like a voucher, you can’t spend it elsewhere), so it would be allowable for Amateur player packs and prizes.

If you have questions concerning whether an item is allowed or not, please reach out to the PDGA Event Support Team at [email protected]