Postponement and Rescheduling Information

The Challenge at Goat Hill Park – COVID-19 Update – 5/25/2020

Let me start of by expressing hope that everyone reading this has been able to sidestep the COVID-19 virus and that the same is true for your families and friends.  Even if you haven’t had to deal with the illness, I know you’ve had your life and possibly your financial health disrupted, as have I.  It sucks.  And it has been made worse by the fact that our sport of disc golf has been disrupted as well.  We’re starting to see some things open back up and start to head back towards normal, but we would all like it to happen sooner than it has.  I’ll stop there on that subject.

Today, I’m announcing that The Challenge at Goat Hill Park is being postponed.  As of this writing, Monday, May 25 at 10:30am, the PDGA has not opened sanctioning for the State of California.  We do not know exactly when general sanctioning for California events will occur, but more than likely it will be after Los Angeles County’s stay-at home order expires August 1st.  It surely won’t be by June 5-7, the original dates for the event.  The PDGA has released guidelines for safe return to play during COVID-19, and we will be adhering to those guidelines once the event is held.  But as of right now organized athletic events have not yet been cleared to be held in California and San Diego County, and that is what is required in order to hold a sanctioned PDGA event. 

I made this decision after many conversations with my colleagues and friends at Goat Hill Park, the PDGA, the Disc Golf Pro Tour and Innova Disc Golf.  We all want to be able to return to competitive play, but it has to be in a way that is safe for all participants and is financially viable.  And those conversations continue as we turn ourselves inside out trying to come up with plans that will work for everyone involved.

I do not want to nor do I expect to cancel The Challenge.  We will have a tournament at Goat Hill Park.  If this news means you need to drop from the tournament, please contact me through the registration website that you used to sign up (DGU for B-tier players, DiscGolfScene for A-tier, MPO/FPO players).  Full refunds will be honored. 

This is how we will move forward:

1. We will reschedule the 2-day (B-tier) portion of the event to a future date to be determined.  This reschedule will be carried out in cooperation with Goat Hill Park management, our PDGA Regional Coordinator, So Cal Disc Golf Club and our main sponsor, Innova Disc Golf.  Our intent is to provide as full an event experience as is medically safe, and legal, according to California and San Diego Count guidelines.  Having some additional lead time will all us to put together full player packs and determine what additional tournament amenities are possible.  As per PDGA guidelines we will be creating a web-based virtual players meeting which all participants will be required to view.  Participants will also have to accept and sign off on guidelines for play, which will be finalized as we get closer to competition.  We will not open additional registration spots for the 2-day, B-tier event until a final date is scheduled.  The wait list remains open.
2. We have a rescheduled date for the A-tier (3-day, MPO/FPO) portion of the field.  The rescheduled dates are Thursday, Friday, Saturday, June 18-20, 2020.  These dates have not yet been approved for PDGA sanctioning, but we have been working with the Disc Golf Pro Tour on a possible sanctioning agreement with the PDGA that would allow certain DGPT Elite Series and Silver Series events to occur before broader sanctioning is available in their regions.  We have been in contact with the San Diego County Department of Health and have submitted an application for approval of competition and are waiting for a reply.  These dates have been chosen in hopes that The Challenge can be part of a kick-off of events along the west coast to resume the Disc Golf Pro Tour.  As of this writing the other events have not been confirmed, but we are moving forward with scheduling so that players can make travel, work and vacation plans.  Important points to note, as of this date (5/25/2020):

• The MPO/FPO competition will be held with or without PDGA sanctioning.  Whether sanctioned or not, we will follow all PDGA rules and COVID-19 guidelines.
• No spectators will be allowed on-site (as per PDGA guidelines).
• Tee times have been confirmed at Goat Hill Park.
• DGPT Silver Series points will be awarded to competitors.
• 5 USDGC qualifier spots will be available to MPO competitors.
• Central Coast Disc Golf will be filming the top card of MPO. We are pursuing additional video coverage.
• UDiscLive scoring will be used for competition.
• PDGA has changed its added-cash requirements for A-tier events to $2,000.  The Challenge will have at least $2,500 in added cash for MPO/FPO (and more, depending on fundraiser disc and tee sponsor sales).
• The total field size for the MPO/FPO competition will be 48 players.  The registration list can be viewed here.

As we move forward with planning the competitions, look for updates on the tournament website (https://challengeatgoathillpark.com/), registration pages on DGU and DiscGolfScene and on our official tournament Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Challengeatgoathillpark).  Please do not base your information on private social media posts or rumors – get your information straight from the goat’s mouth.  You can also address questions to the Tournament Director through my email address, posted below.  And feel free to contact me regarding volunteer opportunities, sponsorship, and fundraiser disc sales.

Thank you for your patience and cooperation as we move forward with The Challenge!