We have many amazing tournaments throughout the year in our area. SVC, Mesmerize, Masters Cup, Faultline, Jelly Jam, Otter Open, etc. I love playing them all. So many people have put years and years of effort planning, building and facilitating them. Making them into events we wait and wait all year to play. Events that people from all around come to compete. Events with huge players packs and large payouts. Events that really mean something to play well in or even take home a trophy!

I want this tournament to be the exact opposite.

I wanted to design a tournament that could be run by a single person. A low-cost tournament with no frills. An event to scratch your competitive itch and get you a couple rated rounds while you wait for the next big tourney to arrive.

I was lucky enough to be chosen to participate in the second iteration of the PDGAs Tournament Director Academy, taught by Scott Withers. The PDGA has created a complete training module on everything you would need to know to run a disc golf tournament. At the end of the course, you run a C-tier.


Silicon Shootout is a two round, one day amateur only C-tier that costs $30. First 70 players will get a players pack of 2 discs and a mini.


The PDGA has kindly waived membership fees for any tournament involved with the TD Academy. You do not need to be an active member to play this event. Any money left over from the tournament will be donated to the Silicon Valley Disc Golf Club.

There will be trophies but there will be no pay-outs. Lunch will not be provided. This is how the cost to play in the event stays as low as possible.

There will be a $5 cash only ace pot available at check-in. If no ace is hit, the ace pot rolls over to next tournament I run.

1.03 Withdrawals and Refunds

Players must email or phone their withdrawals to the Tournament Director only at the contact information posted for the tournament. Discussions with persons other than the Tournament Director, including other tournament staff, shall not be considered official.
Players who have paid more than a nominal waitlist fee of $10 to be on an event’s waitlist who do not get into the event, or who officially request to withdraw from the waitlist prior to the event’s published closure of registration and waitlist replacements (within one week is recommended), will receive a 100% monetary refund of that waitlist fee (minus up to a $10 handling fee). Waitlist players who only paid a nominal non-refundable waitlist fee of $10 or less will not receive a refund.
Players who officially request to withdraw from an event at least 30 days before the start of the event will receive a 100% monetary refund of their entry fee (minus up to a $10 handling fee).
Players who officially request to withdraw from an event 15 to 29 days before the start of the event will receive a 100% monetary refund of their entry fee minus up to a $10 handling fee only if their spot in the tournament is filled by a player who is on the waitlist at the time of the withdrawal request. If the player’s spot is not filled, the TD has the choice to provide either a 50% monetary refund of their entry fee or just the player’s pack the player would have received if they had attended (minus the cost of shipping). In the case of a player in a Pro division for an event without a Pro player pack worth at least 25% of the Entry Fee, the TD will provide the 50% monetary refund.
Players who officially request to withdraw from an event within 14 days of the start of the event and prior to the event’s published closure of registration and waitlist replacements (within one week is recommended) will receive a 100% monetary refund of their entry fee minus up to a $10 handling fee only if their spot in the tournament is filled by a player who is on the waitlist at the time of the withdrawal request. If the player’s spot is not filled, the TD has the choice to provide either a 25% monetary refund or just the player’s pack they would have received if they had attended (minus the cost of shipping). In the case of a player in a Pro division for an event without a Pro player pack worth at least 25% of the Entry Fee, the TD will provide the 25% monetary refund.
Players who request withdrawal within 48 hours of the start of play, or who request withdrawal after the published close of registration and the published end of waitlist replacements, are not entitled to a refund. If a TD fills a player’s spot with a player on the waitlist at the time of withdrawal after the published close of registration and the published end of waitlist replacements, but more than 48 hours prior to the start of play, that player must receive a 100% monetary refund of their entry fee.
Tournament Directors for Major, Elite Series, and A-Tier events may petition the PDGA Director of Event Support to change the timeline for items C, D, and E. If granted, the policy must be clearly published with all registration materials.
If a TD vacates an offered division due to a lack of registered players for the division (see 2.02.L), any player for that division that does not wish to move to a different division that they are eligible for will be provided a full refund.
If a Tournament Director cancels an event, all currently registered or waitlisted players must receive a 100% monetary refund of their entry or waitlist fee. Only in the case of a disaster beyond the control of the TD that prevents the event from taking place by making the venue(s) unavailable, and only with prior approval from the PDGA Director of Event Support, may a TD provide players registered for Amateur divisions with a player pack and a partial monetary refund in the amount of the difference between the retail value of the player pack and the amount of the entry fee.
If a Tournament Director postpones an event, all players currently registered or waitlisted for the original date at the time of postponement must receive a 100% monetary refund of their entry or waitlist fee if they request it. Only in the case of a disaster beyond the control of the TD that prevents the event from taking place by making the venue(s) unavailable, and only with prior approval from the PDGA Director of Event Support, may a TD provide players registered for Amateur divisions with a player pack and a partial monetary refund in the amount of the difference between the retail value of the player pack and the amount of the entry fee. Once a new date is announced, all prior registrants who are still registered or waitlisted must be notified by email and given a reasonable opportunity to receive a 100% monetary refund of their entry or waitlist fee if they determine they are unable to attend the event on its new date.
It is highly recommended that high-capacity events do not include personalized items within their player packs due to the complexity that creates for withdrawals and refunds. Personalized items should only be offered as merchandise for purchase during registration for a separate non-refundable fee that is not part of the tournament entry fee.
For exceptions related to events outside the United States and Canada, please see 6.03.C.1.