The 2011 Zoo Town Open - Junn 11/12 Missoula MT.

[MTChristian]

Hello all Northwest Disc Golfers,

I'd like to extend an invitation to Montana's signature disc golf tournament, which will be held this year on June 11-12 in Missoula, MT. The 6th Annual Zoo Town Open is an A-Tier tournament for the first time, and qualifier for the USDGC and the Vibram Open. The event has steadily grown in popularity and we expect it to fill very quickly this year as well, as we are limited to 100 players. We've always had a great turnout from the pacific northwest and we will be making sure everyone who makes the trek leaves happy!

Here is the tourney flyer:
http://www.gardencityflyers.org/site/sites/default...yer%202011.pdf

From the www.gardencityflyers.org forums:

PRE-REGISTRATION WILL OPEN AT 8 PM ON APRIL 1ST. As the flyer states, 85 spots will be available online and/or by mail-in registration, first-come, first-serve. A waitlist will be kept. 10 "Sponsor's Exempt Spots" will remain available for "Silver-Level" sponsors ($100+ in cash/schwag) and above until 10 days before the tournament (6/1). 5 spots for PDGA Touring Pro Cardholders will remain available until the Friday of the tournament. Any of these reserved spots that aren't filled will be filled off the waitlist.

CFRs ARE HERE! They will be available at tournaments, with your tournament registration online, and from the TDs.

We aren't 100% sure WHERE the second day of the tournament will be. We'd like to use Blue Mountain for both days, but we will use the Fort Missoula course if the Forest Service won't permit us to use Blue Mountain on Sunday (they've been against 2-day events for the past few years).

And YES, you heard correctly, the Zoo Town Open is a Qualifier for two of the best events in disc golf: the USDGC (!) and the Vibram Open. We'll have 10 spots for the USDGC, which everyone with a rating over 850 is eligible for, and which will be determined using the handicap system in play at all USDGC qualifiers this year. We'll have two spots for the Vibram Open, which will go to the two best total scores of those competitors, in any division, who sign up for the Vibram Spot competition (it's a $10 entry fee that goes toward the winners' entries in the tournament).

As the ZTO page says, the divisions we'll be offering aren't final, depending on what divisions are requested. But, we anticipate the following divisions: Pro Open, Pro Women, Pro Master, Adv. Men, Int. Men, Adv. Women, and Adv. Grandmasters. Other divisions may be offered if 4 or more competitors request the division, but my preference, at least, is to have fewer and larger divisions to spur competition.

We're working on food, exact player pack items, and fundraising toward the tournament and toward tee pads for Blue Mountain. We're aiming to have several teepads in the ground by tourney time...as fast as we can raise the money!

Hope to see you in the Zoo,

Christian Dietrich

[Flash]

So you win NT events and you throw A-Tiers. Man I have some catching up to do on the winning side of things.

I would love to come hang out with you guys on that weekend but alas its my sisters 40th and we will be partying it up in Las Vegas. From what I have heard from Nate it will fill quickly!

[JMan]

Won't make it this year, he says, remembering fondly the days when Blue Mt. had just gone to tone poles... see you here in June...
'J'

[brianb]

Registration opens in 10 days. It will fill fast, so be prepared and register on the GCF site soon so your ready for the 1st!

[MTChristian]

Pre-registration for the Zoo Town Open is quickly approaching! It starts APRIL 1 at 7 PM PST (8 PM MST)--no foolin' Get over to Missoula...it's barely past Spokane

If you can't make it, you still need to get on over to www.gardencityflyers.org to get yourself the sweetest CFR disc you've ever seen. Full-color artwork, with the logo attached below, on creamy Star Roc+s. They look even better than you'd expect, and we need the support--get one now!

[LJ Jubner]

What a sweet CFR Rattlesnake if I am not mistaken. Even if I can't attend I can still support the 2011 Zoo Town Open A-Tier. Miss it and you'll wish you hadn't

[MTChristian]

Originally Posted by LJ Jubner

What a sweet CFR Rattlesnake if I am not mistaken.

Jub, you must not have any dragons (or rattlesnakes) where you are!





Pre-registration opens tomorrow, 7 PM PST, www.gardencityflyers.org ...c'mon over and get you some Montana hospitality!!

[Sean Johnson]

Just shot you a question regarding registration. I'll be perched on the computer tomorrow night, and I really hope it doesn't fill up before I can get in!

[LJ Jubner]

Originally Posted by MTChristian

Jub, you must not have any dragons (or rattlesnakes) where you are!
Pre-registration opens tomorrow, 7 PM PST, www.gardencityflyers.org ...c'mon over and get you some Montana hospitality!!

Your right West side does not have either but I did get one at the Mound two or three years ago on the Pine course. Anyway wish it were the week after LCO then I could drag my feet for a week and play.

Good luck with this great event.

[purediscgolf]

Let's get a caravan together....Who all is going from Oregon? I may have room in my van for one or two riders.....Holler!!

[MTChristian]

We're at 100, besides our 15 reserved spots: 10 Silver Sponsor spots and 5 Touring Pro spots. Now, you'll need to EMAIL:

montanachristian AT gmail DOT com

to get on the waitlist for the tourney.

The Silver Sponsor spots ($100+) will be open until May 15th, or until they're all taken. The Touring Pro spots will be held open until June 1st. THIS IS EARLIER THAN PREVIOUSLY ADVERTISED!! (I had 6/1 and 6/10 on the site, but decided that isn't enough advance notice for people on the waitlist).

And, of course, the spot of anyone currently on the list who withdraws will also be filled off the waitlist.

Christian

[Sean Johnson]

Well, as promised I was registered within four minutes of opening. Going to be spending four days in Missoula for the tourney and was looking for some info. Any word on who the host hotel will be? Also, where's the good food and more importantly, the good beer?!? I'll be looking to play the course for the first time the day before, anyone interesting in being a guide?

[D.L.]

The pdga has approved a special rule for the Zoo Town Open- anyone caught drinking anything other than Big Sky gets a 2 stroke penalty for each unapproved bottle or can. I would suggest Cowboy Coffee for breakfast, Trout Slayer at noon, Big Sky IPA with your 4 O'Clock break, and Moose Drool all evening. Rinse and Repeat.

[MTChristian]

Originally Posted by Sean Johnson

Well, as promised I was registered within four minutes of opening. Going to be spending four days in Missoula for the tourney and was looking for some info. Any word on who the host hotel will be? Also, where's the good food and more importantly, the good beer?!? I'll be looking to play the course for the first time the day before, anyone interesting in being a guide?

I'll post more information here about the host hotel package when it becomes available (soon). It's the Holiday Inn where the player party on Saturday night will be held, right on the river in downtown Missoula. We'll get a great deal, but it's a Holiday Inn and hotels in Missoula generally don't run under $80/night anyway, so there'll be camping available as well for the more budget-conscious. The restaurant at the host hotel (and player party host restaurant), Brooks and Brown, is a good one, and there are TONS of dining options right downtown. As far as good beer, get to Missoula, look 10 feet in any direction, see a bar, and there's great beer Or, the breweries are awesome as well, and you can fill a growler for the cost of a pint in a city. Kettlehouse is downtown, Big Sky's easy to get to off the interstate, Bayern is on the way to the course, and there are several other breweries within a half-hour(!).

We have Bag Tag rounds on Thursday nights, so if you're in town for that, you'll have a whole flight of tour guides. Also, we'll have doubles on Friday night.

[brianb]

Originally Posted by D.L.

The pdga has approved a special rule for the Zoo Town Open- anyone caught drinking anything other than Big Sky gets a 2 stroke penalty for each unapproved bottle or can. I would suggest Cowboy Coffee for breakfast, Trout Slayer at noon, Big Sky IPA with your 4 O'Clock break, and Moose Drool all evening. Rinse and Repeat.

I love it!! But don't forget about Summer Honey!

Big Sky Brewery will once again be hosting the Player Check-in on Friday afternoon, so plan to be in Missoula in the early afternoon on Friday, June 10 to enjoy some fresh, and FREE, Big Sky Brew while you check in, get your player's pack, and hopefully support one of the biggest sponsors of DG not only in MT, but in N Idaho and WA, too. The brewery is located just off the Interstate on your way to Missoula if your coming in from the west, so it's not even out of your way

Big Sky Brewery is also sponsoring the event by doing a very small run of ZTO labeled Summer Honey, using the same kick ass full color logo as the CFR discs. It will be available for sale at $5 a bottle or $10 a six pack with a limit of 1 case per person. I'll do my best to save a couple of cases till the weekend of the event for as many out-of-towners as possible. It's possible that Christian may have some at LCO, too.

[purediscgolf]

Calling all Zoo Town locals!!

I'm going to be staying in my van for the weekend and am looking for a place to post up. If anyone has any ideas please let me know.

I'm not too picky and am completely self contained. Just need a quiet corner to park at night where I won't get bothered. Thanks!!!

[bash]

Comeing in from or is there camping at the park or near by

[MTChristian]

Howdy all!

Sorry about the delay in accommodations info.

HOTEL:
The Holiday Inn Downtown will serve as the host hotel for players, and the site of the extremely awesome players' party on Saturday night.
http://www.holidayinn.com/hotels/us/en/missoula/msumt/hoteldetail

They're giving us a GREAT deal on rooms; $109, which is wayyy down from their normal rate. Call 1-800-399-0408 or 406-721-8550 and ask for the Zoo Town Open rate. They're reserving a block of rooms for us, but you'll have to act fast because they'll be open to the public again on June 1. Although $109 might be a little steep for most, hotels in Missoula are notoriously expensive and it's tough to get a room for under $80 anywhere, so the extra few bucks will be well worth it. Missoula also has a few of the PDGA-discount hotels, one of which (the Wingate by Wyndham) is right next to Big Sky where early player check-in will be; we're not going to be officially involved with any of them but it is an option. But, I would heartily recommend the Holiday Inn, especially because it is right on the river downtown, is giving us a great rate, and is the location of the players party, which will be SWEET.

Speaking of the players party, we are getting HOOKED UP by Brooks & Brown's, the bar/grill at the Holiday Inn. All players will get a free microbrew as part of their player's pack, and during the party we'll have a low-price sandwich special, happy hour prices the whole time, a putting contest for free food and drink, live music, and lots more. Tee times for Sunday, results, ratings, etc., will be posted right there. So...another reason to consider booking a room at the Holiday Inn!

CAMPING:
Yep, we've got you covered. One of our biggest sponsors, Prudential Properties of Missoula, has generously agreed to open up three beautiful acres of grassland on McCauley Butte to tourney participants, very close to both courses. It's primitive, but it'll be free and plenty big enough for all to set up camp, RV, whatever.

Check out the event schedule here:
http://www.gardencityflyers.org/site/sites/default/files/SCHED.pdf

If you can make it into town on Thursday night, we'll be holding our bag tag out at the temp course at Fort Missoula at 6 pm. That'll be your only chance to check that out, besides getting out on the course before the first group tees off at 8:30 on Sunday. Friday doubles will be on the Blue Mountain layout used for the tournament.

All the latest info is at www.gardencityflyers.org.

See you all soon!! Can't wait!!

[Sean Johnson]

So it doesn't look like I'll be able to get there in time for the round at the Fort on Thursday. I was wondering what it's like? Didn't find a lot of info in my searches so far.

[ScottW]

It's a temporary course so there's little available out there. Best bet is to talk with someone who has played it in a past tourney. Word to the wise, be comforatble with O.B., control your shots, and throw big. It's super sweet! Played it the last two years, bummed I can't make this one