Music City Open 2024

An AF Tournament Profile

Friday April 19th, through
Championship Sunday April 21st

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aka

MCO

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Tournament Director: Zachary Hoy
Assistant TD: Jay Skinner
Team: Music City Disc Golf
(non-profit public charity)

Title Sponsor
Lone Star Disc

Course in play for 2024:
Mill Ridge Park
Course Designers:
Shawn Sinclair and Ryan Tracy
Established 2021

MCO is located in Nashville, TN
15th annual pro event in Music City

18 hole course playing 3 rounds
during 3 day event =54 holes in play
X Step Pro tees with Dynamic Disc Veteran baskets

The course utilizes lots of elevation changes,
with tight gaps both off the tee,
as well as down the fairway closer to targets.
There are several small ponds
throughout the course that play as OB.

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FPO Par 67 on the 9577 foot Mill Ridge Park course
MPO Par 67 on the 11,059 foot course
FPO and MPO play similar layout

Hole Lengths FPO

• 7 par 3’s = 272 to 429 feet
• 9 par 4’s = 530 to 708 feet
• 2 par 5’s = 848 and 849 feet

Hole Lengths MPO

• 7 par 3’s = 270 to 535 feet
• 9 par 4’s = 559 to 783 feet
• 2 par 5’s = 972 and 1129 feet

• All hole numbers have same par for each division, while all hole lengths are different except holes 14 and 16, both of which play same distance for each division

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Team MCDG Making MCO Longer And Stronger in 2024

The very first Music City Open took place in 1998 when Nashville hosted it’s first PDGA pro tournament. Just 19 MPO played that year and there was no FPO division. MCO was then on hiatus, until its return in 2010 as B-tier. It moved up to A-tier in 2013, with 29 playing MPO and 5 in FPO. 6 of the MPO were rated 1025 or higher, and just one FPO was rated higher than 900, which was the winner that year, Paige Pierce.

From 2013 through 2020, Music City Open was an A tier event 4 out of the 7 years. During this span, it played 4 different courses in the Nashville area, and by 2020 the field size featured prominently with 142 in MPO and 24 in FPO. The following year, MCO rose to both elite series and national tour finale, hosting 130 in MPO and 37 in FPO. The first 2 rounds in 2021 played on the traditional Ravenwood course and new course Mill Ridge Park, played the final round.

Mill Ridge Park was still finding its legs, and in 2022, MCO was relegated to a Silver Series event, with all 3 rounds playing Mill Ridge. Still, it had more than 30 in FPO and over 100 in MPO who played in 2022. Then in 2023, MCO returned as an Elite Series event, with a greatly improved Mill Ridge Park. Attracting over 100 for MPO, with more than 50 registered in FPO for 2023. The same amount for each division in 2023 are playing the tournament this year.

For 2024, the Mill Ridge Park course has been revamped. Both divisions are playing a longer trek of 18 holes within the same park as previous years. FPO’s course length went up 800 total feet, and MPO is up over 1000 foot difference from last year. Plus the hole numbering is entirely different, for better flow during a pro tour event. The updated layout makes better use of key spectator areas around holes 1 and 18.

Strength from Community

Team MCDG has blossomed into a 600 member disc golf club, local to Nashville. The Team has 2 primary missions: bringing high quality tournaments to the area and teaching local youth, adults and senior citizens the sport. Instilling a passion and being inclusive with all the fun disc golf has to offer.

Music City Open is just one of many events that MCDG runs during each calendar year. The Team manages leagues, clinics, and other outdoor activities for younger participants. As if perpetually in planning and event management mode, MCDG stays quite active, but devoted to community. It’s a known strength of Nashville, and the local club takes pride and joy in their ongoing work. The 2022 MCO graciously hosted 15 kids from the Tennessee School for the Blind, who had such a wonderful time that they doubled attendance for the School at 2023’s tournament.

To help get prepared for this year’s MCO, local pro and national star, Chris Dickerson influenced course improvements. Chris, along with other competitors in the 2022 Silver event, sought to increase overall flow of play as well enhance hole and course lay outs. Once again, it is the Team and excellent support from the local community who took upon the tall task of clearing the park of thorny brush and branches on several holes. Making it safer for pros who find their lie well off the fairway, while also making it better for spectator viewing.

As with many events on the pro tour, volunteers play a key role in overall success. To that end, TD Zach wishes to note the excellent efforts of Whitney Likehart, MCDG’s Volunteer Coordinator, who “helped rally many people to come work on the course.” If interested in serving as a volunteer for the 2024 MCO, click here.

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Course Updates for 2024

While 2024 is a somewhat similar layout to the 2023 course, it is also vastly different. Besides total length increasing on the 18 holes, the hole numbering is different. On the course map, holes 1 and 18 are at top of the map, whereas in 2023 and earlier, the course began and ended at the bottom holes on the map.

The more noticeable changes to the layout are around the pond holes, on what was updated holes in 2023, playing as 16 and 17 in that year. Now the holes closest to the larger pond are 9 and 10, and are playing much longer than a year ago. MPO hole lengths for the pond holes in 2023 were 305 and 355 feet respectively, while in 2024, hole 9 is 375 feet playing up to edge of pond and hole 10 crosses water early on a dogleg left hole that is 783 feet.

We want spectators to be able to view multiple holes from several key vantage points.

TD Zach Hoy

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The longest hole on the course is still the same hole, but different number, and made even longer than it was in 2023. What was hole 4 in 2023, is now hole 15, and means playing down the stretch of both the round and event is a bit more challenging. It is a par 5, 1129 foot hole for MPO and 848 foot hole for FPO. In 2023, the last 4 holes of the course played as two par 4’s (15 and 18), both under 800 feet, along with 2 relatively short par 3’s. In 2024, the last 4 holes holes have both of the course’s par 5’s in this stretch, plus a par 4, and par 3 (18th hole). 2 more strokes are being added here for par, and at least 500 feet distance from a year ago on same hole numbers, MPO is actually over 1000 foot difference.

Preparation for all these courses changes took both planning and resources. TD Zach notes 4 important pieces in improving the course for 2024. Vice President of MCDG and Assistant TD, Jay Skinner, as core member of the Team, along with Finance Director, Mitch Baker who were integral in behind-the-scenes type planning. Which includes securing Lone Start Disc as title sponsor and giving MCDG extra cushion for operations and planning. Along with ongoing discussions with DPT to ensure the new layout is conducive to fan experience.

Added length for both divisions is one upgrade for this year’s event. Extra space along fairways means fans have opportunity to get closer to the action on the course. Built with fans in mind, hole 18 is, on paper, a simple downhill par 3 hole. It plays at 429 for FPO and 520 for MPO, which given added pressure and lots of spectators could offer up some score changes in final moments of the event.

I am excited about the changes and can’t wait to see the competitors attack the course.

TD Zach

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Trophies That Sing

Having one of the nicer logos on pro tour is great for MCO and fans alike. It’s a guitar pick. For Music City. What’s not to love? But even better are the quality trophies that the MCO keeps delivering. Art’s Fudge wishes to go out on a limb and suggest this may be is 100% the best trophy on the disc golf pro tour. A Gibson guitar custom made for this event, that is fully operational, and capable of playing music. We’d provide picture of what is a never been released guitar from Gibson that is also the 2024 MCO trophy, but we’ve been sworn to secrecy.

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photo credits

All images, graphics and logos
courtesy of MCDG Media

Hit The Links

• Music City Open tournament website
• PDGA Event page
• DGPT Caddy Book link
• 2023 Highlight Reels
  • FPO – Round 1 – Front 9 (JomezPro)
  • MPO – Round 2 – Back 9 (JomezPro)
  • FPO – Round 2 – Back 9 (JomezPro)
  • MPO – Chase card – Final Round – Back 9 (GateKeeper Media)
  • FPO – Final Round – Back 9 (JomezPro)

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Nearby Attractions

Returning from the 2023 AF profile are all the music venues and districts that make a whole ton of sense when visiting Music City. TD Zach suggests the honky tonk bars of Lower Broadway, along with the mother church of country music, aka Ryman Auditorium. And of course the classic Grand Ole Opry of Nashville.

Nashville Predators NHL hockey clinched a playoff spot in early April and might play a home game in their playoffs during the MCO tournament in 2024.

East Nashville Beer Works is a local brewery, with beer garden and food menu. TD Zach highlights Beer Works since they made a specialty beer just for the 2023 MCO, called “Grip and Rip” (juicy pale ale). You can get their event brew on tap and canned at their establishment or onsite at MCO during the weekend.

Gibson Guitars will be providing championship trophies as well as a huge hole-in-one prize where an ace on the final hole (18) wins a custom made Les Paul guitar. As a part of the community that shares a passion for giving back, Gibson Gives will be on site at 2024 MCO to give out guitars and promote music education.

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How MCO fits within the 2024 Pro Tour

• 8th fantasy relevant event of the 2024 season
• 6th DGPT Elite event of the season
  • after Jonesboro Open (Elite)
  • before Champions Cup (Major)
• 3rd of 3 events playing early 2024 southern leg of tour
• MCO does play in all standard fantasy leagues
  • In 2023, MCO was within top 10 in length of field (most players), and top 5 for FPO.

How Many Pros Play

• In 2023, there were 50 FPO who played
  • 45 of those were 900+ rated (90%)
  • 26 were rated 940+ (52%)
• For 2024, there are 52 FPO registered
  • 43 of those are 900+ rated (83%)
  • 30 are rated 940+ (58%)
• In 2023, there were 116 MPO players
  • 107 of those were 1000+ rated (92%)
  • 33 were 1025+ rated (28%)
• For 2024, there are 116 MPO players (again)
  • 107 (again) are rated 1000+ (92%)
  • 38 are 1025+ rated (33%)

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MPO Best Average Finish
in Past 5 Years

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FPO Best Average Finish
in Past 5 Years

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2024 Results – Top Finishes

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