2015 Vibram Birdie Bash

[AndyJB]

How many do you have total? Only 13 signed up for mine so far, but I would expect about 40 like last year.

55 spots, I have 41 signed up so far. I've heard from more than one TD that they didn't get the players packs on time this year due to all that crazy weather last month. I'm hoping to sell out well in advance just to be on the safe side.

Question for those who have already run their Bashes:
The sign up incentives (water bottles, hats, bag)...do they stack up? Like if you get 50 signed up do you get 5 water bottles, 2 hats and a bag? Or just a bag? If they stack up, I'll be able to add even more prizes. If it's just one I'll probably throw it into our post round raffle.

I got additional prizes and trophies for the top three in each division (men, women, junior boys and junior girls) but if I can get more prizes I might be able to do top five or six men.

 

[NINFanInTN]

Question for those who have already run their Bashes:
The sign up incentives (water bottles, hats, bag)...do they stack up? Like if you get 50 signed up do you get 5 water bottles, 2 hats and a bag? Or just a bag?

They Stack. I had 30 players and got 3 bottles, 1 hat and 1 bag.

 

[AndyJB]

Excellent, that's good to hear. I can't remember the tiers and can't find the info anywhere on the BB site. Did you get a TD shirt from Vibram?

 

[Jimb]

Altoona, PA

I just found out there there will be one in Altoona, PA, at Highland Park. I played an Ace Race there two Summers ago and had a blast. Maybe I'll give this a try, too. I've never thrown any Vibram!

 

[AndyJB]

I just found out there there will be one in Altoona, PA, at Highland Park. I played an Ace Race there two Summers ago and had a blast. Maybe I'll give this a try, too. I've never thrown any Vibram!

It's a great event to attend! Good value, as well.

 

[NINFanInTN]

The TD Polo's are Bright yellow this year, with Vibram Disc Golf on the front, and the birdie bash logo across the back. You'll definitely notice me when i'm playing a tournament rocking that shirt... They're a cotton blend like the players shirts this year.

 

[AndyJB]

That's pretty awesome! Especially since most of the people playing in my Birdie Bash don't know me by sight.

 

[AndyJB]

Long shot here:

Anyone willing to part with an extra TD polo? Can be this year's or last years. I have a co-TD and Vibram isn't going to be able to get us an extra one (in order to ensure all the TDs this year get one for their event?)

 

[JRW III]

Long shot here:

Anyone willing to part with an extra TD polo? Can be this year's or last years. I have a co-TD and Vibram isn't going to be able to get us an extra one (in order to ensure all the TDs this year get one for their event?)

What size?

 

[AndyJB]

What size?

Any size bigger than a medium will work

 

[JRW III]

Any size bigger than a medium will work

Sorry, mine from last year is a medium.

 

[Its Snowing]

Does anyone know if there have been any issues with the sling bags and bonus prizes (water bottles, hats, etc) being provided on time? I'd hate to think I had an unethical TD who kept them from the players, but I'm sure it happens.

 

[AndyJB]

Does anyone know if there have been any issues with the sling bags and bonus prizes (water bottles, hats, etc) being provided on time? I'd hate to think I had an unethical TD who kept them from the players, but I'm sure it happens.

There's no directive on just how to use said extra items. For mine, I'm using the bag and hats as part of our fundraising raffle, and the water bottles for additional prizes...probably give one to the spirit award winner, for example.

How many people were at your Bash? Were the CTP and card winner prizes given out?

I haven't run this year's edition yet, but in 2013 we got all our players packs and bonus items in the same shipment. The box was gigantic.

 

[Its Snowing]

28 people I believe. CTP prizes (socks and bottle openers) were given out, as were the overall divisional winner + spirit award discs. No card winner prizes were given out for either round. I was hoping to get some knowledge if there was supposed to be.
As I understand it from the vbb website, I thought the second round card winner was supposed to win some sort of backpack.

 

[AndyJB]

You're looking at last year's event website. There was no sling backpack this year.
This year, the first round Vibram provides a bottle opener prize for each card CTP.
Second round socks are given to the winner of the card.

There are bonus incentives. For every ten players signed up, the TD gets a Vibram water bottle. For every 20, the TD gets a Vibram hat. For every 30, the TD gets a Vibram Sunday bag.

So for yours, sounds like the TD did the CTP/card winners correctly. He would have recieved two water bottles and a hat. Like I said, for me, I use those as raffle prizes/additional prizes (55 players at mine) but the TD can do with them how he pleases. Unethical? Maybe. But it's just two water bottles and a hat.

All the info is here:
Birdie Bash Player Info

 

[Its Snowing]

Ah ok, I had thought there were some missing prizes. There was also an issue of the director giving some players access to fairway drivers which rubbed me the wrong way a little, but I'm over it already.
My main issue though would have been keeping prizes from the players at an event that is aimed at fun and growing the sport.

 

[AndyJB]

Some of the early Birdie Bashes were allowed to have fairway drivers. I have no idea why.

It's good he wasn't holding back any prizes though. In my experience of running and playing in Birdie Bashes, there's always a couple genuinely good players who are in the running to win, and everyone else is more or less playing for fun and a great value in the players pack. Hopefully all your fellow players were able to have fun.

 

[NINFanInTN]

Some of the early Birdie Bashes were allowed to have fairway drivers. I have no idea why.

It's good he wasn't holding back any prizes though. In my experience of running and playing in Birdie Bashes, there's always a couple genuinely good players who are in the running to win, and everyone else is more or less playing for fun and a great value in the players pack. Hopefully all your fellow players were able to have fun.

Andy - please state the bashes where you KNOW the fairway drivers were available. I ran mine on March 1st, and the fairways were never available for mine, nor anyone elses I know of. I asked Steve if I could order some custom printed Traks and Ascents and he didn't like the idea, so I never pursued it.

I received 30 packs when I ran mine, so got three bottles, a hat and the cooler bag. I kept the hat and cooler bag for my troubles. Gave away all the other prizes (CTP's on first round with the bottle openers, and card winners for the second round with the socks). The bash I attended on March 14th, he just did round card winners for both first and second rounds for the openers and socks.

 

[AndyJB]

I don't know of any personally, but it's been stated on here and elsewhere on the Internet. Might just be a rumor.

Nothing wrong with keeping some of the swag, especially if the 5 dollars back per player was used to offset costs (mine will be used to reimburse me for paying out my nose for insurance). That's what's good about the Birdie Bash: easy to run, Vibram gives back a lot of prizes, and they allow TDs plenty of freedom to run it as they see fit.

 

[Jenga54]

I received 30 packs when I ran mine, so got three bottles, a hat and the cooler bag. I kept the hat and cooler bag for my troubles. Gave away all the other prizes (CTP's on first round with the bottle openers, and card winners for the second round with the socks). The bash I attended on March 14th, he just did round card winners for both first and second rounds for the openers and socks.

Nothing wrong with keeping some of the swag, especially if the 5 dollars back per player was used to offset costs (mine will be used to reimburse me for paying out my nose for insurance). That's what's good about the Birdie Bash: easy to run, Vibram gives back a lot of prizes, and they allow TDs plenty of freedom to run it as they see fit.

My bash is 5 hours north of where I live, so as TD's we all put in a good amount of time and effort, and a varied amount of cost. I hope to get 30 players as well so we get a bag and hat.

I guess I would caution TD's to be transparent on what players should expect to potentially win. The comment from Its Snowing I think is totally justified. The info is all on the VBB web page on what is provided as prizes and swag, and written into the rules.

As the TD you get $5 per player shot right into your PayPal, no secrecy there. Many times this just covers the TD cost, sometimes more sometimes less. Then Vibram sends out extra swag, and the players know it. If you have 30 players, most will know what the TD has been given, and if nothing is said about it, the players may feel resentful.

Just recommend being transparent - I just run these because I love the excitement and extra fun of an Event Day. Getting excited just thinking about it now. Those players are hoping to win all the swag that is shipped. TD's usually have more DG crap than we know what to do with, I would rather give it all away and see happy new golfers.