By Tara Fischer

Staff Writer

A disc golf tournament, Double Dip Double Dash by the Salisbury-based Eastbound Disc Golf group, is coming to Ocean Pines and Berlin on Saturday, March 1.

The tournament will welcome teams of two, with participation not exceed 36 players.

The ‘double dip’ aspect of the event’s name is apt, as participants will switch parks between rounds. The first segment will take place at Bainbridge Park in Ocean Pines.

Check-in starts at 8:30 a.m., the games begin at 9:30 a.m., and activities conclude around 11:30 a.m.

Players will then head to Stephen Decatur Park in Berlin for the afternoon portion of the tournament. Sign-in starts around noon, and the second round will begin at 1 p.m. The tournament is likely to wrap up between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m.

Noah McAleer of Eastbound Disc Golf came before the Berlin Town Council at the group’s regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, Jan. 27, seeking a special event permit for a segment of the disc golf tournament to be held at Stephen Decatur Park.

While Councilmember Steve Green and Vice President Dean Burrell were absent, the municipality’s governing body unanimously agreed to authorize the event in the requested space.

The tournament will have a $70 entry fee per team. McAleer maintained that Eastbound is a nonprofit organization and that the event is not generating revenue for the group. Taylor Hubbard, also of Eastbound Disc Golf, emphasized that they are not profiting from the game series.

“It’s a net negative total tournament, so there is no actual money going to the organization,” Hubbard said.

Berlin Councilmember Jack Orris asked if signage could be adopted a week or two before the event to let residents who use Stephen Decatur Park to walk their dogs or take a stroll know that the space will be occupied on the afternoon of March 1. McAleer and the town agreed that this could be accomplished.

Berlin Public Works Director Jimmy Charles added that the electric sign ordered by the town a few weeks ago from Sunrise Safety Services, INC., a traffic control company based in Glen Burnie, would arrive in early February.

The banner will offer event, parking, trash, and law enforcement updates to municipality residents. Charles said the disc golf tournament could be the sign’s first task.

Those interested in participating in the disc golf tournament must enter as a pair and register and pay online ahead of time. Signups will close at 9 p.m. on Feb. 28.

The event will be held March 1, rain or shine, as Eastbound did not schedule a alternate date.

“I think it would probably have to be a lot of rain for us not to play,” McAleer said.