Local disc golf tournament welcomes 350 national and international competitors

Press release from the Gainesville Chain Hawks Disc Golf Club

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Gainesville Chain Hawks Disc Golf Club will host the 14th Annual Chain Hawk Open from Friday through Sunday, Dec. 5-7, at three public parks in the Gainesville and Alachua area. This year’s tournament is poised to be the largest in the event’s 14-year history. More than 350 registered competitors will compete across three public disc golf courses in Gainesville and Alachua, traveling from 26 states and five countries, including Sweden, Norway, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand.

“The Chain Hawks partnered with the City of Alachua to build a beautiful new course at Legacy Park,” says Chris Clark, the event’s Tournament Director. The event will mark the new Legacy Park disc golf course’s tournament debut. The event is supported by dozens of volunteers and approximately $20,000 in community sponsorships and donations. As in previous years, the event will also raise funds to support the Paul McBeth Foundation, which helps bring sports opportunities to underserved communities.

The event welcomes some of the best professional disc golfers in the country and the world, including the defending men’s professional champion Hjalmar Fredricksson, who is returning to Gainesville this year from Sweden to defend his title. In the women’s professional field, the youngest competitor — 14-year-old M.J. Gager of Virginia — is coming to play in Gainesville after very recently turning professional. Gager has earned first place in three major doubles championships this year, including the 2025 Amateur Mixed Doubles World Championships.

“In previous years, the event was limited to two courses — Northside Park and Jonesville Park — and 264 players,” says Clark. “But this year, we’ve been able to include Legacy as a third course, increasing the field to over 350 players.”

The tournament will run from approximately 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Northside Park (5701 NW 34th Blvd., Gainesville), Legacy Park (15400 Peggy Rd, Alachua), and Jonesville Park (14080 NW 32nd Ave, Gainesville).

Spectators are encouraged to attend for free at any of the three parks, with parking available at no cost. For more details and the event schedule, visit https://www.discgolfscene.com/tournament/14th_Annual_Chain_Hawk_Open_Presented_by_Dynamic_Discs_2025.