Schedule
Wednesday Jan 3, 2024
The California Firefighter Open
Active military, veterans and all manner of first responders are invited, as well as all others!
We're kicking our Pro-Am Week off with our heroes from the firefighter community, many of whom we personally know are diehard picklers. Don't miss the fierce energy and smiles they all bring to the court!
Format: 2 compass rounds; rally scoring to 15, win by 1.
Max 48 Slots: 6 games per player. Mens & Women's Divisions.
You don't have to be a firefighter to join the fun; it's open to all players!
Levels: 2.5 to 5.0+ players welcome. Any level player can win!
See event tips and guidelines for more details.
Wed Jan 2, 2024 update:Due to the overnight rain, we are moving our morning events to our Monterey Fairgrounds location, just down the street from the Hyatt. For more details, see our Latest Updates page about our new courts.
The indoor venue will feature pro-tournment level courts and nets, supplied by our indoor court sponsor, Pickleball Management,
We have capped the field to 8 women and 8 men due to the smaller 4-court venue.
BONUS for TOP 6 FINISHERS
The top 3 men and top 3 women point-scorers will earn an individual slot in one of the 3 x 20-minute doubles games at 3:00pm later on Wednesday, where they get to Play With 2 Pros. (2 amateurs per court with 2 pros.)
Wednesday Jan 3 Schedule | The California Firefighter Open
9:00a
Check-In + Hit the Courts
New Exhibition Location (as of 12am, 1/3/24)
New Exhibition Location (as of 12am, 1/3/24)
For the Wednesday Day Pass players below, *our INDOOR courts* are open for warmup and open-play until 10an, when the pros begin practice -- any open courts besides court #1, where Jessie Irvine is teaching (9:30a-11:30a)
Eligible pass holders who may get on the courts: Firefighter open ladder players, open play players, novice clinic players, and any Jessie Irvine clinic participants who have morning slots.
9:30a - 11:00a
Pro Clinic: Jessie Irvine | 3.0 to 5.0+ players only (L.Bow group)
Take your game to the next level with Jessie Irvine, the world's #5 female.
$165 pp; max 4 students; 90 mins.
New Exhibition Location (as of 12am, 1/3/24): Monterey Fair grounds | Salinas Room - Court #1
Morning Jessie Irvine Pro Clinic Participants will receive a spectator ticket, but note that the pros train 10a-12p, which overlaps with your clinic. Note the lunch is not included; lunch can be purchased at MBRC onsite or the Del Monte Grill, a 6 min walk away at the Del Monte Golf Course.
You may also buy a $45 add-on Open Pay pass if you want lunch, plus OpenPlay and TestDrive passes.
10:00a - 12:00p
Watch the Pros Train + Pro Exhibition Game (Courts #1-3) - INDOOR COURTS
The Pro Doubles Exhibition Game will start around 11:30 AM on Indoor Courts at Monterey Fairgrounds (Salinas Buildingafter the pros end their drilling and practice sessions.
New Practice location (as of 12am, 1/3/24) Monterey FairGrounds | Salinas & King City Courts
New Exhibition Location (as of 12am, 1/3/24) Monterey Fair grounds | Salinas Room - Court 2
12:00p - 1:30p
Lunch Break + Meet & Greet with the Pros
Updated Location (as of 12am, 1/3/24) - Monterey Bay Racquet Club @ Hyatt Monterey**
*Subject to change with weather | Questions? Text 415.990.1606
Updated Location (as of 12am, 1/3/24) - Monterey Bay Racquet Club @ Hyatt Monterey**
*Subject to change with weather | Questions? Text 415.990.1606
Pick up your box lunch anytime between 12pm - 1 pm at the Lunch station
Meet & Greet with the Pros est. 12:15 - 12:30p | are held during lunch. Bring good questions and something to get autographed to the Pros' Tent.
Giveaway Time
Got spare time? Hit the Courts!
12:30p - 2:30p
FIREFIGHTER OPEN | Compass Ladder Tournament
Location: Monterey Bay Racquet Club @ Hyatt Monterey**
*Subject to change with weather
Location: Monterey Bay Racquet Club @ Hyatt Monterey**
*Subject to change with weather
Join the ladder and battle it out. Top 3 men & 3 women go to the 3 pm Match Play With 2 Pros.
Max 16 participants | Courts TBA | Check at the Pro Shop
- Updated Location (as of 12am, 1/3/24) - Monterey Bay Racquet Club @ Hyatt Monterey**
*Subject to change with weather. Questions? Text 415.990.1606 COMPASS LADDER GUIDELINES:
ANY LEVEL PLAYER CAN WIN!
Players will be categorized onto courts based on their skill levels. However, being on the top court doesn't guarantee winning the compass ladder. Each court will host three games; players switch partners for every game. These games will be played to 15 points, rally scoring, with a win by a margin of 1, within a maximum timeframe of 15 minutes.
After the three games on each court, points for each player will be tallied. The two players with the highest points will move up, while the two with the lowest will move down—a single round completed. We'll repeat this process for two rounds in total.
Ultimately, after two rounds, the total points accumulated by each player will determine the winner. The maximum possible points a player can achieve throughout the tournament will be capped at 90 (15 points x 3 games x 2 rounds). This structure aims to offer a fair and competitive environment while rewarding consistent performance across all rounds.
1:30p - 2:30p
Novice Clinics | For First-Timers to 2.9 Level Players
Location: Monterey Bay Racquet Club @ Hyatt Monterey**
*Subject to change with weather
Location: Monterey Bay Racquet Club @ Hyatt Monterey**
*Subject to change with weather
Taught by top teaching pro Karen Haselden of Scotts Valley max 1:4 coach-to-student ratio).
These clinics are included for those registered for the Novice Clinic Player Bundle.
2:30p - 4:00p
Pro Clinics | 3.0 to 5.0+ players only
Location: Monterey Bay Racquet Club @ Hyatt Monterey**
*Subject to change with weather
Location: Monterey Bay Racquet Club @ Hyatt Monterey**
*Subject to change with weather
Get focused attention with a max 1:4 pro-to-student ratio, unless otherwise stated.
Male Pros: Preston Bies | (P.Gio Group)
Female Pros: Irina Tereschenko (SSto Group) and Jordi Vigna (J.Iwa party)
See their profiles and time slots.
3:00p - 4:00p
Match Play With 2 Pros
Match Play With 2 Pros for Top Ladder Finalists.
The top 3 men & 3 women of the day will play one 20 min game each – 2 finalists at a time with 2 pros.Match Play With 2 Pros (Purchased)
1 Group Slot available per 30-minute session of doubles Match Play With 2 Pros, who will provide light coaching & strategy tips. Each group may be comprised of max 4-persons.Want your favorite pro on the court with you? Secure that pro with a Buy A Pro winning bid.
4:00p - 6:00p
Happy Hour Social at the Hyatt's Sea Root
End this fun day and head over to the Hyatt's Sea Root bar, just beyond the lobby.
Kick back with friends and enjoy light bites, beverages, and mingling. No host bar.
TICKETS
DAY PASSES
The PLAYER PASS is a bundle of extras that include:
Spectator seating to Watch the Pros Train plus Exhibition Game
Box Lunch + Meet & Greet with the Pros (during lunch)
All-Day Court Pass to play 9 am - 5 pm on any available court
Extra All-Day Court Pass – for a return visit between January 8, 2024 and April 1, 2024
Test Drive Pass: try paddles & the ERNE Pickleball Machine
Spectators welcome, but must be ticketed. Lunch not included.
Kids 12 & under are free as spectators, but must be ticketed. Lunch not included.
Minimum age for Novice Clinics is 6 years old.
PLAYER PASSES for WEDNESDAY JAN 3
DAY PASS FOR WED JAN 3
$85 Open-Play Player Pass
Best if you mainly want to play & spectate. Includes open play, "player bundle" extras & lunch.
DAY PASS FOR WED JAN 3
$85 Novice-Clinic Player Pass
For new & novice players, this includes a Novice Clinic at 12:30p or 1:30p, plus open play, "player bundle" extras & lunch.
DAY PASS FOR WED JAN 3
$25 Spectator-Only Pass
Watch the pros & other on-court action. DOES NOT include open play, "player bundle" extras, nor lunch. (Accompanying kids 12 & under are free but must have a pass.)
OTHER PRO EXPERIENCES for WEDNESDAY JAN 3
WED JAN 3 PRO CLINICS
$60 - $170 pp | Pro Clinic
Cost varies per pro instructor. Does not include player-pass extras. Purchase an add-on or player pass if you want to do more than a Pro Clinic.
WED JAN 3 PRO CLINICS ADD-ON
$45 Open-Play Add-On
for Pro-Clinic takers only
Allows you to join open play & spectate. Includes "player bundle" extras & lunch.
WED JAN 3 SESSIONS
$350 PLAY WITH 2 PROS
group slot | 30 mins
A group of 2-4 amateurs will enjoy 30 min of games in Play With 2 Pros. Play against them or pair-up with each of them!
WED PLAY WITH 2 PROS SESSIONS
BUY-A-PRO BIDDING
for Play With 2 Pros group slots
The only way to secure your favorite pro to play with you is to win the bid for that pro. Minimum bid varies per pro.
Stay at the Hyatt!
Book to get special 15% off rates for Pro-Am week participants.
For booking help, contact Hyatt's Director of Sales & Marketing:
Heidi Bettencourt-Keith | +1.831.657.6570
Book to get special 15% off rates for Pro-Am week participants.
For booking help, contact Hyatt's Director of Sales & Marketing:
Heidi Bettencourt-Keith | +1.831.657.6570