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Presenting Partner

GOLDEN TICKET | 2026 Nationals Qualifier

USA Pickleball Golden Ticket – San Diego presented by TRZ Recovery

2026 San Diego Golden Ticket Recap Video

USA Pickleball Membership Required

To participate in a Golden Ticket tournament, you must be a Challenger or Champion member. If you are not currently a member, click the button to begin the sign-up process.

Start Date: 04/22/2026
End Date: 04/26/2026
Registration Ends: April 12, 2026
Registered Players and Info
Tournament Fee: $95
Bracket/Event Fee: 45
tournaments@usapickleball.org
Barnes Tennis Center
4490 W Point Loma Blvd, San Diego, CA 92107
Venue: Outdoor
Surface: Hardcourt
Franklin X-40 Performance (Yellow)
Tournament Rules
Approved Paddles

Registration Policies

  • Maximum team counts may be adjusted during registration as needed.
  • Players may play in 1 event per day
  • Players can change skill level or age group until registration closes. No changes after that time.
  • Please have a Pickleball Den profile connected to your own DUPR account.
  • If players are signed up for a bracket BELOW their DUPR at the time of registration, they will be moved to the correct skill bracket.

Singles Registration

  • For players in a singles bracket, it means the you have REGISTERED and PAID the fees.
  • It is the players responsibility to know if they have signed up for singles, please check your registration receipt after check out.

Doubles Registration

  • Your spot in a bracket is NOT considered complete until both players are registered, paid, and paired for the event.
  • Players are responsible for finding all partners.
  • Agreement to play is between partners.
  • If you are Needing a Partner, it is your responsibility to find a partner. This is NOT done by the Tournament.
  • Before selecting a player as your partner, you MUST have communicated with that player and agreed to play together.

Bracket Information

  • For this tournament, we will have Men’s/Women’s Doubles, Mixed Doubles, and Men’s/Women’s Singles.
  • All events will be a round robin leading into playoff brackets.
  • USA Pickleball offers five skill levels (3.0–5.0) in age groups from 19–80+.
  • Scoring: Side-out scoring
  • Round Robin Matches: 1 game to 15 points, win by 2
  • Playoff Matches: 1 game to 15 points, win by 2
  • Bronze & Gold Medal Matches: Best 2 of 3 games to 11 points, win by 2
  • Medals: Awarded to original registered divisions, even in combined brackets

Bracket Format

  • 3 Teams = Tournament Director discretion, usually combined with another group
  • 4 Teams = Round Robin (all 4 advance to playoffs)
  • 5–7 Teams = Round Robin (top 4 advance to playoffs)
  • 8–9 Teams = Pool Play (all teams advance)
  • 10+ Teams = Pool Play (top 2 from each pool advance)

Schedule

The tournament schedule will be posted approximately one (1) week before the event begins.

Days of Play are as follows:

  • 4/22, Wednesday – Mixed Doubles age groups 55+ and older
  • 4/23 Thursday – Men’s / Women’s Doubles age groups 55+ and older
  • 4/24 Friday – Men’s Singles – all ages / Women’s Doubles age groups 7 – 50+
  • 4/25 Saturday – Men’s Doubles age groups 7 – 50+ / Women’s Singles – all ages
  • 4/26 Sunday – Mixed Doubles age groups 7 – 50+

Partner Replacement Policy

Any registered player that loses a partner after registration has closed and still wishes to play must email tournaments@usapickleball.org and communicate the new partner’s name, the bracket name (skill/age) no later than 4pm the day before their bracket is scheduled to play.

The replacement player must be all of the following:

  • Have a USA Pickleball membership and be registered for the tournament.
  • Meet all skill and age requirements
  • MUST pay all tournament fees required to enter. Fees are NOT transferable
  • Be able to play the scheduled day of the event

It is the player’s responsibility to find the replacement player. You may find players needing a partner on the tournament’s “Players Needing Partners” list under the “Reports” drop down menu on the main page of the tournament.

You will receive a confirmation email from USA Pickleball or it’s Registration Manager confirming the change has been made. If you do not receive the confirmation email, the change has NOT been made.

Withdrawal, Refund and Weather Policy

  • Cancellation Date: April 12, 2026
  • If the cancellation deadline hasn’t passed, the player withdrawing from the event would be refunded, less $20 withdrawal fee and the software fees.
  • If the registration deadline has passed, then the player withdrawing would not be refunded the player entry fee.
  • Please note that no refunds or credits will be issued for any reason after the cancellation deadline.