The 2026 Gator Cup is underway this week at Back Woods Quail Club in Georgetown, South Carolina, and if you’ve never been, the tournament’s reputation alone should tell you what you’re missing.
Widely regarded as one of the biggest and best sporting clays shoots in the country, the Gator Cup runs March 24 through 29 on the sprawling grounds of Rick Hemingway’s Lowcountry facility—a venue that has hosted the NSCA U.S. Open championship and multiple Winchester Championship Tour stops. Regular readers may remember our 2021 profile of Hemingway and how he transformed his father’s Georgetown County farm into one of the premier clay target destinations in the southeastern United States.
This year’s Gator Cup is anchored by Winchester and White Flyer as title sponsors, with Beretta and Gray Rose as Main Event sponsors. The partnership brings serious hardware to the competition—Main Event entrants will automatically be entered for a chance to win a Beretta DT11 shotgun valued at approximately $18,000, donated by Beretta and Gray Rose. Altogether, 30 firearms will be up for grabs for shooters competing in the 2026 Gator Cup’s Main Event.
The centerpiece of the week is the 200-bird Main Event on Saturday and Sunday, March 28-29, spread across two courses and 16 stations. The guaranteed payout structure is one of the Gator Cup's calling cards: $5,000 for High Overall, $3,500 for runner-up and class payouts ranging from $450 to $1,450 across five places. The tournament guarantees its Main Event purse for every class, every year.
But the Main Event is only part of the story. The week opens Tuesday with the 100-bird FITASC event across four parcours, followed by the Five-Stand event beginning Wednesday and Sub-Gauge Sporting kicking off the same day. Thursday brings two 100-bird preliminary events and the start of Super Sporting, while Friday adds another preliminary before the Main Event takes center stage for the weekend. A Sub-Gauge Super Sporting event for 20- and 28-gauge competitors rounds out the Saturday-Sunday slate. Each side event carries its own guaranteed payout structure with $750 for High Overall and class payouts from $300 to $500.
Beretta’s presence extends beyond the sponsorship. The company’s trailer on Vendor Row will feature hands-on demonstrations of several competition models including the new 694 Black DLC, DT11 Super Sport, SL2, AX800 Suprema and the A400L.
Vendor Row itself is a draw—a sprawling marketplace where shooters can browse and buy gear from multiple manufacturers throughout the week. And for those staying through Saturday evening, the Gator Cup’s prime rib dinner is included for Main Event entrants, with additional guest tickets available through registration.
For registration and full event details, visit the Score Chaser website. Learn more about Back Woods Quail Club at backwoodsquailclub.com.
