registration for bowling green is up and running, just giving the heads up ;D
http://www.titledisc.com
I'd like to go with Kelsey, but if they cannot settle on a plan in advance, I can't plan in advance either.
Registered. ;D
Who else is going?
Not registered but I definitely will be in good time.
I'll Register in a few weeks, once I see how my rating goes. Definitely won't want to miss this tournament.
I registered for Adv again even though I should probably be playing INT. I just dont want to drive that far and not play Kereakes, Hobson, and Lovers. I love those courses. I can have a respectable finish in ADV as long as I dont show up to the course drunk like last year.
I too have registered. Prob going to be there around thursday to play the courses and doubles that friday.
just registered for this. I had to make sure I got the players pack this year as last year I was only 3 spots too late. Should be fun to play advanced this year, I can't wait to play Keriakese or however you spell it.
Quote from: UMphreak on February 07, 2007, 09:22:52 AM
just registered for this. I had to make sure I got the players pack this year as last year I was only 3 spots too late. Should be fun to play advanced this year, I can't wait to play Keriakese or however you spell it.
So when you're too late to get the player pack do they give you something else or just give you the shaft?
Quote from: bruce_brakel on February 07, 2007, 11:03:35 AM
Quote from: UMphreak on February 07, 2007, 09:22:52 AM
just registered for this. I had to make sure I got the players pack this year as last year I was only 3 spots too late. Should be fun to play advanced this year, I can't wait to play Keriakese or however you spell it.
So when you're too late to get the player pack do they give you something else or just give you the shaft?
First 500 to register get a really big players pack with a couple discs (including a full color discraft disc), a shirt and some other stuff I cant remember. Everyone else got a pretty standard pack, one star disc and a mini or something.
I think the Illinois Open Series could be a lot bigger of a deal if Jon and I could just get it through our thick skulls that amateurs WANT to be pissed on.
Quote from: bruce_brakel on February 07, 2007, 01:46:09 PM
I think the Illinois Open Series could be a lot bigger of a deal if Jon and I could just get it through our thick skulls that amateurs WANT to be pissed on.
care to elaborate? I'm thinking about venturing out there just to see what it is like.
I've thought about going also, but from what I've read, the Advanced players play the better courses down there.
I think Bruce is talking about going to Bowling Green and just getting the 1 star disc & a mini players pack.
Quote from: bruce_brakel on February 07, 2007, 01:46:09 PM
I think the Illinois Open Series could be a lot bigger of a deal if Jon and I could just get it through our thick skulls that amateurs WANT to be pissed on.
people don't go because they think the payout or player pack is anything great. the payout totally sucks and everybody knew it last year. obvoiusly people are going because they know its going to be the biggest event of the year. so if u and jon have some magical trick to make everybody think that an IOS event will have 500 players, then the IOS will be alot bigger of a deal.
Quote from: Dan Michler on February 07, 2007, 02:24:51 PM
Quote from: bruce_brakel on February 07, 2007, 01:46:09 PM
I think the Illinois Open Series could be a lot bigger of a deal if Jon and I could just get it through our thick skulls that amateurs WANT to be pissed on.
people don't go because they think the payout or player pack is anything great. the payout totally sucks and everybody knew it last year. obvoiusly people are going because they know its going to be the biggest event of the year. so if u and jon have some magical trick to make everybody think that an IOS event will have 500 players, then the IOS will be alot bigger of a deal.
Rockford could feasibly have 400 across 2 days if both courses were filled and at least 2 temp holes were added on each course :)
well scott, its all about perception, and i can tell you that most people and my personal perception is that you are on crack if you think Rockford is getting 400 players. Last year was huge and had 142 on saturday and 82 on Sunday. If you know how to go from 82 to 200 on Sunday then please don't keep it a secret.
I said feasibly... didn't say it would. But why am I considering Bowling Green yet know nothing about it? Supposedly good courses (although I guess I wouldn't be playing them since I'm sucky and would be in Int), and a promise of a $100+ valued player pack to the first 500. Is the player pack really worth $100? I dunno. Am I going? not sure yet. Would it be fun? Hopefully.
So to have rockford get to 400:
1) FREE STUFF
2) FREE STUFF
3) FREE STUFF
How to get free stuff?
SPONSORS
How to get sponsors?
That's the tricky part!
Bowling Green Ams doesn't have any sponsors. Bowling Green Ams IS the sponsor.
Here is why you and 600 other players are considering going Scott....
1. You know that a ton of players play the event and there is a ton of buzz about it every year.
2. Its in a warm place early in the spring and its a way to jump start the disc golf season.
The player pack and courses aren't bringing in players from far away. The courses even for advanced aren't going to blow you away Scott. They are no big deal. Go to Des Moines this year if you want to see unbelievable courses. And who travels 6 hours for a sweet player pack? Its just a small perk. If you really want the player pack I will sell it to you cheap and you can save the 6 hour drive, tourney fee, gas costs, and hotel costs.
I play Bowling Green because its a good atmosphere, its well-run for something that size, Its a good mix of course styles, and its the first big major event within driving distance where you can play against people from all over the country. Last year I had people from probably 10-15 states, all over the country, on my cards. You dont get that playing tournaments in northern Illinois.
And there most definitely were sponsors for BG Ams. There were Budweiser Select logos on just about everything. The booklets with course maps and round schedules were packed with logos from sponsors also. Lots of local stores and restaurants, and online DG sites.
Yeah I knew about Budweiser Select because I had 2 Bowling Green discs with that stamp on it. Not that I'm looking for discs with a beer logo on it, but I do know that they have sponsorship.
And Dan... if it's not that great, then why aren't we getting the draw? I know why Rockford Sunday last year was only 82 players, it was FREAKING HOT! I was there, I know you were there too. I'm not saying there would have been 200 players if it was cooler, but it would have definitely been over 100. Rockford has good courses, maybe not the absolute best possible course ever, but good enough to hype it. What does it take to get the buzz going? I guess it takes some interacting with neighboring states on their boards (and not just bump-posting either), talk to some people that you know out of state that play and try to get them and their buddies to come out.
The biggest differences? It's A-Tier giving it the little highlighted bar on the PDGA tour, it advertises expecting 500 people, and just look, we're talking about it here on an Illinois board. In July you start feeling the heat, so it's tougher on the crowd for Rockford. It's a totally valid point that it's warmer in KY and people are itching to play at that time of year.
Just out of curiosity - what does it take to get something to A-Tier? It's just the size of the pro purse or something, right?
The IOS has a GREAT pull of people, just not quite a PHENOMENAL pull yet (and that's just because you've maxed the size of the course!). Until Illinois can get our rears in gear and put in some high-caliber, championship courses relatively close together, you can't have a mega-event like this.
Can I solve all of this? of course not. Can Discontinuum? Not all of it. I'd love to see all 6-IOS tournaments max out this year. There's enough players just in the WI, IL, IN, and IA areas alone to do this, so it's not even really expanding out to multiple states yet. The IOS is growing every year, and it would be great to eventually see them all become B-Tier instead of C with a mix of B. Once you get there you can start moving up even further towards A-Tier and making the IOS a premier event.
hehe, you can sell me your player pack anyway. If you're going, are you going for the same 2 reasons you mentioned? Seems worthwhile, we should be able to offer at least #1 to people for Rockford. We can offer "insanely hot" for #2, but if that's not what will cause people to get out here, then you reward them with free stuff and other small perks to come on out. Get deals at hotels, help find those sponsors, get the word out in the newspaper and in magazines. Publicity creates buzz!
let's do this :)
Scott
Quote from: Mike S on January 28, 2007, 08:52:33 PM
I can have a respectable finish in ADV as long as I dont show up to the course drunk like last year.
What fun would that be?
So naive, so naive. ::) Have fun. Not too many organizations run a big convention like that for only $50 per. It is a good deal.
Replying to Pitner:
Payouts are not that effective for drawing players. We have had the best amateur payouts for three straight years, period. You take our average across seven tournaments and compare it to any other club's average across their seven best and there is no competition. Everywhere you look you see TDs advertising 100% payouts because to them, that's something. We do 140 to 150%. At Hot Rags' IOS #2 last year we may have hit 200% with all those T-shirts.
To get an Am A you have to do a two-day tournament [not split day], have a track record for 72+ players, and do some shameful payouts, maybe 110%, something we could do and feel guilty for skimming that much money off the tournament! Obviously you can do more. We'd do 150% minimum. To get a pro A, again two-day tournament and $1000 added.
We've talked a lot about an Am A behind the scenes. The bottom line is that the IOS is run by players. Players want to play the thing! Most A-tiers are run by ex-players, quasi-players. That, and where can we find a three course venue? Not playing would be enticing if we were running three courses for an Am-only A-tier. Otherwise, what we are doing is already A-tier quality and we all get to play.
Quote from: bruce_brakel on February 08, 2007, 12:54:16 PM
Replying to Pitner:
Payouts are not that effective for drawing players. We have had the best amateur payouts for three straight years, period. You take our average across seven tournaments and compare it to any other club's average across their seven best and there is no competition. Everywhere you look you see TDs advertising 100% payouts because to them, that's something. We do 140 to 150%. At Hot Rags' IOS #2 last year we may have hit 200% with all those T-shirts.
To get an Am A you have to do a two-day tournament [not split day], have a track record for 72+ players, and do some shameful payouts, maybe 110%, something we could do and feel guilty for skimming that much money off the tournament! Obviously you can do more. We'd do 150% minimum. To get a pro A, again two-day tournament and $1000 added.
We've talked a lot about an Am A behind the scenes. The bottom line is that the IOS is run by players. Players want to play the thing! Most A-tiers are run by ex-players, quasi-players. That, and where can we find a three course venue? Not playing would be enticing if we were running three courses for an Am-only A-tier. Otherwise, what we are doing is already A-tier quality and we all get to play.
Exactly. Most people, especially Ams, play to play. They don't expect to cash, and if they do, it's just an added bonus. If you have a great player's pack, the only people that complain are a few who feel that the prizes should be won. It is someone like me who wants a reward for doing well, and the place to get that is to play pro.
Now don't get me wrong, BG is extremely fun to play in and the competition is excellent. But the payout is crap. Actually it is better than a couple of years ago when they gave out DX plastic and some Pro. It is worth the drive, it has the atmosphere of a Worlds, and will get you a ton of points.
For signing up late last year I got a dx tourney stamped beast and I think a mini and some quench gum. Tieing for 25th in my first intermediate tourney I got an avenger and an aviar.
The courses for Int. are pretty decent. My 2nd best round of the tourney was the 1st at Basil Griffin. I shot a -3 and that was a 942. The 2nd round was my highest rated round that weekend of 1 over par for a rating of 962. That was Franklin Park. I was actually in 3rd place out of 150 with a -2 after the first 2 rounds.
The next day first round killed it for me. There was a mid round rain delay after the and I started the round off 3 down and the delay just did it. I ended up there +5 with a rating of 844. There were 2 holes that I took a 6 and a 7 on because of ob. The next course, Preston Miller, I was expecting to go out and shoot lights out. I played it the Thurs. before and shot something like a -8. Needless to say I ended up 1 over par there and that round was rated 893.
Nasty Nate and I tied for first in the doubles round at Keriakese with a -9 or 10. We played off 9 holes and ended up still tied and just split the funny money. I think we shot maybe a -10 or 11 at lovers and were just a copule of strokes off the cash.
Either way its a great tourney and as many people as possible should play. There are tons of courses right there and last year we happened to have a camp ground that was located on a course. It was the KOA near Basil Griffin.
At an IOS you would have got 15 Brass for signing up and 37 or 38 brass for your finish. And a CTP on every hole, last round. So I guess what they say about Bowling Green payouts is true.
WOW! I just read on PDGA discussion that the TD had about 100 people to update pushing it to 500 already. They had 554 last year.
I'll be in that update :)
What's the max amount of players that that tournament can handle?
They use eight 18-hole courses, so they can handle 720 players with 2 rounds per day per course. If they were to tee off at the break of dawn and go with three rounds per day on each course, but only two rounds per player, which they have a plan for, they could go to 1080 players.
heh high-def A tier! ;)
Update of pre-registered players is up and there's currently 497.
531 & rising!
571 and rising!
So, I wonder what the record is for most participants in a PDGA event?
Probably something that was pro-am combined worlds....like the 2000 worlds in MI.
has anyone played doubles at BG? I am trying to get there early friday to play some courses and possible play some doubles. I am bringing my friend as a caddy to show him what a disc golf tournament is like. He is new to the sport and if he wanted to play doubles I was going to be his partner. My question is, are there different divisions in the doubles like a reg. tournament so that my friend and I can play intermediate (my rating level)? or do you have to be registered for the tournament and a PDGA member to play in them? sorry for the paragraph, thanks in advance.
Quote from: SIUFrolf on March 09, 2007, 08:12:00 AM
has anyone played doubles at BG? I am trying to get there early friday to play some courses and possible play some doubles. I am bringing my friend as a caddy to show him what a disc golf tournament is like. He is new to the sport and if he wanted to play doubles I was going to be his partner. My question is, are there different divisions in the doubles like a reg. tournament so that my friend and I can play intermediate (my rating level)? or do you have to be registered for the tournament and a PDGA member to play in them? sorry for the paragraph, thanks in advance.
They are definitely not PDGA sanctioned or anything like that. Its just a huge doubles league basically. I seriously doubt you have to be registered in the tournament, even.
i played last year. you just sign up that day and i think there may have been 2 divisions. anybody can play. i recall it being 10 bucks/person.
I'm really looking forward to going to this event.. Go Team Wisco! I see that a few pros dropped down to Am this year, welcome Cobus and Newhouse to the Am division once again.. See you guys in KY..
Have fun out there. I really phooked up. I should have saved the $25.00 and joined as an Am. I'm not playing an events until mid April so I could have kicked the year off down south in some nice weather. I'm jealous of all of you heading down.
628 & rising. They moved past Sammy Sosa and are now hunting down Willie Mays. Do they have a shot to beat Aaron's 755?
Quote from: CEValkyrie on March 12, 2007, 09:36:22 AM
628 & rising. They moved past Sammy Sosa and are now hunting down Willie Mays. Do they have a shot to beat Aaron's 755?
If it takes more than coffee to stay awake on the long drive down there we might be talking about Barry Bonds.
Just read this on the PDGA board->
I just updated the list with all we have currently. If you don't see your name give it a couple of days it may be still being processed. Please keep your eyes on board and are website. With the numbers that are growing we may have to closed registration before the 25th.
From the PDGA board:
Hobson Grove will be sponsored by Poorboydiscs.com they will be having the following events:
Thursday:
Doubles at 12 noon (11-12 noon registration) and at 5pm (4pm-5pm registration)
$20 per team bring your partner (one division, open to all)
100% payout in merchandise
Radar Gun all day
$2 per throw or 3 for $5
Friday:
Distance Competition 9am-5pm
Winner gets a new Innova discatcher pro basket awarded at players party $5 for 3 throws, unlimited chances
Radar Gun all day
$2 per throw or 3 for $5
no word yet on the maceman or sunking leagues, I'm assuming there will be something both thursday and friday, and probably at Lovers and/or Keriakes.
Thanks schlizaak- we are now less than 2 weeks away.
More news - they switched around the courses from the last years a little bit, and it looks like ADV will be playing:
Keriakes
White
Hobson
Franklin
I havent played Franklin but I hear it is good. Lover's was definitely the easiest of the 4 courses before.
I wish we got to play Lovers, then again I did have my best round of the tounament at Franklin last year. Its a bit of a longer course with open shots and a lot of holes with pin placements near water or a BIG hill
more doubles on Friday:
Kereiakes - Maceman course sponsor
Will have disc golf clinic @ 2:00 then doubles at 3:00
$20 per team
Franklin - Sunking course sponsor
will have doubles - will have online registration avaible soon - looking at 2 events one @ 12:00 and one @ 3:00. $15 per person with sweet players package
He may also do something at Lovers - still being decided
Bowling Green Amateur Championships
Current Registration
31-Mar to 01-Apr-2007
Tier: A
Total Players: 718
Larry Bledsoe said they have yet to update the snail mail and these are only online registrations. WOW! He did say there's still room.
I have come into some drama with getting down to bowling green and was wandering if anyone was leaving thursday and had room for 2 more?
Good luck to those representing at BG!
Quote from: DougEDawg on March 29, 2007, 01:24:52 PM
Good luck to those representing at BG!
Same from me. Wish I was going..... :cya:
LOOKS LIKE JOSE GOT 24th PLACE OUT OF 330+ PLAYERS NICE SHOOTN JOSE!!!!! :notworthy:
Nick and McManimal didn't do so bad either! Nice representing!
The unofficial ratings, by the way, are fubar. Whoever put up the scores did not break them down by pools.
I was wondering how the top intermediate player threw two 1000+ rated rounds.
Quote from: bruce_brakel on April 02, 2007, 08:03:38 AM
The unofficial ratings, by the way, are fubar.
I don't understand the ratings either. I played four VERY poor rounds and was suprised to see my rounds rated so close to my PDGA rating.
In Intermediate (chosen because of upper rating limit) the 5% or so players that finished around the 50th percentile have an average PDGA rating of about 866 while the average of their round ratings is around 902 -- a 36 point differential. The 5% or so players that finished around the 90th percentile have an average PDGA rating of about 896 while the average of their round ratings is around 938 -- a 42 point differential. This seemed very improbable.
This was my first A-tier event, and I wasn't sure what to expect. Was that level of organization, course preparation, etc. typical of high profile A-tier tournaments? I ask because I think they left a lot of room for improvement. It seemed odd for the E pool official to call the name of the top person on the card and have that person fill in the rest of the names on their scorecard (2nd round to try to save time after the 12:00 noon starting time for the 1st round).
NICE SHOOT'N MCMANUS :hello2:
Quote from: can't putt on April 02, 2007, 08:35:55 AM
Quote from: bruce_brakel on April 02, 2007, 08:03:38 AM
The unofficial ratings, by the way, are fubar.
I don't understand the ratings either. I played four VERY poor rounds and was suprised to see my rounds rated so close to my PDGA rating.
In Intermediate (chosen because of upper rating limit) the 5% or so players that finished around the 50th percentile have an average PDGA rating of about 866 while the average of their round ratings is around 902 -- a 36 point differential. The 5% or so players that finished around the 90th percentile have an average PDGA rating of about 896 while the average of their round ratings is around 938 -- a 42 point differential. This seemed very improbable.
The ratings listed arent based on pools at all. Basically, they way it lists ratings right now assumes that everyone played the same course at the same time for each round, regardless of division or pool. The ratings will be completely different when they update.
I shot okay, definitely a big improvement over last year ;D
Just wish I could have held it together at the end of the rounds. My mental game is terrible. I blew up at the end of 3/4 rounds, added 10 bogey strokes to my score in the last 3 holes of my rounds combined.
Quote from: Mike S on April 02, 2007, 09:17:56 AMThe ratings will be completely different when they update.
Great, now in addition to playing poorly I have THAT to look forward to. ;D
Quote from: can't putt on April 02, 2007, 09:07:17 AM
This was my first A-tier event, and I wasn't sure what to expect. Was that level of organization, course preparation, etc. typical of high profile A-tier tournaments? I ask because I think they left a lot of room for improvement. It seemed odd for the E pool official to call the name of the top person on the card and have that person fill in the rest of the names on their scorecard (2nd round to try to save time after the 12:00 noon starting time for the 1st round).
They don't meet all of the A-tier standards in Bowling Green. They pay so much money to the PDGA in player fees, they don't have to meet standards.
This year was definitely run worse than last year, which I guess I would expect considering the number of people there. But the problems I saw werent related to the number of people.... How did they not know that there was an 8K going on at Basil Griffin on saturday? It was a HUGE event, run by the county park system! How did they not have White Park open in time for the rounds on Sunday? Why was the OB at White marked with white lines, but nothing at Franklin (where the OB is much more ambiguous)?
I suggest e-mailing the TD. Sounds like he's open to input.
Quote from: Mike S on April 02, 2007, 11:09:49 AM
This year was definitely run worse than last year, which I guess I would expect considering the number of people there. But the problems I saw werent related to the number of people.... How did they not know that there was an 8K going on at Basil Griffin on saturday? It was a HUGE event, run by the county park system! How did they not have White Park open in time for the rounds on Sunday? Why was the OB at White marked with white lines, but nothing at Franklin (where the OB is much more ambiguous)?
Basically, they are running a bigger tournament than they can manage. And that is a self-correcting problem. When the deficiencies impact the value of the tournament, fewer people will show up.
Even so, it seems like no amount of deficiencies will ever impact this tournament. I was not impressed with it when I played it in 2004, and nothing but attendance has improved. Attendance seems to be the tournament value that trumps all others.
After talking to Carla last night (she's still on the road home) she told me the Advanced Women's final 9 was cancelled because a lack of time before the awards. I don't remember about Saturday, but both of her Sunday rounds were 4 hours each.
Good showing by Illinois and DISContinuum.
The Wisconsin ladies all placed 4th or higher in their respective divisions :headbang:
The ratings for the players who played Advanced and for the other players who played the advanced courses will go up. The ratings for the Intermediates will go down.
I only have this year and last year to compare, but I think they did a better job managing last year's event. I was disappointed that the Advanced Masters did not get to play the same courses as the Advanced players. At Keriakes, if you make a mistake, at least on most of the holes you won't make par. On the courses the Advanced Masters played, for the most part, if you made a bad shot you could still make a three with a decent shot. The courses the Advanced Masters played this year are not the courses that I would hope to play for an A tier event.
There were definitely more problems this year with logistics due to the size of the field. I think that once the word gets out there may not be as many players next year, or I should say as many returning players.
I will say that the food that they had at the players party was great. They did a nice job with having the caterers serve the food.
I don't think that the tourney went well for a lack of effort or trying to shortchange anyone. I just think with a field as large as the one they had that they took on more than they could handle.
I def. agree with Tom. Although I have no previouse BG to compare this to. For me this tourney was all about playing against a bigger field and playing some new, great courses. Kereiakes is now one of my all-time favorites, it's just so beautiful and challenging. As an event I thought it was ok. There were just too many people. All of the rounds I played were either 4hrs. or close to it and our final 9 was cancelled. I was bummed as I blew up in my final round and could have used that final 9 to redeem myself. I had a good time because of the people I was with and all the familiar faces I saw, including many Discountinuum folk! :mellow: The payouts were not great, 2nd & 4th place advanced women both got 4 discs a piece?!?!
I can say that I'll never play this tourney again, but I would love to play the courses casually if I'm ever near the area again.
See everyone at IOS#1!
Rocky I found this pic of you on the PDGA forums.
(http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u170/discow/player%20party/preflymartplastic.jpg)
I have a question for all those who went to BG and were in the 1st 500. On your Diablo DT, other than the BG stamp do any of you have a little bit of stamp about an inch away from the crown on the top right of the disc? I was only wondering because it looks like it's not supposed to be there. If it's a "misprint" I want to keep it and not throw it 'cause who knows if it might be the only one of it's kind like that in x amount of years
Quote from: SIUFrolf on April 08, 2007, 05:44:40 PM
I have a question for all those who went to BG and were in the 1st 500. On your Diablo DT, other than the BG stamp do any of you have a little bit of stamp about an inch away from the crown on the top right of the disc? I was only wondering because it looks like it's not supposed to be there. If it's a "misprint" I want to keep it and not throw it 'cause who knows if it might be the only one of it's kind like that in x amount of years
Mine has it too.
ok, must have just been the stamp then. Still goin on my wall
I have the same mark on my disc as well. I wonder who took that picture of me, ha!
I know it's an old topic but the title is relevant. They have the pools up for Bowling Green for the IL players who are going on PDGA. Someone must have goofed because I am in Pool A and the closest player to me is a 924 rated player. Almost everyone else is 940-960. I guess we'll see if I can pick my game up from 916 to say 917 and hang with the big dogs before the shuffle.
::)
If you want to switch pools they are really nice about that. Kelsey, Kira and I are all in the Rec-Int mixed pool now but before we were in different pools. If you are on the Destroyer pre-order list for a lightweight Destroyer and you are going to Bowling Green, that will probably be your next opportunity to pick up your Destroyer.