Joliet Schedule

[airspuds]

West Park   6/11  ams
West Park  6/12  ad/pro

Mokena  7/9  ams
Mokena  7/10   adv/pro


Channahon   9/24  ams
Channahon   9/25  adv/ pro

[Bruce Brakel]

Those are all unsanctioned for the lower divisions?

[Jon Brakel]

Those are all unsanctioned for the lower divisions?

Yes. Sanctioned only for Advanced and Pro divisions.

[Chainmeister]

Interesting.  I was considering playing Mokena.  What is the impact of the tournament being non-sanctioned?  Does this mean scores are not reported to PDGA?  If so, do they plan on obtaining sanctioning?  If not, why?  AMs not worth the trouble?

[Jon Brakel]

Interesting.  I was considering playing Mokena.  What is the impact of the tournament being non-sanctioned?  Does this mean scores are not reported to PDGA?  If so, do they plan on obtaining sanctioning?  If not, why?  AMs not worth the trouble?

I have asked Gary several times to consider sanctioning the lower divisions. He is afraid that it will reduce attendance because his lower division players won't want to pay the $5 day fee. He tells me every year that he will consider sanctioning for next year.

By not being sanctioned, you won't get rated rounds from it, you won't get points and it won't be reported to the PDGA. It also means that it doesn't cost the non-member $5 and it doesn't cost $2 per player PDGA fees.

[Chainmeister]

Funny how that works. I'm not playing.  Gary, are you out there?  You can ignore the e-mail I sent you asking about the tournament.  

[Bruce Brakel]

Gary is not out there.  Gary is not an internet guy.  

At some half sanctioned events the payouts on the unsanctioned side are hideously pitiful.  Someone last year told me about a half unsanctioned tournament where there were 30+ intermediates and the payout was to the top three.  And those three were players who would finish in the prizes playing advanced the next day.  

I stay away from unsanctioned tournaments because you never know what you'll get.  If you get screwed at a sanctioned tournament, you always have the option of flaming the TD on pdga.com!  

[mirth]

the only benefit of unsanctioned events is the possibility of cash payouts versus prizes... at least, to me thats the only benefit not already mentioned by others.

[Jon Brakel]

the only benefit of unsanctioned events is the possibility of cash payouts versus prizes... at least, to me thats the only benefit not already mentioned by others.

Gary pays his unsanctioned ams in plastic and cloth.

[Mike S]

How good are the players in each division?  I have only played in collegiate tournaments where everyone gets lumped into one big division, and I'm not sure where to play.  I generally finished about 10th or so in a field of 30-40 college players, and I would probably shoot about even or barely under at West Park.  I havent played there since this summer but my game has improved a lot and I used to shoot a couple over par.

I definitely want to play the West park and Mokena dates, and I am thinking about the West Park 1-disc tournament as well.

[damonshort]

How good are the players in each division?  I have only played in collegiate tournaments where everyone gets lumped into one big division, and I'm not sure where to play.  I generally finished about 10th or so in a field of 30-40 college players, and I would probably shoot about even or barely under at West Park.  I havent played there since this summer but my game has improved a lot and I used to shoot a couple over par.

I definitely want to play the West park and Mokena dates, and I am thinking about the West Park 1-disc tournament as well.

If you shoot 'even par' at West Park you're probably a strong Recreational player.

If you shoot around even from the long tees, you're probably Intermediate.

If you even know where the long tees are at West Park, you're probably Intermediate.    

[Mike S]

How good are the players in each division?  I have only played in collegiate tournaments where everyone gets lumped into one big division, and I'm not sure where to play.  I generally finished about 10th or so in a field of 30-40 college players, and I would probably shoot about even or barely under at West Park.  I havent played there since this summer but my game has improved a lot and I used to shoot a couple over par.

I definitely want to play the West park and Mokena dates, and I am thinking about the West Park 1-disc tournament as well.

If you shoot 'even par' at West Park you're probably a strong Recreational player.

If you shoot around even from the long tees, you're probably Intermediate.

If you even know where the long tees are at West Park, you're probably Intermediate.  

well I know where about 90% of the long tees are, but never bothered to look for a couple of the ones that were out of the way

So if I play rec, you think I would probably be playing to win?  From what you are saying it sounds to me like I wouldnt have much of a shot of winning Intermediate but wouldnt get embarassed, either.  I would rather finish middle of the pack and be fighting to get into the upper 1/3 for prizes than be the best player in a crappy division.    I really just dont want to be at either extreme, getting completely smoked or having people give me dirty looks because i'm playing below where I should be and killing everyone.

[mirth]

for your first sanctioned event if you're not 100% sure play rec, or you could choose to go trophy only in intermediate & save yourself half the entry fee. Of course, trophy only takes you out of the running for prize payouts but not CTPs.

[Mike S]

for your first sanctioned event if you're not 100% sure play rec, or you could choose to go trophy only in intermediate & save yourself half the entry fee. Of course, trophy only takes you out of the running for prize payouts but not CTPs.

I'm not really worried about the cost.  It costs the same to enter either division at the lumber cup and I'll be kicking myself if I end up placing high enough for cash and I didnt pay the full entry fee.  Kinda like hitting an ace the one day you didnt put in the 2 bucks.  I think I'll probably play intermediate and see what happens.  If I have a good putting day I'll bet I could make a run.  I nned to join the PDGA and get a rating so I actually know how good I am in comparison to these people.  All I can say now is what I normally shoot at certain courses....  I havent played any of the decent Joliet courses since last summer, and my game has improved drastically since then.  Any time I have played the good Peoria area courses the weather has been so terrible its hard to judge anything.  The winning score at the Illini Open was +2 at McNaughton, and there were some very good players there, who play the course every day.  I shot like +8 and that was good enough for 8th place.

[CEValkyrie]

Yes, join the PDGA. One problem is that Gary does not sanction his lower divisions.

Did you shoot +8 from the long tees at McNaughton? If so, that is some Adv quality shooting.  

[Bruce Brakel]

I doubt that Gary offers a trophy-only option.  Are you seeing that on a flyer?  

I'd say play rec or novice or Am III.  People always shoot worse at tournaments than they do just goofing around.  Goofing around you might pick up from five feet away.  At a tournament you might three putt!  

I played Am III at my first real tournament 14 years ago.  I crushed the field and moved up.  

Everybody gets to play rec at least once.  

[Jon Brakel]

for your first sanctioned event if you're not 100% sure play rec, or you could choose to go trophy only in intermediate & save yourself half the entry fee. Of course, trophy only takes you out of the running for prize payouts but not CTPs.

I'm not really worried about the cost.  It costs the same to enter either division at the lumber cup and I'll be kicking myself if I end up placing high enough for cash and I didnt pay the full entry fee.  Kinda like hitting an ace the one day you didnt put in the 2 bucks.  I think I'll probably play intermediate and see what happens.  If I have a good putting day I'll bet I could make a run.  I nned to join the PDGA and get a rating so I actually know how good I am in comparison to these people.  All I can say now is what I normally shoot at certain courses....  I havent played any of the decent Joliet courses since last summer, and my game has improved drastically since then.  Any time I have played the good Peoria area courses the weather has been so terrible its hard to judge anything.  The winning score at the Illini Open was +2 at McNaughton, and there were some very good players there, who play the course every day.  I shot like +8 and that was good enough for 8th place.

A few notes:

1) Gary hasn't ever offered trophy-only and it's not on his current flyer.

2) If you want a rating and you are joining the PDGA you will have to play a sanctioned tournament. Gary doesn't sanction the Rec and Int days of his tournaments. Check out the IOS schedule for tournaments in Illinois that are sanctioned for lower divisions. Besides the IOS the only other lower division sanctioned tournament in this area is the Oly which was last week.

3) Play Rec for your first tournament.

4) What is par?

[Mike S]

Yes, join the PDGA. One problem is that Gary does not sanction his lower divisions.

Did you shoot +8 from the long tees at McNaughton? If so, that is some Adv quality shooting.

Regular tees, with 30+ mph winds.  I was driving really well depite the wind, but my putting was absolutely awful.  Every tournament I have played in has called 54 par.

[mirth]

d'oh, in all my references to trophy only I figured we were talking IOS events & not gary's....

[Bruce Brakel]

What is par?

Now Lowe and all those philosophers on pdga.com will be posting here.  

Just the first of several reminders:  At IOS #2 we are playing a 19 hole course.  Regardless of what par is, 3X19=57.  If you count your bogies, subtract your birdies, and add that number to 54, that's a 2-stroke penalty.