PDGA

[Blaine]

Hey,
     So I plan on joining Discontinuum this weekend, just gotta get access to a paypal account.  Anyway, I also want to join PDGA, but I don't know anything about how the tournaments and points and pretty much anything works.  If someone could post something that could help me out here, that'd be great.  I also heard that there's no league this weekend because of some tournament in Wisconsin.  Is that open or is it a PDGA thing?


Thanks,
Blaine

[mirth]

There is no best shot this sunday because of the Real Deal Ice Bowl at Dretzka in Milwaukee - www.unclejoes.org
Its open to everyone, not sanctioned by the PDGA, but it is a bring your own doubles event.

Having a PayPal account isn't necessary for joining the club online. You should be able to use any major credit card without needing to sign in to PP.

Joining the PDGA is a great way to support Disc Golf. For your $40 annual AM membership you get a thick magazine every few months and you get to avoid having to pay non-member fees at sanctioned events. Once you start playing in sanctioned events you'll also establish a player rating which you can use to determine how you stack up against your friends and other people. Points are used largely for earning an invite to Worlds, I've never really cared about how many points I've earned in a season until this year. If you earn enough you can get an invite to 2007 Worlds in Milwaukee.

Hope this helps

[Blaine]

Hey Mirth, thanks a lot.  Helped me out.  I'll join as soon as i can get access to a credit card i'll join discontinuum, and hopefully pdga soon.  I was checking out PDGA a couple days back, and i saw like birdie and eagle and ace club and stuff.  What's all that about?  Also, are there a lot of PDGA events around here that having a membership would allow me to play a lot more?   

Thanks again,
Blaine

[mirth]

you don't need a PDGA membership to play sanctioned events, but if you're not a current member you'll have to pay $5 on top of the entry fee.

birdie and ace club memberships are extras and not necessary... basically, if you pay a little more you get a personalized disc or jacket or whatever.

[Blaine]

Oh alright.  Thanks man.  One last question.  I'm fifteen.  When I sign up for PDGA i just do the junior membership thing then?  Am I missing out on anything by not getting a full am membership.


Thanks,
Blaine

[mirth]

The only thing you're missing out on is the extra amount you'd have to pay. In fact, you even get to play in an age protected division! That's a bonus!

[Blaine]

Fantastic.  I'm pretty sure I could still play in a higher division if I wanted to or it was the only available, right?  In any case, I think it's only like $25, so I'll take it.  Plus the $6 for Discontinuum, I'm not doin' too bad.  Does Disconinuum ever have tounaments on days other than sundays?  Do you guys have bring your own doubles tournaments? 



Thanks
Blaine

[mirth]

PDGA Junior membership is indeed $25, but unless you have a family member that is already a club member it's $15 for Discontinuum.

In the coming Spring/Summer/Fall we'll have weekend tournaments where the pros play one day and the ams the other, but I believe the AM day is Sunday. Our fall unsanctioned tournament will be on a Saturday in October. Also, our club invitational tournament will be held sometime this summer most likely during the week.

Best Shot is Sunday morning @ 10AM year round.

Sorry, no BYOD tournies on the horizon for us.

[Bruce Brakel]

Sign up as a junior.  That's just a discount for people who have an income but no expenses!    You can still play any division you want to.  My daughter is fifteen and she plays Advanced Women, Rec Men and Pro Women.  

You soooo want to go to Milwaukee Am/Jr Worlds in 2007 so be sure to sign up in 2006 and you'll get yourself an invitation if you play some tournaments.  Don't worry about how many.  Juniors get into Worlds really easy.  And then some big kid from Sweden beats them up and takes their lunch money, but that's part of the Worlds experience.  

[Blaine]

Alright guys sounds good.  Hopefully I can find some rides to these PDGA tournaments then, that thing Tony the Tiger (sorry pal, didn't look) was talkin' about sounds cool.  I'll join up both this weekend and then hopefully I'll see you guys out on the course.  Hey, do I need to get myself one of those mini disc markers right away?  Is it cool if I mark it with a disc that I'm not using, or is that frowned upon?  Thanks for all your help fellas.



Blaine

[mirth]

marking with a disc you're not using is fine. minis are cheap, like 3 bucks cheap... flipping is even tolerated, as long as its not sanctioned play.

[Blaine]

well alright then.  excellent.  I'm almost positive i'll bug you guys with more questions before then, but hopefully I'll see you guys at Beavier a week from sunday.  I gotta finish up German homework and go to bed, but i'll talk to you guys later.


Thanks again,
Blaine

[discmonkey]

I will be playing in my first tournaments this year as well.  Based on how I am playing now, I don't see myself playing anything but rec this year.  I will be playing in every IOS event as well as a few events I have been told are a "must".  I'm not playing to get trophies or prizes (that would be nice, but let's be realistic  ), so I wasn't really looking at trying to get an invite to worlds.  However, everyone I've talked to says that should be everyone's goal this year as they are in Milwaukee next year.  Soooooo, what does a rec player do?  Does rec even get points?  Is there a rec division at worlds?  Should I plan on having improved enough by the time that worlds roll around to just play in higher divisions to get the points?  I'm new to all this point and ranking stuff and don't really get it.  By the way, could the PDGA make it any more confusing    In the end, I just love the game and I love competition.  I would love some advice on what my first year of tournaments strategy should be.

[discmonkey]

By the way, does planning your entire summer in January suck, or what?  Winter already goes slow enough, this just makes it torture looking forward to what is gonna be such a cool time this year!!!

[CEValkyrie]

Tim,

    What kind of scores are you shooting at Fairfield? This can help decide what division to play.

There are only Advanced & Junior offered at Am Worlds. Don't be scared off by that. By the summer of 2007 you will get much better if you continue to play as much as you do. Rec players do get points.


Go here-> http://www.pdga.com/documents/2005/2005invites.php
Check out Invited players and qualification standards for Amateurs. This will give you a good idea of what you need to do to get in. They is an waiting list as well. I have a feeling Milwaukee is going to draw a ton of players in 2007.

Yes, planning for the summer sucks this time of year. Nothing like a foot of snow on the ground.

[Dan Michler]

marking with a disc you're not using is fine. minis are cheap, like 3 bucks cheap... flipping is even tolerated, as long as its not sanctioned play.

I also was not really 100% about this "marking your lie" rule, so I went out to fairfield and observed some real life disc golfers in action.  It appears that you can take your throw from anywhere within 5 feet of where your disc lands, unless it lands in the woods.  If its in the woods then you are able to take it out to a nice clear location where you can get a good look at the basket.  Make sure not to put yourself in a spot that will have any obstacles in your way!!!   Also, feel free to run to the end of wherever you see limestone on the teepads.  All limestone technically qualifies as the "teepad".   

[Tom McManus]

 In the end, I just love the game and I love competition.  I would love some advice on what my first year of tournaments strategy should be.

Have fun. Practice. Make short term goals from tournament to tournament. Practice. Throw with players better than you are. Practice. Get the Marshall Street dvd  and watch the pros. Practice.

[Bruce Brakel]

I will be playing in my first tournaments this year as well.  Based on how I am playing now, I don't see myself playing anything but rec this year.  I will be playing in every IOS event as well as a few events I have been told are a "must".  I'm not playing to get trophies or prizes (that would be nice, but let's be realistic  ), so I wasn't really looking at trying to get an invite to worlds.  However, everyone I've talked to says that should be everyone's goal this year as they are in Milwaukee next year.  Soooooo, what does a rec player do?  Does rec even get points?  Is there a rec division at worlds?  Should I plan on having improved enough by the time that worlds roll around to just play in higher divisions to get the points?  I'm new to all this point and ranking stuff and don't really get it.  By the way, could the PDGA make it any more confusing    In the end, I just love the game and I love competition.  I would love some advice on what my first year of tournaments strategy should be.

To get an invite to Worlds you need to get points.  You get points by being a member of the PDGA and beating people.  So you need to join, first, and play in a division where you can beat people.  So I'd say, play a lot of tournaments in the rec division until your rating moves you out.

Worlds is a blast.  No matter how you do, after the first couple of rounds you'll be on a card with other players just as good as you, so there will be a lot of fun competition. 

The first Worlds I played I did not have a chance of winning.  So I set my sights on not embarrassing myself.  Half way into the week I raised my goal to making the semi-finals.  I missed the semi-finals by one throw, but it was still a lot of fun. 

[discmonkey]

Tim,

    What kind of scores are you shooting at Fairfield? This can help decide what division to play.

All of these are when not playing as Dan describes, but actually playing by the rules.

Personal best at Fairfield -3
Average +2 (hopefully, when my practice basket gets here and I can practice putting a lot, that will go way down)
After 4 rounds of tags with Al, Chris, Brian, and Neal, I went from 21 to 41 (second from last, I believe)

I'm pretty sure that puts me in rec for a while at least, but I'm not looking to get my a$$ handed to me every weekend anyway.

[Bruce Brakel]

If you average +2 at Fairfield and are going to shoot about as well on other courses where you are a little less familiar the course, you'll play right to the top of rec as soon as you get comfortable with the tournament thing.  +5 total for two rounds won Rec last October, but almost everyone shoots worse in a tournament than in casual competition with friends.