Am IV for 2007

[Bruce Brakel]

Hopefully, Mirth will set up the store so that you can pre-reg as an Am IV the same way you pre-reg as an Am III.  There should be an Am IV TO and an Am IV full.  The sidebet is for PDGA purposes, how we handle it on the TD report since the PDGA is still shunning men rated below 835.     On the TD report, Am IVs are trophy-only rec players who got in on a ratings based side game.  Is the store set up yet?  I'll post and go have a look. 

[Bruce Brakel]

So you got that Mirth?  Set up Am IV to look like any other division.  Same entry fee prices and options as Am III and Am II. 

Answering Scott's question, the sidebet is $10.  If you pre-register, you pay it by paying the full entry fee.  If you were to pre-register as a trophy-only we could still let you upgrade by paying the $10 later. 

[Chainmeister]

Did you guys ever figure out how you want to group AM IV?   Mixed in with Rec(AM III) or AM IV ghetto?  What about second round?  Does the AM III player who tanks his first round play with a bunch of AM IV's and does the AM IV who shoots a good round play the second round with the AM III's?  Frankly, I don't know whether this would effect my decision one way or the other, just wondering. I must admit that the rare times last year when I played advanced masters (solely due to scheduling reasons) and was the worst player on the course, I enjoyed the company and learned a lot from my competitors.  Hmmm.

[pickax]

Bruce will correct me, but I believe AM4 is grouped with AM3 for first round, and then in the second round the AM4's will magically be grouped together. AM4 will be limited to PDGA members only < 835.

[Bruce Brakel]

That's correct.  Mixed with Am IIIs in the morning. 

[stpitner]

So you got that Mirth?  Set up Am IV to look like any other division.  Same entry fee prices and options as Am III and Am II. 

Answering Scott's question, the sidebet is $10.  If you pre-register, you pay it by paying the full entry fee.  If you were to pre-register as a trophy-only we could still let you upgrade by paying the $10 later. 

I'm not seeing the Am IV registration option for IOS #1, should I proceed as Rec and just add a comment that I want to be in AM IV?

[mirth]

from the site:

If you are preregistering for AM IV then select recreational and in addition to your PDGA number please include AM IV in the comments box.

[Jon Brakel]

from the site:

If you are preregistering for AM IV then select recreational and in addition to your PDGA number please include AM IV in the comments box.

Don't feel too bad for missing that Scott. There's a lot of text on that page.

[mirth]

would we like to see that bolded or something else?

[pickax]

Is there any reason it's not just treated like AM3 or AM2 as Bruce suggested ealier?

[stpitner]

from the site:

If you are preregistering for AM IV then select recreational and in addition to your PDGA number please include AM IV in the comments box.

Don't feel too bad for missing that Scott. There's a lot of text on that page.

*cough* would have helped if I had read it *cough*  I skimmed it.

Maybe make it say AM IV: in bold like that to the left of the area where it gives those instructions?

[mirth]

Good suggestion. I bolded the part that says "If you are preregistering for AM IV"
Hopefully that will catch people's attention.

[Bruce Brakel]

Looks like the first four Am 3s preregistered are all Am 4s!    

[pickax]

I'm finding it interesting that 7 of 9 at this point are Am 4s. It's going to be a fun competition.

[Bruce Brakel]

They have Am IV ratings anyway! 

I have long suspected, given the bell curve distributions of most things in nature, that there have to be as many men at the Am IV level of play as there are at the Open Pro level.  But then when I visit a fun easy course and look around I think, no, there are ten times as many Am IVs as there are Am 3s.  They don't join and don't play because we don't offer them a division.  They play an unsanctioned tournament, get slaughtered, and think, "I'll try that again next decade." 

Who knows if maybe we run Am IV for a couple of years and a typical lower day consists of 110 players who have to pre-register long before the seven-day forecast if they want to get a spot. 

[Bruce Brakel]

We had eight Am IVs signed up to play Am IV and a few more who signed up to play Am III at IOS #1.  So this seems like an experiment worth repeating.  Like anything, it will take a little time to grow. 

Remember, you have to be a PDGA member with a rating less than 835 to play Am IV.  It is reported to the PDGA as Am III trophy-only with an optional side game for prizes.  You may or may not be sorted in with the Am IIIs in the morning depending on who is on leaderboards at IOS #2. 

[Bruce Brakel]

I sent out a dozen or so letters to Illinois Am 4s explaining the concept and inviting them to Lombard.  I'm going to go out on a limb  and make an Am IV second place trophy. 

[Classic_ROCer]

I sent out a dozen or so letters to Illinois Am 4s explaining the concept and inviting them to Lombard.  I'm going to go out on a limb  and make an Am IV second place trophy. 

It is a good time to start competing in sanctioned events as a beginner, thanks to you.  Players at my level who would've never considered a sanctioned event may now think twice, as an acheivable goal is within their skill level.  IOS #1 was my first event.  It was exciting to know that the AM IV was out there for me.  Thanks!

[Bruce Brakel]

I sent a special invitation to about 20 players rated less than 835 in the Chicago-Milwaukee-Joliet area, letting them know about the AM IV option at Lombard.  It looks like there are 11 preregistered, but Jon, Becky, Brett and Mirth handle preregistration so I'm not sure if they all signed up for AM IV. 

Anyway, if this is putting the fun in for a dozen players who might otherwise have stayed home, my life now has added meaning and purpose!   

[Mitch]

I think the AM IV option is great for those who qualify, but it is effectively wiping out the Rec pool. The number of players >835 and <875 is so few that the actual PDGA recognized division is practically non-existant. if the IOS #2 pre-reg list is any indication, of 18 player currently listed only 2 fall in that range.

Can someone tell me how many are Rec, and how many are AM IV?