BG AMS!!! April 12, 13, 14

[Brokensaint]

Bowling Green is all that I asked for Christmas. And an Amp. I went a couple of years ago and had an absolute blast! Anyone who hasn't, you should strongly consider it. Smoothly-run events, beautiful courses. Easily the friendliest place I've ever been. Seriously, the whole town is friendly. It was weird, almost.

 

[dobbins66]

Been there the past 5 years and sorry to say it looks like I won't be able to make it this year. Got a big conversion at work and by it being a week later than normal I'll be out. Main reason to go are friends and competition. There are not many places (other than Worlds) that an Am can go for the level of competition this tourney offers. This is also an event that pulls in so many familiar faces that you may only see here or Worlds.

Courses are good - I really like Kereiakes and not a big fan of Phil Moore (to each is own) but each course in the current layout serves a purpose in balancing the field between distance and accuracy. It takes both and the current 4 course layout (Adv/Adv Masters) gives a very nice balance. Not a big fan of the Final 9 location from the past couple years but decisions need to be made by someone and it probably serves a purpose in some way.

Definitely worth experiencing - And as others have stated, it usually comes with a very nice players pack.

 

[holly7845]

Considering I am sitting on a 973 rating, I really have no choice. MA1, baby!

973 and you're still playing am? Is that still fun? If i were you, I'd skip the am tourney's and step up a notch to the Open division, but that's just me.

 

[TimSyl]

973 and you're still playing am? Is that still fun? If i were you, I'd skip the am tourney's and step up a notch to the Open division, but that's just me.

Ouch...call it like you see it Holly.

BG AMs is a good time...courses are average.

 

[1978]

Lol this arguement again... im 986 and yes it is super fun. Last year the winner was 940 rated and 2 people in the 920's made the finals.

 

[BraveThrower43]

^still a horrible person

 

[TOURNEYPLAYER]

^^ obviously its fun. when is being better than 95% of your competition not fun.

 

[gdub58]

Lol this arguement again... im 986 and yes it is super fun. Last year the winner was 940 rated and 2 people in the 920's made the finals.

I didn't see it as an argument, just an observation, and a valid one at that. Of course BG Ams is fun, and in fields that big some people are bound to get hot and play far above their rating.

As a 954 rated Grandmaster, I have endured so much grief locally for playing Advanced Masters that I started playing mostly Masters and not taking cash. When in my last tournament my 2nd place paid $135 I finally relented and took the cash (partly because picking out that much plastic isn't that much fun anymore), but the unfortunate result is no more BG Ams for me unless I play advanced. I'll probably do it because as others have said it's a fantastic tournament experience and has a really nice players pack.

Moving up is liberating, Mark - you should consider it. Do you have a specific goal before doing that (e.g., winning BG or Am Nats), or are you planning to be an am for life? Not being critical of your choice, just curious.

 

[jobwilson]

Bobby Jones remained an amateur his entire playing career because he never wanted to turn the game he loved so much into a job.

When something becomes about making money, then a certain level of fun is lost.

So, if you high rated players want to remain amateurs, go for it.

 

[wake911]

Agreed, as long as they are playing AM1, who cares what their rating is. that's why there isn't a top-end limit on the AM1 division.

 

[TOURNEYPLAYER]

It really doesnt matter. but at a point its time to put on ur big boy pants. If i was that good I would want to play Open. but some people dont like knowing they are going to lose. and when you have to play against MJ, Koling, Wysocki, Hank. you are most likely not going to win. maybe it would be less fun. as fun as BG ams is. im sure playing open in an NT or A Tier is prob a good time too.

 

[ejvogie]

Win in Advanced or donate in Open? I think I know where I'd be playing :|

 

[jobwilson]

Win in Advanced or donate in Open? I think I know where I'd be playing :|

Exactly! Especially at an A-Tier. It's not like 973 is going to be 30 points higher than everyone else.
973 may be the 10th highest rating?

If he's playing a local C-Tier, then maybe step up and play Open for some plastic.

 

[TOURNEYPLAYER]

you guys can sugarcoat it all you want. but lets call it what it is. why is DG the only sport that encourages people to play against inferior competition for fear of losing to better players. funny stuff.

 

[1978]

I didn't see it as an argument, just an observation, and a valid one at that. Of course BG Ams is fun, and in fields that big some people are bound to get hot and play far above their rating.

As a 954 rated Grandmaster, I have endured so much grief locally for playing Advanced Masters that I started playing mostly Masters and not taking cash. When in my last tournament my 2nd place paid $135 I finally relented and took the cash (partly because picking out that much plastic isn't that much fun anymore), but the unfortunate result is no more BG Ams for me unless I play advanced. I'll probably do it because as others have said it's a fantastic tournament experience and has a really nice players pack.

Moving up is liberating, Mark - you should consider it. Do you have a specific goal before doing that (e.g., winning BG or Am Nats), or are you planning to be an am for life? Not being critical of your choice, just curious.

There is nothing wrong with being in the upper tier. I wrestled for 9 years and I was always seeded 1-3 of 16/32 wrestlers. Many times I finished well below that many times not, you still have to wrestle. Same in DG. I've been blessed to have consistency, skill, practice time, good teachers, intelligence to perform ok at disc golf. Its not my responsibility to give more to people that have been blessed less or worked less. Its my choice. I play once a week but work on courses 4 days a week. I give back to the sport how I want to. Regardless of what division I play in, my plan is to be Am and I will play pro events (and have). Its not some grand show of principle... I just find that I enjoy playing with Am's way more, and I also find that I am disappointed by top level pro players way more than I wish to be.

Its harsh but if your skill/intelligence cap for rating is 940. Sorry, no ones fault but yours. Up until my last event last year I was beat by like 40 players with an average rating of 960 or so. Its a dumb arguement or discussion. The difference between a 990 player and a 950 player is 4 strokes/round. Really? You can't handle a 4 stroke scoring spread. People use the 970 rating as a cap... thats 1.5 strokes...lol. Get over it. Stop throwing for bird on every hole, and lay up a putt or 2. If you played with me you would find my skills very underwhelming. I just play smart and within my skill level and let others fall apart.
There are 30 more reasons that I will continue to be classified as Am, but this discussion will never end so why type them out. You will always have the 940 rated player jealous of the 941 rated player. Make events trophy only, I'll still play Am in majors.

 

[1978]

you guys can sugarcoat it all you want. but lets call it what it is. why is DG the only sport that encourages people to play against inferior competition for fear of losing to better players. funny stuff.

See, its ignorant points like this. You assume thats the only reason people play Am, is because they are afraid to lose. There are tons of reasons to play Am. A big one is that there are way more big Am tournaments and they are cheaper to enter.

Anyways, its the other way around, this discussion comes up because of the people that are "afraid to lose" to better Ams. OR because a highly rated pro wants to win more money.

 

[wake911]

My only problem is the guy who plays AM1 on saturday and Open on Sunday, and should be an open player. They win AM1 by 10 shots, and then barely lose in Open. If you are that much better than AM1 players AND play open tournaments too, you should just play open tournaments. I don't care which you choose (AM or Pro) but don't do both when you are that much better than the AMs. If you only play AM and you destroy me, then I'm fine with that. I don't care what your rating is.

 

[TOURNEYPLAYER]

More big am tournaments? How many NTs are there? Pretty sure there are more of those.

 

[Horsman]

Win in Advanced or donate in Open? I think I know where I'd be playing :|

Yea but when you always win it is frowned upon in am divisions. Either bring home plastic or bring home cash. For me it got to the point where I was donating my plastic winnings because what the heck do i need plastic for. Being a pro is a much nicer way to go. This year im going to BG to TD the event and not play. I know that when I played last year I was pissed to see someone like Paul Priest who was like 995 rated playing in this event, which was bs to me.

 

[jobwilson]

Yea but when you always win it is frowned upon in am divisions. Either bring home plastic or bring home cash. For me it got to the point where I was donating my plastic winnings because what the heck do i need plastic for. Being a pro is a much nicer way to go. This year im going to BG to TD the event and not play. I know that when I played last year I was pissed to see someone like Paul Priest who was like 995 rated playing in this event, which was bs to me.

And Paul finished something like 16th. If Paul was a "pro", he would have won.

Now Nick Phillips in 2011... he had already gone pro, but was okay because of rating. That's what I have the problem with. I think once you accept cash, your days of playing am should be done. None of this, "Well, you accepted cash, but..." stuff.