Are You a Current PDGA Member?

[Improbably]

Nope. Bagging is what I do when I play new courses.

You prove my point. I told you it would be whatever you wanted it to be when you used the term.

 

[ThrowBot]

Non-Member. I play a bunch of PDGA events and I've even won a decent amount of cash at PDGA events, but I'm waiting to join as an amateur so I can win Am Worlds next year. Chuck said it's super legit!

JK, card carrying PDGA member.

 

[corin_brown]

Any benefits to me aside, I'm a member of the PDGA -- as well as state and local disc golf organizations -- to support the work they do in developing and enhancing disc golf and to have a voice in that work if I so choose.

Awwww, shucks. I know I answered before that I hadn't renewed this year b/c I was injured and couldn't play tournaments. But after reading the above answer and others, I feel like now I should support the PDGA anyway (and my local associations too.) I think they all do great work and I owe them a lot for all the fun I've experienced as a result of their work.

I am a member because I like to enter tournaments. BUT I am very unhappy about the distinct lack of support for the upper protected age groups. One has to go to a national event to compete in a Legend age group. Promote the event and they will come.

This is an interesting subject I haven't seen come up on here before. I've wondered about the numbers for the upper age groups at tournaments too, especially local tournaments. I've often thought about what I would do as I got older: if I would continue playing at all, let alone entering PDGA events, and what would go into those decisions.

I've also wondered why the numbers are basically non-existent for junior divisions as well. At PDGA events local to me, there might be a single junior player in 1/3 of the time. Same goes for Novice. Usually the lowest division going is Rec. Then I look at some PDGA tournaments around the country and I notice that some don't have any players playing below Intermediate.

Playing disc golf definitely seems like a phase for a ton of players, just look at how many PDGA members have let their membership lapse. What % of PDGA membership numbers are actually current? Like 20%? I know it's small.

I'm not sure what the answer is. Marketing focused on specific ages, maybe, but who's got the money for that?

I think you have sandbagging confused with losing.

Lol, this made me laugh. Actually, just about anytime I read or hear "sandbagging," I laugh.

 

[corin_brown]

Non-Member. I play a bunch of PDGA events and I've even won a decent amount of cash at PDGA events, but I'm waiting to join as an amateur so I can win Am Worlds next year. Chuck said it's super legit!

Lolx1000. That's some funny s***. Perfect for my coffee,

 

[JRW III]

#17958 Current for many years. Only started playing tournaments a couple years ago, but PDGA seemed like a good way to give back to the game. I still think it is.

This.

I joined in 2009 and have been a member ever since. Have yet to play 5 tournaments in a single year to "pay" for my membership.

 

[Moose33]

I need to renew, but I've only played one sanctioned event this year and will probably only play one more.

If my work schedule allowed me to play more events I'd be more willing to renew. Cost isn't prohibitive but I want to get my money's worth(or close to it).

I generally like the PDGA but on the south a lot of the good action has been unsanctioned.(though that is shifting)

 

[discNDav]

not current...I now only play 1 maybe 2 PDGA's a year.

 

[DanJon]

What happened to you at the memorial?

I'm the spotter that was hit in the head by GG.

My medical bills (thousands) were supposed to be paid for by the PDGA.

Brian Graham personally told me that he would make sure they were taken care of.

Even shook my hand.

I sent in all of the appropriate paperwork and did everything necessary on my end.

And then they never paid.

Needless to say I was screwed and ended up paying for it myself.

 

[lyleoross]

As Tony Roberts wrote, and Corin is discussing, I'm a member not for the benefits, but because I support what the PDGA is doing. IM estimation what they've accomplished is significant and impressive and I think that demands my support. Honestly, I took a five year hiatus, kids, but before that I was an Ace member every year. I didn't reup two years ago as an Ace member, but next year I will. If nothing else, the entertainment I get from the process is worth the money.

 

[ScottyLove]

Member in good standing.

Addicted amateur touring player... played 36 events all over the country in 2015. Playing about 12 this year and going back out on the road in 2017.

I sell all merchandise won and player package swag to fund this addiction. Almost none of my wages from employment go to disc golf... so I call myself a semi-pro!

 

[jjtwinnova]

Almost split half and half! I was thinking more along the lines of 75-25 in favor of the PDGA.

 

[teemkey]

I am a member because I like to enter tournaments. BUT I am very unhappy about the distinct lack of support for the upper protected age groups. One has to go to a national event to compete in a Legend age group. Promote the event and they will come.

I played in my first MS1 division at 2014 Am Worlds. This year I've played two local B-Tiers that offered an MS1 division. Both events were in the Salem area, and I think that's because the owner of Salem's best known disc golf store plays in MS1 and he talked to the TDs.

My suggestion is not to look for the PDGA to promote the older age-protected division, but to find (at least) three other players in your age group who want to play in an upcoming tournament. Get in touch with the event's TD before registration opens, and let the TD know you can fill your division if it's offered. Even this approach won't always work because it does cause more work for the TD (and possibly more expense ... trophies, division CTPs, etc), but most TDs are willing to go the extra mile if asked nicely.

 

[ru4por]

I'm the spotter that was hit in the head by GG.

My medical bills (thousands) were supposed to be paid for by the PDGA.

Brian Graham personally told me that he would make sure they were taken care of.

Even shook my hand.

I sent in all of the appropriate paperwork and did everything necessary on my end.

And then they never paid.

Needless to say I was screwed and ended up paying for it myself.

Bernie Sanders would be appalled.......I on the other hand am not. :\

 

[b-mart]

Not a member. I play one tournament a year, and it's not sanctioned. I play for fun. Or not at all. Lately it's been a lot of "not at all".

 

[DavidSauls]

Almost split half and half! I was thinking more along the lines of 75-25 in favor of the PDGA.

I'd have thought the opposite.

Disc golf is enjoyed on all kinds of levels, in all sorts of ways. Tournament play is just one of them, and there are far more people who enjoy casual play, playing with friends, visiting courses, perhaps playing casual local leagues, than are committed to tournaments.

For the most part, the PDGA is about the competitive side of disc golf. It does lots more, of course, but that's the main focus. So it interests relatively few non-tournament players. And while the PDGA and tournament scene have been growing robustly, so has the non-tournament scene.

So my guess would be that most DGCR people are not PDGA members.

In addition, there are some anti-PDGA folks who are always proud to let the world know.

Of course, a poll only records those people interested in responding to the poll, so it really means very little.

 

[DiscLoser1]

I'd have thought the opposite.

Disc golf is enjoyed on all kinds of levels, in all sorts of ways. Tournament play is just one of them, and there are far more people who enjoy casual play, playing with friends, visiting courses, perhaps playing casual local leagues, than are committed to tournaments.

For the most part, the PDGA is about the competitive side of disc golf. It does lots more, of course, but that's the main focus. So it interests relatively few non-tournament players. And while the PDGA and tournament scene have been growing robustly, so has the non-tournament scene.

So my guess would be that most DGCR people are not PDGA members.

In addition, there are some anti-PDGA folks who are always proud to let the world know.

Of course, a poll only records those people interested in responding to the poll, so it really means very little.

Just like voting for President: "A Presidential Election only records those interested in voting for President, so it really means very little."

Or actually, since barely half the population of the US votes, yet we assume that half the country is Red and half are Blue, we can then assume that half of DGCR are PDGA memebers and half are not. That's kind of the point of any poll, anywhwere, on any subject; an extrapolation of data from a subset that is then applied to the whole. I think it's called Statistics. Granted, this an unofficial, unscientific poll.

Edit: we can aasume that half of DGCR forum users are PDGA members and half are not.

 

[bradharris]

Just like voting for President: "A Presidential Election only records those interested in voting for President, so it really means very little."

Or actually, since barely half the population of the US votes, yet we assume that half the country is Red and half are Blue, we can then assume that half of DGCR are PDGA memebers and half are not. That's kind of the point of any poll, anywhwere, on any subject; an extrapolation of data from a subset that is then applied to the whole. I think it's called Statistics. Granted, this an unofficial, unscientific poll.

Edit: we can aasume that half of DGCR forum users are PDGA members and half are not.

A presidential election has an actionable outcome where the candidate who receives the most votes in the electoral college is inaugurated as the leader of our country. An election is not designed to get an accurate measure of the opinions of 100% of the population, it is designed to give everyone an opportunity to have a voice in who is chosen for the office.

 

[DiscLoser1]

A presidential election has an actionable outcome where the candidate who receives the most votes in the electoral college is inaugurated as the leader of our country. An election is not designed to get an accurate measure of the opinions of 100% of the population, it is designed to give everyone an opportunity to have a voice in who is chosen for the office.

You missed my point completely, but thanks for the civics lesson.

 

[smarkquart]

I paid money to be able to play in the tournaments I want to play in. I wanted, I mean I WANTED, to play in this year's Am Worlds and I was screwed over. Not only that, because of my limited schedule, I was depending on this year's Am World points to qualify for next year. Now I may not have enough points to qualify for next year simply because my schedule does not permit me to play in many tournaments, especially this late in the year.

That was money well spent on a membership. I have only two more tournaments left where I need to earn at least 300 points so I can at least qualify for Masters next year. I am guessing I am going to be nowhere near the Advance threshold. Thanks again 2016 Am Worlds. Can you tell that I am still bitter about this year? If I do not get enough points to qualify, I am not renewing next year. No reason to. Unless the 2018 Am Worlds is in my backyard, I cannot afford to travel to it, so I have no incentive to play in 2017 PDGA tournaments, especially if I do not make the 2017 Am Worlds.

 

[DavidSauls]

I missed it, too.

(edit: discloser's point)