Best Player Without A Major Win

[JC17393]

Disc golf and "Majors" have a weird history. You have events like Am World's, U.S. Amateur DGC and U.S. Masters that are classified as "Majors" but obviously don't have a field with the top players. Mid-Nationals is another dead "Major" with a weird format, Dave McCormack called it the "Sandbagger's World's" the year he won. U.S. Women's DGC is a legit Major for FPO, though.

Major doesn't have to be a classification for the top players only. It's supposed to be the very top tier events for each particular skill level/division, not specifically for pros or the open divisions.

The original grand slam in ball golf (from whom we adopted the "major" title) was comprised of the US Open, the British Open, the US Amateur, and the British Amateur. I don't see why disc golf having amateur or senior majors should be considered weird.

 

[SaROCaM]

When I first posed the question I was thinking major as in Majors + NT. Suppose it could be narrowed down to only Majors. Interested in answers for either, really.

 

[Tigga]

When I first posed the question I was thinking major as in Majors + NT. Suppose it could be narrowed down to only Majors. Interested in answers for either, really.

I KNEW IT!

/vindicated

lol

 

[JC17393]

When I first posed the question I was thinking major as in Majors + NT. Suppose it could be narrowed down to only Majors. Interested in answers for either, really.

Much tougher question to answer if you expand it to Majors and NTs. Would DGPTs be on a level with NTs as well? I'm more thinking about former NTs that are now A-tiers on the DGPT that more or less have maintained their status as very important events on the tour...like the Memorial or Maple Hill.

Based on current rating, Chris Dickerson is the best player without a Major/NT/DGPT level win on his resume. He'd be my pick.

 

[philstine]

Elaine King was unrated when she won her first FPO World Championship. Then again, so was every Major winner, male or female, prior to the advent of the rating system. (Interesting tidbit: Elaine went 12 for 12 in 1991, sweeping the Can-Am series, winning the Mid-America DGO, and capping off the year by winning the FPO World Championship by 10 strokes.)

In the ratings era, Sarah Hokom was 952-rated when she won the 2012 Steady Ed (NT). OTOH, she was the second-highest rated FPO player in the field that year, behind Val Jenkins at 969, so it's not like she came out of nowhere.

 

[Three Putt]

Major doesn't have to be a classification for the top players only. It's supposed to be the very top tier events for each particular skill level/division, not specifically for pros or the open divisions.

The original grand slam in ball golf (from whom we adopted the "major" title) was comprised of the US Open, the British Open, the US Amateur, and the British Amateur. I don't see why disc golf having amateur or senior majors should be considered weird.

Ball golf's history of majors is weird as well. Nobody can say when the current four majors became the majors because it just sorta happened over time. Nobody really defined what a major was for a long time. Players in the 50's thought the Western Open was a bigger deal than the British Open. The four that are considered the majors now came from Arnold Palmer in the 60's.

The PDGA has dictated what are "majors" based on a marketing scheme that changes from time to time. Everybody knows there are two disc golf majors in MPO, World's and USDGC. All of the rest of it is contrived.

 

[cox3]

I think in practically everyone would agree that Pro Worlds and USDGC are the 2 majors. After that, other Majors, NTs, DGPTs, and DGWTs are all the same.

Simon and Eagle are without a doubt the 2 best current players to not have won one. Anthon and Rico are up there based on their entire body of work.

Just based on my regional bias, I'll throw in Matt Orum too...

 

[sidewinder22]

Anthon and Rico are up there based on their entire body of work.

Just based on my regional bias, I'll throw in Matt Orum too...

Rico won a major - Japan Open.

I almost put Anthon and Orum on my OG list, and Leiviska and GG.

 

[sidewinder22]

Current players with a Major:
Climo
Shultz
Rico
Todd
Doss
Feldberg
Jenkins
Locastro
McCabe
Schusterick
McBeth
Brinster
Wysocki
Koling
Sexton

 

[Zanguini]

There was a time when the british open was a major only when played at st andrew's... Golf is weird...

 

[SD86]

Not sure DG has developed Majors like ball golf has over time. Worlds and the USDGC would be on almost everyone's list as DG Majors ( there will ALWAYS be that one contrarian out there ), then after that it becomes less obvious and more debatable.

At some point, a couple of tournaments that everyone thinks "just means more" to win will join Worlds and USDGC (and USWDGC for the ladies) as Majors.

 

[takman]

Majors are certainly special but after watching lots of event commentary and interviews I would
say that pros put NT events in very high regard, a signature win if you will that is considered a
"major" plateau for the individual player.

 

[brutalbrutus]

Yea, at this point I would say Worlds and USDGC are the only real MPO majors. Then you have, a half step below, the Japan/Euro/etc type events. Also, I think the the NTs should be on this level. Its not always the case but most of the time, they have as good a field as the Worlds and USDGC. DGPT/DGWT events would be on the second step. Though some of those have large top player fields, not all of them do. But that might change as more money and more elite players come into the game.

Ledgestone and GBO have grown so enormous, that I think they maybe should rotate as a major. That would give them 4 "majors" with whichever the international event is that year. But I think GBO needs to come up with a top level course for these guys if that happens. Emporia CC is ok... I guess... for the event that it is but if they want to elevate it to that level, they need to upgrade the course being used. The ledgestone course isn't much better, but it at least has a few holes which give it some character. Neither area is exactly known for elevation changes, so thats not really an option probably.

 

[lyleoross]

The question of what should be a Major has come up before in terms of what events matter towards saying, I'm the best of the year. There was the whole Innova branding the year when Paul won the five biggies.

I'm not sure Worlds should be a major. It's very different and changes year to year. Its purpose wasn't meant to be a separator, but rather a bringer togetherererer. If you're going to call it a major it should offer something unique, perhaps the notion that it is more rounds than they've shaved it down to?

I agree with the notion that events that only have a few players from the US participating aren't really Majors. Not because it's the no US show, but because sending Paul, Ricky, and a few others is insufficient to represent the sport adequately. It seems you could make a rule to qualify, ten of the top twenty players in the world have to attend or some such.

My wish for Majors:

USDGC
Masters Cup
Beaver State
Maple Hill

EO (I'd probably make an exception for this one)

I'd consider adding events in Pennsylvania (location merits)
Wintertime Open location
Ledgestone (event merits, not location)
GBO (event merits, not location)
Green Mountain (location merits)


Regardless, someone should start thinking about this in a serious way (someone being the PDGA) It would be nice to think about spreading Majors around the country to make sure we have good distribution. EO means you get something overseas. If you're gonna have a major somewhere else then it needs to be every year.

 

[takman]

Is there an added cash/payout minimum that separates majors from NTs like with every other tier?

 

[brutalbrutus]

Sorry to start a thread drift but a thought just occurred to me. Since USDGC isn't a DGWT event this year, are they gonna do a live stream?


...opcorn:

 

[lyleoross]

Sorry to start a thread drift but a thought just occurred to me. Since USDGC isn't a DGWT event this year, are they gonna do a live stream?


...opcorn:

I'm not betting on it.

 

[JC17393]

Is there an added cash/payout minimum that separates majors from NTs like with every other tier?

Yes.

 

[Lazerface]

Sorry to start a thread drift but a thought just occurred to me. Since USDGC isn't a DGWT event this year, are they gonna do a live stream?


...opcorn:

oh daaaaaaaaaannnngggggg

 

[Lazerface]

The question of what should be a Major has come up before in terms of what events matter towards saying, I'm the best of the year. There was the whole Innova branding the year when Paul won the five biggies.

I'm not sure Worlds should be a major. It's very different and changes year to year. Its purpose wasn't meant to be a separator, but rather a bringer togetherererer. If you're going to call it a major it should offer something unique, perhaps the notion that it is more rounds than they've shaved it down to?

I agree with the notion that events that only have a few players from the US participating aren't really Majors. Not because it's the no US show, but because sending Paul, Ricky, and a few others is insufficient to represent the sport adequately. It seems you could make a rule to qualify, ten of the top twenty players in the world have to attend or some such.

My wish for Majors:

USDGC
Masters Cup
Beaver State
Maple Hill

EO (I'd probably make an exception for this one)

I'd consider adding events in Pennsylvania (location merits)
Wintertime Open location
Ledgestone (event merits, not location)
GBO (event merits, not location)
Green Mountain (location merits)


Regardless, someone should start thinking about this in a serious way (someone being the PDGA) It would be nice to think about spreading Majors around the country to make sure we have good distribution. EO means you get something overseas. If you're gonna have a major somewhere else then it needs to be every year.

Wow, I thought about this before reading your post and my top 4 is super close to yours, but I include Worlds and think Dela is the most over rated luck fest course ever so no way that makes my list.

Worlds
USDGC
Maple Hill
Beaver

If I had to choose another based on location merits I would say Green Mountain. It does not have the prestige given the time, but those courses and property are top notch.

I'm with Lyle on the international events. The courses and depth of the field are the defining factors for me. That eliminates international events due to the field, but those courses in Scandinavia are incredible.

I think JC pointed out in the past that if you define a major by the depth of the field you run into issues down the line. What is cool about majors in golf is the prestige. It breeds excitement and intrigue. The fact they have not changed in forever is a huge part of that. If we don't include overseas courses there may come a day where the EO is the highest profile event in the world, and were stuck redefining what the majors are - that will hurt the prestige.

All I know is the way they are categorized by the PDGA today does not create any real prestige beyond USDGC and Worlds. For the players the label matters. I'm just speaking as a fan.