Biggest reason people don't play tournaments

[Jay Dub]

Don't like have to commit to playing in advance

I chose this because sometimes I like getting my butt kicked in Open.

 

[ScottyLove]

Self-admitted Tournament Junkie here... I just enjoy competition. Never understood the term "casual round." That doesn't compute.

Folks often ask if just playing is fun. I say no. Winning is fun. I don't enjoy playing poorly in anything I attempt. So on Monday after tournament weekend, I have a smile on my face if I won. If not, I practice harder during lunch that week.

 

[ranger]

I was thinking about this some more, and the big thing that keeps me out of tournaments these days is the massive time investment required. Tourney day is typically the longest day of my week, and I've gotten to the point where the "tourney experience" just doesn't provide enough value for me to justify devoting an entire day to it anymore.

Bingo

 

[gradus]

Pace of play doesn't bother me. It's the hours of waiting between rounds. Charlotte had some sort of PDGA rated, single-round, league tournament that rotated through the city. It was great and the waiting wasn't too bad. Wouldn't appeal to someone who has to travel, but it's great for locals.

 

[Chiefstang]

I wish we had a problem with this. Everything in Colorado fills in hours...

 

[CaptainAnhyzer]

Pace of play doesn't bother me. It's the hours of waiting between rounds.

Hours? Who runs two rounds in one day with a 2-3 hour lunch break?

I've played many a tournaments in my 31 years of playing. Aside from Worlds, I've never had more than 60 minutes between rounds. As a TD, I try to limit the break to 45 minutes.

 

[Hampstead]

Hours? Who runs two rounds in one day with a 2-3 hour lunch break?

I've played many a tournaments in my 31 years of playing. Aside from Worlds, I've never had more than 60 minutes between rounds. As a TD, I try to limit the break to 45 minutes.

I've been the first card in and had to wait at least 30 minutes until the last card. Then the TD gave an hour break for lunch. So, about a 90 minute wait in between rounds.

 

[DavidSauls]

Hours? Who runs two rounds in one day with a 2-3 hour lunch break?

I've played many a tournaments in my 31 years of playing. Aside from Worlds, I've never had more than 60 minutes between rounds. As a TD, I try to limit the break to 45 minutes.

Around here, it's standard 1 hour from the last card. Sometimes that last card drags in a long time after the first cards---so those early finishers end up with a very long lunch break.

 

[CaptainAnhyzer]

TDs need to pay attention on how they card the players in the first round.
I usually mix Ams on each card so they flow is more evenly spread out. You put 3-4 cards of MA3s out there and you'll have backups and 1st and last cards coming in a hour apart. Learned that lesson early on and I swear by first round 4somes mixed up like MA1/MA2/MA3/MM1.
How a course flows when it's full is important but stacking the cards can help a lot.

I'll even give you an example...... http://www.pdga.com/tour/event/30020
Hyzer Creek has 2 (sometimes 3) backup holes that can screw up the flow. Tack on 16 MA3s and we should've waited an hour for the last card. It was around 20 minutes. And the walk from hole 14 is a good 5 minutes.

Cut that lunch to 45 min after the last card. Only a couple cards get a short lunch anyways.

 

[Mocheez]

2 hour lunch breaks are the norm for the TD that Badger and Roggen mentioned. I've grown accustomed to it though.

 

[ejvogie]

TDs need to pay attention on how they card the players in the first round.
I usually mix Ams on each card so they flow is more evenly spread out. You put 3-4 cards of MA3s out there and you'll have backups and 1st and last cards coming in a hour apart. Learned that lesson early on and I swear by first round 4somes mixed up like MA1/MA2/MA3/MM1.
How a course flows when it's full is important but stacking the cards can help a lot.

I'll even give you an example...... http://www.pdga.com/tour/event/30020
Hyzer Creek has 2 (sometimes 3) backup holes that can screw up the flow. Tack on 16 MA3s and we should've waited an hour for the last card. It was around 20 minutes. And the walk from hole 14 is a good 5 minutes.

Cut that lunch to 45 min after the last card. Only a couple cards get a short lunch anyways.

I like the idea, unless they're playing different tees...

 

[Three Putt]

I think disc golf is safely at a place where it doesn't matter.

Back in the day when the scene was small, there was a lot of pressure on people to play in tournaments. We needed the bodies. So we got the whole machismo-thing with guys giving you the hard sell about how you were a wimp if you didn't play in tournaments, etc. One they got you there, the "move up" stuff would start. There was a lot of that back in the early 90's.

Now? Who cares? There are so many players now that events fill up hours after registration opens. Don't want to play? Guess what, no problem. There isn't space for you, anyway.

I don't play in tournaments anymore, but the reason is irrelevant. The events are doing just fine without me. If I decide I want to play again, I guess I'll have to figure out how to do that in an event that you can't just show up the morning of and get in.

 

[rcracer757]

I spent the whole year watching my son play in the tournaments. I never played one before until just about a month ago. I was able to enter my first one and had a blast. I somehow ended up on the lead card for Rec which surprised me since, most of the other tournaments I did not feel I could be anywhere near close enough.

For the most part people have been fantastic. Since I mainly deal with the rec guys they seem to just be out to enjoy nature and have a bit of fun. Of course a good amount of the Open guy are a bit more serious. Which is understandable.

I will have to say after watching my 9 year old son play all year I am ready to give it a try myself next year. I can not wait to see how I will do and both of us will be entering the same division. Which will be bitter sweet when my son finally beats me and I think that day is not too far off.

 

[CaptainAnhyzer]

I like the idea, unless they're playing different tees...

True. But those shorter tees SHOULD help with flow.

Central Park has them and we had 15 of 73 play from them. Scores were pretty close, by comparison. I wasn't the TD this year so I don't know how timely the cards came in.
http://www.pdga.com/tour/event/28621

We normally have a lunch vendor so the pack of people that drive off for lunch is limited too.

 

[krupicka]

TDs need to pay attention on how they card the players in the first round.
I usually mix Ams on each card so they flow is more evenly spread out. You put 3-4 cards of MA3s out there and you'll have backups and 1st and last cards coming in a hour apart. Learned that lesson early on and I swear by first round 4somes mixed up like MA1/MA2/MA3/MM1.

Of course there is also this which it doesn't sound like you are honoring:

Competition Manual 1.6.A Professional and Amateur players should not be grouped together, and players competing in different divisions should be segregated from each other during play as much as practicable.

 

[DavidSauls]

In addition to violating that provision, mixing divisions for the first round has all sorts of pros & cons. If done for the purposes evening out everyone's lunches, the medicine might be worse than the disease.

 

[DinosaurThunder]

Pace of play and length of round is the largest factor for me. I prefer to play early in the morning, get in 1-2 rounds in and be home early afternoon for lunch, work around the house, a nap and time with family. Couple that with some sour league/tourney experiences here in MN, that whole scene has been ruined for me.

 

[TimSyl]

I am back playing in tourneys occasionally. Time spent at the tourney stops me from playing typically.

I ran a non-sanctioned tourney this summer fully expecting to be done with two rounds (short tees) by 3 pm with a 9:30 first round start time. Almost every group was done with round one by 11:30-12:00. ONE GROUP finished at almost 2 pm. Screwed up the entire tourney.

 

[bayouace]

Not enough Legends left alive to have a compatible age group. I get stuck with 60 year-old SGM's, or GM's, and that isn't a lot of fun. I still play to support my TD friends, and I understand there is not much a TD can do.

 

[ScottyLove]

Hours? Who runs two rounds in one day with a 2-3 hour lunch break?

I've played many a tournaments in my 31 years of playing. Aside from Worlds, I've never had more than 60 minutes between rounds. As a TD, I try to limit the break to 45 minutes.

Kind of huge mix up at this year's Sneeky Pete in Burlington with moving pools around different courses caused a 3.5 hour... yes I typed that right... 3.5 hour break on Saturday for one pool. It was the worst ever and folks were not pleased.