Considering Moving from Open to Am1?

[IHearChains]

Stay in the open division.

I suggest you go into your closet and find your game face. Next open tourney, you put on your game face and you fight/scratch/kick/claw your way into the upper half of the field.

^this

If the problem has been correctly identified, address that problem head on.

From what's been said, it seems clear that the choice of division is not *really* the problem, so it will probably not help to change that.

Maybe some change in warmup/lunch/social routines would have a more direct impact on the mental focus?

 

[biscoe]

what is there to gain by playing advanced?

 

[barneco]

Can only speak for myself, so ymmv, but I would feel much more rewarded and accomplished if I was able to overcome my mental slump without resorting to being a "big fish" to regain my confidence. Part of playing a sport at the top level(a big part) is being able to overcome obstacles, whatever they may be. We've all seen the pro player(Tiger..etc) on top one day and disappear the next. The real pros figure out a way to get back on top. It's a big part of what makes a pro a pro.

That said, there are a ton of people who will always be on the verge of the top tier but forever held back by one or two aspects of their game(injury, missing skill, mental strength, will to win...etc) and will never consistently be competitive at the top levels. If you truly feel like you're in this category, then by all means play AM1 if it makes you happy and you have fun doing it.

From a 3rd-party perspective, count me in the crowd that wouldn't care either way. Do what's best for yourself and if it's within the rules, I would have no beef with it.

 

[krupicka]

Play where you think you are going to most enjoy playing.

 

[wake911]

I know my "random internet dude" thoughts don't matter, but:

As a current AM1 player, nothing frustrates me like seeing a Pro PDGA member playing well at AM1 events. I don't care what your rating is, that is frustrating. I have zero issues when a high rated AM member comes in and takes down the winnings (990+ even) They are AM.

The worst is in a 2 day split tournament when a 965 rated pro comes in and wins the AM1 division on Saturday, and then goes and places 3rd in the Open the next day. That's BS.

I know the rules say it can be done, but be prepared for lots of unhappy AM1 players if you do well. Might not make it as fun of an experience as you'd like it to be.

/rant

 

[elnino]

if your budget is small for playing tourneys you can actually play more tourneys at the lower level($30 vs 50).

I guess one needs to look at your goals in the game. If you win i think you should move back to open for the next tourney. But i don't like the structure of the PDGA so i don't play tourneys.

 

[The Hammer]

****ing bagger!

 

[Halcón]

Move forward with your game. You have what it takes to win in Open. And you will.

 

[The Hammer]

Move forward with your game. You have what it takes to win in Open. And you will.

No he doesn't! GCR is terrible at golf, and a terrible human being.

 

[Aim For The Chains]

You need to have a championship type attitude and inner desire to compete with title holding players-- no matter what sport. I am with BigSky and many others here saying stay Open.

 

[bradharris]

The issue with moving down is you're essentially trying to guarantee that you will place. My rating puts me in Int but I always play Adv. Part of that is just that New Englanders tend to play up anyway. But going along with that, I know that if I have a really bad day playing Int, I will still "cash." That doesn't feel right to me. I don't want to be rewarded for playing badly.

It seems this is likely where you are with Open vs Am. Focus on your consistency and go out there and really compete. No one wants a participation trophy.

 

[Toro71]

do what feels best for you man, **** the crowd.

Does **** stand for "ask?" Since that's what he's doing.


OP: Dude, this is Disc Golf, not some sport. You move up to Adv from Open, not down.

If you're worried about it, move to NC, the land of 50 backups for every mold.

 

[BangChaians]

I have played a couple open tourneys and flopped like an arapaima on the bank of the amazon so I knew I wasn't ready with my 946 rating. If I was in your situation I would stay in open. Even if you go back to am1 and win it won't be fulfilling because you will have taken a step back. If you choke in the am division it will be an even tougher blow to the ego. I'm not one to hate on dudes that drop down a division, so good luck no matter what you decide.

 

[michael_c]

I say jump down until you pick up a few wins and feel confident enough to compete in open.

 

[gdub58]

Move back down. There is nothing wrong with playing in the division that is consistent with your rating. In fact, I think it's ridiculous for people with low ratings to play in a division where they don't belong.

The rationalizations that are given - like "I want to play against better competition" - are nonsense. You should earn the right to play against better players in a sanctioned tournament. That's your motivation - get a higher rating by playing better when there is something on the line, and then you can play at the next level. Play with really good players in a casual round or in some local doubles if that helps you.

I'd like to see a system where your rating dictates which division you are allowed to play in. Don't have a rating? Have qualifying tournaments in which the top 2-3 get a paid entry in the open division of the next sanctioned tournament, the next 4-5 get a paid entry into the advanced division, and so on. Everyone else establishes a rating which slots them into tournaments going forward.

People who play in open with sub-950 ratings or advanced with sub-900 ratings ought to be embarrassed. It's no different than the guy years ago who schemed his way into a US Open qualifier by reporting bogus scores in order to achieve the 1.4 handicap index required to enter, then shot over 100 in the qualifying round - what a tool.

You think the top players want some guy rated 100 points lower than them playing on their card - probably not. And, if our sport ever got to the point where there is serious money on the line like on the PGA tour? Then there's no way anyone but the very best would be able to play in that division.

Too much entitlement in this game, mainly under the guise of wanting to "grow the sport". That's disingenuos - people want what's best for them.

/rant

 

[The Hammer]

Move back down. There is nothing wrong with playing in the division that is consistent with your rating. In fact, I think it's ridiculous for people with low ratings to play in a division where they don't belong.

The rationalizations that are given - like "I want to play against better competition" - are nonsense. You should earn the right to play against better players in a sanctioned tournament. That's your motivation - get a higher rating by playing better when there is something on the line, and then you can play at the next level. Play with really good players in a casual round or in some local doubles if that helps you.

I'd like to see a system where your rating dictates which division you are allowed to play in. Don't have a rating? Have qualifying tournaments in which the top 2-3 get a paid entry in the open division of the next sanctioned tournament, the next 4-5 get a paid entry into the advanced division, and so on. Everyone else establishes a rating which slots them into tournaments going forward.

People who play in open with sub-950 ratings or advanced with sub-900 ratings ought to be embarrassed. It's no different than the guy years ago who schemed his way into a US Open qualifier by reporting bogus scores in order to achieve the 1.4 handicap index required to enter, then shot over 100 in the qualifying round - what a tool.

You think the top players want some guy rated 100 points lower than them playing on their card - probably not. And, if our sport ever got to the point where there is serious money on the line like on the PGA tour? Then there's no way anyone but the very best would be able to play in that division.

Too much entitlement in this game, mainly under the guise of wanting to "grow the sport". That's disingenuos - people want what's best for them.

/rant

Ha. What if the open division in your area had only 1-2 guys rated >1000, and to be in the top ten in the entire state, your rating only needs to be over 980?

 

[mashnut]

gdub - I think you might be surprised at how much the top guys do want those lower rated guys in their division. They're playing with them for at most one round, and they're adding an extra chunk of cash to the pool without being likely to compete for any of it. Most pros would probably choose to have a bigger field even if that meant more lower rated players filling up the bottom of that pool.

I don't quite agree that it should be embarrassing to play up beyond your rating. I don't think players should ever be forced to play up, but it's certainly not that big a deal to me if they choose to do so.

 

[bradharris]

Move back down. There is nothing wrong with playing in the division that is consistent with your rating. In fact, I think it's ridiculous for people with low ratings to play in a division where they don't belong.

The rationalizations that are given - like "I want to play against better competition" - are nonsense. You should earn the right to play against better players in a sanctioned tournament. That's your motivation - get a higher rating by playing better when there is something on the line, and then you can play at the next level. Play with really good players in a casual round or in some local doubles if that helps you.

I'd like to see a system where your rating dictates which division you are allowed to play in. Don't have a rating? Have qualifying tournaments in which the top 2-3 get a paid entry in the open division of the next sanctioned tournament, the next 4-5 get a paid entry into the advanced division, and so on. Everyone else establishes a rating which slots them into tournaments going forward.

People who play in open with sub-950 ratings or advanced with sub-900 ratings ought to be embarrassed. It's no different than the guy years ago who schemed his way into a US Open qualifier by reporting bogus scores in order to achieve the 1.4 handicap index required to enter, then shot over 100 in the qualifying round - what a tool.

You think the top players want some guy rated 100 points lower than them playing on their card - probably not. And, if our sport ever got to the point where there is serious money on the line like on the PGA tour? Then there's no way anyone but the very best would be able to play in that division.

Too much entitlement in this game, mainly under the guise of wanting to "grow the sport". That's disingenuos - people want what's best for them.

/rant

How is playing up "entitled??"

The more entitled attitude is a player trying to play in the lowest division possible just to cash in on prizes.

 

[New013]

Open Player: Hey man did you see that 920 guy is on our card?

Other Open Player: Dolla Dolla Bills Yall

 

[mashnut]

How is playing up "entitled??"

The more entitled attitude is a player trying to play in the lowest division possible just to cash in on prizes.

I don't like this attitude either. I mostly see it from people who play up and expect everyone else to as well. Then when they get beat by someone who's well within the qualifying ratings for that division, they complain about it.