Define 'Rec' player

[DiscChainBasket18]

Let's try to clarify for those that are confused:
When should a player be allowed to enter the 'Rec' division in a tournament?
Should a local tournament be considered any different than a PDGA sanctioned tourney with respect to the 'Rec' division (should there be any distinction)?
What are the parameters?
When should a player stop entering the 'Rec' division in tournaments?
Where's the cut-off?
Should there be a cut-off?
How much experience?
How many days/months/years/decades of throwing a disc?
Does one year count as a whole year if a player only throws once every 2 weeks or so?
If a player throws a disc recreationally for 20 years (never enter a tourney), can they enter the 'Rec' division in their first tourney?
Should a player be able to enter the 'Rec' division for as long as they play disc golf?
If a player gets DFL in the Int division in a tourney, should they be allowed to drop down & play 'Rec'?
opcorn:

 

[Chain Wrangler]

I think it should go by rating by your PDGA number. If someone is sandbagging and always winning in REC it is not fair to the others who are new. I have been playing for 3 years off and on so I play REC. Now if I want to pay out I need to move up to intermediate.

Would like to know how other ppl feel about this. REC's usually only play for trophies. This coming up weekend I am going to play in the VPO AM in Arlington Texas. This will be my first PDGA tourney to attend. I am up in the air about either playing REC or intermediate.

 

[crazypep]

opcorn:

 

[mashnut]

A lot of it depends on where you are. Here in Illinois, the rec and novice divisions are often some of the biggest, and there are players whose rating has put them in that division for years. It seems like other parts of the country are quicker to push people into higher divisions rather than following the ratings guidelines.

 

[drickanderson]

This is an interesting question. I'm not even a member of the PDGA, and have never played a tournament before. Easy Scorecard(phone app) shows my rating at 921 right now (which I know is probably pretty loose), but I've always just figured I would enter Rec on my first tourney, regardless. Never put much thought into it beyond that.

Looking at the recommended ratings from the PDGA, > 900 < 935 should be intermediate. Would I be a jerk to enter a tourney in the Rec division, even though I've never played a tournament before?

 

[Alin]

Guide To Determining Your Division:

Professional - These are the most skilled players in Disc Golf. Experience usually runs a minimum of (5) or more years with some older players with (20+) years. Part of their Professional status includes the responsibility for "passing the torch" by teaching other players the correct course etiquette and behavior along with the rules and standards of tournament play. Virtually all Professional Disc Golf players are members of the Professional Disc Golf Association. Professional players typically compete for monetary prizes*.
Advanced - These players are usually long time players of (3+ years) and regularly score under par. Many are active PDGA members and play organized tournaments as well.
Intermediate - Most of these players have a few years of experience (1-3) but don't consistently play under par. Some will be active PDGA members and most will have played organized tournaments.
Recreational - Just like it sounds - these players play casually, sometimes a few times a week, but lack competitve training and rarely play under par. These players might not even be aware of the PDGA or it's rules that govern play.
Novice - Strictly for new players that have either never played Disc Golf or just a handful of times.
Junior - Reserved for players under 17 years old. Skill levels typically of the Recreational or Novice divisions.

 

[zenbot]

This is an interesting question. I'm not even a member of the PDGA, and have never played a tournament before. Easy Scorecard(phone app) shows my rating at 921 right now (which I know is probably pretty loose), but I've always just figured I would enter Rec on my first tourney, regardless. Never put much thought into it beyond that.

Looking at the recommended ratings from the PDGA, > 900 < 935 should be intermediate. Would I be a jerk to enter a tourney in the Rec division, even though I've never played a tournament before?

People tend to score lower in tournaments than their normal rounds.

 

[Craton]

People tend to score lower in tournaments than their normal rounds.

Lower, or higher? I think this is actually pretty debatable, since people respond to pressure differently. I know I personally shoot higher during a lot of competitive play, but have friends that will shave off 5 strokes during a competition because they're dialed in.

 

[bigrocc01]

If your disc golf bag is more than a wal-mart plastic bag; you are not a rec player!

If your disc golf bag is supported by shoulder straps; you a not a rec player!

If you wear a DGA hat, DD dri-fit shirt,Paragon socks, have a super color Discraft mini; you are not a rec player!

And last but not least- If you put more miles on your car driving to tournaments than you do driving to work; YOU ARE NOT A REC PLAYER!

 

[Doupie620]

Let's try to clarify for those that are confused:
When should a player be allowed to enter the 'Rec' division in a tournament?
Should a local tournament be considered any different than a PDGA sanctioned tourney with respect to the 'Rec' division (should there be any distinction)?
What are the parameters?
When should a player stop entering the 'Rec' division in tournaments?
Where's the cut-off?
Should there be a cut-off?
How much experience?
How many days/months/years/decades of throwing a disc?
Does one year count as a whole year if a player only throws once every 2 weeks or so?
If a player throws a disc recreationally for 20 years (never enter a tourney), can they enter the 'Rec' division in their first tourney?
Should a player be able to enter the 'Rec' division for as long as they play disc golf?
If a player gets DFL in the Int division in a tourney, should they be allowed to drop down & play 'Rec'?
opcorn:

Definition of REC player = Me :gross::wall:

 

[Lewis]

If you don't have a PDGA rating, it's much harder to enforce. A rule of thumb I might suggest is that once you win the Rec division in a tournament, move up to Int for tournaments of similar competitiveness. But remember that an Ice Bowl draws a different crowd than a PDGA sanctioned tournament, so even if you win Rec at an Ice Bowl, that doesn't mean you won't finish DFL in Int at a C-tier.

 

[puttlikeablowfly]

This is a copy of my post in the recent "flood" thread, in response to the OP of this thread:
------

I've been playing for 11 years now, and am about to play in my first-ever sanctioned event. I haven't played much DG for the last 4-5 years, and am just starting to get back into it (still only play once every couple of weeks at best). The only tournaments of any type I've ever played in were a non-sanctioned Ice Bowl (doubles) a decade ago, and an Ace Race this year. After giving it some thought and doing some research, I'm playing Rec. Even when I played more often 7-10 years ago, I would typically shoot about even to +4 (assuming all par 3s) from the short tees on my local courses, and those were in rounds with friends. I played yesterday and shot +6, with most pins in the long positions. Two weeks before, I played pretty good and shot -1, but all the pins were short. Looking at the scores from recent sanctioned events, an even-par round from the short tees but with pins typically in the long or "tournament" placements comes out at about a 900 rating. A +6 like I shot yesterday was about an 820-830.

Right now, I'd be happy to shoot about +3 each round for the tourney. At the last A-tier, a +3 average placed T13 out of 28 in Rec. The guys who finished in that vicinity are rated in the 850s and 860s. So why should I be playing above Rec?

 

[Koffee]

Let's try to clarify for those that are confused:
When should a player be allowed to enter the 'Rec' division in a tournament?
Should a local tournament be considered any different than a PDGA sanctioned tourney with respect to the 'Rec' division (should there be any distinction)?
What are the parameters?
When should a player stop entering the 'Rec' division in tournaments?
Where's the cut-off?
Should there be a cut-off?
How much experience?
How many days/months/years/decades of throwing a disc?
Does one year count as a whole year if a player only throws once every 2 weeks or so?
If a player throws a disc recreationally for 20 years (never enter a tourney), can they enter the 'Rec' division in their first tourney?
Should a player be able to enter the 'Rec' division for as long as they play disc golf?
If a player gets DFL in the Int division in a tourney, should they be allowed to drop down & play 'Rec'?
opcorn:

This is for non pdga events. I do not believe that a player should be moved up other then by his/her choice without the demonstration of skill in a competitive event (I would include league play). We have people that have played for years still playing rec that have never come close to winning an event. They just show up to support the tournament and the club.

PDGA events - I think ratings have this covered along with the TDs discretion on players in a division.

When should a player be allowed to enter the 'Rec' division in a tournament?
First tournaments or Rec skill level players

What are the parameters? We are lucky where I play as the TDs for our series of tournaments keep a decent eye for sand baggers. They also help if they feel someone is over their head and is not locked into that division.

When should a player stop entering the 'Rec' division in tournaments?
If the player wins a series of tournaments that had a decently populated division Or If he crushed the competition in one tournament by a significant margin that would of made him/her competitive in the division above.

Should be moved up ? Winning a local series (mandatory IMO)

Where's the cut-off?
I am not sure there should be a cut off. If the player is at the skill level of the division, I do not see the need to push someone up that is not dominating.

Should there be a cut-off?
No (TD Discretion)

How much experience?
Not sure it matters. We have lots of people that have lots of experience but are just Rec skilled players. (They look at DG as and activity and social event)

How many days/months/years/decades of throwing a disc? N/A (Of course TD discretion)

Does one year count as a whole year if a player only throws once every 2 weeks or so? N/A

If a player throws a disc recreationally for 20 years (never enter a tourney), can they enter the 'Rec' division in their first tourney?
Yes (TD discretion)

Should a player be able to enter the 'Rec' division for as long as they play disc golf?
Sure if they are in this skill level

If a player gets DFL in the Int division in a tourney, should they be allowed to drop down & play 'Rec'?
(TD Discretion)

For the tournaments in my area TDs do a lot of talking about who is in what division and looking closely to step on intentional sand baggers. Everyonce in a while there is an issue but it gets sorted out quickly.

Hats off to you TD's

 

[tarel]

i would love to touch tongues with all these sweet rec players who season year after year and dont have the integrity to move up man this is getting me hot and bothered thinking of a strong man like that.

 

[mashnut]

^People who pressure others out of the division their skill level is appropriate for bother me more.

 

[icedpuck]

Old dude

I will turn 55 before next summer and don't play too well, high single digits over if I am lucky. Do they have a catagory for peeps like me?

 

[icedpuck]

Besides putting me out to the pasture that is!

 

[Nathanbr2]

And last but not least- If you put more miles on your car driving to tournaments than you do driving to work; YOU ARE NOT A REC PLAYER!

so wait...I drive 1 mile to work...Drive 60 Miles a day AT work...and drive 40 miles to a tournament...so...where does that put me?

 

[GLong]

I will turn 55 before next summer and don't play too well, high single digits over if I am lucky. Do they have a catagory for peeps like me?

based on age - grandmasters
based on score - depends on course (i would guess intermediate)

intermediate grandmasters is not offered at most tourneys outside of masters+ exclusive ones.... so i guess either advanced GM or open GM.

 

[Paulie]

I'm nothing but a Rec player. Wreck player, even. Not even considering tournaments right now.

When should a player be allowed to enter the 'Rec' division in a tournament?
Whenever they think they can. First time throwing a disc probably isn't a good idea though. If someone like that comes in and botches the first three baskets so bad it's obvious they don't belong there, kick them out. Nicely. You should probably be able to throw par on the course you enter your first tournament on. Don't waste people's time.

What are the parameters?
To be a Rec player? Have discs. Throw discs. But like the first answer, don't enter until you at least resemble a DG player and not a Frisbee thrower with no dog.

If you aren't real sure of the rules or don't care much to abide by the letter of them, don't enter. If you have hyzer and anhyzer wrote on your hands to keep them straight, don't enter.

When should a player stop entering the 'Rec' division in tournaments? Should be moved up?
If they've won 3 tournaments as a Rec on that course, move up. If they've won 6 Recs at all, in a year or 18 months, move up.

Where's the cut-off? Should there be a cut-off?
Above answer. Not so much a time limit but a wins over time limit.

How much experience? How many days/months/years/decades of throwing a disc? Does one year count as a whole year if a player only throws once every 2 weeks or so? If a player throws a disc recreationally for 20 years (never enter a tourney), can they enter the 'Rec' division in their first tourney?
Skill matters more than time.

Should a player be able to enter the 'Rec' division for as long as they play disc golf?
Sure if they are in this skill level. Ditto.

If a player gets DFL in the Int division in a tourney, should they be allowed to drop down & play 'Rec'?
Yes. Someone has to be last, but if it were me, DFL, I'd go back and try there some more.