First time spotting for a tourney.. any tips or funky stories?

[WhiteyBear]

Get A Handful Of Flags, A StOll, Towels, Retriever, Suntan Lotion, SNacks, Water, And A Rule Book.

 

[mattc]

Get A Handful Of Flags, A StOll, Towels, Retriever, Suntan Lotion, SNacks, Water, And A Rule Book.

Bug spray

I go for ninja spotting skills

 

[VINCENT25149]

spotters

Absolutely not! Spotters are NOT officials. You have to take a test to be an official, but anyone can spot.



The Tournament Director may empower non-certified officials to act as spotters for a specific spotting purpose. The ruling of such a spotter supersedes the ruling of the group.

 

[elnino]

Best advice is don't get hit by a disc.
I've hit spotters twice and haven't been very happy with the spotter either time.

One was standing behind a tree and stepped out just in time to get hit and knock >100 ft off my drive leading to bogey.

One I have no idea what they were doing. They just stood there as my disc drilled them in the chest and it deflected into the OB creek. Another bogey.

Don't get hit, watch every shot, you will be fine, and thanks for spotting

If Pete Kenny is teeing off.....RUN!

 

[tom12003]

I am a seasoned disc golfer (also certified official and have marshaled or TDed several national level events). I've spotted the last several USDGCs where it is more important (and easier) to determine if the disc is OB (USDGC uses stroke or stroke and distance rather than where it was last inbounds). I stay virtually invisible to the thrower until the disc is in the air but then jump out to follow the flight so I can quickly determine whether the disc is OB so I can timely raise the red or green flag.

I have also spotted tourneys where it was important to determine WHERE the disc was last inbound (I'm usually situated near where most throws go OB). Again I jump out and follow the flight path with a raised hand and run towards where it is going OB with my hand following the flight; I then follow that hand and drop a mini at the OB line. My calls are suggested rulings (I am usually 300-450 ft closer to the OB than the thrower). However, it is the playing group that makes the decision (only had one occasion where there was controversy and the group voted 3-1 with my call).

Best spotters are those that are virtually invisible, understand possible flights paths (read a veteran disc golfer), and can see the disc leave the thrower's hand. On this last point, everyone is different and I have a lot of trouble picking up blue discs being thrown from a green back drop until half the flight (had to scramble a few times to avoid being clunked).

Biggest issue with spotting is how to avoid extreme boredom; we'd all rather be throwing.

 

[filobedo]

First off, THANK YOU:thmbup::thmbup::thmbup:! I wish more players that do not play tournaments but rather hang out at them and at player's parties would do the same. For some reason there seems to be a lack of volunteer partcipation in many tournaments I have played nearby where I live except for at the IDGC, Asheville and Charlotte (the IDGC, Asheville and Charlotte have great volunteer particpation and run great tournaments thanks to all the volunteers and TD's involved). The crazy part is the excuses such as work or family obligations which is truly valid but for some reason these same people with obligations seem to be able to ditch these obligations at the last minute to come hang out, watch golf, walk around and drink beer, but not spot, help with scorecards, water, etc. I have only had a couple bad experiences with a spotter but it has happened for a couple of years now. For some reason this guy spots on a blind hole with water but does not pay attention to players on the tee when players throw and never seems to know where the discs goes ob or which part of the water discs land in. Also, for some reason, he likes to tell every group how the other groups in our division are alway playing so much better and are usually 5 or 6 down when in actuality he is lying. He only does this also during the last round of the tournament to non-locals. I would just say have fun and be kind to everyone and most players will thank you for donating your time.

 

[ChrisKramer]

Spotters also influence speed of play. It is important to understand that spotting at a "back-up" hole also entails knowing when to let groups throw. This shortens waiting times for everyone, thus speeding up the round.

 

[bombmk]

Spotters. Such a blessing. Such a curse.

As a tournament veteran of 20 years, most spotters, no matter how well intended, have been counter productive. Not all. Just most.

Few spotters are experienced players. Most are non-players or newbies who are relied upon to the disadvantage of the players involved. They cannot understand the flight of discs so they therefore cannot judge where a disc flies once it leaves their sight, even if they care at all and make any real effort to know where your disc landed. They do not play tournaments so they don't know tournament courtesy: they move while players throw, they talk while players throw, they try to make rulings having no idea what the rules are, they pick up your disc and move it to where they wish before you arrive.

I would rather have no spotter than a bad spotter. Just like I would rather have no surgeon than a bad surgeon.

Having run many tournaments, including Worlds and Majors, I understand the need for spotters on some holes. These spotters need to be trained. Even then they may be useless or worse.

A great spotter is a joy, a great boon, the person who will help you find your favorite disc and far worth their meager compensation. I have tipped or rewarded great spotters with $, beer and discs.

I have also had many a spotter tell me, after I called out before my throw to make sure they were ready, that they saw no part of my disc, on apparently good shots right over their heads and stalked back to rethrow my drive with a lost disc penalty stroke.

Can you give me an example of someone being worse off by the spotter being there?

 

[bombmk]

The TD really should make it clear to the players that the spotters are NOT to be considered officials - (unless ofcourse specifically assigned as such by the TD.
And as such should only be consulted for their observations - not rulings.

 

[Steve West]

This helps me: Keep track of how many discs are on the ground and visualize the constellation of the pattern they make. Here's what it sounds like if you were to stand near enough to hear me mutter in a sing-song way.

"OK, that's one yellow disc that has been thrown and it is there.

The second disc is orange and it's landing there, the first disc was yellow and it is there.

The third disc went in the bushes just off the tee pad so I can't help. The second disc was orange and it is there, the first disc was yellow and it is there.

The fourth disc is blue, and is going OB between the last two stakes. The third disc is not my problem. The second disc was orange and it is there, the first disc was yellow and it is there.

The fifth disc is white and it is there. The fourth disc was blue, and went OB between the last two stakes. The third disc is not my problem. The second disc was orange and it is there, the first disc was yellow and it is there."

(Keep repeating as players walk up the fairway.)

 

[MarkDSM]

Original poster here.

It went great. Had two wicked blind holes on two days for a pro / am tourney. Saturday and Sunday http://www.desmoineschallenge.org/
16 at Pickard http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=67
17 at Walnut. http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=64
Did much retrieving / help finding.
Had much fun to include the Saturday party

 

[Widdershins]

Can you give me an example of someone being worse off by the spotter being there?

On a risky hole I decide to throw my beloved driver because I have a spotter. Without a spotter I would otherwise throw a "risk disc". I never see my beloved driver again even though it was apparently a good drive which went right over the spotter's head.

We all drive. My group approaches the blind water hazard and the spotter hands me my disc. I ask the spotter where the disc landed and why he picked it up. He says he doesn't recall where my disc landed but it doesn't matter since it was OB (because it was more than 50% in the water) and I have to rethrow it.

We all drive. All of the group is in the open with easy putts. As I am releasing my putt the spotter yells to someone in an adjacent fairway.

I'm on a roll, playing hot. My group drives on a hole. There is an issue on the placement of one of my group's discs. Everyone in the group agrees on the ruling except the spotter. Everyone in the group is a certified official except the spotter, who has never played a tournament. The group tries to explain the proper ruling to the spotter. The spotter will not be swayed and believes he can overrule the group. We are delayed while an official, then the course TD is brought in to decide the issue. A half hour wait later my game has cooled.

Each of these events has occurred to me during World Championship play.

A bad spotter is worse than no spotter.

 

[discoriented]

Glad you enjoyed the experience. Was watching the final round of the '71 US Open (Nicklaus vs. Trevino) last night and they had spotters marking their drives in the fairway!

 

[ohtobediscing]

Just spent 10 days at Four Mounds in Spokane, the week before the LCO tourney as groundskeeper, and the 2 days of the tourney as a spotter.
Spotted on the teacherous Porcupine #14-15 combo. Only lost a putter that was anny-floated more than 200'.
Spotted on the signature Cape Fear #9, 650' with a 100' deep ravine in the middle. Only lost a purple disc that was righty-hyzered OB left, more than 300' out of bounds.
Sat in my kayak in the lake on Finals course #9. Pulled Feldberg's blue Trident from the shallows[this was the only player's disc I touched], but lost Shotwell's driver in the kelpy grass in the bottom.
Before the players arrived, saw turkeys, a red fox, hawks and eagles, many mule deer. Killed and ate a rattlesnake. Got 5-6 new discs and the request to return every year if possible.

 

[KenTyburski]

Just spent 10 days at Four Mounds in Spokane, the week before the LCO tourney as groundskeeper, and the 2 days of the tourney as a spotter.
Spotted on the teacherous Porcupine #14-15 combo. Only lost a putter that was anny-floated more than 200'.
Spotted on the signature Cape Fear #9, 650' with a 100' deep ravine in the middle. Only lost a purple disc that was righty-hyzered OB left, more than 300' out of bounds.
Sat in my kayak in the lake on Finals course #9. Pulled Feldberg's blue Trident from the shallows[this was the only player's disc I touched], but lost Shotwell's driver in the kelpy grass in the bottom.
Before the players arrived, saw turkeys, a red fox, hawks and eagles, many mule deer. Killed and ate a rattlesnake. Got 5-6 new discs and the request to return every year if possible.

Now THAT sounds like a nice time! :thmbup:

 

[primal dg]

just know your job and do your job and your job only.

 

[tampora]

...Killed and ate a rattlesnake....