First tournaments

[Dublicious]

Hi,


I've been playing disc golf for about 3-4 months now. I want to get as many opportunities to play, and would like to get into tournaments and/or a league. I don't know of any leagues in my area (Conshohocken, PA) but I do see some tournaments on weekends I could probably make. I don't have high expectations of myself at this point, but my thought is that those would be the highest concentration of competitive players I'll find and a good place to improve my game.

My questions are these:

At what point should I be seriously considering competitive play?
Are there any formats/specific tournaments you'd suggest for a new player?
Should I try to rope a friend in to play doubles with me?


Thanks guys!

 

[bradharris]

You can jump into tournament play at any point. This is one of the benefits of the divisional structure. If you enter in the rec division, you'll find a pretty relaxed mood.

Doubles tournaments often are a bit more relaxed than traditional tournaments, so that's a good way for a newbie to ease into it, especially if you pair with a more experienced player.

 

[JC17393]

There are two pretty active clubs with league and tournament activity near you. Sedgley Woods has a few weekly events on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Thursday doubles there is billed as extremely beginner friendly. You get randomly paired and as a beginner, they'd place you with an experienced player for a partner.

At Tyler State Park, the BCDGA has a weekly league on Saturdays and a couple tournaments coming up that might be a good fit for you. One is a singles tournament, one is doubles. Regardless of which one you might want to check out, you'll be sure to meet a lot of friendly folks who will be more than happy to get you involved and started in the right division.

In fact, whatever course you go to for whatever event might be happening, you're going to find people eager to help you out and make sure you're set up to have a good time. Everyone knows what it's like to be the new person and what it's like to be a new player competing for the first time. They'll treat you right.

 

[Dublicious]

There are two pretty active clubs with league and tournament activity near you. Sedgley Woods has a few weekly events on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Thursday doubles there is billed as extremely beginner friendly. You get randomly paired and as a beginner, they'd place you with an experienced player for a partner.

At Tyler State Park, the BCDGA has a weekly league on Saturdays and a couple tournaments coming up that might be a good fit for you. One is a singles tournament, one is doubles. Regardless of which one you might want to check out, you'll be sure to meet a lot of friendly folks who will be more than happy to get you involved and started in the right division.

In fact, whatever course you go to for whatever event might be happening, you're going to find people eager to help you out and make sure you're set up to have a good time. Everyone knows what it's like to be the new person and what it's like to be a new player competing for the first time. They'll treat you right.

Thanks for the links these are really helpful. I have a question though: What's tags?

Thanks again!

 

[JC17393]

Thanks for the links these are really helpful. I have a question though: What's tags?

Thanks again!

Tags are a running competitive game. Each participant has a tag with a number on it that they usually hang on their bag. The goal is to have the lowest number you can on your tag. How players get lower numbers is by playing in tag challenges. Challenges can be played in an organized day/round like a league or tournament, or it can be two (or more) players meeting up for a more casual round. At the end of play, the player with the lowest score wins the lowest number available. Second best wins the second lowest number, and so on. For example, say you have the #8 tag and your friend has #5 when you start play. If you beat him in the round, you get to take the #5 tag and he has to take the #8.

It's usually played just for bragging rights and fun, and any money you pay to buy a tag goes toward course improvements or club activities. Sometimes there's a payoff at the end of a season or year to the people who have 1-5 or something like that. Sometimes the tags just stay in play in perpetuity.

It's fun when you go to a tournament where people have come from a variety of places to see what tags they have on their bag. Sometimes you can identify their home course/area without even having to ask them just based on the tag(s) they have.

 

[filobedo]

Hi,


I've been playing disc golf for about 3-4 months now. I want to get as many opportunities to play, and would like to get into tournaments and/or a league. I don't know of any leagues in my area (Conshohocken, PA) but I do see some tournaments on weekends I could probably make. I don't have high expectations of myself at this point, but my thought is that those would be the highest concentration of competitive players I'll find and a good place to improve my game.

My questions are these:

At what point should I be seriously considering competitive play?

When you are able to enjoy it and keep your composure after every bad throw. You should not play unless you can have fun and understand that every bad situation is an opportunity to make the next shot extraordinary.

Are there any formats/specific tournaments you'd suggest for a new player?

If you are able to play in age restricted divisions such as Adv Masters then do it. The age restricted players are a little more laid back, fun and easier on new players and willing to help than some other divisions that are a little more competitive. Learn the rules regardless of which division you play in prior to playing a tournament. If someone points out a rule to you, take it as they are trying to help you learn the guidelines and do not get defensive.

Should I try to rope a friend in to play doubles with me?

If it makes you comfortable yes but I have met so many wonderful people and become close friends with many people through disc golf that I would have never known if I only played with the same group.

Other suggestions are, act like you have been there before and show sportsmanship. If you win be humble, if you lose, congratulate the winner and do not be a sore loser.


Thanks guys!

Hope that helps

 

[threevok]

First tournament thread jack

Rather than start a new thread:
My goal for 2014 is to play in some "real" tournaments of some sort.
Here are some stats on me:
I'll be 50 in January (assuming I survive the increased sugar and sodium during the holidays).
I play almost every day.
In mild wind I can drive 330 every time, 350 most times, 400+ 1 in 10 tries. (Soccer field)
Rarely forehand, just to get out of trouble (bad shoulder).
I'm guessing here, but I make 99% of putts inside 10ft, 75% inside 15, 50% inside 20, 20% inside 30, and almost none beyond 30. I never practice putting, but I will this winter.
I haven't played heavily wooded courses, but on the courses around here I expect to birdie the short holes up to 300ft, par 400ft, and bogey 500+ft half the time. (Assuming par 3)
In 2013 I did an Ace Race and played "tags" in a local club.

I have some questions, but I don't think I know enough to even ask all the right questions. Here goes:

Do I have to be a PDGA member to play in a PDGA sanctioned tourney?
Should I pay for Am or Pro membership - pros and cons?
How do I determine a good first tournament?
No choice of cardmates right? Like if I go with a friend?
How do I know what division to register for, I know my age will factor but should I play my age?
Who keeps score?
What if I have to pee or poo?

Feel free to answer some or all and to provide answers to the unasked questions. Thanks.

 

[Darth Anovin]

To answer some of your questions: You don't have to be a PDGA member to play in a sanctioned event. However, some TD's will charge an extra, non-member fee... Most if the time you don't get to pick who's on your card for the first round. The second round you will be carded with others based on your score of the first round... As far as division choice, perhaps go back and look at previous events at the course on PDGA's site. Look at previous scores and see where you fit in. In my experience, it would be safe to add 3-5 strokes to what you shoot casually... And as far as if you have to potty, well you're on your own on that one ;-)

 

[DavidSauls]

Do I have to be a PDGA member to play in a PDGA sanctioned tourney?
Should I pay for Am or Pro membership - pros and cons?
How do I determine a good first tournament?
No choice of cardmates right? Like if I go with a friend?
How do I know what division to register for, I know my age will factor but should I play my age?
Who keeps score?
What if I have to pee or poo?

Feel free to answer some or all and to provide answers to the unasked questions. Thanks.

What Darth said. Except all TDs should charge a $10 non-member fee; it's part of the PDGA guidelines.

Join as an Am. Pro costs more, and doesn't give you any extra benefits. When you're ready to play a pro division, you can; you don't have to register as a pro until you take cash in a pro division.

Who keeps score? Generally the scorecard is passed around, so everyone keeps it for 4-5 holes. Generally, though not necessarily, in the order that names are listed on the card.

Good first tournament? Doesn't matter, but probably a local one on a course you're familiar with.

Playing your age? Matter of taste, but many of us older guys prefer the fellowship of the age-protected divisions, regardless of whether we'll be able to compete.

 

[Nemmers]

Hi,


I've been playing disc golf for about 3-4 months now. I want to get as many opportunities to play, and would like to get into tournaments and/or a league. I don't know of any leagues in my area (Conshohocken, PA) but I do see some tournaments on weekends I could probably make. I don't have high expectations of myself at this point, but my thought is that those would be the highest concentration of competitive players I'll find and a good place to improve my game.

My questions are these:

At what point should I be seriously considering competitive play?
Are there any formats/specific tournaments you'd suggest for a new player?
Should I try to rope a friend in to play doubles with me?


Thanks guys!

Dubilicious, like you I've been playing only four months. I'm 39 years old and kind of figured that I'd be the "old guy" out on the course and probably wouldn't fit in to the competitive scene, so I shied away from the idea of playing in tournaments and only played for the fun of it. After spending an appreciable time on the course I realized that not only was I not the old guy, I was actually able to hold my own with the younger throwers. So I entered my first tourney without having ever met a single person on my card and finished second to last in the Rec division....but I had a blast and made several new friends that I've since played many rounds with. I had so much fun that I played in my second last weekend and plan to play in every local event I can. And it's much more fun when you see some familiar faces at registration.

The point is that I love the game and from the sound of it you do too. I promise you that you'll have fun when you play competitive. 99.9% of the players I've come across and/or played with have been truly awesome people. No pressure, no judgments on bad shots, and no expectations that you're "supposed" to be good player. Everyone is just out there to have fun. I guaran-dog-tee you will have have a great time.

So jump in with both feet, brother! You'll never know what you've been missing until you play. Sure, you'll have butterflies your first event and you might not play as well as you normally do, but once you get over that initial nervousness and see how down-to-earth and friendly nearly all DG'ers are I'll bet you'll have found yourself right at home.

 

[damtroll]

Rather than start a new thread:
My goal for 2014 is to play in some "real" tournaments of some sort.
Here are some stats on me:
I'll be 50 in January (assuming I survive the increased sugar and sodium during the holidays).
I play almost every day.
In mild wind I can drive 330 every time, 350 most times, 400+ 1 in 10 tries. (Soccer field)
Rarely forehand, just to get out of trouble (bad shoulder).
I'm guessing here, but I make 99% of putts inside 10ft, 75% inside 15, 50% inside 20, 20% inside 30, and almost none beyond 30. I never practice putting, but I will this winter.
I haven't played heavily wooded courses, but on the courses around here I expect to birdie the short holes up to 300ft, par 400ft, and bogey 500+ft half the time. (Assuming par 3)
In 2013 I did an Ace Race and played "tags" in a local club.

I have some questions, but I don't think I know enough to even ask all the right questions. Here goes:

Do I have to be a PDGA member to play in a PDGA sanctioned tourney?
Should I pay for Am or Pro membership - pros and cons?
How do I determine a good first tournament?
No choice of cardmates right? Like if I go with a friend?
How do I know what division to register for, I know my age will factor but should I play my age?
Who keeps score?
What if I have to pee or poo?



Feel free to answer some or all and to provide answers to the unasked questions. Thanks.

I'm 47 and have been playing for almost two years. The first year I played in 2 sanctioned tournaments. This past year I signed up for the PDGA membership (as an Am) and have played in 4 sanctioned tournaments. I am definitely not good enough to play as a pro, so I signed up as an Am. My rating is only 842, so I would get killed as an Pro. I have played Am rec in all tournaments except 1 where I played intermediate. I don't mind playing with player 1/2 or 1/3 of my age, most of them have been pretty good to play with. You don't choose who you play with, but I haven't been unhappy with any of the people on my card.

I would recommend that you play a tournament at a course you have played several times. At least you will have familiarity with the course.

As other people have stated, the card will be passed around during the round.

Most courses have trees, otherwise plan ahead, and remember Immodium can be your friend.