How was your local league growth in 2022?

[tomjulio]

Asking this question to see how local leagues have fared as a whole across the US over the past year post pandemic.

Our legacy local league (no longer a part of myself) has been devastated by infighting, poor leadership, non-transparent budgets, elitism, drugs, and bullying. A one time small town league that would draw 30-60 people on a summer night can now barely fill two cards. This also has affected course upkeep as would be expected.

Wondering what the rest of the country looks like with their leagues as I hear from other friends in our state that they are flourishing during our sports boom in popularity.

 

[dmoore1998]

2 years ago 8-10, last year 20-30, this year 40-50. But it's a casual league where drinking, smoking, and player harassment are encouraged. It's a very small town, we've gotten a lot of people from the local metro area who seem to be getting tired of the more serious leagues happening 3-4x/week.

It probably helps that in terms of things like budgets...most people don't care one bit...they just want to show up, pay their $10, and have fun. Lots of people who have a roughly 0% shot at winning still show up every week...they're just paying a $10 cover charge to drink with their friends and hang out.

 

[tomjulio]

2 years ago 8-10, last year 20-30, this year 40-50. But it's a casual league where drinking, smoking, and player harassment are encouraged. It's a very small town, we've gotten a lot of people from the local metro area who seem to be getting tired of the more serious leagues happening 3-4x/week.

It probably helps that in terms of things like budgets...most people don't care one bit...they just want to show up, pay their $10, and have fun. Lots of people who have a roughly 0% shot at winning still show up every week...they're just paying a $10 cover charge to drink with their friends and hang out.

Man, sounds like the early days around here when that mentality reigned supreme. Just a bunch of us hicks throwing plastic in a field with one another and laughing our asses off. Consider yourself lucky my friend!

 

[ray1970]

It probably helps that in terms of things like budgets...most people don't care one bit...they just want to show up, pay their $10, and have fun. Lots of people who have a roughly 0% shot at winning still show up every week...they're just paying a $10 cover charge to drink with their friends and hang out.

Pretty much sounds like the definition of an unsanctioned league.

I don't really do the league thing but love to play in our local tags matches. I like that you get that competitive experience while still being able to goof and have fun and enjoy a little of your favorite indulgence while playing.

Seems most of the events (tournaments, leagues, etc.) around here have been as busy as ever this past year and generally fill up quickly. Any decrease recently in participation is likely more due to the onset of winter than anything else.

 

[ru4por]

We had a solid year. Growth, but not exponential. Our club started out with 5 leagues this year. We 86'd our womens league...4 weeks-zero players. This one hurt, we really wanted to provide an opportunity. We also cancelled our Friday draw dubs league. We felt the area was oversaturated on Friday night and the participation was spotty and down. Two of our leagues boomed. We have a Wed singles, running a raw and handicap pools. Good course, lots of players in both pools. We also run a Mon. sanctioned singles and this was our largest increase in players. I run a Thur. beginner type singles league. We have a pretty high turn over rate, year to year. Players seem to "graduate" to our other leagues and tournament play. We have seen growth each year though, as new players populate our league.

We have NO shortage of league opportunities here. Well run, easy, casual leagues are rewarded with participation numbers. Phone scoring option, phone pay options, no waiting around after the leagues, cash and merch ctp's in all leagues. Good communication as to courses, schedules, ace pools....via disc golf scence. They continue to be an important source of revenue for the club to run tournaments and return improvements to local courses. We do start our leagues with 150.00 ace pools each season. That is probably a pretty good kick start to each of those leagues.

 

[tomjulio]

We had a solid year. Growth, but not exponential. Our club started out with 5 leagues this year. We 86'd our womens league...4 weeks-zero players. This one hurt, we really wanted to provide an opportunity. We also cancelled our Friday draw dubs league. We felt the area was oversaturated on Friday night and the participation was spotty and down. Two of our leagues boomed. We have a Wed singles, running a raw and handicap pools. Good course, lots of players in both pools. We also run a Mon. sanctioned singles and this was our largest increase in players. I run a Thur. beginner type singles league. We have a pretty high turn over rate, year to year. Players seem to "graduate" to our other leagues and tournament play. We have seen growth each year though, as new players populate our league.

We have NO shortage of league opportunities here. Well run, easy, casual leagues are rewarded with participation numbers. Phone scoring option, phone pay options, no waiting around after the leagues, cash and merch ctp's in all leagues. Good communication as to courses, schedules, ace pools....via disc golf scence. They continue to be an important source of revenue for the club to run tournaments and return improvements to local courses. We do start our leagues with 150.00 ace pools each season. That is probably a pretty good kick start to each of those leagues.

Great insight and much appreciated! Your local area is one of the ones I have friends playing in and say marvelous things about! That initial seed ace pool is such a great idea and one I think our new club that many of us disillusioned locals are working on building from the ground up are going to take into consideration.

 

[skizzle34]

2 of the 3 leagues I play have had a drastic fall off in participation. The leagues that used to regularly get 30-50 now get 20 max. The ones that used to get 20-30 now get about 15 max. 2 of them are doubles leagues and it seems that as lower skilled players started playing that it dissuaded more skilled players from showing up since the chance that they had to "carry" their partner increased. They all used to be very competitive. Now its the same 2-3 guys that win every week.

 

[tomjulio]

2 of the 3 leagues I play have had a drastic fall off in participation. The leagues that used to regularly get 30-50 now get 20 max. The ones that used to get 20-30 now get about 15 max. 2 of them are doubles leagues and it seems that as lower skilled players started playing that it dissuaded more skilled players from showing up since the chance that they had to "carry" their partner increased. They all used to be very competitive. Now its the same 2-3 guys that win every week.

Any insight into why the drop off? I think in my area most of us know the reasons, as I stated in the initial post. Was wondering what you think might be the decrease in yours? And judging by your locale in your profile, you're not too far away from Ru4por's area who said he has seen an increase in their leagues.

 

[Shallows]

Our legacy local league (no longer a part of myself) has been devastated by infighting, poor leadership, non-transparent budgets, elitism, drugs, and bullying.

My local club runs about 3-4 weekly leagues each of which have differing types of infighting, poor leadership, non-transparent budgets, elitism, drugs, and bullying, so everyone can really find the group that fits them best. It works pretty great actually.

 

[tomjulio]

My local club runs about 3-4 weekly leagues each of which have differing types of infighting, poor leadership, non-transparent budgets, elitism, drugs, and bullying, so everyone can really find the group that fits them best. It works pretty great actually.

I don't know whether to laugh here, be proud of what you guys accomplished, or be shocked.

 

[skizzle34]

Any insight into why the drop off? I think in my area most of us know the reasons, as I stated in the initial post. Was wondering what you think might be the decrease in yours? And judging by your locale in your profile, you're not too far away from Ru4por's area who said he has seen an increase in their leagues.

I am farther East with a slightly different scene. We had a local league that had a prominent member caught trying to hook up with a young boy (catfished by a youtuber) and he ended up killing himself. That really hurt the rep of that organization. We also have a large disparity in skill levels. Myself and 2 other guys are about the only ones who walk away with wins at just about any given league so I think a lot of guys that were middle of the pack players just lost interest. There are still 2 leagues at fire fighters that get a decent turn out and a weekly singles league at stony creek that has divisons that gets 50 guys from time to time. It seems it has really impacted the doubles leagues the worst. I also think we were top weighted with older players that don't have the time or passion to show up weekly anymore.

 

[tomjulio]

I am farther East with a slightly different scene. We had a local league that had a prominent member caught trying to hook up with a young boy (catfished by a youtuber) and he ended up killing himself. That really hurt the rep of that organization. We also have a large disparity in skill levels. Myself and 2 other guys are about the only ones who walk away with wins at just about any given league so I think a lot of guys that were middle of the pack players just lost interest. There are still 2 leagues at fire fighters that get a decent turn out and a weekly singles league at stony creek that has divisons that gets 50 guys from time to time. It seems it has really impacted the doubles leagues the worst. I also think we were top weighted with older players that don't have the time or passion to show up weekly anymore.

Ah, great insight. That initial issue is a backbreaker for sure. I fall into the same camp as you do being a more skilled player (and I'm older than most by 20 years) and wonder what the impact of my presence has on the middle of the pack players, especially with a large group of us starting to lay foundations for a new club.

 

[Shallows]

I don't know whether to laugh here, be proud of what you guys accomplished, or be shocked.

it's not without some hurt feelings and a few folks who no longer participate, but we have enough players, courses, and space for 4 different leagues a week across two courses with various levels of competitiveness, de facto gambling, sanctioned/unsanctioned, etc.

I think generally folks haven't tried to **** with what was, and have felt free to add on new thing without folks feeling like their getting their turf encroached upon.

 

[Central Scrutinizer]

Man, sounds like the early days around here when that mentality reigned supreme. Just a bunch of us hicks throwing plastic in a field with one another and laughing our asses off. Consider yourself lucky my friend!

Were you at the giant Michigan States party at Schwass' farm in like 1999 when the neighbor came wielding an axe at like 2 a.m.? He was upset at the loud band playing. I also remember a prominent whiskey-toting local course designer running with glee, then falling face-first into the ground, and going, "Woah, that's ****ed up!" I've also heard that same guy driving a pig to a hog roast while it was literally on fire, flames roaring out the back, and he had to back into Lake Michigan to put it out...

I love Ludington!

 

[tomjulio]

Were you at the giant Michigan States party at Schwass' farm in like 1999 when the neighbor came wielding an axe at like 2 a.m.? He was upset at the loud band playing. I also remember a prominent whiskey-toting local course designer running with glee, then falling face-first into the ground, and going, "Woah, that's ****ed up!" I've also heard that same guy driving a pig to a hog roast while it was literally on fire, flames roaring out the back, and he had to back into Lake Michigan to put it out...

I love Ludington!

Yes! My god, the good ole days I was definitely referring too! Sadly all those guys, even that crazy mad awesome designer of so many iconic holes here, have been pushed out of that local league. It unfortunately has become political and soulless, and that early Ludington crew has had enough, including myself. I play with a lot of younger generation kids locally now that won't play that club's league (thus the reason its dead), but I make sure to tell them of those awesome initial creators and the wild stories that predated the divisiveness and pettiness. I hope they take our stories and use them for their future local league building. Side note, the club in discussion just recently got booted from Flip City by Bill (for multiple reasons). They are not allowed to host States there anymore, nor tourneys, nor leagues. Its just an overall sad time here locally. I pray for the new generation to make it better.

 

[Central Scrutinizer]

Yes! My god, the good ole days I was definitely referring too! Sadly all those guys, even that crazy mad awesome designer of so many iconic holes here, have been pushed out of that local league. It unfortunately has become political and soulless, and that early Ludington crew has had enough, including myself. I play with a lot of younger generation kids locally now that won't play that club's league (thus the reason its dead), but I make sure to tell them of those awesome initial creators and the wild stories that predated the divisiveness and pettiness. I hope they take our stories and use them for their future local league building. Side note, the club in discussion just recently got booted from Flip City by Bill (for multiple reasons). They are not allowed to host States there anymore, nor tourneys, nor leagues. Its just an overall sad time here locally. I pray for the new generation to make it better.

That's sad to hear.

 

[foxdawg10]

Man, sounds like the early days around here when that mentality reigned supreme. Just a bunch of us hicks throwing plastic in a field with one another and laughing our asses off. Consider yourself lucky my friend!

Our leagues have grown. But have also changed flavor. Now everyone is on a "team" sponsored by one of several local disc golf businesses so things have gotten much more cliquish. I've seen good and bad changes as a result.

 

[tomjulio]

Our leagues have grown. But have also changed flavor. Now everyone is on a "team" sponsored by one of several local disc golf businesses so things have gotten much more cliquish. I've seen good and bad changes as a result.

This is an interesting take as well, especially about the value of being "sponsored". I think I have noticed this trend with some of the younger players in the area as well. Could be a by product of constantly seeing their favorite pros on social media being sponsored that our older (35+) generation wasn't exposed to starting off.

 

[foxdawg10]

This is an interesting take as well, especially about the value of being "sponsored". I think I have noticed this trend with some of the younger players in the area as well. Could be a by product of constantly seeing their favorite pros on social media being sponsored that our older (35+) generation wasn't exposed to starting off.

Yes, for the most part it is a non factor, and the sponsors are very active in running and promoting events. Everyone generally plays nice in the sandbox. I have seen cases where individual's personalities have changed for the worse since being "sponsored".

 

[ru4por]

Yes! My god, the good ole days I was definitely referring too! Sadly all those guys, even that crazy mad awesome designer of so many iconic holes here, have been pushed out of that local league. It unfortunately has become political and soulless, and that early Ludington crew has had enough, including myself. I play with a lot of younger generation kids locally now that won't play that club's league (thus the reason its dead), but I make sure to tell them of those awesome initial creators and the wild stories that predated the divisiveness and pettiness. I hope they take our stories and use them for their future local league building. Side note, the club in discussion just recently got booted from Flip City by Bill (for multiple reasons). They are not allowed to host States there anymore, nor tourneys, nor leagues. Its just an overall sad time here locally. I pray for the new generation to make it better.

I had not heard about this. Though, I don't really do facebook or enough social media to be in the know. This puts a pretty big question mark on States, IMO. Moving the tournament around the state from year to year looks like a more viable discussion. Hmmmmmm.....

I had heard that this idea had continued to meet resistance from Discraft. I think there are other area that have the proximity and quality of courses to host the AM version of States. Seems that becomes magnified by the loss of Flip.

Edit: Maybe this discussion would be better served in the Michigan Course thread.