John Matlack shoots 18 under at A Tier

[Pbmercil]

So I was at a tournament this weekend and I thought this was pretty cool. John Matlack, PDGA # 32660 shot a nearly perfect 18 under par during the second round of The Open at the IDGC. He carded a 49 on the par 67 Steady Ed course, "mad professor" layout. You can see his card if you go to the second round scoring at this link: http://www.pdga.com/apps/tournament/live2/?TournID=24500

3 pars, 3 eagles (one being an ace) and 12 birdies. As a bit of an interesting quirk his round was "only" rated 1065. I believe this can be credited to the blue level course they were playing, with par being set for blue level players not gold. Realistical par on that layout for gold players would be more like 64ish, so its not really a perfect round.

Still, 18 under par is an extraordinary number, which raises my question: does anyone know about other examples of players finishing 18 under in 18 holes?

 

[Pbmercil]

As a basis for comparison McBeth's record for highest rated round ever at the Memorial a few years ago was a 17 under par.

 

[brutalbrutus]

We have an annual New Years event at a short Steady Ed course. A couple years ago one of the open guys shot -18. They have since cut down a bunch of trees, so shooting -18 there now wouldn't be nearly as hard. Also, a few years ago at a weekly dubs event, another local open player got drawn as his own partner and shot -24(with an ace) at Lincoln Ridge 24holes.

 

[Cgkdisc]

As noted, the pars on Steady Ed holes are set for Blue level. Usually Gold level par will be 5-7 throws lower. That round was probably -11-12 if pars were set for Gold level, but still a great round. There are a few "hidden" par 2s at Fountain so McBeth's record score was perhaps more like -14. That's why ratings are a better indicator of a great round than actual score relative to par since they are always in reference to a gold scratch round.

 

[Stardoggy]

Par doesn't mean much when trying to compare scores from different courses when it's derived from individual holes. A full course par is a far more useful tool, when taken without regard to every hole as a separate entity.

 

[bwgort]

In contrast, when Will Schusterick shot -18 on a course with 10 holes 200 feet and under (Par 2s) he received an 1111 rating. http://www.pdga.com/tour/event/14519

 

[brutalbrutus]

^ For reference the Steady Ed short course has several par2 kind of holes, the round was a 36. Lincoln ridge basically has 1 par4, but even it is downhill 500+.

 

[Steve West]

I'd put gold par at 56 for that course.

You got any hidden par 2s there, Chuck?

 

[Pbmercil]

I wasn't really trying to start a debate about ratings or par, more giving credit to John for a very cool acomplishment. Regardless of how hard (or not) The course is 18 under par is a big deal

 

[Stardoggy]

I wasn't really trying to start a debate about ratings or par, more giving credit to John for a very cool acomplishment. Regardless of how hard (or not) The course is 18 under par is a big deal

I think you're missing the point. While that is a damn fine round, using par as an indicator of how good it is can be misleading.

I could set par at 5 for every hole at my local course and shoot a -45. Does that make my round better than if they were all set as par 3's?

 

[NinaFoFiTre]

As noted, the pars on Steady Ed holes are set for Blue level. Usually Gold level par will be 5-7 throws lower. That round was probably -11-12 if pars were set for Gold level, but still a great round. There are a few "hidden" par 2s at Fountain so McBeth's record score was perhaps more like -14. That's why ratings are a better indicator of a great round than actual score relative to par since they are always in reference to a gold scratch round.

I think there should be a grade for wooded vs. launchpad courses. Carving up a forest seems to be more impressive than mastering the open spaces.

 

[Pbmercil]

I think there should be a grade for wooded vs. launchpad courses. Carving up a forest seems to be more impressive than mastering the open spaces.

You clearly don't understand how ratings work.

 

[bwgort]

I think you're missing the point. While that is a damn fine round, using par as an indicator of how good it is can be misleading.

I could set par at 5 for every hole at my local course and shoot a -45. Does that make my round better than if they were all set as par 3's?

This isn't you setting par. This is the International Disc Golf Center's par for a Pro Men's A tier.

 

[Cgkdisc]

I'd put gold par at 56 for that course.

You got any hidden par 2s there, Chuck?

Definitely, using gold par. Borderline 6 & 14 for blue level.

 

[Cgkdisc]

I think there should be a grade for wooded vs. launchpad courses. Carving up a forest seems to be more impressive than mastering the open spaces.

It's already built into the rating system. The SSA on a wooded course can be up to 7 throws higher than on a completely open course of the exact same length.

 

[jcf5083]

There's a short course in my area that is not a Steady Ed course but was built around the same time. The pars have not changed since it went in the ground, and the course record is (-27).

 

[Pbmercil]

I think you're missing the point. While that is a damn fine round, using par as an indicator of how good it is can be misleading.

I could set par at 5 for every hole at my local course and shoot a -45. Does that make my round better than if they were all set as par 3's?

That's excessively hyperbolic. A perfect round on that course (without aces) would only be about 4ish strokes better. It's not like par on that course was set randomly or arbitrarily, its just well laid out for a slightly lower skill level of players.

 

[bwgort]

You clearly don't understand how ratings work.

He's been 1000 rated for like 20 years. I think he gets it.

 

[notroman]

He's been 1000 rated for like 20 years. I think he gets it.

Heh. Lots of 1000+ players out there that don't know how the ratings system works. Being good at disc golf has nothing to do with understanding ratings.

 

[BENFTS]

In contrast, when Will Schusterick shot -18 on a course with 10 holes 200 feet and under (Par 2s) he received an 1111 rating. http://www.pdga.com/tour/event/14519

I shot a -14 last year in a PDGA event on a course that had 10 or so holes less than 260' and my rating was only 1009. TBH I was bummed that it wasn't higher. The next round I shot a -13 and that round was rated 1015. :wall: