Kids in PDGA tournaments without their own division

[ptld2001]

The father was there, and he told her not to come up behind people on the tee pad. We were all new to PDGA, and so I thought that I was entitled to a retee, but was told different. I think that was part of my frustration.

Warn him!

Seriously I know it is kind of bad but if a kid isn't following common courtesy you SHOULD at least let them know.

Just in general, I think people have made some very good points. I'm not familiar enough to realize that some kids develop the ability to focus, and have the attention span to remain nondisruptive throughout the day. But some don't. I almost wondered whether this tournament was more the parent's idea than the child's, but I should retain judgement on that one. I didn't want to muddy up the waters, but the other challenge in this whole situation was that along with the player, the father also had a four year old and a dog. DavidSauls was right that this was just an unusually bad situation, and especially for a first tournament.

12StonesScott, I very much appreciate all the effort you pay to not only make the tournament a good experience for your child, but to also take pains to make it easier on the TD and other players.

 

[ZBoazMobster]

if there isn't any am womens players then you would have to put them with the rec players.

http://www.pdga.com/tournament-results?TournID=10668

http://www.pdga.com/tournament-results?TournID=10669

Same woman, same tourney, two different days, two different classes. All alone in her classes. We were carded together 2nd round, day 1. Cool people.

On a side note, I'm think she's close to someone on this site...

 

[billnchristy]

You do not HAVE to put women with the men unless it is an A-tier. Most TDs do because then they don't have to pay her. Some are cool and will do something for her regardless.

Before people get all WAH think of this, ADV women rating is generally the same as REC men so it would be like putting an 850 rated guy in open and telling him to have fun.

My wife has played as a rec man, rec woman, and int woman and has always beaten at least one guy (usually he quit but did he quit because she was beating him?) and she always asks the TD if he got a womens trophy, if the answer is no she will play men, if yes she will take it so he didn't waste his money.

 

[ZBoazMobster]

You do not HAVE to put women with the men unless it is an A-tier. Most TDs do because then they don't have to pay her. Some are cool and will do something for her regardless.

Before people get all WAH think of this, ADV women rating is generally the same as REC men so it would be like putting an 850 rated guy in open and telling him to have fun.

My wife has played as a rec man, rec woman, and int woman and has always beaten at least one guy (usually he quit but did he quit because she was beating him?) and she always asks the TD if he got a womens trophy, if the answer is no she will play men, if yes she will take it so he didn't waste his money.

Ifs Ands or Buts shouldn't apply to a professional league, A, B, or C tier. Your wife should get first prize, every time she plays solo in her class. Otherwise, PDGA should adopt a co-ed type rule, that is an official and final decision... or something. Maybe a sub-paragraph for instances like you mention... she agrees to play mens.

I don't know all the rules, and maybe the PDGA already has addressed the issue with women, and or kids... I'm just a fool for good conversation.

 

[billnchristy]

I don't know and its not like it is gratifying to beat nobody so she doesn't generally care...however, if we are trying to expand the sport for women and children placing them in divisions where they are almost guaranteed DFL does nothing for that.

 

[ERicJ]

Expanding to Myers full quote:

As a TD, if there isn't a full card you have to put those juniors somewhere. it is going to be with the most like players. if there isn't any am womens players then you would have to put them with the rec players. per rules there has to be 3 to a card so if there is only 1 or 2 juniors they will have to be joined up with another group. while it may be rough on the other players we certainly don't want to discourage juniors from playing. At our club's local tournaments this situation happens almost every time. we are usually fortunate to have enough am women to place the juniors with them, but as a TD you will always fall back on the statement you can't please everyone.

http://www.pdga.com/tournament-results?TournID=10668
http://www.pdga.com/tournament-results?TournID=10669

Same woman, same tourney, two different days, two different classes. All alone in her classes. We were carded together 2nd round, day 1. Cool people.

I don't think Myers was talking about putting them together competing in the same division, but just grouped on the same card. As he says PDGA requires three players on a card (or two plus an official).

You do not HAVE to put women with the men unless it is an A-tier.

Huh?

Most TDs do because then they don't have to pay her.

Double huh?

Ifs Ands or Buts shouldn't apply to a professional league, A, B, or C tier. Your wife should get first prize, every time she plays solo in her class. Otherwise, PDGA should adopt a co-ed type rule, that is an official and final decision... or something. Maybe a sub-paragraph for instances like you mention... she agrees to play mens.

I don't know all the rules, and maybe the PDGA already has addressed the issue with women, and or kids... I'm just a fool for good conversation.

The PDGA does not have "Men's" divisions. They do have "Women's Only" divisions.

E.g. REC (MA3) is open to both genders and all ages. Women's REC (FW3) is restricted to Women only.

 

[John Rock]

Another thing I've run into with kids in the event is the need for an adult to walk with their group (if you've got a card full of Juniors). Most times if kids are entered, so are their parents. Some kids get a little bolder when their parents aren't right there with them, and if there's no adult in/with the group there is more of a chance for shenanigans. Seems like every time we have a card of only Juniors, there is always some grumbling of "someone didn't do something right". Age and size make a huge difference to kids.

 

[Steve West]

Setting aside the disc golf aspects, kids are not responsible adults. Kids need to have someone responsible for them.

No one would send a kid off to hang around in the woods with 3 unknown adults for a couple of hours - they shouldn't do it during a round of disc golf.

If there is no one responsible for the kids and something happens to them (even something like hearing bad words) well, someone is going to be blamed.

I think it is quite reasonable to ask that everyone under a certain age be required to have an adult there with them. That's a greater obligation than any disc golf considerations

 

[discgolphinmafaukner]

I actually learned from a teen that played on my card a couple of years ago. It's crazy I'm getting ready to move up to int and he's playin' advanced. Man I wish I had learned about this when I was that young

 

[Sadjo]

I'm running an event in November that will be open to all age groups and divisions. It's at a local course that has only hosted juniors events an doubles events. It's the most played course in the area and the shorted course I know of in SC.

Because of the popularity of the course and it being so easy for most, I'm hoping to attract more kids, women and first time players. Most events in SC don't seem to offer a Novice and Rec division or juniors divisions.

My kids (4, 6, 14) show better poise on the course than most tournament players. Every time I take them out to play we work the rules and the courtesy of the sport. Sometimes when my 4 year-old plays league with me, he 'schools' other players on etiquette on the course. Very funny.

 

[mashnut]

I have absolutely no issue with kids playing, I've seen more 'adults' with bad attitudes and lax interpretations of the rules (and shorter attention spans) than any of the kids I've played with in tournaments.

 

[Rip Van]

Some kids get a little bolder when their parents aren't right there with them, and if there's no adult in/with the group there is more of a chance for shenanigans.

Kids certainly seem to have more minor violations. I watched some holes played by younger (pre-teen) juniors and saw fairway foot faults, falling putts inside the circle, and a couple of stroke counting errors. The adults in the group didn't say anything because they didn't want to discourage the kids from playing golf.

 

[Spatula Cornroll]

If one of those dang'd kids throws another blasted frisbee in my yard, I'm keepin' it!