Ladies only tour/tournaments for the future

[Aim For The Chains]

A resource---a website, a PDGA page, something---listing women's-only events would be a nice, and easy, first step for someone furthering this cause.

The pdga sort of did... (does?!) not updated with current event info and liked *site on their page doesnt work.
http://www.pdga.com/women/events

Edit* i was able to pull up the page linked here:
http://www.discgolf4women.com/event-calendar/all-women-s-events

 

[VictorB]

The couple or husband wife thing got adressed by jussi on facebook and he had a good answer. I think a good answer is should we as a entire community submit to not doing anything so the 10 couples that go on tour can still tour together? The definition of insanity comes to mind!

Don't take my remark so seriously. Sure it a separate tour would make it more difficult but you're really not going to hear me complaining about it. I generally only play 'locally' (ie within 4 hours drive) I was just discussing something that may come up for some people. If you re-read my post, my wife hasn't even played in a pdga tournament for over 5 years, so it's really a moot point for me anyway.

Personally I'd rather there be a women's only tour, if that's what will help get women out to play competitively more often.

 

[DG_Before_Breakfast]

A woman's only tour would be great. Daisy Chains is always a big deal in Santa Cruz. The pins are shortened at Pinto Lake and the course beautified. I love to play there around that time. I can completely understand why women would want their own tour. They have different requirements, e.g. shorter holes. The focus would be on their rounds, not the MPO. New potential recruits would be exposed to other women playing the game, instead of guys (with their testosterone and ulterior motives). I think in a lot of cases they would simply have more fun than the guys do, with a different level of competitiveness. So in the Steady Ed sense, they would Win.

I also think it would be fun to have events on short, technical courses where Men and Women play as equals. So the natural advantage men have of throwing farther is minimized, and it is all about hitting your lines, mental game, etc. I'm sure Men would still win most of the time, but one day maybe they wouldn't and that in itself could give women a boost.

 

[DavidSauls]

The pdga sort of did... (does?!) not updated with current event info and liked *site on their page doesnt work.
http://www.pdga.com/women/events

Edit* i was able to pull up the page linked here:
http://www.discgolf4women.com/event-calendar/all-women-s-events

On the one hand, looks like there's work to be done on this resource. On the other, it's encouraging to see how many events there were in 2015.

 

[ru4por]

A woman's only tour would be great. Daisy Chains is always a big deal in Santa Cruz. The pins are shortened at Pinto Lake and the course beautified. I love to play there around that time. I can completely understand why women would want their own tour. They have different requirements, e.g. shorter holes. The focus would be on their rounds, not the MPO. New potential recruits would be exposed to other women playing the game, instead of guys (with their testosterone and ulterior motives). I think in a lot of cases they would simply have more fun than the guys do, with a different level of competitiveness. So in the Steady Ed sense, they would Win.

I also think it would be fun to have events on short, technical courses where Men and Women play as equals. So the natural advantage men have of throwing farther is minimized, and it is all about hitting your lines, mental game, etc. I'm sure Men would still win most of the time, but one day maybe they wouldn't and that in itself could give women a boost.

How do we know women want shorter courses? Kind of like we know they want pink discs?

 

[GoldeyeGolf]

A woman's only tour would be great. Daisy Chains is always a big deal in Santa Cruz. The pins are shortened at Pinto Lake and the course beautified. I love to play there around that time. I can completely understand why women would want their own tour. They have different requirements, e.g. shorter holes. The focus would be on their rounds, not the MPO. New potential recruits would be exposed to other women playing the game, instead of guys (with their testosterone and ulterior motives). I think in a lot of cases they would simply have more fun than the guys do, with a different level of competitiveness. So in the Steady Ed sense, they would Win.

I also think it would be fun to have events on short, technical courses where Men and Women play as equals. So the natural advantage men have of throwing farther is minimized, and it is all about hitting your lines, mental game, etc. I'm sure Men would still win most of the time, but one day maybe they wouldn't and that in itself could give women a boost.

At this time, the best men are clearly better than the best women at all phases of the game, so I would still expect them to win pretty much all of the time. At some point, that may change, but that's the current situation.

 

[DG_Before_Breakfast]

How do we know women want shorter courses? Kind of like we know they want pink discs?

Well, when they play Daisy chains they shorten the course. I'm pretty sure women are making that decision. So I assume the majority want it. I've also heard anecdotally from Delaveaga club officers than when they put the course is shorter positions they see an increase in women and kids coming to the park.

Ball Golf courses typically have multiple tees for a reason. I think that helps make it attractive to women, and Disc Golf probably would attract more women, kids and possible less powerful throwers on courses that did that.

I'm sure there are some women that would not like it too.

At this time, the best men are clearly better than the best women at all phases of the game, so I would still expect them to win pretty much all of the time. At some point, that may change, but that's the current situation.

Yep, that is what I was saying. But at least then you have the possibility of it changing it some point, or a woman having a great round and winning one from the guys and getting some coverage.

 

[Cgkdisc]

The issue is not specifically about shorter tees but providing appropriate length tees to provide better opportunities for scoring separation. When the three ball golf tours, PGA, PGA Champions (50+ age), LPGA, have their combo event, the team members tee from different positions with PGA in the longest, Champions a bit shorter and the LPGA shortest. This mirrors what tees they play from in their regular series events during the year.

 

[SD86]

How do we know women want shorter courses? Kind of like we know they want pink discs?

I've told the story before of playing on my home course and playing through a group of women that turned out to be having a pro bag tag event. They were playing from the upper/short tees, which totally surprised me at the time.

So do they WANT shorter courses? On that day they did... or they would've played from the back tees (which aren't all that much further back...).

 

[Major Tomahawk]

NorCal has a women's series called the Monarch Migration run by Kim-bodia. It is very successful.

 

[loki the trickster]

NorCal has a women's series called the Monarch Migration run by Kim-bodia. It is very successful.

That it is. Now take what kimbodia is doing or any of the women who run small women's only tournaments and throw some added cash to the pot and maybe a player pack to bring in women from further citys or states.

 

[aevew]

I've told the story before of playing on my home course and playing through a group of women that turned out to be having a pro bag tag event. They were playing from the upper/short tees, which totally surprised me at the time.

So do they WANT shorter courses? On that day they did... or they would've played from the back tees (which aren't all that much further back...).

Unless you ask, you won't know the reason they were playing from the shorts.

Our league usually plays from the normal tees, but played from the shorts one week hoping to give away the ace pot. No passer by would have known the reason or that we play from the normal tees usually, and we certainly weren't going to stop random people to explain anything.

Not to say they didn't prefer the shorts... you or I just wouldn't know unless we asked.

 

[holly7845]

Build a female base into your local leagues and weeklies first. That a motivated individual could reasonably attempt. See how it goes. See if you have the will and learn. Big top down schemes are generally fantasies.

I've been running a Winter League in Madison, WI for a few months now. Every Saturday and Tuesday. I'm the only girl. Not a single other girl has attended. I have an amazing turnout from the guys, but not a single girl.

So....there ya go, the mystery continues!

 

[Broken Shoulder]

I've been running a Winter League in Madison, WI for a few months now. Every Saturday and Tuesday. I'm the only girl. Not a single other girl has attended. I have an amazing turnout from the guys, but not a single girl.

So....there ya go, the mystery continues!

Is it a mystery, or is it just more likely that, generally speaking, women just aren't really interested in disc golf? Maybe even especially so in the winter?

 

[TAFL]

My question is this: how have you been promoting the league to get women to attend?

 

[DiscFifty]

Based on my limited time playing disc golf of only a few years, I've seen dramatic increase in women playing disc golf. Every time I play I see females on the same course. There is no doubt on the casual side the sport is bringing in women. Women are social creatures, they are learning the social aspect of playing with other women while getting some exercise.

I think 10 years from now it's a no brainer, these conversations will be a thing of the past. But for now, let's face reality...for am players of both sexes..30 (teen) 50 (adult) is a fairly high price to join the pdga as an AM. Combine that with year after year membership dues, no wonder when I bring up the cost of joining the pdga most people say they will pass. Imho that is a huge blunder the PDGA is making year after year. Make the am side as low cost as possible. This is how they will grow the pro side as well, everyone is typically an AM at first. Make the am side dirt cheap and then if/when they go pro you can charge more for pro membership. And until the women equal (or come close) to men numbers, why not make the price for women joining the pdga half (or more!) of what it cost for male players?!?!

 

[DanJon]

The PDGA makes the bulk of their money off of AM's.

They're not letting that cash cow go.

 

[Dr.Smooth]

Good for you -Holly. The women will show up eventually. I think winter is tough though for that.

I think if you find a place that tends to attract women who are active outdoors you will find that niche for getting an audience.

Well right now off the top of my head active women participate in outdoor recreation are often climbing/hiking, skiing, and kayaking.

So whatever areas of your town that attract that kind of females will get you more players.

Random, but the first thing that comes to mind is high end grocery stores. Those kind of woman pay a premium for good food for some reason and are often in the local co ops, good coffee shops, etc..

 

[DavidSauls]

But for now, let's face reality...for am players of both sexes..30 (teen) 50 (adult) is a fairly high price to join the pdga as an AM. Combine that with year after year membership dues, no wonder when I bring up the cost of joining the pdga most people say they will pass. Imho that is a huge blunder the PDGA is making year after year. Make the am side as low cost as possible. This is how they will grow the pro side as well, everyone is typically an AM at first. Make the am side dirt cheap and then if/when they go pro you can charge more for pro membership. And until the women equal (or come close) to men numbers, why not make the price for women joining the pdga half (or more!) of what it cost for male players?!?!

The PDGA makes the bulk of their money off of AM's.

They're not letting that cash cow go.

The PDGA is those Ams, and doing what they want it to do. A drop in fees means doing less---and at the same time, a lot of people are clamoring that the PDGA should do more, like better support women.

I don't see $50 as excessive. It's once a year, so comes to $4 per month. It doesn't seem to be holding back PDGA membership growth, which continues at a robust rate. I don't see where it particularly holds back growth on the female side, and I doubt that the places with low-PDGA involvement (Southern Nationals or NEFA areas) have a much higher female participation rate, due to not having to pay PDGA fees.

 

[JC17393]

I doubt that the places with low-PDGA involvement (Southern Nationals or NEFA areas) have a much higher female participation rate, due to not having to pay PDGA fees.

NEFA areas are less low-PDGA involvement than it used to be, but the women's game is booming up here regardless. This year will be the second year of a women's only "tour" consisting of close to a dozen events around the 6-state region, many of which are PDGA events.

There's also a non-PDGA aspect to the growth. There is an ever growing team challenge in the winter. I think there are something like 80 teams now, spread across New England and eastern NY, and each one has at least one woman on the roster, often two. There are women's only leagues popping up as well.

As with any aspect of growth in this game, it starts at the local grass roots level. Women beget more women in the game just as one course in an area can beget another and another.