Making the move from Advanced to Pro?

[AirMcNair]

So, I have been playing for almost 4 years 3 of those years competitive. In 2009 when I really started playing tourneys I won 6 straight PDGA in intermediate. Then in 2010 I moved up to Advanced and played only two events because I broke my hand. Those two events I played horrible. Since then I haven't played in a sanctioned event. Last year I played Advanced at Ozark Mt and took 2nd place with two 1000 rated rounds and played Open at Burde Ridge (both private courses) and won 2nd place.

The issue I am having is that I know that I can play with the pros around here and have been for the past year but here lately it seems like I have two bad holes and it ruins my chances to cash. Of course I have all my local pro friends telling me to move up cuz I have beaten them before. So......


My question is when I do play some sanctioned events this year should I move up to Pro or play Advanced and hone my skills a little more? Help me out here thanks!


O and my PDGA rating is such that I could sign up for Int. since I haven't played in one in so long. 930

 

[Martin Dewgarita]

Sort of speaking from experience, at least that i'm in about the same boat.

I plan on remaining am as long as I can, until I can show myself (and others) that i'm consistent at that level, like you it's usually one or two holes that kill me, I am confident I have the ability, it's a mental game.

if local open is all you're worried about, you know how you compare to your competition.

I plan on playing some high caliber ma1 tourneys before I even consider moving up, NTs, nationals, worlds, a tiers if /when I can compete at that level, I'll consider moving up.

I also want to make sure I get my full am experience before I take away the possibility.

 

[bholy08]

If you can beat them in casual you can beat them in a tourney...just because you might not cash right away doesn't mean you aren't at that skill level. I moved to advanced after playing for 10 mos. and people said it was early but I took 3rd...this last weekend I also took 3rd in a tourney in Mobile (they have some legit players). So play up, challenge yourself mentally and physically. You will enjoy it more!

 

[bholy08]

Yes, I am speaking about local tourneys...Martin made a good distinction

 

[Mr. Orange]

Don't forget that you can play Open and take merch instead of cash to retain am status. So at smaller events where you will be competitive play open and in larger events where advanced is more your speed play that. This still allows for am worlds/nats and other am only events.

 

[Smigles]

You can beat local pros. You can play 1000 rated rounds.

Anything but moving up to pro must be considered heavy sandbagging.

Yes, a few bad holes may ruin your chances for price money. But 1 ) that is the same for everybody and 2 ) if you only play for the money, you picked the wrong sport anyway.

 

[KGB84]

I couldn't agree more.

 

[bergdawg]

If you can beat them in casual you can beat them in a tourney

I more than disagree.

 

[jenb]

Do you have no interest in taking a shot at an am worlds or us adv champ title before moving up?

Around here, the real money at C tiers is in intermediate, becasue the TDs all seem to run rec as trophy only these days. That makes the int field huge, and those who can bag down and eat get enough plastic to sell that they make more money than the pros. It's not uncommon to see the wineers in int here throwing 980+ rounds. You can do that for months before your rating catches up. Meanwhile, the advanced field is small becasue of all those players staying down in int, so a lot of those guys play up and try to cash in open.

Just look at what your options are and what will motivate you to continue to attend tourneys. A lot of people can't play at the same level at tourneys due to mental game, and it takes a lot of tourney play to get there. When you do move to open, you may find it takes months or years to adjust to the OMGness of playing open.

Maybe try it and see if you like it. You can always take merch if you cash, and keep your options open. You could even play open locally and still take merch and then go for some am titles at PDGA majors and NTS.

 

[scarpfish]

Don't forget that you can play Open and take merch instead of cash to retain am status. So at smaller events where you will be competitive play open and in larger events where advanced is more your speed play that. This still allows for am worlds/nats and other am only events.

^ This.

 

[Stan McDaniel]

Take your time. Don't let others push you into the eel infested waters before you are ready!!!

 

[thumbfar]

Move up. Playing with better players is the best way to improve your game.

 

[medicinalfunk]

That makes the int field huge, and those who can bag down and eat get enough plastic to sell that they make more money than the pros.

hmmmm....that's a good idea...

 

[bhuff]

you dont have to go into pro and win every event you play...If your good enough to shoot 1000 rated rounds and place 2nd in an open even, I don't know why you are still in advanced...The better players play open and that is how you are going to learn.

 

[chrishysell]

Some of the older players are going to tell you that when they started playing there was only an open division. I came along when there were 3 distinct divisions, am, advanced and open. When you won your 1st am tourney you moved to advanced. From then on it was up to you to move up. My goal was to be a pro and I played advanced for an entire season and then moved up. I didn't know there was such a thing as an am worlds. And it wasn't exactly as Stan said. I went from winning advanced events into playing in the lead group of Open. One of my 1st events was Reedy Creek with Stan, Larry and Dave and myself in the lead group running away from the field.

I don't know what separates disc golfers. There are always some hotshot advanced players that make the move and become good pros. There are also some good advanced players that make the decision to stay advanced until they gain confidence or more distance or whatever. A few years later they are still playing advanced. All of us are different in our abilities.

 

[#19325]

Do not listen to anyone saying move up to Open! There should be no rush moving to Open. I've seen it time and time again. Guys who love tournaments move up too soon and quit playing events.


First and foremost you should run the financial impact it may have on your tournament play. Do you play a lot of events right now?
--Say you play 15 events per year. On average around me an Amateur entry fee is $30. $30 X 15 events is $450. The average pro entry is $50. $50 X 15 events is $750. That's a car payment in the difference! If you play A-Tier and Majors you are looking at $100 minimum for an entry.
--Right now as an amateur you are able to get discs with your entry. Are you ready to add the expense of purchasing discs?
--Are you going to lose your travel buddies that split travel expenses? See below.

This may or may not affect you. Do you like to travel with your playing buddies to events? When you move to Open and your travel friends do not you lose some of the fun factor. A lot of times Open plays on different days or different courses. It just depends on your area and event. This could have a financial impact on you.

Competition.
--I would go through al your local events in the surrounding area. How big are the Open divisions? Some areas it's just as beneficial playing with the top Advanced players. I pulled up the Shootout at the Deer. 11 Open players and 13 Advanced players. That bottom half of the Open field had similar scores to the top half of the Advanced division assuming they played the same course and tees.
--Level of play. I just pulled up the Music City Open from last year. It took 989 rated golf to split last cash. What is your rating? How many rounds have you played 990 golf or better?

 

[#19325]

One other addition I forgot. How much time do you have to PRACTICE? There are some guys who can play very little during the week and go out and perform on the weekend. There are very few of those guys. Do you have time during the week to do what it takes to be competitive?

 

[martinyoung]

Playing in the Open Division does not make one a Pro.

The PDGA has established the parameters of what being a "Pro" is - it is simply taking $$ over prizes.

Playing in the Open Division is available for everyone. I recommend playing Open whenever you are at a local non-sanctioned, C, and B-tier event. You should probably play Open whenever it is a local A-tier or even local NT. - As for playing out of town - look at your competition, look at the number of players in a division, ask yourself what kind of competitive experience are you looking for.

There are very few actual Pro's in Disc Golf and even fewer who actually make a living playing Disc Golf.

I don't understand why Disc Golfers define what division they are, other then as there rating rises and there are certain divisions they are no longer allowed to play in. I play Open - I have played Open for nearly 3 years. Sometimes Open is all I am allowed to play as my rating creeps over the 970 threshold, but usually it is in the high 960's range where I am officially still an "AM". The PDGA considers me to be a "PRO" because i cashed and won $25 bucks 4 years ago. I have cashed multiple times since then and so I consider myself today to be a regional "PRO."

People say you will play better by stepping up. I don't agree with this. Rather to compete as you step up you are forced to play better. Sandbagging in my opinion is only when you are winning and in your mind you played poorly. With multiple divisions out there if you win - you better have played well and earned the victory, or the cash or prizes. Stepping up and playing at the bottom of the pack wont help. Being on the lead card and having those strokes count down the stretch is a far more valuable experience not matter what division you are playing in.

 

[tistoude]

This year will be my first as an Open player (not Pro). My suggetion would be if you can afford it play Open but maybe decline cash for a little while. See how you fit in without losing your Am status. If you are one of those people that mostly plays tournaments on only your local/regional courses then you should definitely move up since you most likely know where you stand against local competition. If you play a bunch of tournaments on courses you do not know well or at all you will probably struggle a little bit.

Never move up because someone else tells you that you should. Make the decision based on how competetive you think you can be.

 

[chrishysell]

One other addition I forgot. How much time do you have to PRACTICE? There are some guys who can play very little during the week and go out and perform on the weekend. There are very few of those guys. Do you have time during the week to do what it takes to be competitive?

I only play tournament rounds because I just don't have time to play leisurely or practice. This gives me a slight disadvantage but I can usually learn how to play in a few holes. A lot of the game is mental.