Most impressive start ever?

[foo_g]

A buddy of mine played his first PDGA sanctioned tournament over the weekend. His first round was rated 1007. :gross: Has anyone ever heard of or experienced anything like this before?

The 2nd round was at a different course (much more challenging and one that he had never played before) and he struggled, shooting a more human-like 884. He ended up tied for 3rd in intermediate.

For me, that first round would be a lifetime achievement type of thing. He's not a PDGA member and is not likely to join anytime soon (med student on a budget with a baby on the way), so there's a chance he won't ever have it on his "official PDGA transcript". Should I buy him a membership so that this can be counted and stick him with a 950 rating right from the get go, just for posterity?

 

[Horsman]

Pretty much the same thing for me. Took me 4 rounds to shoot 1000 but I won my first two tournaments I ever played and in my second tournament if I would have been in the Pro division I would have taken 2nd in a big B tier. I was just playing at a decently high level from the get go. But there are a good handful of people ever year that are 1000 rated after their first tournament ever because of how well they shoot. Its not common but it does happen.

 

[DiscFifty]

Should I buy him a membership so that this can be counted and stick him with a 950 rating right from the get go, just for posterity?

Wait...can you do that? I'd love to surprise a few known baggers at their next tournament.

 

[Steve West]

Looks like almost everyone in Intermediate played way above their rating that first round. I'd wait until the official ratings are set to be astounded.

 

[bmcgov1209]

I've met folks who have played for 10-15 years and could easily shoot 1000+ on their home course, but never play tournaments so they don't have ratings.

 

[JC17393]

Wait...can you do that? I'd love to surprise a few known baggers at their next tournament.

Why wouldn't you be able to? It's your money. Spend it how you want.

The PDGA membership page has two links each for joining or renewing...one for buying a membership for yourself and one for buying membership for others.

 

[markmcc]

Why wouldn't you be able to? It's your money. Spend it how you want.

I think that the question might be "Can you force a PDGA membership onto someone who, for whatever reason (DiscFifty mentions known baggers), prefers not to have one?"

 

[JC17393]

I think that the question might be "Can you force a PDGA membership onto someone who, for whatever reason (DiscFifty mentions known baggers), prefers not to have one?"

And my response, again, is why wouldn't you be able to? The PDGA isn't going to turn down your money because you're buying for an unwilling recipient. In fact, they encourage TDs to award memberships as prizes to non-members at tournaments. How is DiscFifty (or anyone) buying a membership for a non-member any different than that? I'd argue that the circumstances DiscFifty references is one of the biggest reasons the PDGA encourages awarding memberships.

 

[oddjob]

don't think it's that unusual but i don't have access to the data to prove it.

i played for 5+ years before playing my first tourney and only have played locally. pretty consistently at 990ish but i don't consider it accurate/realistic.

 

[takman]

There was a guy 2-3 years ago that made his official "debut" around 1030 after his first couple events, then dropped back. Anyone remember his name? Shook up the top 5 for an update or two.

 

[kenjiac]

Little thread drift but here is an impressive start. 1st shot of New York State Disc Golf Championship at StonyKill DGC this past Saturday by Dylan Rees

 

[Jethoho]

Good friend of mine played intermediate (just didn't know how he stacked up) in his first sanctioned event and shot 982, and 1019. Still a solid player today but not 1000 rated

 

[pauldst]

Little thread drift but here is an impressive start. 1st shot of New York State Disc Golf Championship at StonyKill DGC this past Saturday by Dylan Rees

Tournament is over, you win!

What disc did he throw, do you know?

 

[DavidSauls]

Probably not quite the rating, but I was TDing a 1-day event where a guy made his debut in Intermediate. He wasn't a long-time non-member, just a new player.

His first round he smoked it, and had a 10-stroke lead. 10 strokes, after 1 round.

By the end of the second round, he'd blown the entire 10-stroke lead.

(He was tied, and won the playoff, though).

 

[cheesethin]

And my response, again, is why wouldn't you be able to? The PDGA isn't going to turn down your money because you're buying for an unwilling recipient. In fact, they encourage TDs to award memberships as prizes to non-members at tournaments. How is DiscFifty (or anyone) buying a membership for a non-member any different than that? I'd argue that the circumstances DiscFifty references is one of the biggest reasons the PDGA encourages awarding memberships.

The PDGA might not mind, but non-consensual membership might run afoul of national laws, particularly data protection/privacy laws. The membership sign-up process requires the member-to-be's name, address, phone number, email & date of birth. If the PDGA does not have the actual persons consent to have and store this info then there is a chance they are not in compliance with some data protection law. Here in the UK we have just had GDPR come into effect, and at a quick glance that does not allow a 3rd party to give consent on behalf of another (unless they have 'authority'). I don't know what similar laws the USA has.

Also, the sign-up process allows consent to be given (by ticking a box) to passing on the members contact info to disc golf related 3rd party businesses. All without their consent.

Not saying it is a problem that needs addressing - just noticing.

All of that aside, if the serial-deliberate-sandbagger lifestyle exists, then surprise 'ha!you're a member now m*****f*****', seems like a pro level counter move. :hfive:

 

[kenjiac]

Tournament is over, you win!

What disc did he throw, do you know?

Dylan throws discraft I think it was a thrasher

 

[F.Luke]

Ben Gaddis PDGA: 28071

 

[takman]

Ben Gaddis PDGA: 28071

Sounds familiar, no longer current though, a one rating wonder.

 

[5QU166Y]

A guy I know in Charlotte shot a 1030 round for his first ever rating. Everyone was quite surprised, including him. I think he played enough other rounds that his rating went back down before his first rating, but if he only played that one round, he could have been 1030 at least for one update.

https://www.pdga.com/player/70630

 

[foo_g]

Looks like almost everyone in Intermediate played way above their rating that first round. I'd wait until the official ratings are set to be astounded.

Ratings were updated after the TD's report was submitted and it dropped him down to 988. :\