Pdga #'s

[T.Hizzle]

So I was thinking about playing more than my usual 3 tournaments a year. I play 2 of the tournaments because of the sweet temp. layouts. Then I go onto the pdga website and start browsing tournaments and results for various tournaments for the chit of it. The thing that struck me as kinda odd is that the pdga #'s (not ratings) of tournament players are so high now. It seems like most people playing tournaments have a pdga # above 40,000 and some above 50,000. Where have all the players in the 20,000 and 30,000 range gone?

 

[JR Stengele]

#37977 still playin...Good question though.

 

[ManU]

dead or wed

 

[plastic cannon]

dead or wed

this.


/thread

 

[Roc1Time]

Im here

 

[Cgkdisc]

PDGA averages about 20% non-renewals each year which are replaced by enough new members so the org has been growing 6-8% per year. That turnover rate is apparently comparable or better than other membership orgs of similar size in a wide range of fields when Terry Calhoun did the research a few years ago.

 

[Violets caddy]

Travel fees, entry fees, food costs, its expensive to to play tournaments on a regular basis
$100 a day average.
Then factor in practice time, if you don't put in the work before a tourney you're probably wasting your money entering.
A lot of the courses will be new to you or seldom played by you so getting to the course during the week to check it out, even more travel expense.

I spent the entire summer hitting every tournament I could last year and I had a blast, but f*ck it was expensive. My plan going into this year was to hit even more but its just not in the budget :\

Time & money, most people just don't have an abundance of either let alone both.

 

[bneely]

#22216 here. Registered back around 2002 or thereabouts. Have only played about 6-7 sanctioned tournaments since registering, but I have stayed current most years to help support the development of the sport.

 

[scarpfish]

34187 is taking a year off because his workplace situation, and potential impending moving isn't allowing for him to play as many tournaments as he could in the past. He might pay a non-member fee or two during the year.

In other words, life happens.

 

[BENFTS]

Never registered and never saw the point. I don't play enough sanctioned events to need the number and would rather spend the cash on new plastic.

 

[T.Hizzle]

34187 is taking a year off because his workplace situation, and potential impending moving isn't allowing for him to play as many tournaments as he could in the past. He might pay a non-member fee or two during the year.

In other words, life happens.

So what I am hearing is that people with Pdga #'s in the 20,000's and 30,000's are either donating money to the Pdga because they can't play enough events or taking time off because of life events. That means the competition level in the INT and ADV levels are a bunch of noobs playing against noobs.

 

[Violets caddy]

So what I am hearing is that people with Pdga #'s in the 20,000's and 30,000's are either donating money to the Pdga because they can't play enough events or taking time off because of life events. That means the competition level in the INT and ADV levels are a bunch of noobs playing against noobs.

No. You might have people with higher numbers but I wouldn't assume they're all noobs. I've been playing on and off for about 15yrs and this will be the first year I'll have a number. A lot of the guys I play against have years of experience but never saw a benefit to joining.

 

[scarpfish]

So what I am hearing is that people with Pdga #'s in the 20,000's and 30,000's are either donating money to the Pdga because they can't play enough events or taking time off because of life events. That means the competition level in the INT and ADV levels are a bunch of noobs playing against noobs.

It was probably like that when the numbers topped out at 10000, or 30000, and will be that way when they reach 100000. People discover disc golf, some join the PDGA. They discover other things and move on to other things when their lives take a change. Others just as likely do the above in reverse.

What exactly (beyond your usual trolling agitation) is your point?

FWIW, I happen to know some really experienced players around here with high PDGA#s. They just never bothered joining for so long because there were never enough sanctioned events when they were beginners to justify the cost. As things got more organized that equation changed and they joined.

 

[ohtobediscing]

^^^this.

 

[ohtobediscing]

Meh. Won't need a number, as I've played three tourneys in 18 years.

Dammit, slow-internet double-posting.

 

[TalbotTrojan]

Life events is probably the biggest part of it. I know I am addicted and I live in a place where the DG community is part of my life. It is a part of my life that I do not soon want to leave behind. I would imagine that if you do not feel connected to your local DG community you would be more likely to jump in and out of the tournaments. I play more than enough tournaments to make it worth it, three times over last year.

As far as where people choose to spend their money, it may not make sense for you to join the PDGA but find a way to support your local clubs. It will mean more courses for you to play at the very least.

 

[gcr_russell]

37909 here, still just as in love with the game as always. I can't see myself not renewing at any point.

 

[Okie-J]

#11431

Still playing just ain't paying.

 

[brettricewku]

51167 just got a number to play in an A-tier. If i didnt need it for that then I wouldnt have one. Have another rant for another thread about performing good in one tourney then having to play adv.

 

[joegraham]

4064 here. Been renewing for the last 26 years! Been invited to 20 pro Worlds!