PDGA: Why did you join? (or choose not to)

[Longliveguitar]

the only reason i've never joined is because there are no sanctioned toury's in my area. If there were PDGA tourny's going on around i'd be all over it

 

[Brall]

to be the first of my group of friends to get a pdga number. that way mine will be lower than theirs and i will always have that to rub in their smug faces

 

[ZBoazMobster]

I won my membership...

 

[CaptainAnhyzer]

So I wouldn't have to pay $10 extra at every tournament.
To get a rating and get competitive.
Hotel discounts, not do much, but it's an added perk.

AND to have the ability to run PDGA tournaments.

 

[Jabanger]

I haven't joined due to the cost.

 

[elnino]

The O.P.'s perspective is somewhat limiting. The PDGA is not a business, it's a member-run organization. Some of us are members for reasons beyond what's in it for us.

That said, the benefits listed by others do help with the burden of the ever-increasing annual fees.

so do they have a info sheet of where the money goes/comes from? i would like to see this before i join.

 

[CoachQ]

I play over 5 sanctioned tournaments a year which covers the $50. I also like the magazine and the idea of the rating system. I am a stats guy, and I like to make the comparisons to others without having to do the math myself. I think that there is added value in a first year membership with the disc and mini. I don't use either, but I was able to trade the disc for one that I wanted and I kept the mini just for a momento. The rulebook that I got has come in handy a few times during tourneys as well. The renewal bag tags are hanging on the bag just so I have enough pieces of "flare."

 

[CoachQ]

so do they have a info sheet of where the money goes/comes from? i would like to see this before i join.

Yeah, they have an annual budget report that can be accessed on the PDGA site. I have also seen it posted in the magazine.

 

[slowRoll]

This has already been covered, but it is the $10 off. I average 7 or 8, so it pays for itself. The rating is just for bragging rights.

 

[Cgkdisc]

Something not mentioned yet is tracking your player history. Perhaps it's a small thing for some but tracking your history online is a way of indicating you existed as a competitive disc golfer for some period of time. When the sport was small, much of your playing history was saved for posterity in the magazines and local club pubs. Now, online is the only place where all of that detail can be retained. The PDGA also tracks your stats even in years you couldn't afford to or decided not to renew. But it's still there when you renew again.

 

[Guurn]

I will eventually get around to renewing this year. Some of the decisions that were made, especially around tourneys, made me seriously question it this year. I never play enough tourneys to make it worth it, but I like supporting fledgling organizations.

 

[DavidSauls]

My primary motivation for joining has been that I want to see the sport grow and develop, and for better or worse the PDGA is the only organization I know of that operates at a national level to organize, promote and develop disc golf. I barely play enough sanctioned events each year to pay myself back the cost of membership in entry fee savings, so that's not a big motivator. I would probably re-join in the future even if I didn't plan to play any tournaments in order to continue to support the outreach and development programs of the PDGA. There isn't a viable alternative that I'm aware of.

I was going to elaborate on my previous brief post, but you've pretty much covered what I was going to say.

It seemed natural, getting addicted and heavily involved in any hobby or activity, to join the national organization of similar-minded folks. Of course, back when they started handing out 5-digit membership numbers, the fees were much less so it was an easier decision than perhaps to today's newcomers.

 

[LeewayeDiscGolf]

You also save money on the membership if you sign up with family. My son and I got a discount for signing up from the same household.

 

[GLong]

for some of us this may be the only 'professional' organization we ever get to join :|

 

[Roc1Time]

Cause I play tourneys

 

[Cgkdisc]

Here's a little early PDGA financial history. New membership for Ams is now $50 and Pros $75. Those are just 5% and 6% compound increases respectively over 27 years with a rather significant increase in benefits.

PDGA INCOME STATEMENT 1984

Revenue
$1035 New memberships (69 members x $15 each)
$ 220 Renewal memberships (22 members x $10 each)
$ 229 Tournament donations
$2184 TOTAL REVENUE

Expenses
$ 354 Telephone
$ 258 Newsletter
$ 218 Postage
$ 116 MAC Computer expenses
$ 195 Typing/Typesetting Printing
$ 162 Photocopying
$ 178 Supplies
$ __6 Bank charges
$ _26 Computer supplies
$ 322 Membership costs
$1888 TOTAL EXPENSES

$ 296 NET PROFIT

 

[jcf5083]

It just makes sense to get a Student Membership.

 

[Triflusal]

^nice

 

[bhuff]

its cheaper than paying $10 every tourny I play, cant make a name for myself either.

 

[Spatula Cornroll]

I joined because it gets me a sweet discount at the red roof inn.