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

[Apothecary]

i join to line the pockets of the main dude (who shall remain nameless in this post) and the rest of his greedy little minions.

and because i want to pay every time they decide i must get re-certified to stay a td.

because im smart like that.

 

[Sadjo]

I first joined because I wanted to play in the AM worlds back in '93 at Fort Collins. After not being a PDGA member for several years, I rejoined because I wanted run sanctioned tournaments. I would keep the membership because I enjoy the magazine (even if I think they're missing the mark) and to support the sport.

I think the PDGA does a good job with most of what it does and it is hard to imagine where we would be as a sport if it wasn't for the PDGA.

 

[billnchristy]

Nevermind...

They banned Kenny!

You bastards!!

 

[simpletwist]

I haven't read all the responses, but it seems most joined to save $10 at sanctioned events. Makes sense to me. And that's kind of what's kept me from joining. In my mind the PDGA doesn't offer any perks that would induce me to join since I don't play many sanctioned events. So at this point I'm a non-member.

 

[Cgkdisc]

Let's say you are not a member and you play a pdga this weekend. The TD submits the TD report in a timely fashion and it includes your pdga number. A ratings update occurs and includes the tourny you played this weekend. You renew after the rating update occurs. The pdga will not go back and look at any tournies that you played that have already been included in the update.

Here's the scoop. If your PDGA number is included in a sanctioned event report, you will get ratings for that event regardless whether you are current or not. When ratings are updated, all players with PDGA numbers will have their ratings updated. If you are current, you can see your current stats and history. If you are not current, you cannot see your rating, stats or history.

 

[U_NICED_ME]

Here's the scoop. If your PDGA number is included in a sanctioned event report, you will get ratings for that event regardless whether you are current or not. When ratings are updated, all players with PDGA numbers will have their ratings updated. If you are current, you can see your current stats and history. If you are not current, you cannot see your rating, stats or history.

That's what I thought but I wasn't too sure! Thanks.

 

[biscoe]

chuck- can you still see non-current members current rating by going back to their old events and checking there? that has been very useful to me in determining vti eligibility.

 

[biscoe]

gotta be a member to run an event and get the best thing the pdga has to offer- cheap insurance.
gotta be a member to play the grange open.

used to use the message board a lot but it has basically died.

i would also echo david sauls' comments on the need for a national org.

 

[Cgkdisc]

That might work for a while longer. One of the things being "fixed" this year is locking down and continuing to display a player's rating at the time of the event rather than their current rating as it has been for quite a while.

 

[biscoe]

oh well... sucks for me but will be a definite improvement in general. will it be retroactive? will events from 2005 show your rating as it would've been then?

 

[Cgkdisc]

I think that's the plan - to go back and get the historical records updated with the ratings at the time.

 

[cali]

I've held off on joining just because I didn't want to jack my rating when I was still playing AM 2.

 

[wolito]

I really don't play tournaments so I have not joined. Just not into the sanctioned format, local tournaments are ok.

 

[jabruzzo3]

I have not played in any tournaments yet but I did join PDGA last year. It was more to support our sport. We all talk the talk about how our sport is not taken seriously by those who do not play. So I wanted to walk the walk and support an association that with enough membership can promote the sport. People listen when you have numbers (bodies) behind you. The bigger the membership, the more they will listen.

 

[jtencer]

I prefer to support the sport locally. I don't like the overhead associated with a large national organization.

I recognize that it has value, but unless it's about to collapse I don't feel obligated to support it. The benefits of standardization and record keeping just don't matter to me. I don't enjoy the game any less if someone in Nevada chronically foot-faults or if the baskets in Maine are all 3 inches smaller or if someone throws different discs than I do. I don't need a national organization to track my scores, and I don't need to constantly compare myself to others to see if I'm getting better or worse.

In contrast, I renew my annual membership to the UPA, now USA Ultimate every year. The main difference is that disc golf is an individual sport and I don't need to play tournaments to play at a high level. I'm playing against the course. It doesn't matter who else is there. Ultimate is a team sport, and to play at a high level you have to play against teams from across the country. The best way to do that currently is the annual club series.

That's the way I see it, anyway. I don't join the PDGA because it doesn't benefit me financially, and I feel like I can support the sport more efficiently without donating to the national organization.

 

[msizemore]

Everybody supports the sport, if your definition is just to play once a week. What do you do to "support the sport locally"? Are there legitimate tournaments that you could play in your area or do you not get the opportunity? I understand that you can play well on your own but does the adrenaline and accomplishment of being on the lead card or doing well in tournament not entice you at all?

 

[tamahawk]

I decided to join today. I'm planning to play some tourneys this year anyway, so...

 

[Airfishey]

I joined mainly just to keep track of tournaments and ratings.

 

[great white buffalo]

I have not played in a tournament in over six years, and have only played in maybe a half dozen in all. I just can not justify spending $50 for something I will not use.

 

[msizemore]

Are there any regions where local tournaments hold more pull than PDGA sanctioning? I only know about Kansas City and northern Indiana.