Playing up a division

[maynes32]

For players who have several (honest) rated tournaments under their belt there really isn't the possibility of bagging. If a player is truly better their rating will reflect it and they wil be forced to move up.

Well ... yes and no. If a player is NOT truly a sandbagger, they'll likely be in the PDGA, and their rating will, indeed, force them to move up. But they aren't the real problem because they aren't truly a sandbagger.

However, if they are a REAL sandbagger, they won't be a PDGA member, and will just pay the extra $10 per tournament (at least around here) and continue to be able to sandbag, ratingless. They may even have HAD a PDGA number and have allowed it to lapse at an AM3 rating so they can keep playing AM3. Hypothetically, of course.

BLM

 

[wallace]

personally i like to play int rather than rec for the simple fact of competition. I like playing with players as good or better than me. The other part for me is the performance to reward ratio. For me, playing in the intermediate category in my area will yield these results.
Great day=place top 3
Good day=middle of the pack
Bad day=bottom of the barrel

In rec I get:
Great day=win
good day=top 3
Bad day=still cashing

I really don't like cashing in $20 when I know my game was weak. Playing up for me puts me in a better state mentally about evaluating my tournament performance.

 

[Dave Walters]

I played a tournament a couple weeks ago and the AM3 winner could have placed 2nd place in the open bracket. He shot -2 and the next guy after him was like +10 in his bracket. He just knew he couldnt beat the open winner so he sandbagged AM3 knowing it would be an easy win. It happens all the time.

Michigan is really really bag for sandbaggers.

It is a touchy subject in all sports.

What should the PDGA do to fix it. Create more divisions where more people can fit in? thats a terrible idea. I do think however that they should do rating updates after every tourney that way ratings are truly up to date.

 

[discflinger]

^^^biggest bagger in Ft. Wayne.

 

[discflinger]

JK, Dave, when we headed to Peru Sat?

 

[Dave Walters]

^^^biggest bagger in Ft. Wayne.

Fall series aint even sanctioned. And my rating still would let me play am3 until june 22nd.


I am past those days though.
Am3 is a joke. Shouldnt even be a division. They need 3 main divisions.


AMS: AM4, AM3, and AM2.

PRO-AMS or SEMI PRO: AM1 and CRAPPY PROS

PRO OPEN: The Elite.

 

[agentdozzer]

So I just joined the PDGA and played a a tier which my average rating was 930, the two courses we played were my home courses, I wonder if Ill be forced to move up now that I had one good tourny?

 

[scarpfish]

Most around these parts play up. Heck, according to my rating, I'm playing up two divisions. Of course, MA4 is seldom if ever offered around here.

 

[DavidSauls]

So I just joined the PDGA and played a a tier which my average rating was 930, the two courses we played were my home courses, I wonder if Ill be forced to move up now that I had one good tourny?

Move up from what? You don't say what division you played.

IF that event is the only event you play in and for which the TD submits a report before the next ratings date, you should have a 930 player rating and be eligible for Intermediate or above.

If you're not really that good but played over your head, this will be a temporary situation until you play your rating back down.

 

[mashnut]

I have absolutely no issue with the people who want to play up a division or two, I think it's a great way to play with better players and make a tournament a learning experience. I do have an issue with people who do that, and then are mad that people playing where they're rated actually win the division. I've seen 910 rated players in intermediate called sandbaggers because the 850 rated players want to be competitive in that division..

 

[slowRoll]

I have absolutely no issue with the people who want to play up a division or two, I think it's a great way to play with better players and make a tournament a learning experience.

That's cool, until everyone around you does that, and you end up like me... the only advanced rated dude playing advanced. What about me, since I'm barely rated advanced, shouldn't I have the opportunity to play with guys better than me so I can learn too. I'm just illustrating a point, I know there is no clear cut answer, nor do I expect any of you to give me one.

And agentdozzer; I'm the exact same way man. I'm rated what I am because half the tournys I've played in have been at my home courses. Most TD's will be flexible when your rating is so new. You will play Int, and chances are, you will be fine.

 

[NateDiscFlip]

If you place in top three...you may want to consider!:thmbup:opcorn:

 

[jdggna]

Around here it seems to depend on the level of the tourney. If it is a C-Tier a lot of people will play up. If it is an A-Tier, almost everybody plays by their ratings.

 

[Dave242]

The "southern gentleman" thing is still a part of the psychology (and sociology) in the South (although not nearly to the level it used to be at - due to people being more mobile and the world be smaller due to technology) while things are more competitive in the North. So, feeling compelled towards fairness drives Southerners to play up and the need to win makes sandbagging (and complaining about sandbagging by those at lower in the division) more acceptable in the North. Comments in this thread seem to back that up almost to a tee.

IMO neither are inherently good or bad. Both seem to be driven in general by peer pressure (which is usually fueled by self-consciousness/self-centeredness).

Having grown up in the NE, lived in the SE for for 15 years (where I started playing DG) and now having been in the Upper MW for 2 years, I feel sort of qualified to make this observation (although I am certainly not a psychologist or sociologist). I just happen to find this stuff fascinating.

 

[DiscJunkie]

We had one guy sign up for Rec.
He won it by 10+ throws.
They gave him a trophy, a bag of sand.
Everyone knew what the TD was trying to say.
He hasn't signed up for Rec anymore.

 

[Dave242]

If it happens once, it is not sandbagging.

Lot's of people do not know their first event how they will perform in tournament play (it is different than casual). And, sometimes people have an outstanding round.....and that does not mean they need to move up based on that.

Pretty funny about that bag of sand!

 

[teebob]

Michigan is really really bag for sandbaggers.

It is a touchy subject in all sports.

What should the PDGA do to fix it. Create more divisions where more people can fit in?

It is simple to fix. Create a division for unrated players to play in. Charge a little more or less for it. Payout would be based on that divisions entries alone. Even new PDGA members with no rating would have to play in this division to establish a rating.

Open 975+ If your rating is not 975 or higher you play ADV.
MA1 936-974 No one under 936 or over 974
MA2 901-935 No one under 901 or over 935
MA3 800-900 No one under 800 or over 900
Unrated 0-rated for unrated sandbaggers and new to PDGA
All other divisions would be in there I just dont want to mess with them.

 

[TalbotTrojan]

It really depends on where you are at in the world. Like someone else mentioned, So Cal plays strictly by the ratings.

Where I live no in Colorado, Everyone plays up a division. That is just the way that is works based on the local crowd, just don't be upset if someone comes in plays their rating and wins by a large margin.

 

[craftsman]

Not trying to argue, will someone go more in depth about the Michigan comment.

 

[Terry C]

When you win your AM bracket and second place is behind you by 10+ strokes, your a sandbagger. If its your 1st tournament ever in your life then maybe you dont know any better but it should never happen more than once in your life or your a dirty grubby sandbagger. Shame on you for cashing in on all that wonderful disc golf merchandise.

I think the TD should watch peoples pdga rankings when they are entering the tourney and automatically put them in the proper bracket to keep people playing with similarly talanted players like a few other people have said.