To Be Called A 'Bagger...'

[Ryal]

Skip down to the last line to read the whole point of this post.
I've recently played a tournament this passed Sunday, July 26. (I did fine, I suppose. Middle of the pack in the recreational division. par + 7)

During the socially distant check-in, the lunch break and the socially distant payouts at the end, I heard a term being thrown around fairly commonly.
"Bagger"
It was clearly being used as an insult: almost like a direct attack on someone's character or integrity with enough animosity and vitriol behind it to sound like more than just friendly banter. With no context or comprehension about why the term is an insult, I felt confused and saw for the first time that the disc golf community might have a dark and nasty underbelly.

Up until that day, when I thought of the term 'bagger,' I would think it meant 'course bagger' as in someone who travels far and wide to visit and play at dozens of different courses to see the various kinds of layouts, landscapes, unique features and adventurous settings that our sport can offer. I would hope to consider myself a course bagger one day, but now I see that it has a negative connotation attached to it.

So, after all that, what is a 'bagger' meant to be in that context? How does it serve as an insult?

 

[Armus Patheticus]

It refers to a person who knowingly plays in a division that's below their skill level.

It's also overused.

 

[wolfhaley]

I would think they meant "sand bagging" or playing in a division below where you really should be playing.

You and I are the good kind of baggers. Course baggers.

 

[Rastnav]

So, after all that, what is a 'bagger' meant to be in that context? How does it serve as an insult?

Completely different origin for bagger in this context. It means a "sandbagger", someone who purposefully misrepresents their game as weaker than it is, as others said. I've seen it used in ball golf and also cards, especially trick taking games like spades or whist.

 

[Ryal]

Oh, I see.
So they are actually two completely different terms with the same abbreviation. Thanks for clearing that up for me, folks.
I will continue bagging as normal, then!

 

[Casey 1988]

It refers to a person who knowingly plays in a division that's below their skill level.

It's also overused.

That is true, I have seen it used for a in 2004 guy who jumped to Am 1 and would win after starting play of disc golf only 4-5 years or before. He was a person who played in a now dead State wide high school Baseball League non school affiliated, the Schools took over this league after 2012-2014 sometime.

 

[Casey 1988]

I would think they meant "sand bagging" or playing in a division below where you really should be playing.

You and I are the good kind of baggers. Course baggers.

Only sports I see it being called Course Bagging are Traditional Golf, Mini Golf, and Disc Golf. Yes Pro Mini Golf is a thing more so in Europe due to land use in central Europe. Foot Golf is not yet taking off due to the odd concept that should be cheep but is not due to needing to use parts of a Traditional type Golf Course so you have to pay the fees that are more expensive then Disc Golf as those pay courses do not need the mowing or specific types of grass, could have long wild grass for open courses.

 

[ray1970]

I have a couple of baggers in the garage.

I wouldn't sand bag in a tournament as there's no sport in it.

 

[Martin Dewgarita]

I've retained sandbagging as a rock climbing term. This is how I learned it, and really the description that makes the most sense to me. A route that is sandbagged, the original climber rated too low. As a 5.10 climber you head into a 5.9 and get stuck at the crux, it's almost like you have a sandbag hanging off of you, and you don't complete the climb, or maybe you do but it causes significantly more problems than you imagine... like you had to carry a bag of sand through the route.

I have no idea how that relates to golf...

 

[Casey 1988]

I've retained sandbagging as a rock climbing term. This is how I learned it, and really the description that makes the most sense to me. A route that is sandbagged, the original climber rated too low. As a 5.10 climber you head into a 5.9 and get stuck at the crux, it's almost like you have a sandbag hanging off of you, and you don't complete the climb, or maybe you do but it causes significantly more problems than you imagine... like you had to carry a bag of sand through the route.

I have no idea how that relates to golf...

Disc Golfers carry bags, or used to even by most Pro players into the 2000's. Only a few used carts either home built, a bag in a jogging stroller, or the one cart made by Gotta Go Gotta Throw that only a few used due to how big/bulky the cart was.

 

[GripEnemy]

Already stated, but I'll chime in.

Bagging is "knowing" you'll win instead of *trying* to win.

 

[Bigtex]

pool sharks=sandbaggers

 

[BryanC]

http://www.golftripper.com/the-history-of-sandbaggers/

 

[da Crippler]

Baggers are conscienceless sociopaths with no remorse who need to constantly feed their fragile overblown egos with unearned wins.

 

[thrembo]

Bagger: Anyone who finishes better than you in your division at a tournament.

 

[DavidSauls]

It was clearly being used as an insult: almost like a direct attack on someone's character or integrity with enough animosity and vitriol behind it to sound like more than just friendly banter. With no context or comprehension about why the term is an insult, I felt confused and saw for the first time that the disc golf community might have a dark and nasty underbelly.

da Crippler's comment aside, in my experience it's rarely vitriol, but instead mock anger. Friends are most vocal; it's a teasing way to knock someone off his pedestal and diminish his win. I've heard it yelled when someone got his first win after many tries, and even when someone won the open division where it's impossible to sandbag.

Online, on the other hand, it's used to gripe about having lost.

 

[zontar]

da Crippler's comment aside, in my experience it's rarely vitriol, but instead mock anger. Friends are most vocal; it's a teasing way to knock someone off his pedestal and diminish his win. I've heard it yelled when someone got his first win after many tries, and even when someone won the open division where it's impossible to sandbag.

Online, on the other hand, it's used to gripe about having lost.

yeah, in motorcycle mototrials we ruthlessly call someone a sandbagger and yell "move him up!" whenever they win a division. we do it with 5 year old kids too, so it's pretty silly....

 

[davetherocketguy]

It's also overused.

Understatement of the thread right here.

I get people asking me all the time which division they ought to play in. My response is always: "Whatever you qualify for." I've had so many conversations about people complaining that so and so is bagging to which I ask, "Did they play in the division they qualified for?" Obviously the answer is yes and then I tell them, "Your beef is not with the player - take it up with the PDGA rating system."

 

[_MTL_]

There is no such thing as a bagger. It's impossible to play in a division you are not permitted to play in.

It's just an opinionated term that two types of people use:
1. A person who is better than that player and wants them to move up to their division to beat them.
2. A person who is worse than that player and wants them to move up our of their division so they can finish higher.

 

[aclay]

Bagging (or sandbagging) is also used in bowling. Some (many?) leagues use a handicap system, so players have an incentive to win with the worst score possible to keep their average down and their handicap up.