Tournament Directors Playing

[DavidSauls]

I believe a solution is at hand.

If some volunteer TDs suck at it....
and there are ("more than I know") people who are complaining who would gladly volunteer to take over, TD and not play, so those volunteer TDs who suck could quit TDing and just play.....

Perhaps better to move that process along, and allow the volunteer TDs who don't suck at it to continue playing in their events.

 

[PhillyMatt]

Sounds good.

 

[CaptainAnhyzer]

It seems to me ... just like several people postulated, that this was a planning issue, not a playing one. *Three players failed to show could have been dealt with if there was an "assistant TD" holding down the fort at HQ; *laptop malfunction could be avoided by having multiple computers available; water levels changing could be avoided by striping the creek before the tournament. *As a TD at one local course, we have a creek that drains fast and the water level changes all the time, so we mark the safe creek boundaries with white striping paint before the tourney.

I guess i didn't make it clear that I am CHOOSING not to play the tourneys I run.

As for your solutions to my issues, hindsight is 20/20.

 

[Dave242]

Most of the the "suck at it" aspects of TDing are things that happen in preparation (actually things that don't happen....are not planned properly) or as part of the wrap up process.

The other area's TD's can and do screw up are between rounds....again those are mostly due to lack of sufficient planning.

I am very hard pressed to see how much better a poorly planned event would be if the TD sat around during the rounds. Of course, if the TD wants to not play that is fine too!

 

[DavidSauls]

I've done both---TD'd and played, TD'd and not played.

Paradoxically, it's more practical for me to play in 2-day tournaments and sit out 1-day tournaments. Except for the exhaustion.

At least in 2-day tournaments you can deal with the payouts and many other housekeeping issues on Saturday night. At Stoney Hill we like to switch course layouts, and it's tough doing it in a lunch period (along with scores, coolers on the course, etc.). It's also easier to deal with only 1 day of watching everybody but me play.

 

[Sadjo]

I've done both---TD'd and played, TD'd and not played.

Paradoxically, it's more practical for me to play in 2-day tournaments and sit out 1-day tournaments. Except for the exhaustion.

At least in 2-day tournaments you can deal with the payouts and many other housekeeping issues on Saturday night. At Stoney Hill we like to switch course layouts, and it's tough doing it in a lunch period (along with scores, coolers on the course, etc.). It's also easier to deal with only 1 day of watching everybody but me play.

David...I've done the same and I do believe the prep is the biggest thing to running a good event. I know prefer not to play and walk the course during the event and watch people play.

For TDs that play, I think one of the things that can really help is making sure when scorecards are turned back in that they put the cards back in the scoreboard on the hole they started on. That really helps a lot more than anyone who has never TDed will understand.

 

[joesouthfla]

The TD should never play in his own event if it is a major pdga event. I'm okay with non-pdga and if it is just a small one day event. If the TD is going to play he still needs a backup person and should keep his cell phone on just in case of an emergency.

 

[DavidSauls]

The TD should never play in his own event if it is a major pdga event. I'm okay with non-pdga and if it is just a small one day event. If the TD is going to play he still needs a backup person and should keep his cell phone on just in case of an emergency.

I'm not sure where you've drawn the line here. "Major PDGA Event"---PDGA Majors, National Tour, and A-tiers require a non-playing official.

Between that and small one-day events are 2-day C-tiers and B-tiers. Many TDs play in these, with no adverse consequences. As I posted earlier, I find it actually easier to play in a 2-day than a 1-day.

"Never" is a strong word. I think it depends on the TD's skills and abilities, his support staff, the facility, and event details.

 

[DavidSauls]

David...I've done the same and I do believe the prep is the biggest thing to running a good event. I know prefer not to play and walk the course during the event and watch people play.

For TDs that play, I think one of the things that can really help is making sure when scorecards are turned back in that they put the cards back in the scoreboard on the hole they started on. That really helps a lot more than anyone who has never TDed will understand.

We highlight the starting hole number on the card before sending it out on the course, so we can easily match it to the scoreboard. We try to have a central spot for returning cards after the round.

I only get to play 6-8 tournaments a year. We hold two at Stoney Hill, and I'm determined I'm playing in at least one of them. Though I too find pleasure, and less stress, in walking the course during rounds when I'm not playing.

 

[CaptainAnhyzer]

It seems to me ... just like several people postulated, that this was a planning issue, not a playing one. *Three players failed to show could have been dealt with if there was an "assistant TD" holding down the fort at HQ.

.......get back to me when you find a person well-versed in PDGA rules that doesn't play the game.

 

[nohr]

TDs pretty much should be allowed to do what they want.

Any stupid question or arguement that comes up during play can ALWAYS be temporally resolved with a provisional shot. It only takes one vetern player per card to ensure that.