Tournament Etiquette and practice shots

[ptsawyer]

I recently played in my first tournament. It was a sanctioned B tier event. I had an absolute blast, but I noticed some behavior that I thought was a little odd.

Since it was a shotgun start, we all had to find our appropriate tee, and my group got to ours about 10 minutes early (it was doubles format). The team we were playing against threw several practice drives (including an ace!) on the hole we were getting ready to play. My partner and I both thought this was bad form. They were a super nice couple in thier late 40s/early 50s, so I didnt want to be rude or anything. We ended up having a great time playing together, and they exhibited perfect etiquette other than this instnace.

I was just wondering if there is an "official" rule on this? Also, what about warming up putts on the course right before tee off? I saw virtually everyone do this as well.

Obviously, in a regular golf tournament, you would never be allowed to practice on the course, hit a few drives and go shag your balls before tee off.

No one took any practice throws or extra throws once the round began.

 

[DiscChainBasket18]

Per the PDGA rulebook, in a 'shotgun' start, you will go to your designated starting hole & wait for the 2 minute warning to be sounded. You are allowed to practice putting & throws (drives etc) until you hear the 2 minute warning & then you are supposed to stop all practice & await the starting gun.

 

[Midnightbiker]

Per the PDGA rulebook, in a 'shotgun' start, you will go to your designated starting hole & wait for the 2 minute warning to be sounded. You are allowed to practice putting & throws (drives etc) until you hear the 2 minute warning & then you are supposed to stop all practice & await the starting gun.

He is right. You can practice before you get the two minute warning. It sucks getting an ACe with practicing though. I had a guy do that as well. Got an ACE during pracitice, but no ACE during the round.

Personally don't like to take practice drives before the start.

 

[PhattD]

Kinda off topic but if you got an ace during practice like that would you still consider it an ace in terms of how many career aces you have?

 

[Texconsinite]

Well, you could sit at a tee all day at your local course and empty your bag over and over again at the pin, and you would probably eventually get an ace. Would you say that would count?

 

[ERicJ]

I'm a big advocate of throwing some warm-up drives before the two-minute warning. How else are you gonna get your arm ready for when the real deal starts? It's perfectly legal.

ERic

 

[DiscChainBasket18]

Kinda off topic but if you got an ace during practice like that would you still consider it an ace in terms of how many career aces you have?

I would! I have only one ace ( & it was during a practice round) so I'd take any I could get.

 

[Innovadude]

This isn't golf for a reason.

 

[PA_Disc]

I like to fire away also before the 2min warning. At least I know what disc to throw once the gun sounds. After that its all downhill.

 

[ptsawyer]

I guess I didnt know the rules, but now that I have read this thread looks like everything was OK.

To clarify a little further, this hole was a very tight, technical wooded shot, so they werent throwing to "warm up the arm", they wanted to practice the specific shot.

But as posted above, it was well within the rules, and therefore fully acceptable.

As far as career aces go (I have zero), I would say that it counts, but it is definately not the same as getting to write a "1" on a scorecard.

 

[PA_Disc]

My first DG T was waaay different than a standard ball golf T. It was real fun tho. The only thing that sux about DG T's is that they take forever...

 

[Midnightbiker]

Kinda off topic but if you got an ace during practice like that would you still consider it an ace in terms of how many career aces you have?

The guy in our group counted it. He even wrote it on the back of the disc, and we all signed it.

 

[Midnightbiker]

My first DG T was waaay different than a standard ball golf T. It was real fun tho. The only thing that sux about DG T's is that they take forever...

That's why you carry one of these:http://www.academy.com/index.php?pa...rs_stools&start=0&selectedSKU=0332-02207-0200

It only weights about 1lb and folds up and has a shoulder strap for carrying. I take mine to all my tournaments. Beats sitting on the ground , or just standing around. Unfolds in about 1 second.

 

[PA_Disc]

That's why you carry one of these:http://www.academy.com/index.php?pa...rs_stools&start=0&selectedSKU=0332-02207-0200

It only weights about 1lb and folds up and has a shoulder strap for carrying. I take mine to all my tournaments. Beats sitting on the ground , or just standing around. Unfolds in about 1 second.

Ive seen a lot of guys use them. It just really turns me off to playing T's b/c they take so long. 4hours would be great 5 hours would be tolerable, but 8 hours is crazy.

 

[sidewinding]

It's ironic that what makes tournaments take so long is all the crap people carry to make themselves more comfortable while waiting. When it's someones turn to throw they have to set down their little chair, spread the legs apart, and set their giant bag of discs on it so they won't get their $125.00 bag dirty. Then they have to decide which of their 24 discs to throw. Then they have to take their little towel and clean the disc. Then they have to do some kind of fancy pre throw ritual so all the people watching will think the're a DG Guru. I love it when somone like this hits the first tree or fades off into a water hazard.

 

[nosajeel99]

Ive seen a lot of guys use them. It just really turns me off to playing T's b/c they take so long. 4hours would be great 5 hours would be tolerable, but 8 hours is crazy.

Were you saying 8 hours because it is 2 rounds a day? Because in all of the tournaments I've played in, we get 2 rounds in starting about 9 AM and finishing by 4... which would be 3 hours per round plus 1 hour lunch. Just curious.

 

[ERicJ]

Were you saying 8 hours because it is 2 rounds a day? Because in all of the tournaments I've played in, we get 2 rounds in starting about 9 AM and finishing by 4... which would be 3 hours per round plus 1 hour lunch. Just curious.

That's the norm for the local Houston C-Tier events too. Okay, maybe the awards take 'til 5pm...

ERic

 

[ERicJ]

It's ironic that what makes tournaments take so long is all the crap people carry to make themselves more comfortable while waiting. When it's someones turn to throw they have to set down their little chair, spread the legs apart, and set their giant bag of discs on it so they won't get their $125.00 bag dirty. Then they have to decide which of their 24 discs to throw. Then they have to take their little towel and clean the disc. Then they have to do some kind of fancy pre throw ritual so all the people watching will think the're a DG Guru. I love it when somone like this hits the first tree or fades off into a water hazard.

I partially agree, but that's typically only relevant for the first player up on a hole. The other three or four players on the card should all be doing that in parallel while the first person is throwing.

The timely issue with tournaments is that you can only play as fast as the slowest card in front of you. Once a card hits a difficult hole and one or two people lose discs on bad throws and the card spends three, six, or nine mintues looking for them... well you can see how that could back things up.

ERic

 

[magictenor1]

The guy in our group counted it. He even wrote it on the back of the disc, and we all signed it.

I don't count Aces unless they are on my 1st throw on a hole as I am playing a round of DG. Not a tourney but definitly playing a round, not practice or emptying my bag.

 

[Midnightbiker]

It's ironic that what makes tournaments take so long is all the crap people carry to make themselves more comfortable while waiting. When it's someones turn to throw they have to set down their little chair, spread the legs apart, and set their giant bag of discs on it so they won't get their $125.00 bag dirty. Then they have to decide which of their 24 discs to throw. Then they have to take their little towel and clean the disc. Then they have to do some kind of fancy pre throw ritual so all the people watching will think they're a DG Guru. I love it when someone like this hits the first tree or fades off into a water hazard.

Well, when you play in a tournament, you are not playing a walk up and just throw casual round. Tournaments are a way to show case you skills. And as far as taking time to unfold a chair, my chair takes 1 second to unfold, and 2 seconds , to fold up. Tournaments are never going to go fast, but they are not meant to be fast.

If you don't want to play in a tournament, don't play, but don't slam the people that like to play in them. I play with the same people every week , or play alone, and its nice to play with people I don't know. You don't know what to expect, its a great way to watch other people, make new friends, and enjoy an entire day of Disc Golf. Tournaments can be a lot of fun, but if its not for you, then no problem. Just don't slam us that do like them.