Best way to keep people informed and an easier way to follow the complete story. So yeah keep updating this thread as you progress.
Good luck and remember the #1 rule: The most fun wins! :thmbup:
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When to move up?
- Thread starter leftyone
- Start date
Best way to keep people informed and an easier way to follow the complete story. So yeah keep updating this thread as you progress.
Good luck and remember the #1 rule: The most fun wins! :thmbup:
DatRedDude
Eagle Member
i should have stated its all rating based. If your rating is above a certain threshold then you no longer can play lower divisions, so its untrue and true at the same time. That's what i am going with.
@CD-
Eagle Member
- Joined
- Dec 12, 2020
- Messages
- 817
Looking at the tournament he won, OP averaged 924 golf both rounds on the shorter course layout that INT (41 players) and MA40 (8 players) played https://www.pdga.com/tour/event/47081 and would have tied for 3rd in INT. Moving up to MA1 or MP40 would have moved him to the other day for the split field https://www.pdga.com/tour/event/47062 and much longer layouts. Averaging 924 in that layout would have been around 10 over par. Not cashing in MP40 but on the edge of the payout line for MA1.
Agree with Cgkdisc here and recommend taking a top 5 in a couple bigger MA40/MA2 fields and try out MA1 before jumping to MP40. Exposure to bigger fields and the longer layouts could show some room for improvement and get the rating consistency up above 900. There are a few MA40 players in my area that retain their AM status and jump around divisions based on field/payout, even playing MP40 but declining cash payout and taking merch payout instead (B & C tiers only and I think up to the TD to offer it). Entry fees & payouts go up a bit with each division step and the payout structure could vary based on the TD. PDGA annual membership fee going from AM to PRO status would change as well.
Reasons I moved up from INT (after 1 tournament) to ADV (stayed for ~1.5-2 years) to MPO (relinquished AM status this year):
- More serious/better competition to watch & learn from (course management/shot selection/mental game)
- Peak round ratings would compete for top 10-20% in the next field up if I met my goal of playing consistent in multi-round tournaments
- No longer desired the merch payout/player packs
- Play the longer/more challenging course layouts
leftyone
Birdie Member
Never did I expect such a detailed analysis on this thread. Thank you! That was a really good way of looking at that tournament as a whole. Yes the course we played is a shorter more technical course. I know with regards to room for improvement I don't have the distance many of the other open players have. On a good day 340-350 is about where my drives are. If I could find another 25-50' I'd feel like I'm getting someplace, it's still a work in progress.
@CD-
Eagle Member
- Joined
- Dec 12, 2020
- Messages
- 817
Don't know if my analysis would transition into real world results when using the ratings system & other layouts that way. Might be better to look at both your best rated rounds/tournaments and your overall rating to see where you might land. If you excel at shorter/more technical courses maybe try moving up divisions for those tournaments to start.
A solid controlled 325+ is fine for mp40 and older. Sure you're going to get guys that bomb, but if your approach and putting game is solid you'll be competitive.
leftyone
Birdie Member
I have never played the course the MPO did from the blues, its just over 9,000 feet but this year I plan on giving it a try. Yes, based on my strengths shorter technical courses fit my game better than longer open holes. I like your suggestion of moving up or down based on the course design.
VictorB
* Ace Member *
at 885, I wouldn't recommend jumping into any open fields. MA40 exists if you want to play masters at your rating and would be a suitable division assuming there's enough people to offer that division. If not, intermediate would be acceptable.
leftyone
Birdie Member
Ok so here's the first update. I played a my first tournament of the year (C-Tier) at my "home course" in the MO40 division. There was 8 people in the division and finished 4th overall cashing for a huge $52. My first round was really poor. My mental game was way off but I came back with a strong performance and shot -7 for the second round with a double bogey. My first round was +4 and a 854 rated round and the -7 was a 942 for a tournament average of 898. I know I have a long way to go but my second round was only one shot off the leaders round. I am planning on playing next MO40 in 2 weeks with a field right now of 13 and based on player rating I think I'm supposed to finish 11th or 12th. I'm looking forward to playing this next one with a better mind set in the first round. On a side note if I would have played MA40 I would have came in second and out of the lead by two strokes.
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It sounds like you made the right decision - especially if you could have finished 2nd only off the pace by 2 strokes in the MA40 division despite playing "really poor" in one of the two rounds.
leftyone
Birdie Member
Update #2: So I played my second MPO 40 tournament this past weekend. While my over all play was ok I still left a few out there but i managed to finish in the top 8 and tie for the final cash spot. Based on player rating i was projected to finish 13 out of 19 so I was really happy to play better than 5 guys who were statistically supposed to bead me. I think im gonna stick with the initial plan of playing the smaller (C-Tier) tournaments at MPO 40. Im looking at 2 more of this year, one in May and one in Sept with the bulk of the amateur point series im playing in between those two dates. Hope everyone is playing well
leftyone
Birdie Member
Ahh, so you prefer your lefties to be beadless. Makes sense!
lol yeah i prefer beadless when i putt.... Pa-2's
leftyone
Birdie Member
So it's been 5 months since my last update and a lot has happened since. Early in June I was in a car accident that after an MRI left me with 6 herniated discs in my back and neck. I played (not well) in a tournament the following weekend and finished tied for 11th and shooting an event average of 889 in MA40. Since then I have played 2 more tournaments in MA40 and finished tied for second in both shouting averages of 912 and 920. Im going to play one more tournament this year and while I might take my lumps plan to play MP40 then reassess
