Going On Tour?

[flyingdisc.us]

Have you ever thought about getting a Winnebago with a couple friends and traveling around the US, following the PDGA tour? How much money would you need to do this? How long do you think you can survive? Apparently Feldberg, Jenkins and other sponsored pros do this, but what about your average Joe? Could they make it? If you were an intermediate to advanced player, how much better could you get by traveling around, only playing in the open division? Sometimes I fantasize about this....

 

[geoloseth1]

Im not sure how much that would cost as far as gas money goes, but I have thought about touring around Texas in my car and finding campsites to camp over night. If you do that then it'll still cost quite a bit. I think I figured about $600. For one month on the road, and that was with staying with friends during the weeks not playing. I also figured of no beer/party money into that or the added cost of the pro fee vs. intermediate fee. If you can do it then you should. I'm sure you would learn alot from playing with pros but at the same time I think you would improve more by practicing in the field and learning to do it right with someone showing you how instead of just watching the pros do it right.

 

[flyingdisc.us]

It would be just for the experience of it, not necessarily to get better

 

[geoloseth1]

It would be just for the experience of it, not necessarily to get better

If that's the case then go for it. I'm sure I would be one hell of an experience. I wish I could do it. Or better yet have enough money to get a huge pro purse then put on my own tourney and have everyone come to me. But if I had that kind of money I'd just blow it on stupid stuff.

 

[flyingdisc.us]

Yeah designing your own course on some big plot of land that you own would be sweet. Then have tournaments there....

 

[mixmasterob]

Have you ever thought about getting a Winnebago with a couple friends and traveling around the US, following the PDGA tour? How much money would you need to do this? How long do you think you can survive?

you could always sell veggie burritos in the lot. :wink:

 

[Scoot_er]

Travel with a few guys and it isn't that bad. I traveled quite a but the last few years and last year I was on the road for just under two months with Geoff Bennett and Chris boro. After it was all said and done I went home with a net loss of $400 which was't that bad considering I played like ass the 1st three events and didn't even cash at one.

 

[geoloseth1]

Travel with a few guys and it isn't that bad. I traveled quite a but the last few years and last year I was on the road for just under two months with Geoff Bennett and Chris boro. After it was all said and done I went home with a net loss of $400 which was't that bad considering I played like ass the 1st three events and didn't even cash at one.

How many events did you play and did you guys camp or use a camper van? Also how much of that was covered by sponsorships? I think it would be alot harder for the average joe to tour like that because he wouldn't have the chance to win cash or get things paid for through sponsorships. But it would be fun.

 

[TickMagnet]

Yeah designing your own course on some big plot of land that you own would be sweet. Then have tournaments there....

http://www.grangediscgolf.com

You want to be Mike Trepasso. Just chills on his two awesome courses. Not to mention his putt-putt like Tiki Course.

 

[Nice Drive Kid]

Taking a cross-country disc golf tour would be amazing. Hit all the hot spots, see what courses all the guys on here are playing. Too bad gas is such a bitch.

 

[Scoot_er]

Travel with a few guys and it isn't that bad. I traveled quite a but the last few years and last year I was on the road for just under two months with Geoff Bennett and Chris boro. After it was all said and done I went home with a net loss of $400 which was't that bad considering I played like ass the 1st three events and didn't even cash at one.

How many events did you play and did you guys camp or use a camper van? Also how much of that was covered by sponsorships? I think it would be alot harder for the average joe to tour like that because he wouldn't have the chance to win cash or get things paid for through sponsorships. But it would be fun.

Since when did the companies pay for travel expenses? The best you can do is Team star where they pay your entries or E-mac or nate who get some help/

 

[geoloseth1]

The only pros that I've heard of that get paid to play are jay andes reading. I know they get paid per hour for certain things like edge seminars and maybe even travel expenses to edge events (which usually happen around the time and place of their next tournament) but I could be wrong.

 

[GorillaTactics]

If that's really true then a lot of pros need to work on their negotiation skills, or get an agent. Surely the top tier guys have contractual salaries, or a pay scale set up to where if you do well at an event (i.e. get exposure for their company), you get sponsor bonuses as well. I mean, with the amount of discs Innova sells and the popularity of their top name pro players, you'd think they would get more than just free plastic. I'm not saying they're inking LeBron-like deals, but if Climo, Schultz, etc aren't getting paid for all the discs with their name on it, they are getting screwed.

This is all purely hypothetical, I have no personal information on any pro disc golfers' endorsement contracts. Just what I know from the snow/skate industry and my experiences there.

 

[Cgkdisc]

They do get paid for their signature disc sales.

 

[GorillaTactics]

They do get paid for their signature disc sales.

Cool, that's what I figured. Man, Mr. Climo should be cleaning up. Rocs, Teebirds, Wraiths, Aviars.... hehe. When you can throw (and win) like that I think you've earned it.

 

[geoloseth1]

From talking with some of the local guys who have followed the disc golf scene it seems that there are only a handful of top pros that do or can make a decent living at disc golf. I think one guy mentioned that combined the readings pull in close to 100K a year but much of that they don't really see as cash but rather goods and services like equipment, fees, and hotels. Alot of the stuff they need to tour is already taken care of for them and then there are the bonuses for winning NTs and other tourneys. Also you never get the idea of how much side betting that goes on at some of the big tourneys.

 

[jeremy2]

When ever our city holds a tournament I always open my house to the Pros because I know what it's like to travel and the expenses. I have 2 extra bedrooms and a couch if wanted. I enjoy doing it. There are never top Pro's just mostly guys that play the Pro Division and traveling of course better than I am. If the house dosen't fill from the Pro's then I open it up to the AM's.