DGLO am's shenanigans

[JCthrills]

Alright, I slept on it twice & am still pretty steamed over this tournament.

First, kudos are certainly in order for the amazing player packs, no denying they were the best outside of Am Nats. Even though I lost my alum. water bottle running to the second round tee off. The radar gun was also a very, very cool side game to pass time while others were cashing out. Did anyone ever top 72mph?

The bad part, Lunchtime... where everything went downhill. I rode to the event with 2 Am3 player, I played Am2. After my card finishes the first round at about 1:30 we are told that the second round may be starting at about 2:00... what? yes, a half hour from when we came in. Well, that was pushed out to 2:15. Here's my complaint. The Am3 players I rode with did not finish their first round until about 1:50. So i get to my lunch which was locked in the vehicle I rode in... I scarfed down my lunch, changed socks & started running to my hole (12 Monster) the 2 minute warning was blown before I made it out of the parking lot. Despite running straight through the brush I didn't make it to my hole on time (i was tied for 3rd place overall & top of the second card.) I made it there as my group was walking off the tee pad & informed of my penalty, taking a 7 on an easy par hole that many players took a 2 on. This penalty cost me 2nd place outright & about $100 in merch. Try as I may to come back from the penalty it surely took away any momentum I had from finishing strong the first round. I managed to claw my way back to -1 for the round with 9 birdies. Basically trying to ace run everything possible in hopes I could have gotten a legitimate platform to voice my displeasure with the majority of players. I had a few good runs but missed out.

I would not have been upset or penalized/late for my 2nd round start had the TD announced this ridiculous staggered start before the first round. It would have been simple to make arrangements, either take the keys or put my lunch in vehicle from someone on my card. Springing it on us at lunch time was complete & utter B.S.

The played pack, payouts & radar gun side game were all very cool. The total screw up of not telling us about the donkey staggered 2nd round start was horrible. I stopped by No Foolin to watch awards & participate in the basket toss & heard a lot of complaining, figured I'd still give DGLO a shot, the player pack helped a ton in that respect.

NEVER again with a penny of mine or anyone I can sway in my direction go to A3. I understand you cant please everyone in a crowd of players that large, but to totally ignore this lunch thing during the player meeting was horrible. Thanks for the lesson guys.

~Jesse

I posted on this forum hoping to get some feedback from players outside of the local area. Am I justified in being this upset days after the tourney? I managed to somehow let it go & still bang 9 birds through 24 holes & take a tie for 7th place (10th was last cash I think) But, the penalty cost me 2nd place outright, a trophy (pretty nice wood carved one) and $100 in merch, not to mention again the momentum swing that might have given me a few more strokes needed to stay with the eventual winner that was also on the second card with me.

 

[solomon.trenton]

i would say you are justified. but think of it this way, you could have eaten your lunch while heading to the next hole you were teeing off on, and you could have switched which vehicle your lunch was in. everything is 20-20 in hindight mind you but the argument is still there.

 

[mmyersdisc]

well to be honest with you...the group you were in were *******s and wanted you to lose...we had this same problem at a tournament I went to...yes its a 7 on a hole that you are late for BUT if you are in the provision of another player on your card you can play that hole and take that score if the group is willing. We had a guy show up late on my card (lead card) and we had played the hole completely and were on the next tee pad as he was running (literally) up behind us telling him the TD told him the wrong place to start...so we let him play the hole after we were done before walking up to turn in the card. Seems like the guys on your card were just dicks if they wouldn't stop from walking a few steps and let you throw really fast...

 

[DavidSauls]

Don't blame the other players for following the rules.

There's no provision in the rules for allowing the late player to play out the hole solo, regardless of the circumstances. They all made it there in time, under the same lunch constraints, apparently. While they may consent to ignoring the rule in this case, they don't have the consent of other competitors on other cards.

The ire may be appropriately focused at the TD. The norm is an hour for lunch from when the last card is turned in. I've known TDs to have to cut it short because the first round ran late and daylight was an issue, but even that put a burden on the players. It apparently wasn't the case here; what was the reason given, if any, for the short lunch?

 

[StymieDidIt]

Poor sportsmanship. It's a discgolf tourney. Competition does strange things to some people's better judgement. Rules or not, there are situations that are open to interpretation and enforcement. Who wants to win under those conditions anyway? I don't think I could take any pride in knowing that I just cost this guy a place in the top five because he was late to tee off. I mean, if he was MIA and showed up 10 minutes late, that's a little different, but if you're walking up to the tee pad, WTF, who cares, let him catch up. On the other hand, I don't think I'd be too concerned with eating my lunch and changing my socks, if I were in doing THAT well in a tournament.

 

[Dave242]

Bummer this happened this way! Sounds like you played well and did yourself proud especially in the face of this adversity. Sounds like you are rightly chalking this up to a good learning experience.

Did you appeal the 4 stroke penalty with the TD? Did you play your first hole out with provisional throws? You would have needed to make an appeal, I believe. Not saying that would have helped, but that seems to be the only way that the outcome could be more amenable to the circumstances. Running large 1 day events is very hard to administrate, so I empathize with the TD too.

 

[mmyersdisc]

Don't blame the other players for following the rules.

There's no provision in the rules for allowing the late player to play out the hole solo, regardless of the circumstances. They all made it there in time, under the same lunch constraints, apparently. While they may consent to ignoring the rule in this case, they don't have the consent of other competitors on other cards.

The ire may be appropriately focused at the TD. The norm is an hour for lunch from when the last card is turned in. I've known TDs to have to cut it short because the first round ran late and daylight was an issue, but even that put a burden on the players. It apparently wasn't the case here; what was the reason given, if any, for the short lunch?

Actually you can throw the hole with provisions...like dave242 backed me up on. Its a group decision...espcially if they JUST tee'd off, how hard is it to walk out of the fairway and let you throw? not that hard..those guys were being dicks and they knew it...

 

[bayouace]

DG is a laid-back, friendly sport - but money, discs, and trophies can change things fast.

 

[DavidSauls]

Let me back off a bit....I misread original post as they were walking off the hole. It said they were walking off the tee, so a little more leniency might be expected.

I think provisionals are at the discretion of the thrower, not the group, when a rule is in question. In the end, the TD would probably stick by the rulebook. But it's always a good idea to use the provisionals and sort it out later.

 

[craigg]

Well....................

All these calls for leniency - and calling players dicks for not allowing someone to circumvent the rules is a little disturbing.

Do you have cause for being upset w/the TD for not adequately preparing you for a short break? ABSOLUTELY!!

Could you have found another way to get to your tee on time avoiding this whole scenario? ABSOLUTELY!! If your travelling companions got in 25 min before your round was slated to start - why didn't you have them drive you out to your tee? Could you have gone to tournament central to have the TD hold off blowing the horn for 5 minutes?

Hind sight is always better of course. And I'm not going to give you grief. But placing blame is ultimately fruitless, and I think you should be looking for a lesson to take away from this that doesn't involve blaming someone else.

The rules are there for a reason. If one group says "Sure go ahead and play - we won't hold that rule against you", and another group does the opposite - where does that leave us in regards to a level playing field?? Even in Amateur competition, there needs to be emphasis on knowing, following, and calling the rules as they are written. Doing so doesn't make you a dick, immoral, or uncompassionate - it makes you an essential part of ensuring a level playing field for all.

 

[biscoe]

td error- plenty of daylight so no reason for a short lunch.

players in the group did what they were required to do by the rules of play.

 

[JR Stengele]

DG is a laid-back, friendly sport - but money, discs, and trophies can change things fast.

That's just it! It is amazing how people act under certain conditions. It shows their true colors. Sorry bro but nice job staying in the top 10 to cash out. Good on ya!

 

[DavidSauls]

I wonder what true colors are shown by someone who thinks the rules shouldn't apply to him?

Perhaps the true colors shown were not desire to win, but desire that we play by the rules. You know, call OB "OB", call a putt that falls out a "miss", even if these weren't really the thrower's fault.

Perhaps not. I don't know their reasons. I'd be lenient---I'm inclined to apply judgement when applying the rules---but I won't denigrate anyone who calls a rule properly.

 

[kerplunk]

I thought you could still throw until someone takes their second shot. From the sound of it, you made it before this point, so I think they should have let you throw. But I agree it was mostly the TDs fault- you can't really fault the other players for following the rules.

This is a great reason that more tourneys like the North Carolina Homegrown Tour need to be set up (Google it if you haven't heard of it). All the fun of a big DG tourney without all the stupid rules, especially the ones that say no drinking!

 

[Roc1Time]

Actually you can throw the hole with provisions...like dave242 backed me up on. Its a group decision...espcially if they JUST tee'd off, how hard is it to walk out of the fairway and let you throw? not that hard..those guys were being dicks and they knew it...

I second that, if they were still there then you should have been able to throw it without the 7. But you could have done things different as well. The TD messed up by not saying anything about that during the meeting. So all in all everyone messed up and guess what...you will never be late again!

 

[DavidSauls]

I thought you could still throw until someone takes their second shot. From the sound of it, you made it before this point, so I think they should have let you throw.

You have 30 seconds from when your name is called---that is, when it's your time to drive. After that, the next person in order drives and you've missed the hole.

Harsh, but consider the unintended results if you didn't have this rule. Players wandering up whenever they feel. After their turn to throw. After everyone else has thrown. After everyone else has thrown and walked halfway down the fairway. After everyone else has putted out, but not left the hole. After everyone else has reached the next tee. I know some folks who are inherently tardy, and would push this as far as they could. Where do you draw the line? And wherever you draw the line, someone who just misses it will cry that you're just using the rule to win.

Much simpler to say the rule is that you'll be at your hole and ready when it's your turn, and no one have to wait on you.

 

[kerplunk]

You have 30 seconds from when your name is called---that is, when it's your time to drive. After that, the next person in order drives and you've missed the hole. ...Much simpler to say the rule is that you'll be at your hole and ready when it's your turn, and no one have to wait on you.

I agree with you if that is the rule, which makes sense based on what I know about the rules vs hearsay of other players. I think most of us are aware that PDGAs are all about rules, which I think is actually a draw for people that are all about rules and regulations. I don't mind following the rules, I but I wish they would allow people to drink moderately so long as they contain personal control and responsibility (and waive liability). But I guess that wouldn't go too far toward the sport being taken seriously.

 

[taxman]

I sympathize with your plight. But I don't feel that it is a legitimate reason to complain about a whole tourney. Other than the lunch time snafu it sounded like a pretty cool tourney. Sorry it didn't work out for you, and I wish I could have been there to enjoy the day.

 

[swellerdiscgolf]

I personally would have taken my lunch and socks to the tee pad, and if I had time, changed my socks before throwing and then ate my lunch as I played. The TD should have informed everyone of the starting time before the tournament began, but the others on the card were in the same situation, kind of. Their lunch, and spare socks probably were not in someone else car who had yet to finish. Sorry to hear about losing out to 2nd place, but good work on finishing where you did. I know a lot of people who would have said f-it, and not even tried.

 

[gwillim]

804.02A
"...If a player is not present to throw when it is his or her turn, the scorekeeper shall allow 30
seconds. If the player has not thrown after the 30 seconds has elapsed, a score of par plus
four is to be entered for that hole. This procedure continues on any subsequent holes for which
a player is absent. No holes shall be replayed."