Biggest reason people don't play tournaments

[RobA]

Bet you that more people would say poker is a sport than disc golf....


It's on ESPN all the time. And fishing.

Big game fishing I can accept... it can be very physically demanding. Not fun to watch though.

Sadly you are probably right about people being brainwashed by ESPN into thinking poker is a sport, but any activity where you can smoke, drink, and eat a pastrami sandwich and still succeed can't seriously be considered a sport, except maybe bowling, golf, and... wait, maybe I'm not making the best argument for us, lol.

 

[Central Scrutinizer]

I loved playing in tournaments for the first five or six years that I really got into this game, back when I obsessed over it, making it my religion, driving other non-Disc people crazy with my constant talk and it was all I loved to do. I was 25 back then. I miss that very much, but it ain't happening in my forties anymore. Not only is family/work too big and too important (especially post-great recession when employers expect more effort and time than they used to), but I really don't like spending all damned day at the course, playing slowwwwwwwly, especially when you commit to play and the weather's bad, etc. I'm very frugal too, and even though the value of Disc Golf is exceptional, even at tournaments, there are a lot of better things I can do with $50 than piss away one of the two precious days I have off only playing two rounds in that time and probably not winning anything.

It's all good. If those of you who are into it like I was from 1996-2001 dig it as much as I did then, high fives to you. I'd totally get in a time machine if I could. In the meantime, I'm happy getting what I can now, maybe two or three casual and quick rounds per month and lobbing putters in my yard/practicing putts in the garage while I grill dinner.

 

[runningDoc]

it has to be time constraints.

right now I'm studying for my USMLE (medical board exams) and actually do have free time to get in a round per day (because I live only 10min drive away from two nice courses). so I can bang out a round (even with buddies) in about 2 hours.

So I study for about 5-8 hours a day but basically on flex time with studying and take off one day on the weekends. Disc golf has been a godsend in getting me to totally relax and focus on something fun/outside/be sociable.

But when my medical/surgical residency starts? I'm resigned to the fact that I'll probably never really play that much (maybe once a month if lucky). So I'm very diligent when it comes to disc golf and try to improve as quickly as possible right now (which also means playing tourneys because I'll never get another period of free time to gain DG skills.

I love the fact that I found DG that can be simultaneously so much fun, but also something that I work on to improve while having that much fun with friends.

 

[sidewinder22]

but any activity where you can smoke, drink, and eat a pastrami sandwich and still succeed can't seriously be considered a sport

 

[DiscLoser1]

See post...

Have your cake and eat it too, then.

Disc golf's not a sport, but no other sport has all-day events.

I don't mind 2 round tournaments, but the length of time required for 2 round tournaments is too long.

Each hole played is a tournament, like a hand in poker.

Any other useless logical fallacies or inept metaphors you want to get off your chest?

Tourneys are generally for younger peeps with less responsibilities, and for older peeps whose kids are grown, probably true.
That said, if someone can't get one dang day set aside every couple of months, that's a societal issue, not a disc golf one.

 

[sidewinder22]

Have your cake and eat it too, then.

Disc golf's not a sport, but no other sport has all-day events.

I don't mind 2 round tournaments, but the length of time required for 2 round tournaments is too long.

Each hole played is a tournament, like a hand in poker.

Any other useless logical fallacies or inept metaphors you want to get off your chest?

Sorry you are not able to able to think outside yourself or know what a metaphor is. By your logic the poll results are fallacies.

Tourneys are generally for younger peeps with less responsibilities, and for older peeps whose kids are grown, probably true.

It's not for kids, like Trix.

That said, if someone can't get one dang day set aside every couple of months, that's a societal issue, not a disc golf one.

It would be a personal issue, but disc golf could be made more accommodating.

 

[The Birdie Beast]

I find no trouble with 2 round tournaments, but in my area a lot of tournaments are 3 rounds in 1 day, I just don't play those.

 

[teemkey]

Some tournaments fill within minutes, I often miss those.

 

[ranger]

Time is the issue for me

 

[discguy42]

I voted other.

Have you ever thought Tourney play is not for everyone? Just putting that out there.

I want to go and play one somewhere at some point but not for competitions sake. My area is devoid of DGers and I would like to go to an event to play with more that two other people at a time.

All you guys that say TIME is the problem evidently your commitment to your hobby/sport is quite non-committal. All I do is play DG and I make the time to do just that.

 

[scarpfish]

All you guys that say TIME is the problem evidently your commitment to your hobby/sport is quite non-committal. All I do is play DG and I make the time to do just that.

Some might say that someone who puts things like work and family ahead of chucking plastic has a life, and their priorities in order. Most of us know our hobby/sport isn't ever going to provide us an income or the joys of being someone's spouse or parent, so it gets relegated behind those things.

 

[BuzzzChief]

All you guys that say TIME is the problem evidently your commitment to your hobby/sport is quite non-committal. All I do is play DG and I make the time to do just that.

Lol, yes you're right. I am not as committed to disc golf as I am to my pregnant wife or my career that includes weekend work and travel. It's not easy for everyone to burn a whole Sunday with a bunch of dudes in a park, as fun as that might be.

 

[discguy42]

Some might say that someone who puts things like work and family ahead of chucking plastic has a life, and their priorities in order. Most of us know our hobby/sport isn't ever going to provide us an income or the joys of being someone's spouse or parent, so it gets relegated behind those things.

I understand that. I have been married 20 years and have a son who just turned 18.

My spouse understands that I do need time to enjoy the things I want to do, as I give here the same respect as well.

 

[Dan Ensor]

I often avoid tournaments, because they're detrimental to my form.

 

[DavidSauls]

Ah, if only I could get myself more committed to disc golf.

 

[RobA]

I often avoid tournaments, because they're detrimental to my form.

Just curious, how are tournaments detrimental to your form? What is the sense of having good form if you don't put it to the test of playing a competitive round?

 

[RobA]

I voted other.

Have you ever thought Tourney play is not for everyone? Just putting that out there.

I want to go and play one somewhere at some point but not for competitions sake. My area is devoid of DGers and I would like to go to an event to play with more that two other people at a time.

All you guys that say TIME is the problem evidently your commitment to your hobby/sport is quite non-committal. All I do is play DG and I make the time to do just that.

I have a job, a dog, bills to pay, and many other commitments, and am at the gym 3 days a week. Since disc golf doesn't pay the bills, I am only committed to the extant that it doesn't hurt other areas of my life. It is called being an adult. Good on you that you have nothing else to do besides play.

 

[Dan Ensor]

Just curious, how are tournaments detrimental to your form? What is the sense of having good form if you don't put it to the test of playing a competitive round?

Tournaments are about shutting out doubts and goals for your form. To play a good tournament, comfort in throwing is good. To change your form, comfort is bad.

The week before a tournament, I do absolutely zero form work. Everything is getting comfortable with where my form is currently, and getting the disc to land where I want it to.


When I'm working on form, I don't care at all where the disc lands. I usually throw in a batting cage, and don't see anything about where it lands. I'm completely focused on changing one aspect of my throw. I want it to feel uncomfortable, because that means it's different. I don't make many changes to my form that don't change something about where the disc lands. Some times, it takes over a week to figure out how to aim, etc.. If I want to play well at a tournament, I have to eliminate that change to aim well.



As for the point of improving form if I'm not playing tournaments/competitive rounds ... I like to throw discs. I like to throw discs better. It makes me happy.

 

[RobA]

Tournaments are about shutting out doubts and goals for your form. To play a good tournament, comfort in throwing is good. To change your form, comfort is bad.

The week before a tournament, I do absolutely zero form work. Everything is getting comfortable with where my form is currently, and getting the disc to land where I want it to.


When I'm working on form, I don't care at all where the disc lands. I usually throw in a batting cage, and don't see anything about where it lands. I'm completely focused on changing one aspect of my throw. I want it to feel uncomfortable, because that means it's different. I don't make many changes to my form that don't change something about where the disc lands. Some times, it takes over a week to figure out how to aim, etc.. If I want to play well at a tournament, I have to eliminate that change to aim well.



As for the point of improving form if I'm not playing tournaments/competitive rounds ... I like to throw discs. I like to throw discs better. It makes me happy.

Thank you for your candor, it definitely helps me understand why sometimes I don't see eye to eye with some of the guys in the form section of the forum.

I tend to play the game more by feel than by technique, so playing rounds doesn't interfere much with my process at all.

 

[Chaz58]

I know this an old thread but I am relatively new here and to the game. I wouldn't play a tournament due to 2 factors - the main one being that I am just not good enough even though I would be in some type of seniors (old man) tier due to my age of 58. The other factor would be the waiting in between throws. Once I get into a certain rhythm of play it's hard to wait 10 minutes between throws and remain consistent.