Old Farts Only 40+ (no kids allowed)

[rhatton1]

I agree mostly with Earthrocker but the entitlement to "nothing" is a self fulfilling prophecy.. Work ethic has gone out the window and has been replaced with a "Why should I try?" attitude. The internet has made people tremendously self absorbed and detached from real life experiences.

I love my kid and she's great, better than most but still guilty of doing the minimum effort and she doesn't get that from me.. It's like they think everything they want should just happen on its own, and it probably won't happen so why bother trying.

Life should deliver all of the goodies gift wrapped on my doorstep like everything else does from Amazon

I dunno.

my wife teaches and it amazes me the way the kids work. I did nothing through school, always the bare minimum or less, these kids today are on it all day long filling up free time with revision classes and more. She teaches in an inner city school with a very low socio-democratic intake and the vast majority of the kids work a damned site harder than me or my peers did going through state grammar schools.

Our brand new 15 year British Open champ is a great kid - every time I drive him to leagues or an event he's doing homework in the back seat whilst we chat rubbish up front. His attitude on the course blows me away as well, polite, respectful, eager to learn, not out of his depth amongst adults.

There is literally no way in the world I was the same at that age and I played on a number of adult soccer teams from about 13 onwards.

University students really surprised me as well over the last 10 years. When I went it was a 3 year drinking session with a lecture thrown in every now and again. I play with quite a few nowadays and they put work above Disc Golf - again no way I would have done at that age, I would have been playing and making up excuses for why I hadn't done the assignment. Most of my peers were the same.

I feel we were a pretty entitled generation, those born in the 70's to early 80's, we were told that you just had to go through school and then university and you would have a job waiting for you (which had genuinely been the case the generation before) . Turns out it was a bit of a surprise at the other end of the track. The kids today know they have to work their a&&es off through both school and university to have any chance of a good job at the end of it and probably endure 6 months to a year of unpaid internships to boot.

I'm generally more impressed by the next generation coming through than I am with my own and the ones above me.

 

[Tripper]

This thread reminds me of an event on the ice a few years back. I'm a defenseman, and I was officiating, running clinics a bit at the time so I spent 6 nights a week on the ice. This night it was Beer "B" League. Pretty good players, mostly young, skill and speed a move average. I was having a good night, couple of points, my shot was on from the point, and then about half way through the second period I drew a 2 minute minor on some trumped up checking call where I rubbed someone just a bit too hard. So as I am headed to the penalty box really slowly because I got caught on a long shift, I get cross checked from behind and I said to the second guy "what's that all about?" He said, "we can catch you when you're skating", I laughed and said, "really can't keep up with a guy in his fifties?" The guy was 28.

Yeah but you are like 8 feet tall so 3 or 4 strides and you all the way down the ice.

 

[Dcinmd]

For those looking to back check to see if 14 year old can throw farther than you.

https://www.pdga.com/tour/event/41855

Ekkk. I "might" have pulled out the win in Juniors under 12.

 

[biscoe]

For those looking to back check to see if 14 year old can throw farther than you.

https://www.pdga.com/tour/event/41855

Ekkk. I "might" have pulled out the win in Juniors under 12.

Heck, everyone throws farther than I do- don't know why a 14 year old would be any different.

 

[DiscFifty]

...or they just prefer to play with players of a similar age group for a more pleasant day. Not everyone's motivation for playing is the same- this manifests itself more than anywhere else in the age based divisions.

For the lower rated players I agree. But I do not agree a 940+rated player is playing with 850 rated old dudes just because of the social aspect.

 

[biscoe]

For the lower rated players I agree. But I do not agree a 940+rated player is playing with 850 rated old dudes just because of the social aspect.

Why not? Do you really think someone who has worked hard enough at dg to be 940 rated in their old age is just out to win some discs off of some guys who suck?

 

[DiscFifty]

Why not? Do you really think someone who has worked hard enough at dg to be 940 rated in their old age is just out to win some discs off of some guys who suck?

Yes, but it could also just be about the ego of winning. It's more fun to win than lose.

 

[biscoe]

i like to win a lot but i sure wouldn't step down to ma50 to do it.

 

[ru4por]

For the lower rated players I agree. But I do not agree a 940+rated player is playing with 850 rated old dudes just because of the social aspect.

In this area, you would be wrong.

Every part of this discussion has two sides. It might be asked, what is the motivation for the 850 rated player, playing in a division with 900+ rated old guys.

IMO, this just ends up being the "bagger" discussion. 950 rated players are playing their rating and exactly where they belong in age protected divisions. It is akin to the calling them baggers.....and we all know what bagger really means. YOU BEAT ME AND I AM BITTER.

 

[DavidSauls]

For the lower rated players I agree. But I do not agree a 940+rated player is playing with 850 rated old dudes just because of the social aspect.

Whether or not you agree that that's their motive, doesn't change the fact that it may be.

People play disc golf, and play tournaments, for all sorts of reasons. Myself, I'm not smart enough to look at a person and know his thinking, let alone tell from a printed results sheet.

It seems there a bunch of people playing in divisions where they have no chance of winning, but prefer to play anyway. Apparently, neither glory nor "stuff" is their motivation. I don't see why someone with no challenge to winning, might not feel the same.

Heck, I've seen people play in 1-person divisions, where the TD allowed it. I wouldn't, but if that's their cup of tea, so be it. My best guess is that they're signing up for their correct division, and letting the chips fall where they may.

 

[DiscFifty]

IMO, this just ends up being the "bagger" discussion. 950 rated players are playing their rating and exactly where they belong in age protected divisions. It is akin to the calling them baggers.....and we all know what bagger really means. YOU BEAT ME AND I AM BITTER.

Perhaps, but my point is to get to 940+ at 40-50+ years of age is not easy, you're putting in the time. It just surprises me to see these dudes not challenging themselves more by playing in adv. I chose to play in intermediate quite often when there was quite a few lower rated dudes in the age protected division. I've talked to alot of them in my neck of the woods, they definitely prefer to play with the older dudes than the younger players, but they also feel there should be a ratings split in the age protected divisions. I thought so too for a while, but now I just think if you're rated that high, go take on similar rated players.

 

[DiscFifty]

My best guess is that they're signing up for their correct division, and letting the chips fall where they may.

You have to admit though, the age protected divisions are a bit of a box of chocolate. The only divisions where you can have a 50-100 point difference in player ratings and still be in the "correct division".

 

[Dcinmd]

There are a bunch of different reason for playing in an age protected divisions verse not.

1. Is it a small C-tier which is half full versus an A-tier
2. Is there that one guy signed up in a division that you don't want on your card?
3. Are you playing for PDGA points and signing up for the largest division.
4. Are the age protected divisions playing different tees than the other groups?
5. Are the age protected divisions playing different course?

 

[Dcinmd]

You have to admit though, the age protected divisions are a bit of a box of chocolate. The only divisions where you can have a 50-100 point difference in player ratings and still be in the "correct division".

Sounds exactly like MA2.

 

[DavidSauls]

You have to admit though, the age protected divisions are a bit of a box of chocolate. The only divisions where you can have a 50-100 point difference in player ratings and still be in the "correct division".

No doubt. I've played with bigger splits than that, with some sub-800 guys joining in.

 

[DavidSauls]

Perhaps, but my point is to get to 940+ at 40-50+ years of age is not easy, you're putting in the time. It just surprises me to see these dudes not challenging themselves more by playing in adv. I chose to play in intermediate quite often when there was quite a few lower rated dudes in the age protected division. I've talked to alot of them in my neck of the woods, they definitely prefer to play with the older dudes than the younger players, but they also feel there should be a ratings split in the age protected divisions. I thought so too for a while, but now I just think if you're rated that high, go take on similar rated players.

Or, the lower-rated players can. There are places for them, too, if they can't keep up.....and if they care, which they don't seem to.

For a year or two, the PDGA offered multiple skill levels in the age-protected amateur divisions. (Advanced Masters, Intermediate Masters, or something like that). I don't think there were many takers, and it was a bit silly splitting small divisions into even smaller pieces.

For what it's worth, we don't have the issue around here. The 40+ and 50+ amateur divisions are very competitive, with a good number of people in the 920-950 range. Nobody's cruising to an easy victory. I'm sure that's a regional thing.

 

[Rizbee]

There are a bunch of different reason for playing in an age protected divisions verse not.

1. Is it a small C-tier which is half full versus an A-tier
2. Is there that one guy signed up in a division that you don't want on your card?
3. Are you playing for PDGA points and signing up for the largest division.
4. Are the age protected divisions playing different tees than the other groups?
5. Are the age protected divisions playing different course?

I nearly always play MA50, or MA55 when it's offered (although I think we should get rid of the 5's). I'm rated 877 and my rating has been decreasing the past few years - now the 920-rated 49 and 50-year-olds are doing all of the winning. But I won't play MA3 just to have a chance at winning - I enjoy the social aspect of playing with the guys who are near my age. We have more in common to talk about and I don't have to do as much rules teaching and BS-putting-up-with in MA50 than I do in MA3. We generally don't offer age-protected divisions in our local monthlies, so I get enough experience playing in MA2 or MA3 - not my favorite.

When I was 50 and in the 920-930-ish range I played MP50 a few times, but those guys were too serious. Some of them would get their panties in a bunch if you talked at all. So I can see how a "better" player might play in an MA age-protected division, if they-re looking for a group that's more fun.

Next weekend I'll be in Grand Rapids and playing the River City Open...in MP50. Why? Because I want to be on the same course schedule as my son, who plays MPO AND I want to play with my local friend who is registered with PDGA as a Pro and can't play down in MA50 because his rating is 907 (7 points too high).

Like Dcinmd said, there are lots of reasons.

 

[ru4por]

Or, the lower-rated players can. There are places for them, too, if they can't keep up.....and if they care, which they don't seem to.

For a year or two, the PDGA offered multiple skill levels in the age-protected amateur divisions. (Advanced Masters, Intermediate Masters, or something like that). I don't think there were many takers, and it was a bit silly splitting small divisions into even smaller pieces.

For what it's worth, we don't have the issue around here. The 40+ and 50+ amateur divisions are very competitive, with a good number of people in the 920-950 range. Nobody's cruising to an easy victory. I'm sure that's a regional thing.

Similar here. It is common to see an eight player MA50 with 6-7 players over 900. Tis a great group of guys that play a majority of area tournaments. The competition is also pretty intense.....like who has the most motrin, who has the nicest, post round lawn chair and who can pick the nicest oak tree to recover under.

 

[BogeyNoMore]

The competition is also pretty intense.....like who has the most motrin, who has the nicest, post round lawn chair and who can pick the nicest oak tree to recover under.

Had he mastered the art of folding/unfolding it, Randy might've given you a run for nicest lawn chair last Sun.

 

[ThrowaEnvy]

Funny you should mention a chair.. A guy I play with has a "Flipstik", I got one I was jealous. It's a bicycle seat on a stick that doubles as a cane.

He had both knees done this year so we didn't see him, I'm not making it to his tourney either. Real good player, happy to play against him, been some close battles in the woods. I've beat him, he's beat me. I play Masters Open now, he usually plays Open since he won the world's in 2010 Advanced Grandmasters. Anyhow it's regional, situation dependent and a personal decision. Since I won masters up there last year and tied for best score I will probably play open next time.. But Masters everywhere else.