PDGA registration worth it?

[brutalbrutus]

Exactly.
The American Bowling Congress must be dead. I'm no longer a member despite once having a league average up to 195 (shifted my focus to disc golf).

We'll have to organize our own lazy man Olympics one of these days Jeff. I will ruin you on the lanes.


...well if my shoulder is still attached after the first roll anyway...:\

 

[discNDav]

It was metioned earlier in the thread, but the hotel discounts on the back have almost paid for the membership for me.

fyi...you don't have to be an active member to get the hotel discounts, simply use the code from the list of member benefits.

 

[Broken Shoulder]

Exactly.
The American Bowling Congress must be dead. I'm no longer a member despite once having a league average up to 195 (shifted my focus to disc golf).

Keep doing both.
Since hurting my shoulder I think I miss bowling more than I miss disc golf.

 

[DanJon]

My point was that the PDGA should be transparent in how many members they actually have.

Anytime I see their posts/promotions about membership they always mention what number they're on.

From an outsider's perspective, they might think that it's an organization that has close to 100,000 members.

When the PDGA or it's reps (or anyone related really) is in talks with Parks Depts, City Govt's, or other potential investors, which number do you think they are referencing?

No doubt that membership has grown though, I'm not denying that.

 

[josephreese]

How does the PDGA define an "active" member?

 

[DanJon]

How does the PDGA define an "active" member?

They paid that year.

 

[JC17393]

Every year the PDGA publishes year-end demographics. I linked to a few of them already. That's where you'll find current/active membership info. And it's that information that they use to promote the game and the organization. That's why they track it and publish it, after all.

 

[DavidSauls]

I see the PDGA bragging about the number of active members all of the time. No lack of transparency there.

 

[Cgkdisc]

Interestingly, about 20-22% of current members do not play a single sanctioned round in a year.

 

[brutalbrutus]

And how many of those are lifetimes members?

 

[Mulligan]

And how many of those are lifetimes members?

I'd also like to know the average historic length of membership, based on renewal.
Would be interesting to see if they are retaining all these new members, and what eras/age groups are most likely to renew.

 

[Brodysseus]

If you're going to play in 5 or more sanctioned events in a year, then it is worth it to sign up. Otherwise, it's not.

 

[DavidSauls]

Quite obviously, a lot of people feel otherwise.

 

[Brodysseus]

Quite obviously, a lot of people feel otherwise.

Quite obviously, most (the majority of the discing population) don't.

But regardless, just stating my opinion. It is financially worth it once you play in 5 sanctioned tournaments a year.

 

[jeffsk]

I have been playing 18 years and have never registered with PDGA. I don't care about my "rating", I don't generally play more than 2 or 3 tournaments a year...basically 18 years in and I don't feel like I am missing out by not having a PDGA number.

 

[DavidSauls]

Quite obviously, most (the majority of the discing population) don't.

But regardless, just stating my opinion. It is financially worth it once you play in 5 sanctioned tournaments a year.

Financially, yes.

After that, you or I can't say whether is worthwhile for anyone else, because we can't say how anyone else will value the various benefits, or being part of the organization. If you don't value any of that, and the question is merely financial---What's in it for me?---then it's an easy answer.

I find it interesting that thousands maintain memberships despite not playing any tournaments, and presumably more who play fewer than 5.

 

[Improbably]

I find it interesting that thousands mmaintain memberships despite not playing any tournaments, and presumably more who play fewer than 5.

If only thousands more people would put some "They" time in. Picking up litter and running the weedwhacker will do more for the sport than anything the PDGA can waste your $50 on.

 

[Steve West]

There are two sets of reasons for joining anything:

1. Because you want to get something out of it, and

2 .Because you want help further its goals.

Each of us can decide whether the combination of benefits we see from both sets is sufficient to make us want to join.

 

[ru4por]

If only thousands more people would put some "They" time in. Picking up litter and running the weedwhacker will do more for the sport than anything the PDGA can waste your $50 on.

I might venture a guess that the vast majority of PDGA members, holding their membership for more than one year, are "they". I might venture a further guess that a majority of "they" are PDGA members. Again, just speculating.

 

[DavidSauls]

I might venture a guess that the vast majority of PDGA members, holding their membership for more than one year, are "they". I might venture a further guess that a majority of "they" are PDGA members. Again, just speculating.

Or, at least, the ones not having a membership solely for saving $10 per event.

If there are 35,000 active members, and 20% of active members don't play a single event, that's 7,000. Add in the ones who play, but fewer than 5.

The first person who comes to mind, in this category, would probably fall in the "they" category as well. The second is only 9 years old, but his father---who pays for it---is a "they".