Small local C-tier, which division?

[seedlings]

This'll be my 2nd tournament, a local c-tier. The first one was an ice-bowl with people buying dozens of mulligans, so i didn't get any rating for that one.

I'm an average player age 48. Is it worth going Amateur or Pro, age protected or not? I have birdied every hole, on this course, just never in the same round, so I'll probably be like -3 to -7 per round (2 rounds). No way I win any division. I guess I could win an age protected, depending on how the other guys register.

So since 'it doesn't really matter', how should I register?

 

[notapro]

If you want to be fair, and not stomp people in novice, maybe try and figure out the round ratings for that score, on that course, even just using DGCR SSE. Then you have an idea what your rating might be, and find the appropriate division.

 

[ballgolfconvert]

This'll be my 2nd tournament, a local c-tier. The first one was an ice-bowl with people buying dozens of mulligans, so i didn't get any rating for that one.

I'm an average player age 48. Is it worth going Amateur or Pro, age protected or not? I have birdied every hole, on this course, just never in the same round, so I'll probably be like -3 to -7 per round (2 rounds). No way I win any division. I guess I could win an age protected, depending on how the other guys register.

So since 'it doesn't really matter', how should I register?

Sounds like you should enter REC. If you win. move up.

 

[Moose33]

If they have all divisions check what your scores will put you in the last tournaments at that course. If you are still unsure but qualify for age protected do that, you probably won't win but no one can say you are in the wrong division.

 

[wellsbranch250]

Based on your descriptions, i would say MA3 or MA40

 

[ru4por]

Around here MA40 can be a brutal division. [good players] You might be the bottom of a division with a handful or two of players. MA3 is likely to be a much larger division with a wider range of ratings. Your chances of beating a few players would be better in MA3. IMO, you could likely learn a lot in the age protected divisions. They are your age, similar life experience, generally they bring some tournament experience to the table. I think it kind of depends on what you are trying to get out of the experience.

Of course, all of the above could be regional and surely will come with exceptions.

 

[Moose33]

Around here MA40 can be a brutal division. [good players] You might be the bottom of a division with a handful or two of players. MA3 is likely to be a much larger division with a wider range of ratings. Your chances of beating a few players would be better in MA3. IMO, you could likely learn a lot in the age protected divisions. They are your age, similar life experience, generally they bring some tournament experience to the table. I think it kind of depends on what you are trying to get out of the experience.

Of course, all of the above could be regional and surely will come with exceptions.

The top of MA40 is basically the same as MA1 around here, and the best guys of MA50 as well. Some of those guys are like 930-950 and can sling.

 

[BillFleming]

What are you trying to do in a tournament? Are you trying to win? Are you trying to compete against others to see how well you do? Are you trying to just have fun?

Those are important things to consider. Playing in an age-protected group, you are playing with people your age. I have found that playing in MA60 (even though I don't have a snowball's chance -usually 15 to 30 throws behind the person ahead of me) is enjoyable because I have similar life-experiences to the other players and we have good conversations. Playing in MA3, it wasn't as enjoyable.....not only did I get badly beaten, but there wasn't a whole lot I had in common with my cardmates. The one time MA4 was available, I had a good time because I had a fair chance to do well (only a couple of throws behind the person ahead of me), but again, I didn't have much in common with most of my cardmates.

So figure out what you want from competing and then try to determine what division gives you the best chance for that outcome.

 

[seedlings]

Good suggestions. Here's the last tournament results:

My last five rounds have been -5, -6, E, -5, -7 (E was bad weather, I'll blame).

Now what do you think?

Edit: Re Bill F's question… I want to get a rating, have fun, and of course try throw my best shots. Winning is on the radar as a pipe dream. I play for tags EVErY round with my buddies.

 

[seedlings]

First time I've done much with PDGA searches. Here are the round ratings. Par changes depending on the layout, and I don't know if that tournament played 18 hole or 21 hole rounds.

 

[dmoore1998]

age protected divisions can be an absolute crapshoot. If you're more like an MA3 or MA4 player...play those divisions. MA40, depending on location, the specific tournament, etc...could range anywhere from MA4 players to MA1 players. Based on your screenshots, MA40 doesn't look super strong so you could probably play there, compete, and have fun.

 

[BillFleming]

Oh, on the question about Pro or Am......I highly advise playing Am for now. Get your rating, see how you do and how you would have done against Pros.

Then make the determination if you want to go Pro. The downfall about playing Pro is that...well....you are now a pro. You can't play in Am only tournaments, and you have to get permission if you want to go back to playing as an Am. However, as an Am you can play in Pro divisions (you just can't accept any money). But you don't want to go pro and then decide that you should stick as an Am. And an Am playing in a Pro division? I've heard the pros can really be cutthroat.

 

[HB2017]

Don't bank on shooting the types of scores from your casual rounds in a competitive round.

 

[ru4por]

Good suggestions. Here's the last tournament results:

My last five rounds have been -5, -6, E, -5, -7 (E was bad weather, I'll blame).

Now what do you think?

Edit: Re Bill F's question… I want to get a rating, have fun, and of course try throw my best shots. Winning is on the radar as a pipe dream. I play for tags EVErY round with my buddies.

Beware. Those scores in MA40 could be from long tees, if the course has them.

 

[ru4por]

First time I've done much with PDGA searches. Here are the round ratings. Par changes depending on the layout, and I don't know if that tournament played 18 hole or 21 hole rounds.

Around here, we make use of Disc Golf Scene for tournament listings, registration... Often TD's will post result to the tournament page. That view offers a bit more information...like layouts, number of holes....

Example:

https://www.discgolfscene.com/tournaments/Southern_Michigan_Open_2023

 

[seedlings]

Oh, on the question about Pro or Am......I highly advise playing Am for now. Get your rating, see how you do and how you would have done against Pros.

Then make the determination if you want to go Pro. The downfall about playing Pro is that...well....you are now a pro. You can't play in Am only tournaments, and you have to get permission if you want to go back to playing as an Am. However, as an Am you can play in Pro divisions (you just can't accept any money). But you don't want to go pro and then decide that you should stick as an Am. And an Am playing in a Pro division? I've heard the pros can really be cutthroat.

Good idea. Am it is.

Don't bank on shooting the types of scores from your casual rounds in a competitive round.

ALL of my casual rounds are competitive for tags anyway. I really don't like to lose. Once in a while I'll play by myself, but I don't keep score. I 'try new' shots usually.

Beware. Those scores in MA40 could be from long tees, if the course has them.

This course has one set of tees and multiple pins. I'm good for any position.

 

[seedlings]

Around here, we make use of Disc Golf Scene for tournament listings, registration... Often TD's will post result to the tournament page. That view offers a bit more information...like layouts, number of holes....

Example:

https://www.discgolfscene.com/tournaments/Southern_Michigan_Open_2023

Looked it up there, and they played 19 hole layout. This adds maybe 1 stroke to my scores. 4 short is often a birdie, but not in that layout. 17 short I usually par, occasionally birdie often bogey, also not in the layout. Thank you for the info!

 

[biscoe]

Around here, we make use of Disc Golf Scene for tournament listings, registration... Often TD's will post result to the tournament page. That view offers a bit more information...like layouts, number of holes....

Hover your cursor over "Rd 1" or "Rd 2" (etc) on the PDGA tournament page and it gives you the same info.

To the original question- choose based on your desired social experience- there will be a lot of overlap between scores in a lot of the Am divisions either way.

 

[Dcinmd]

Mr Hicks is doing some sandbagging down in MA50 with a 983 rated round.

I kid. Based on this one tournament doesn't look like a lot pro are playing in the age protected divisions.

 

[ru4por]

Hover your cursor over "Rd 1" or "Rd 2" (etc) on the PDGA tournament page and it gives you the same info.

To the original question- choose based on your desired social experience- there will be a lot of overlap between scores in a lot of the Am divisions either way.

I don't think I knew this, thanks Biscoe!! Hmmmm....."hover to discover", huh?