I don't understand Udisc course ratings

[Olorin]

I honestly don't understand why Udisc ratings are so inflated and why there are such a predominance of 5.0 ratings.

OK, it's obvious that homeboy bias is rampant on Udisc. Also, since any review can be deleted there are many cases where the homies just "report" reviews under 5.0 to get them deleted. In addition, there are no guidelines at all about what a 5.0 rating means, and there is a limit to the number of characters that can be typed into Udisc reviews. And this is all being driven by newer players using phones so they don't type much. Another factor is the Amazon/Yelp review culture that has become so prevalent. And since people record their scores on Udisc and at the end of the round they are asked to rate the course, they just quickly and nonchalantly do it while walking back to their car.

(...Well, maybe I partly answered my own question.)

Yet still, are the Udisc "feel good" ratings unique to Udisc or are they part of a larger cultural zeitgeist? On Udisc I see 5.0 ratings given to crummy little 3 hole practice areas at elementary schools, and I see some people who give a 5.0 to every single course they play. Is this part of the "everybody gets a trophy" and "lets not hurt anybody's precious little feelings" mentality? A Udisc 5.0 seems to mean "I was out with my friends throwing discs here." On Udisc a 5.0 seems to be equivalent to a like on Facebook or Instagram.

I am baffled. What do you think?

[Jukeshoe]

I don't understand Udisc course ratings

Neither does anyone else.

/thread

[chris deitzel]

The worst rating system ever.

[DavidSauls]

Originally Posted by Olorin

Another factor is the Amazon/Yelp review culture that has become so prevalent.

This might be part of it. So many online reviews are full of 5s and 0s, and UDisc ratings have that look too.

It's a bit like the Thumbs up/down on reviews here, or the "likes" on posts. Grading reduced to pass/fail.

[disctildeath]

The app is more accessible and with disc golf booming, many are leaving reviews that aren't really qualified to do so. I live in NC and according to UDISC, Rolling Pines is the best in the state, no offense good course but it isn't top 5.

[BraveThrower43]

When the app asks you to rate the course doesn’t it just ask for the course conditions and nothing else? I think that probably has something to do with it.

[BillFleming]

There should only be 3 ratings (and this goes for most everything).
3 - it's great. Would definitely play again.
2 - it's okay. Ah, might play it again.
1 - forget it. Yeah, not again....wish I hadn't played it the first time.

[Olorin]

Originally Posted by BillFleming

There should only be 3 ratings (and this goes for most everything).
3 - it's great. Would definitely play again.
2 - it's okay. Ah, might play it again.
1 - forget it. Yeah, not again....wish I hadn't played it the first time.

Digression about ratings...

I'm also an artisan chocolate reviewer, and I agree with you. I also believe that every person has at minimum a 3 point rating scale. But I label it like this...
2 = Average
1 = Below Average to Bad
3 = Above Average to Great

That's easy to see how easily it can expand to a 5 point scale.
Then when people get more serious and have more items to differentiate it expands to an 11 point scale from 0-10 with 5 being Average.

(Then when get like me and have reviewed over 1200 chocolate bars in reality I've shifted to a 100 point scale from 0.1-10.0)

[Puckstopper]

To be honest, the ratings most places reflect much more homer bias than you see here. DGCR has a clearcut, relatively objective system and a longstanding population who applies that system across the board. From my own experience years ago, I read other reviews, noticed how much emphasis was placed on objectivity and facts over feelings and wrote my own reviews accordingly. When you look at the formats, Udisc is like Twitter, where DGCR is more like a college paper. Cite WHY you feel this why, WHAT the course offers, etc...

[Moose33]

Tons of new players and people who’s DG world is very small rating things relatively to the experience. They have no rubric, nor repercussions for being inaccurate so they just put whatever.

Personally I hate those ratings and how some of the “courses” are not legit, but our league uses Udisc so I keep it.