Amateur Tournament Series

[discgolftom]

How will "Advanced Amateur" and "Amateur" be defined?

Not sure yet. Will probably use some data from the PDGA.

 

[discgolftom]

The OP's idea has an advantage of the NADGT: geography. If you play in the NADGT with ambitions of getting to the big-payout level, you have to commit to traveling to a regional (perhaps hundreds of miles) and a national (perhaps across the country). (With the disclaimer that I assume this is still how it works). The OP is proposing a 2-level tour, with the finals still relatively close by.

Exactly. We aren't trying to be worldwide [ yet ]

All 4 cities are within 150 miles of each other. 3 hour drive max with stopping to eat.

 

[discgolftom]

You may be correct. The timing may be right -- there's more demand and supply, so any event may fill. Though it'll have to fill without pros, older divisions, and lower skill divisions.

In the future, we will have more divisions - Older, Ladies, etc.

But for now - going to keep it simple and make it work.

We won't have Pro division in the foreseeable future

 

[discgolftom]

I haven't researched but by looking at the sign ups to tournaments I have seen the "lower skill divisions" seem to be what fills the tournaments mostly. Without them the payouts would be hard to accomplish.

This data is what prompted me to do this. Lot's of amateur players.

How cool is it going to be when a 30 year old dude wins a kick ass 4-Wheeler or JetSki just by having some fun and spending $100?

 

[DavidSauls]

I don't doubt that the events will fill up. They pretty much all do these days.

You have a point. 10 years ago we started an informal bring-your-partner doubles between Christmas & New Years, when nothing much is going on. We just had 98 show up for a single 27-hole round, on a cold (for us) day, on a course that's in the middle of nowhere and thus a long drive from everywhere.

 

[Audible Vibration]

The Qualifiers are "Trophy" only events. However - Top 10 from each advance to Championship + at least 2 "at large" Players from each Qualifier that are randomly selected.

$100 + a little gas to play 5 rounds and maybe win a nice prize + the "bragging rights".



Nope. Got the idea after talking with friends that play. I went and threw some discs and I completely sucked at it. But - my skills are directing events - Baseball Tournaments, Golf Tournaments, Poker Tournaments, etc.

Did my research over the weekend and saw the potential of the sport. It also has a low barrier of entry at the amateur level.

I think you need to get familiar with PDGA competition rules and run a single event before jumping into something this big. Your championship couldn't even be PDGA sanctioned according to your current rules, as you're essentially making it an invite only event, and PDGA events must be open to all members. I think you are biting off more than you can chew. But I do wish you luck and hope you succeed.

 

[discgolftom]

What's the point? You are really limiting it to only amateurs in a specific geographic location and only two states in that region. It's for amateurs, so how many can afford to travel to those four locations? IF all four qualifiers sell out, the Championship will have $16,000 to give out as prizes....but to how many? How much will first place take? How much are the winners of the qualifiers making? Nothing, except for entry into the Championship? So they travel all the way to one of those four locations for nothing?

A player can advance to the Championship by only participating in one Qualifier if they are in the Top 10 of that Qualifier.

Travel is like 150 miles max to a Qualifier and / or the Championship.

It's going to be a 1st Place heavy Tournament. I anticipate that will be the chum.

 

[discgolftom]

And possibly handicapped for the Championship - can we say 'sandbagging'?

Not sure about this yet. Running a few ideas in my mind. May use some PDGA data -or- may just let em play.

I wish you the best, but I don't think it's going be a huge success. Amateurs already have a National Championship and the qualifiers for it.

The NADGT has qualifiers throughout the year all over the country and players get points towards an invite to the NADGT Championship.

True. However - in our concept - max distance is only 150 miles on way - so, maybe $25 in gas?

 

[discgolftom]

As I read it, players don't have to play all 4 qualifiers -- each one awards a certain number of spots in the finals. They have the option to play in more than 1, so if you don't qualify in the first, you could play in the 2nd.

Correct!

 

[discgolftom]

Poor wording on my part....I didn't mean a player had to go to all four. Just that those were the only options and it would still be expensive for the majority of amateurs to take part. This proposed tournament/championship seems to be just a regional tournament/championship; whereas the NADGT is a national set of tournaments/championship.

$100 + $50 in gas if they qualified for the 'Ship? If an Amateur that loves the game can't afford that - then, I don't know what to say.

I imagine most players drink that at a bar on the weekend.

 

[discgolftom]

You have a point. 10 years ago we started an informal bring-your-partner doubles between Christmas & New Years, when nothing much is going on. We just had 98 show up for a single 27-hole round, on a cold (for us) day, on a course that's in the middle of nowhere and thus a long drive from everywhere.

The above is exactly what my initial research showed. Players love to play and compete.

 

[discgolftom]

I think you need to get familiar with PDGA competition rules and run a single event before jumping into something this big.

No offense, but 5 simple Tournaments, in my mind, based on my TD experience, isn't "big" at all . . . Especially for Disc Golf. No field rentals. No carts. No major marketing.

Your championship couldn't even be PDGA sanctioned according to your current rules, as you're essentially making it an invite only event, and PDGA events must be open to all members.

Not sure about the PDGA. Talking with them today.

 

[DavidSauls]

Nope. Got the idea after talking with friends that play. I went and threw some discs and I completely sucked at it. But - my skills are directing events - Baseball Tournaments, Golf Tournaments, Poker Tournaments, etc.

Did my research over the weekend and saw the potential of the sport. It also has a low barrier of entry at the amateur level.

It's rude to laugh at someone. So I apologize.

You might want to play some tournaments, run some tournaments, learn the disc golf tournament culture. Particularly the part about Ams expecting to get their entry back, in players pack and prizes, at every event.

It might work, but you'd be really paddling upstream to pull it off without a lot of experience. Disc golf experience.

 

[discgolftom]

It's rude to laugh at someone. So I apologize.

No worries David. A lot of my ideas cause people to laugh . . .

Unless you are a Pro, you should come play the Augusta. It's only like 90 minutes from Stoney Hill . . .

Championship is going to be in Augusta as well more than likely.

 

[discgolftom]

You might want to play some tournaments, run some tournaments, learn the disc golf tournament culture. Particularly the part about Ams expecting to get their entry back, in players pack and prizes, at every event.

It might work, but you'd be really paddling upstream to pull it off without a lot of experience. Disc golf experience.

I'll pass on playing. I'm going to volunteer at some Tournaments next month and see the backend. I'm very confident that conducting an awesome Tournament experience for local Amateurs can be accomplished.

Impossible to " get their entry back, in players pack and prizes, at every event " and still have the Grand Prize for the Champion and only charge $50 per Event.

We will have a nice Players Pack for the Qualifier Tournaments

We want to be different and provide a Grand Prize worthy of Players telling all their friends that they either "almost" won -or- " Man - check out my new 4-wheeler that I won by being the Southern Series Champion! "

But - I do appreciate everyone's thoughts and comments.

 

[ru4por]

Lol.....I'm finding the random bolding and color use in your posts, most distracting. Honestly, to the point that I have quit reading your replies. Good luck though. Regardless of the format, I am guessing local competition from area events will be the primary hurdle.

 

[BillFleming]

$100 + $50 in gas if they qualified for the 'Ship? If an Amateur that loves the game can't afford that - then, I don't know what to say.

I imagine most players drink that at a bar on the weekend.

You are limiting it to a specific region. There are more amateurs that just those in Georgia and South Carolina. It would cost a WHOLE lot more for an amateur from California to get to the qualifiers. That's my point....this is just a regional thing.

 

[Audible Vibration]

No offense, but 5 simple Tournaments, in my mind, based on my TD experience, isn't "big" at all . . . Especially for Disc Golf. No field rentals. No carts. No major marketing.



Not sure about the PDGA. Talking with them today.

Yikes. If that's your attitude, I'm not sure why you're asking us for feedback; you're clearly the smartest guy in the room. You are going to "talk with the PDGA" about well established competition guidelines that are publicly available, and it's clear you haven't read any of them. Even if this whole tour was unsanctioned, it's full of flaws. Like others have said, demand is high right now and you will probably find people willing to play. But with the plans you have, you are going to develop a bad reputation as a TD. American Disc Golf Tour all over again.

 

[discgolftom]

Lol.....I'm finding the random bolding and color use in your posts, most distracting. Honestly, to the point that I have quit reading your replies. Good luck though. Regardless of the format, I am guessing local competition from area events will be the primary hurdle.

We are going to do our best to make sure that say the Qualifier in Savannah is not on the same day as another Amateur event in that area.

By the 2nd or 3rd Tournament, if we do it right, we will be the Go To tournament in a specific area.

p.s. - sorry about the "colors" - I've always done it

 

[discgolftom]

You are limiting it to a specific region. There are more amateurs that just those in Georgia and South Carolina. It would cost a WHOLE lot more for an amateur from California to get to the qualifiers. That's my point....this is just a regional thing.

We are limiting to 150 mile radius on purpose. It allows players to come play without costing them a fortune. Our concept will provide an affordably competitive environment with a prize package that isn't available to most amateur players.