Biggest reason people don't play tournaments

[Smigles]

I just prefer relaxed rounds with friends. They start when we want, end when we want, we can drink beers on the round, my dog can come play with us, the people are cool. All of this is not guaranteed in a tournament.

I used to play tournaments to get out of my city and see some other courses. Now I prefer roadtrips with my buddies.

The competition is one aspect speaking for tournaments, but I dont enjoy it as much. It gets in my head when putting (I am sure I am not the only one with this problem^^). Also it's pretty ridiculous how serious some chuckers take this sport. I can understand that some of the pros take it really serious, but somebody with like a 850 rating who never goes to practice? What can he expect exactly?

 

[DiscJunkie]

Time, Money and committing so far in advance are the main issues for me. Well, travel is also a problem. I know many of my friends enjoy them, but I don't.

 

[TurnBurn]

I hate playing in tournaments for most of the reasons already mentioned: slow play, waiting up to 20 minutes to get to throw, too far to travel, takes up a whole weekend, where the women at, etc.

That being said, it is the only way to objectively measure my progress as a player.

I was convinced from my casual rounds that I was close to a 950 rating at my local courses.

Then I go to an out of town tournament at a new course and average under 850.

Then I go to a local tournament at a familiar course and average even lower.

It puts things in perspective, helps me see where I need to improve, and learns me some respect for the high level guys I see who still hit trees once in a while.

I still hate tournaments though, like I hated going to school.

 

[thirtydirtybirds]

I just am not really interested in tournament play. I suppose it might make me a better player, but I play for fun and don't put a lot of weight into playing to a very high level. I might enter one at some point if a local one pops up and the timing is good, but I'm not going to seek out tournaments to play in.

 

[bhadella]

Time commitments. Two daughters and a wife that actually likes to spend time with me make for a tight schedule. Add in a structured work environment and I don't have much time to get out. I can normally only cram in 2-3 rounds (one or two during the weekend, one weekday glow round) in a normal week so the commitment to a 4 round, 2 day tournament is considerable.

 

[Horsman]

I dont play certain tournaments anymore that I love to play because of who the TD is. We have a particular TD here in WI that is very unethical and a very shady person and because of how they run things and how they have acted I refuse to play the tournies anymore.

 

[Nasty Nate]

I chose a bunch above, but I also like to disc with my dog as disc golf's his main source of fun beyond regular walks. I couldn't grab my bag to leave without breaking his heart.

:thmbup: Amen! My dog loves discing and she would be pretty sad if she saw us going without her!

No pups at tournaments? She is the most important part of our team.

 

[Johnny_Crunch]

Time commitments make it difficult

 

[dysmike]

I just prefer relaxed rounds with friends. They start when we want, end when we want, we can drink beers on the round, my dog can come play with us, the people are cool. All of this is not guaranteed in a tournament.

I used to play tournaments to get out of my city and see some other courses. Now I prefer roadtrips with my buddies.

The competition is one aspect speaking for tournaments, but I dont enjoy it as much. It gets in my head when putting (I am sure I am not the only one with this problem^^). Also it's pretty ridiculous how serious some chuckers take this sport. I can understand that some of the pros take it really serious, but somebody with like a 850 rating who never goes to practice? What can he expect exactly?

^ This. I'd rather spend my non-work/family time just having fun.

 

[VictorB]

I have been a fairly avid tournament player in the past. Not a big fan anymore. Just curious what everyone else thought. Plus I love polls and data.

I used to play a lot more in general, and had a fairly competitive mindset too. Liked the challenge a long tournament provided.

These days, disc golf is definitely firmly in the recreation category for me. I would still like to play tournaments, but don't feel pressure to sign up or to win when I actually do sign up. Having fun with the family on the course is higher priority than me shooting great rounds all the time.

 

[ThrowBot]

I would definitely play more tournaments if I had more vacation time.

It's fun to travel and play different courses and compete. I played exclusively casual for years, but recently my mindset has really shifted towards formal/competitive play. These days I look at the schedule of nearby [within ~5 hours] tournaments early in the year and try to maximize the amount I can play with what vacation time is left after snowboarding season.

 

[gradus]

Time commitment and DG is the main source of exercise for my dog.

 

[Jukeshoe]

I do not play PDGA-sanctioned tourneys for several reasons:

1. The slow pace of play is goddamn ridiculous, especially in Rec and Int. And I'm far, far from a quick-paced player.
2. I dislike the idea of having to pay a *yearly* PDGA membership fee AND a tourney entry fee. PDGA membership fee should be either a one-time cost, or much less money on a yearly basis.
3. The tournament costs are fairly high for payouts in plastic/swag/random (not much) cash, especially considering the time it takes to complete the tournament.

I'd rather just go discin' on my own time and dime. :shrug:

 

[j0atz]

The Trophy Club tourney was a beat down eh? Seemed like the longest rounds of all time! It's always fun but the time commitment is the biggest issue for me. Take this past Sunday for example...I was at the park at 7:30am and didn't get out of there until 7:30/8:00pm....I was wrecked after that and the whole day was gone by the time I got back home to my family. I did get my first PDGA win though...so I shouldn't complain too much.

 

[filobedo]

My "other" is two day tournaments. My family, friends, career and several hobbies are more important to me than one specific hobby and if more one day tournaments were available, I would play more.

 

[eric40817]

Before I played my first tournament, I thought I wouldn't be good enough to play competitively. For a while that was the biggest deterrent for me. Now that I've seen what a tournament is really like I no longer have that concern. Now for me its just finding the time to practice. And we're about to put an offer in a house, so I've passed up a couple tournaments over the last month or two just to save the 40 bucks.

 

[wolfmandragon]

Player packs irritate me. If I go to an ace race(DC) or a circuit(MVP), I know that I am going to preview new swag. I am paying for discs at a low cost. Most of our local tournaments are either charity or raising money for the courses. Sometimes I will join these just for the cause. I have no interest in the ones that are nothing more than a way for vendors to make money

BTW, slow pace of play does not bother me as much in glow tournaments.

 

[DavidSauls]

I didn't check costs, but the escalating entry fees are starting to give me pause---or at least making me reconsider which events I'm playing, when I can play.

 

[Dr.Smooth]

I think this thread might help evolve DG golf tournaments into something that doesn't take up your whole day/weekend, doesn't require a pdga membership, pentalizes players for slowing down play and makes the costs of entering reasonable.

Wow, maybe the PDGA should have ran a series of how do we make tourneys better/more fun rather than how to grow the sport.

You'll never grow the sport if we continue doing tourney's in the conventional format.

Its time for a DG tourney makeover revolution my friends!!

 

[Cgkdisc]

The marketplace determines the format(s) for events that work. The PDGA simply promotes (via calendar), establishes guidelines how to play each format and records stats without telling the marketplace what to do. Tourneys don't really grow the sport, they result from the growth. New courses, word-of-mouth (which now includes YouTube vids) and retailers selling gear are the primary elements growing the sport.