Frustrated with my league option.

[natedg1976]

So Croooow if you look at the person my quote was directed at it was not the op. The person it was directed at is a troll. He trolls many many post, and is exactly to me what i called him out to be. I am going to join a league. I do realize that some may feel exclusive or dbish, but that doesn't mean i am not going to try and break through that exclusivity and dbishness. I also realize that being a league member or club member or whatever els does not give me exclusive rights to anything. As for what i said to NolanGherity, i stand by it fully. Don't like, think it is mean, maybe just maybe you should look at his other comments elsewhere and you will see why i feel the way i do.

 

[damagedLIVER]

"Maybe the best solution would be for you to sell your discs and take up a hobby that requires no social interaction." -Crooow

You need to post more Crooow. :thmbup:

 

[SteezeOG]

The local league here has mostly all nice people but it's ran more right now like a group of regulars who just use facebook to schedule rounds with money on the line. Not really a league in my eyes. I'd still go every once in a while except this is how it goes. Tuesday at 4:30 PM "hey league at 5:00 at peter pan? That means the two or three people who can be ready to play in thirty minutes and see that post can show up but you're never really getting a "league round" in. It's five bucks each time too that keeps me away. I'm far from a cheap person but shouldn't it be maybe two or three bucks? One for the club one to go towards payout. It would bring more people in. Just too hard to work around schedules I guess.

 

[Crooow]

So Croooow if you look at the person my quote was directed at it was not the op. The person it was directed at is a troll. He trolls many many post, and is exactly to me what i called him out to be. I am going to join a league. I do realize that some may feel exclusive or dbish, but that doesn't mean i am not going to try and break through that exclusivity and dbishness. I also realize that being a league member or club member or whatever els does not give me exclusive rights to anything. As for what i said to NolanGherity, i stand by it fully. Don't like, think it is mean, maybe just maybe you should look at his other comments elsewhere and you will see why i feel the way i do.

Thanks. I thought about it overnight and I realize that I over-reacted. So many posts to read - I didn't do a good job of following the distributed threads. If I may re-cap what I really should have said in my original post: I see an initial posting where an apparently "new" player felt intimidated by the local league members. So he comes here to vent and maybe get a good suggestion. It appeared to be a fishing expedition for a little sympathy and encouragement and that's what he got from most people. It seemed to be going well. Then I saw some postings that just called him a whiner and basically told him that he doesn't belong. That's what bothered me. If people want to grow the sport, that isn't the approach to take (obviously). It then occurred to me that there may be people on here who don't want to grow the sport but are happy with the status quo. I can understand that as growing the sport means more people on your course (until new ones get built) but it seems short-sighted. These are public forums and when I attend town meetings about how to spend the recreation dollars, there are always opponents to every proposal. Anything in the public domain that contributes to the image of disc golfers as drug-users, disruptive, or hostile to outsiders is just fuel for the opponents of any disc golf development. The last approved project was a skate park (it's very nice) and the next will probably be a dog park. Disc golf course is on the list and the locals hope that it will ascend to the top when these others are done (apparently we have lots of recreation funds and we also have lots of unused land). I am not pleased when people provide fuel for the opponents. It would behoove anyone interested in growing the sport to PM someone if they really bother you. Trolls will/may eventually get removed by the moderators if warranted - another thankless job.

 

[Puckstopper]

just keep in mind that we don't know if the locals were truly being rude or uninviting, we only have the op's paranoid opinion to go on. speaking of paranoia, i hope the good dr. keeps his handle a secret because you better believe that the locals are aware of this thread. when things like this happen, the locals always find out and people just love to gossip.

Hey Disc, if you look earlier in the thread I think you'll find a post where I backed up the OP on the way guys at that league act. You'll also find that I told him I'd gone out a few times, and that they are a decent group, despite seeming a little stand-offish at times.

To recap, for those of you who don't want to hunt for my post: It seems like it's a long standing league where guys know each other well. It's going to take time to break in, as they are not unwelcoming, but they're also not actively welcoming to outsiders either. If you're willing to put the time in, it seems like you could be welcomed. However, given that the league is on a crappy course all the way across town from me I will probably never put in the effort to do so with this particular league. Which gives me the option of not playing that course Monday and Wednesday evenings or going and feeling like a stranger. Needless to say, I enjoy playing the better courses on Monday and Wednesday, and not having them be as crowded as they are other nights.

 

[Puckstopper]

Holy cow this is the greatest post i have ever read on this entire site!

One thing I have learned being in this forum is that just because you do, do work on the course, promote and grow disc golf in the area, grow the sport and get more courses in your area, does not give you free reign in a public park. I actually did need to hear that ethos as back in the day I was a little to territorial at my local course. BUT at our premiere course here the club did get the course approved with the county government, build the course in a heavily wooded parcel of land, install tee pads, concrete tee boxes (BIG ones), tee signs and 18 benches on the course. AND we did it without it costing the County tax payers 1 red dime. We raised the money, secured a grant and bared the risk and financial burdon for the entire project outside of the land the county gave us. Since then we have maintained the course for 12 years. While I agree that this does not entitle us to free reign in the park I darn sure expect some respect and courtesy from disc golfers (not chuckers) in the area when it comes time for league play and club events.

Plain and simple many courses would not be there if it were not for local clubs and local clubs would not have the money to do all the maintenance a disc golf requires if was not for membership and revenue generated by leagues. So I think ANYONE who likes playing a disc golf course even if it's in a public park should go WAY OUT OF THEIR WAY to say thank you to local clubs and seriously think about joining even if it is jsut paying the membership fee…even if some of them may seem a little standoffish at times. whether you like them or not i feel confident the money will go to a good place.

Dave, get a clue! You followed one dumb post with another. In most places, the main expense of the course IS THE LAND! Can you imagine what it would cost to buy the acreage for a disc golf course in most cities? I'm not saying that baskets, teepads, benches and signs are small expenses, they're certainly not. But they are a pittance compared to the value of the land that all of us taxpayers are allowing you to use rent free. If the city of Westerville chose to bulldoze Brett Hambrick Memorial Disc golf course they could make millions selling the land to developers. Same thing with Blendon Woods Metropark and several of the other courses around Columbus. If it weren't for the VAST MAJORITY of disc golfers (maybe not on this site, but in general) who care nothing for joining a club, playing in a tournament, or doing anything other than grabbing their disc and playing a round with friends on a weekend your local gov't would hang on to that land and use it for some other form of public recreation. "Serious" (and define that how you want, my definition would be anyone with a current PDGA #, a member of the local club, or anyone who's played in multiple tournaments in the last year) disc golfers are a huge minority everywhere I go. Now that doesn't mean serious players are in the minority on every course, we all know where the chukkers congregate. But if you took the number of people who live in the Columbus metro area who play disc golf at least a few times a year, and then compared that number of "serious players" you'd find that casuals probably outnumber serious players 10-1. Without the casuals providing traffic to the courses, they'd get pulled and the land reused very quickly. So get over yourselves.

Now, Dave's foolishness and my annoyed response may have left the impression I'm ungrateful to our local club. I'm not. I'm incredibly grateful they're willing to do the work they do. However I stand by my statement that they should go out of their way to be welcoming, because they need the causal player more than the causal player needs them. After all, the causal player can find something else to do this weekend. The hard core disc golfer though, will have to go further afield if his local course gets pulled because the government wants to use the land another way and there is not enough support to keep it.

 

[Dan Ensor]

You're not a vulture if you're planning on frequenting the league. Don't worry about waiting for the ace pot to be hit.

I know I'm guilty of it. When I'm playing a league round, or warming up for league night, I'm not very personable at all. I'm trying to get and stay focused, and not affect the focus of the other people playing. So I'm not "approachable". If I'm approached, though, getting more people to play in the league is pretty much our #1 priority. We all try to be friendly, but it's pretty easy for us to get sucked into the round.

 

[drblam]

I just wanted to chime in one more time. I definetly felt upset on wednesday when I posted, and it probably came across wrong to some people, but I am much more calm nkw, and willing to give leagues a go sometime.

Most people's posts have been encouraging and really made me realize that most DG'ers are going to be kind and that the league will also be fine.

The few people who are being db's don't really bother me. They see me as whining, and then they whine longer and louder about that than I ever did. That's their deal, they are allowed to do it, and I refuse to play along and give them even more to whine about.

All this has become secondary. I feel like our sport is on the edge of being a legit hobby that everyone knows about and respects, or slowly losing momentum until it is as much of a niche sport as competitive canoe.

Puckstopper is right, hating on the newbs is much worse for the sport than me hating on my local league (which I am sorry for, if I came across that way.)

What the locals do for the course can be undone by one local official who decides we are pothead alchoholic dicks that bring nothing good to the public.

 

[drblam]

You're not a vulture if you're planning on frequenting the league. Don't worry about waiting for the ace pot to be hit.

Good point. I also figure if my partner or I hit it, I will just toss a hundred bucks back in the fund so people don't get pissed.

 

[DeadEye]

I'm one of those people that looks like a d-bag before a league round or tournament. I'll throw a few extra drives on each hole, stretch out, putt for 10-15 minutes, and play by myself away from everyone else. Half the time I have my earbuds in, so even if someone wanted to talk to me I wouldn't hear them.

On the other hand. I don't know anyone in our league who has given away more plastic to new players, given more advice to new players, or played casual rounds with new league members and tried to help them with their game.

Don't judge a book by it's cover.

 

[Bushman71]

Drblam, I herd about this thread you started talking about how us dub players are bad and scary people. You sir could not be more wrong. We have everything from 700 to 1000 rated players, we even have a couple sponsored pros who are regulars. Right now it would take both hands and a foot to count the number of "noobs" who show up. There are girls who play regularly and several non turny players so please get off your soap box, dig up 5 bucks (exact change please) and a mini. Come on down on Monday or wed and try your luck. But get this strait right now, we are all family. We travel together, we put on events together, some of us even liver together. And just like most families we even have fights with one another. But if someone is in need we are there for each other. We are very passionate and competitive about disc golf and it sickens me to hear someone bash. But I forgive you and so will everyone else down at Griggs if you come out and donate 5 bucks and have some fun

 

[drblam]

Drblam, I herd about this thread you started talking about how us dub players are bad and scary people. You sir could not be more wrong. We have everything from 700 to 1000 rated players, we even have a couple sponsored pros who are regulars. Right now it would take both hands and a foot to count the number of "noobs" who show up. There are girls who play regularly and several non turny players so please get off your soap box, dig up 5 bucks (exact change please) and a mini. Come on down on Monday or wed and try your luck. But get this strait right now, we are all family. We travel together, we put on events together, some of us even liver together. And just like most families we even have fights with one another. But if someone is in need we are there for each other. We are very passionate and competitive about disc golf and it sickens me to hear someone bash. But I forgive you and so will everyone else down at Griggs if you come out and donate 5 bucks and have some fun

No bashing intended, dude. I'm sure we will be family too before the end of it all.

 

[BgWvDave]

Dave, get a clue! You followed one dumb post with another. In most places, the main expense of the course IS THE LAND! Can you imagine what it would cost to buy the acreage for a disc golf course in most cities? I'm not saying that baskets, teepads, benches and signs are small expenses, they're certainly not. But they are a pittance compared to the value of the land that all of us taxpayers are allowing you to use rent free. If the city of Westerville chose to bulldoze Brett Hambrick Memorial Disc golf course they could make millions selling the land to developers. Same thing with Blendon Woods Metropark and several of the other courses around Columbus. If it weren't for the VAST MAJORITY of disc golfers (maybe not on this site, but in general) who care nothing for joining a club, playing in a tournament, or doing anything other than grabbing their disc and playing a round with friends on a weekend your local gov't would hang on to that land and use it for some other form of public recreation. "Serious" (and define that how you want, my definition would be anyone with a current PDGA #, a member of the local club, or anyone who's played in multiple tournaments in the last year) disc golfers are a huge minority everywhere I go. Now that doesn't mean serious players are in the minority on every course, we all know where the chukkers congregate. But if you took the number of people who live in the Columbus metro area who play disc golf at least a few times a year, and then compared that number of "serious players" you'd find that casuals probably outnumber serious players 10-1. Without the casuals providing traffic to the courses, they'd get pulled and the land reused very quickly. So get over yourselves.

Now, Dave's foolishness and my annoyed response may have left the impression I'm ungrateful to our local club. I'm not. I'm incredibly grateful they're willing to do the work they do. However I stand by my statement that they should go out of their way to be welcoming, because they need the causal player more than the causal player needs them. After all, the causal player can find something else to do this weekend. The hard core disc golfer though, will have to go further afield if his local course gets pulled because the government wants to use the land another way and there is not enough support to keep it.

what a joke. first of all our club is more than welcoming! you will not find an abrasive person anywhere near our leagues! your claim of foolisheness is as big a joke as your whole post above. The point I am making and is valid is the disc golf course would not have existed if was not for the club approaching the parks and rec department with the idea of a disc golf course. period. do you grasp what I am saying puckstopper or have you stopped a few to many pucks with your head. Do not get on here and start clamoring with personal attacks and demeaning claims when you have no idea what you are talking about. Tons of Disc Golf Courses across this country are in areas that NO ONE wants. Like ours which is square in the middle of NC wetlands. It CAN"T be developed because it won't perk! Secondly I AM A TAX PAYER so I have just as much say so as anyone else in this county as to what the land is used for.

If it weren't for the VAST MAJORITY of disc golfers (maybe not on this site, but in general) who care nothing for joining a club, playing in a tournament, or doing anything other than grabbing their disc and playing a round with friends

again you show your pure ignorance. If it were not for people like me and everyone on here that is a member of a club people like you would not have a course to play. Most Park departments are just like the other 100 million people in the country who have never heard of Disc Golf.

You would be better served to use a little more tact and professionalism in your posts as opposed to the dribble above.

 

[BgWvDave]

However I stand by my statement that they should go out of their way to be welcoming,

I challenge you to show me anywhere in my post where I insinuated anyting about not being welcoming to Noobs, Chuckers or anyone else throwing plastic at metal? Before you start calling peoples posts foolish, etc. you should probably know a little more about them. But what else should i expect from this forum and people like puck here.

 

[Jukeshoe]

Drblam, I herd about this thread you started talking about how us dub players are bad and scary people. You sir could not be more wrong. We have everything from 700 to 1000 rated players, we even have a couple sponsored pros who are regulars. Right now it would take both hands and a foot to count the number of "noobs" who show up. There are girls who play regularly and several non turny players so please get off your soap box, dig up 5 bucks (exact change please) and a mini. Come on down on Monday or wed and try your luck. But get this strait right now, we are all family. We travel together, we put on events together, some of us even liver together. And just like most families we even have fights with one another. But if someone is in need we are there for each other. We are very passionate and competitive about disc golf and it sickens me to hear someone bash. But I forgive you and so will everyone else down at Griggs if you come out and donate 5 bucks and have some fun

No bashing intended, dude. I'm sure we will be family too before the end of it all.

Um, doesn't this, like, equal, like..."/thread" or whutever those crazy kids call it nowadays?

*yells for Mods to lock 'er down*

 

[Bushman71]

Puck stopper thanks for not playing our crappy course. Could you imagine playing dubs after work with a 600 ace fund with 45 or so people at Hoover. It's already crowded enough, so Griggs is a great course for a league event with limited time. So do us all a favor and stay at Blendon