Garrett76zt
Par Member
No, he's talking about Stud Muffin . . . the guy with all the wisdom 1.1 years of playing brings you (according to his profile).
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When should you move to pro?
- Thread starter whiz
- Start date
No, he's talking about Stud Muffin . . . the guy with all the wisdom 1.1 years of playing brings you (according to his profile).
- Joined
- Mar 11, 2011
- Messages
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Garrett76zt
Par Member
Whatchu tryin to say!
HAHA. I'm saying some players recognize their ignorance and use discretion and others wave it around for everyone to "enjoy".
Simple answer to initial poster, without looking at other posts in the thread...
When you're consistently finishing top 3 in fields of 12-15+ golfers on days when you feel, in your mind, that you're playing poor golf... it is time to move up. I apply that logic to the idea of moving up from any division. Don't base it on wins, someone can always get superhot and beat you without being better than you. But rarely are more than 2 or 3 guys going to do that if you're really better than the field. So when you can consistently place at the top when you feel you're playing poor in a deepish field - it is time to move on and step up.
When you're consistently finishing top 3 in fields of 12-15+ golfers on days when you feel, in your mind, that you're playing poor golf... it is time to move up. I apply that logic to the idea of moving up from any division. Don't base it on wins, someone can always get superhot and beat you without being better than you. But rarely are more than 2 or 3 guys going to do that if you're really better than the field. So when you can consistently place at the top when you feel you're playing poor in a deepish field - it is time to move on and step up.
Garrett76zt
Par Member
I encourage you to read the thread Chris. We've established that there is more to this move than simply skill, unlike moving up between the the other amateur divisions.
To address your point . . . hardly anyone (amateur) wins a tournament shooting their rating. Tournaments are nearly always won by someone shooting above their rating. Whiz is one of the few amateur players that would probably win consistently shooting his rating. I assume that in your statement when someone says,"I've played poorly" they usually have shot below their skill/rating. Doing that and finishing top 3 in most MA1 tournaments would be a rare thing. But if it IS happening then I may agree with you.
I imagine that Whiz's hesitation to "turn pro" has more to do with the level of his pro field than the level of his MA1 field. If he shot his rating he would consistently win MA1 tournaments in his area but finish nearly last cash behind the field of pro's that exist in his area. This is certainly an exception to most areas in the world.
I feel this way when I shoot my rating these days. I've shot my rating at all 3 tourneys I've played this year and finished poorly in my own eyes.
Garrett76zt
Par Member
I can understand feeling that way but that's the beauty of the rating system. You can only feel that way for so long. Either your feeling is right, you are better than that and eventually the rating catches up to your actual skill level or your feeling is wrong, that actually IS as good as you are and you must come to terms with it. Certainly we all go through patches where we feel the way you are describing but it can't stay that way forever!
However, one could argue that there is no way to be your best without ALWAYS thinking you are better than your current skill level.
Hmmmmmmmmm . . .
All that being said, I always want to win but I'm never disappointed when my average rating for a tournament is higher than my current rating. Just means I'm improving. Afterall, a big part of being good at this game is always thinking positively about your play. I don't see how you can become your best if you are always disappointed with yourself.
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True!
I agree with that sentiment, I'm not better than my rating but I should be. I stil can't shake my mistake prone rounds where I play well except for two holes which I completely blow up on or how I miss 3 putts from inside 15'.
Still not sure if it's a lack of focus or a deficiency in mechanics. One problem is that I'm constantly worried about small teepads, instead of taking my normal x-step that I would in lieu of a teepad i'm taking some awkward thing that resembles my normal form.
Rant over, resume discussion.
Still not sure if it's a lack of focus or a deficiency in mechanics. One problem is that I'm constantly worried about small teepads, instead of taking my normal x-step that I would in lieu of a teepad i'm taking some awkward thing that resembles my normal form.
Rant over, resume discussion.
You also have to remember when talking about ratings that isn't always = to how good an actual player is. The ratings show your skill during a tournament I imagine for some people the long tedious rounds as well as the pressure of a tournament can cause them not to play like they normally do. Since we are only talking about tourneys it doesn't really matter but just thought I would get that out there.
I definitely play better when a round is moving faster, I get disinterested a bit when I'm waiting 3 minutes for a guy to line up a putt as he sways back and forth.
Garrett76zt
Par Member
You also have to remember when talking about ratings that isn't always = to how good an actual player is. The ratings show your skill during a tournament I imagine for some people the long tedious rounds as well as the pressure of a tournament can cause them not to play like they normally do. Since we are only talking about tourneys it doesn't really matter but just thought I would get that out there.
I feel that a good rule of thumb about ratings is: the more you play, the more accurate your rating is.
I don't put alot of stock in someone's 980 rating when there were only 8 rounds used in their calculation. When someone has 50 rounds in their calculation you can be guaranteed that they've had bad days and good days and that their ratings truly is an average of their skill level.
My not very scientific breakdown of a few numbers:
Last year's top 12 at Am Worlds:
8 now play pro
4 still play advanced
of those 4, one is felix, three are nc.
I love it! Come to NC for the toughest AM pool anywhere! :clap:
DiscLizard
Birdie Member
Methinks people underestimate the difficulty of our courses in Charlotte.
I'm playing open since advanced is full, my only goal is to not DFL.
I'm playing open since advanced is full, my only goal is to not DFL.
ian.
*Legalize It*
^^ yeah i have only been up there once but cant wait to get back .. played Renny Gold Layout and i believe it was maybe Nevin? also long tees .. i have a noodle arm and was still able to play ok since i have some control but wow.. they were much tighter then the tightest holes around here and then add another 400 ft lol
kpc2004
Double Eagle Member
I couldn't really find a thread to post my question in, but this thread is similar to the direction my question is going so I will ask it here...
I just joined the pdga and have never played in a sanctioned tournament before. I play open in mini's locally and occasionally win, playing against mostly 970-1000+ players, but I lose or take one of the last cash places more than I win. I am playing in a C-Tier next weekend and I have no rating so I can play in any division and I am trying to figure out where to start. One local pro told me to play intermediate and win until the ratings force me to play MA1 and then play MA1 until I feel like playing open, but I feel that I will just run through the intermediate field. In your opinion, should I play advanced or intermediate?
I just joined the pdga and have never played in a sanctioned tournament before. I play open in mini's locally and occasionally win, playing against mostly 970-1000+ players, but I lose or take one of the last cash places more than I win. I am playing in a C-Tier next weekend and I have no rating so I can play in any division and I am trying to figure out where to start. One local pro told me to play intermediate and win until the ratings force me to play MA1 and then play MA1 until I feel like playing open, but I feel that I will just run through the intermediate field. In your opinion, should I play advanced or intermediate?
Have you gone pro yet?
notroman
* Ace Member *
What course is the tournament on, and what do you usually throw on that course? It shouldn't be hard to find past events on that course and see where you would have placed in those events shooting your average.
I think I've come to an obvious conclusion: All of these threads about when people should move up and when people are "baggers" are typically started by advanced players who have a tough time winning and want the better AMs to "clear out" so they can have their chance to win. My suggestion...get better and stop pressuring people to move up.
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