new pdga division and division ratings

i guess i will have to step up to intermediate this year!!!

2008 divisions 2007 ratings 2008 ratings

advanced <915 <935
intermediate 874-914 900-934
recreational <875 850-899
novice did not exist <850

this was posted in the last issue of disc golf world mag under the pdga pages...the link to the pdga site is http://pdga.com/documents/2008/08TourStandards.pdf should make for an interesting year!!

[mark mcgarity]

step UP to intermediate?

[Mike Thomas]

dont be a bagger! step UP to Advanced. it might do ya some good to play with a few better players.

Hell i could play INT based on the new ratings guide. BUT thats what it is... a guide, its not a rule.

[brian chappell]

i actually posted it as funny...yes i will be playing some advanced tourneys..mostly c tier...there is no point entering a formula 1 race if all you have is a suped up honda civic...im still finishing in the top 5 at most tourneys.(except last oct and nov, thank you labarenthitis!!!) so i do plan on playing some advanced. mike, you know as well as i do i would get crushed in an advanced division containing a range of buffalo, rochester, and ithica players. but you are right...i do play better when the field is stronger

[Mike Thomas]

i know how you like to be sarcastic. lol@ suped up civic!

well if i was you, i would consider the field size and competition (like i did last April @ Hyzer Creek) i was coming off (my first) 3 horrible ADV tournies and i was begining to doubt if i was ready to step up. then i won the tourney,(in INT, i wouldve tied for 2nd with like 3 other guys in ADV) so i knew i was cabable of competing with the guys in ADV. i was more confident and therefore i was more relaxed. so after that tourney i HAD to step up. plus i didnt want to hear "BAGGER!" anymore. but i still get called a bagger....lol... i have yet to win a PDGA tourney in ADV... a few 2nd's but no wins :( so i dont think im a bagger.

Alot of the better players from western NY have stepped up to Open. im not saying there is no competition out there anymore cuz there deffinetly is. a few of last years INT players have stepped up as well. you should do well in ADV, but if its a strong field and a small field at that, and the INT field is huge (like it usually is) i would go with INT. then when you win you should play ADV continiously. who knows maybe in a few years you will be playing Open!

[brian chappell]

i guess you hit the nail on the head...almost everyone i have spoken with says to win one at intermediate and then move up...i feel that advanced players are par players...(no insult intended to those that regurlaly go under)..but those that on average shoot par or a little better...Mr. McMullen said to ignore averages...i feel that is the exact opposite of what i need to do. my average is somewheve between 3-6 Over par on an average of the courses i play. a great round and a lousy round do not reflect your play...your average does. i know i am capable of an under par round. just as you are probably capable of the course record at oxbow (if you dont have it already) but that doesnt mean im going to delude myself into thinking im a better player than i am.

[John McMullen]

Ratings, shmatings ... who cares about ratings. Play where you want to. As Mike says, ratings are a guide, everyone can play at least 50 points above what they ARE rated. Play your best game, have fun, and don't pay any attention to your average.

[Rhett "in SoCal" Stroh]

I think everyone should play where their ratings put them. It's very difficult for the system to work if the players don't follow the system. When 870 rated players play Int this year and get crushed by 20 strokes by a 920 rated player (5 strokes per round times 4 rounds, and 920 isn't even at the top of Int), it's hard to tell if the system and the ratings breaks are working.

Swallow your ego and play Rec if you are rated under 900, and play int if you are 900-934. Let's see if these ratings ranges are any good and go from there!

Maybe it would be better to drop the names and just call the divisions AM1/AM2/AM3/AM4. That way people might play the proper division instead of feeling insulted by the name.

[Lewis Wilson]

Rhett, I couldn't agree more. Play your rating. That's what it's there for. I also agree that the division names are causing some ego issues. "Advanced" and "Intermediate" simply don't mean what they used to, but until people wrap their minds around the new meanings, there's likely to be some frustration.

[mark mcgarity]

adding an expert division, imo, is only going to add more "confusion"...as far as playing in the correct division, i believe it matters where you are playing...playing locally(ny) a 950 or so rated player could do very well in advanced and maybe cash in open with good rounds; but travelling to a disc golf "mecca" like cali or n.c. and that same 950 rated player will have a hard time "cashing" in advanced...egos are probably the main reason for all the to-do about this...if everyone followed the guidelines there would be no arguments or "bagger" screams at tourneys...kinda funny when guys with ratings below 900 are screaming bagger because they are playing in the wrong division..