HAHA! People who take the game to serious

So, my friends and I went out to Kensington for the first time ever on Sunday. I must say that the course was really nice and so were the people. We ended up joining a father & son duo who made for great company. While we were playing there was a league going on so it was pretty packed. My complaint/observation is about the league that was there.

It seems that the people who take the game serious tend to do worse than those who just relax. We were waiting for the group to tee off and standing back and giving them room while talking quitely amoungst ourselves. I thought we were talking far lower than normal level and one of the guys in group above us "shhhhh'd" us. We couldn't help it but to laugh, but we still honored his request. After the group ahead of us took 5 minutes of phantom shots they finally tee'd off and no a good drive out of the bunch. Now I know that doing 1-2 phantom shots doesn't hurt but to sit around and repeat it several times and then ask for silence just seems a bit too much.

Am I wrong here? I know to be respectful to people, just as I would like them to be to me but in my view it is all public space and so you must expect at least some level of noise (which was a completely reasonable level). Also, how many phantom shots are too many?

[Jamie 'gr8rocshot' Ruane]

SHHHHHH!!!!

[eric beich]

wow. again Tim knows how to twist and turn. amazing.

[nitegolfer]

I am offended. LOL. I've played dungeons and dragons a bunch back in the day and was a Pro player at one point.

What you have to do is find the one thing that this guy really enjoys, probably video games, and then hoot and holler 6 inches from his ear for about 5 minutes and then he might actually learn something about etiquette. Worked on my son but he is pretty mature for an eleven year old.

[4U2NV]

Brian I would say that you should be quiet if they ask you or if you don't know them. Sorry some people need the quiet to find their comfort zone and others it helps them to visualize the shot without constantly looking back at you and considering how much they want to throw the disc at you instead.

I am the kind of person that generally I can deal with any verbal distraction, (But then again I also play casual rounds while pushing my son in the stroller) he often cries during the round or starts saying da da da. If you can deal with a screaming kid you can deal with just about anything else. Anyway if I were to ask for some silence I would hope that my request would be honored. In the same regard if you asked me to move out of your line of sight or any other thing that may be distracting I probably would out of respect. If you cannot respect the people on the course or can't respect the course go somewhere else.

As for Phantom throws I would say anything over 3 is a little excessive. Talk loudly during a tournament you may get stroked, then again people might not care. Either way I would bet someone out there is complaining about your choices too.

[Brian Walter]

Asking kindly for silence is one thing, "shhh'ing" library voices 15 feet away is another in my opinion. If the player that did the "shh" would have asked first he would have got a completely different response from my group. I understand that some people cannot handle noise but to just "shh" on the first offense without asking nicely is a bit on the DB side.

I am glad to see that a majority of people at least agree with my phantom throw issue.

[Duh]

I can't say I'd appreciate being Shushed, but I can respect that some people expect quiet when they're throwing. It's one of the first rules I learned about the game. I think it's only fair; the golden rule: do unto others....

One thing I know I hate at the course is a big ol jerk. I'd have to agree with Discette, that reaction/criticism was uncalled for; good luck selling those Snap Bands.

As for phantom throws, I can't criticize; when I start throwing a bunch of "shank-o" shots, I find it helps correct my form if I practice a couple times.

[eric beich]

I must also add that I'm not really sure what a "phantom shot" is exactly, but I like to line up my shot and move my arm back and forth a few times to visualize the flight pattern I am trying to achieve.
if that's what some call a phantom shot and for some reason don't like it then that's just ... umm... interesting.

cant we all just get along?
group hug!!!

[Duh]

Yay! I love group hugs.

[Brian Walter]

Yup. that is what I mean by phantom shots Eric. I am not saying that there is anything wrong with doing it a couple (2-3) times per shot but if you are lining up a minute or 2 per shot and you have a group of 4 it adds on TONS of time per hole and is just a bit execisive. At least I think it is a bit too much.

[Jackson]

Are you not allowed only 30 seconds to prepare for your shot?

[Mike]

So now that I have thought about this while playing a round today with some friends we discussed this topic. What we came up with is that the casual player wants to do whatever they do without anyone saying anything to them: playing in a group of 10+ people, smoking, drinking, breaking bottles on trees (baskets), screaming profanities...you get the point.

Compeating in a league is doing something that a casual may not be into, so because it is causing them an inconvenience at that moment they look at this organized play as taking the game of disc golf too seriously. As a Casual they expect everyone to let them enjoy themself and their round how they want. However, when a league or tournament player wants some quiet or some etiquette followed they are taking disc golf too seriously.

I for one am tired of random casuals smashing their bottles, leaving their trash, breaking trees over, not letting me or 2-3 guys play through their drunken mob group that we have waited for on every tee for the last 4-8 holes. I helped build and still maintain the course I play on regularly, I never see any of the casuals helping (other than dumping the trash cans out on the tee pads to get the $.10 can returns, and then leaving all the other trash there for me and others to clean up) me or the others on work days so I guess I take disc golf too seriously. You need to realize it is the clubs, leagues, individuals, that you think take this sport too seriously that you have to thank for the majority of the couses you enjoy playing.

As I tell all the people I see abusing the course I helped build: We built and maintain this course for you, me, and everyone else to enjoy for free, not for you to trash. I guess I am not "cool" for having that view point, I must be taking disc golf too seriously.

[Mike]

All I have seen on this thread is a newer player complaning about the people who are growing the sport through leagues taking the sport too seriously. Some of the people who play in that league have said they may need to begin earlier to beat the casual players before noon, not closing the course to just themselves. I think it is great all of the newer players are out at many courses. As in any activity hobby or sport you also need to take notice of what is happening around you. When you show up to a course and there are people waiting on every tee, be prepared to wait, if you hear it is a league, especially a large one such as Kensington, you may want to choose one of the other many courses available in that area, seems how the league type players that you dislike waiting for are playing there. If I am new to, let's say bowling, I wouldn't go to the bowling alley at the beginning of a league and wait impatiently saying they are taking too long and take bowling too seriously while waiting for a lane.