How did you do in your 1st pdga tournament?

I'm curious as to how everyone did the first pdga sanctioned event you played in. Were you just starting out as novice? Or had you been playing casual for years like me, and finally decided to play in one? I played in my first this past saturday, Checkered Flag Open. I finished 8th out of 14 in adv. grand master. I wish they had an intermediate grand master, I'd have tried that.

[AK Discer]

I don't think I had been playing but less than 2 months and my first tourney was the AK State Championships in '09.  I was one stroke out of 7th (anger stroke), but finished 9th out of 13 in INT.

 

2years last month I've been playing and I finished 2nd in open this weekend :D

[mark ellis]

Fall of "93.  I had been playing for a week.  Won a purple first run Magnet at Addison Oaks.

[Jay Dub]

I had been playing for a few months. It was in Pulaski County, Ky. in '87. I can't remember who it was but me and him were fighting for last place. I think I won last place by 1 stroke.

Good times!

[Star Shark]

My first tournament was only a week ago.  I've been playing for just over 6 years but I don't like getting up before noon :).  So I played INT and as my game has been crap for 2.5 months, I wasn't expecting anything.  I was 5th of 9 in INT although we did have 2 DNFs.

[Jeffery Nugent]

good stuff! keep them coming.

[David Sauls]

15 years ago, after about a year of playing.....drove 200 miles (events were few & far between in 1996).   They mixed divisions---1 Pro, 1 Advanced, 1 Intermediate (by another name, but it was the lowest division)---on each card, which was intimidating.  Didn't cash, but won ace pool and 2 CTPs.

[ROBEY the one.]

14 person field for advanced grand masters, that's great! my last tourney only had 14 advanced players.

[Tub]

I Had been playing for about five months 2007 Got a two stroke penalty for teeing off the wrong tee pad (TD never mentioned a second long tee pad on hole #1- the locals were about the only ones that were aware of that second tee pad-Bottom line is its the responsibility of the player to know who, what where & why, even if the TD makes a mistake )

Ended up tied for first, choked in the playoff. A-tier 2nd place Int. @ 45 yrs of age.

 

[Jeffery Nugent]

nicely done!

[Daddy_Dragon]

My first tourny was part of the Tour Del Sol in Debary Florida.  I played Rec as I was advised to do.

I placed first.  I had a 52 and then a 56 for a 108 out of 108.  I scored PAR. I really had a swollen head after that.

Then my very first PDGA sanctioned event was the Orlando Open at Bill Frederick Park (aka Turkey Lake).

I played Rec.  There were 28 Rec Players that weekend.  I tied for 18th place.  My total was 252, and the winner had only 218.  I lost by 34 points, ouch.  My head returned to normal size and I learned to be humble.

Then I played the Barnett Championship as "Advance Masters".  I know jumping from Rec to Advance Masters, what was I thinking.  I was thinking that I would have an easier time competing against people my age versus against people who younger and stronger then I was.

Well I ended up with 263, second to last place.  The winner finished with a 224.  That was a 39 point deficit.......

So now I decided to play Intermediate and stay there.  Until I can come close to winning, I'll stay there.  I did like the feeling of playing people my own age, but I did not like getting my ass kicked.

So to answer your post question. My very first PDGA sanctioned event was an eye opener, and humbling.

[Shawn Boucké]

Am 3 Dead last

[Donny Olow]

I received a 1st place Blue Ribbon in Novice Division in 1977.