Join the Divisional Tour

The Divisional Tour Newsgroup is soliciting new members this month. The major purpose of the Newsgroup is to identify, promote and support exciting PDGA events that appeal to players 40 and older. Newsgroup members nominate and select our Tour events; most of the support comes from the Senior Foundation Grant Program. Newsgroup members receive periodic e-mails with a spreadsheet listing the Tour events and key items of information about them. The spreadsheets are typically accompanied by announcements and discussions of particular interest to older players.

You would probably benefit from our Newsgroup if most of the following statements describe you:

1) You will be 40 or older in 2012.
2) You would much rather play disc golf competitively than watch somebody else play it.
3) You do not believe that your major purpose as a PDGA member is to provide galleries and/or financial support for Open players.
4) You enjoy a challenge, and don't want to be babied.
4) You would occasionally travel regionally, perhaps nationally, or possibly even internationally to play in an event that offered good value to your division.
5) You wish that there were some way to identify such events well in advance.

If you would like to try this, please send an e-mail to me ([e-mail]), and I will add you to our mailing list. I respect confidentiality, and will not provide your contact information to any third party without your express permission. Also, I will remove you from the newsgroup at any time upon your request.

[Daddy_Dragon]

A silly question.

I have tried to compete in Advance Masters but of course they play from the long pads.

But is there such a thing as Am Masters.  Where I can compete against people my age but not at an "Advanced" level.

I played intermediate and had to compete against the "Younger" crowd and lost my butt off.

Then I tried Advanced Master and really lost due to the increased difficulty.

So when playing in tournies, can I request "AM Masters" ?

[xians421]

Advanced Masters IS Am Masters. If you got yer butt kicked in Intermediate, try Recreational. Or if yer over 50 try Adv Grand Masters.

[Daddy_Dragon]

oh.  So what I really need to do is get better. HaHaHa

[mark ellis]

For the purpose of simplicity, let's call the different Amateur divisions Am 1, Am 2, Am 3 and Am 4 (as they used to be known by the PDGA and still are in many areas as those names make the most sense).  The term Masters only refers to age (40+) not skill level.  A division can combine age restrictions with handicap ratings and even gender restrictions.

 

It is possible for there to be an Am 1 Masters or an Am 2 Masters, etc. if a TD wants to host it and qualified players register for it.  Just like there could be an Am 3 Legends or an Am 4 Senior Grandmasters or a Womens Am 3 Masters.

 

I am still waiting for a Pro Grandmasters, forehand dominant, lawyer division.  I might be a star in that division.  :)

 

 

[Dookville]

A division of 1.

[Bruce Brakel]

Actually, Mark, the PDGA no longer recognizes the lower amateur age restricted divisions.  So they have MA1, MA2 and MA3, and they have MM1 and MG1 but the PDGA does not have MM2 or MG2.  They abolished those divisions when they added MA4. 

DD needs to decide whether he wants to play with guys his age or with guys his skill level or guys who will give him lessons.  I do all three. 

[Daddy_Dragon]

Starting next year, I'll play nothing but "Advanced Masters" versus switching back and forth from intermediate.  I'll just have to "Up my GAME" to make up for the extra distance.

[Dookville]

Being 44 and of the old fart set, I'm told; I am certainly interested in having an access point for information regarding divisional tournament listings. I personally am able to recieve the info through an email or a club listing her on DGRUS. I think the age limit for those able to safely operate an email chain has been driven higher the past few years.

 

Though, it would be nice to have a point here on DGRUS to promote the divisional tour over the long haul. Rather than collect a group of emails this one time around and be done with it. Like Mark said, it could be a point where we are all able to gather, collect the info, and promote to those new people on the site that are of the right age listing to join up.

 

I completely understand having a lot on your plate. With that said, I will join the email chain for now, and hope that a point to refer to here on the site will happen. Thanks Peter.

[Jeffery Nugent]

Would this divisional tour be for pro master and grandmaster? or is it open for am master and grandmaster? I turned 50 this year and before this year I'd never played in a PDGA sanctioned tournament. I don't yet have the skill set to play in a pro division (868 rating), and my best finish in a sanctioned event was 3rd in advanced grand master. I wish that there was an intermediate grand master as that would be more in line with my rating, but sadly there is not such a division available so I'll continue to play from the long tees and work on my game. My hope is by this time next year I will have a rating in the 900's and actually be competitive. Having said all that, and if the divisional tour was for am's as well I would probably be interested in getting in on it.

[Peter Shive]

Jeffery,

Anyone is welcome to join, pro or amateur.  But most of the criteria we use to evaluate events, like event format (#of rounds, pins & tees), added cash distribution, final nine participation, etc, are of interest primarily to pros.  The only criterion that might be of direct interest to amateurs is the availability of camping and/or inexpensive housing.      

Still, about a quarter of our members are amateurs, which surprises me.  Maybe they believe that events that are "pro-senior-friendly" are more likely to be good ones for amateurs as well.  Maybe they are in it for previews of coming attractions, as they consider turning pro in the future. 

It would be great to also have an "Amateur Divisional Tour".  But it's a potentially huge project, way beyond my grasp at age 70.  Also, I've been a pro almost my whole career and am thus not the right person to coordinate it.  

       

[Jeffery Nugent]

Thanks for the info Peter, looks like i'll need to work on my game for a while. maybe by the time I'm senior grandmaster I'll play pro.

[Donny Olow]

Sounds Good to Me !!!  I'm 52 years old and have been playing Disc Golf since 1976.  I Have been in the Open / Professional divisions since 1982.

 

Please Add me if not already done so.  Thanks.   [e-mail]