Tournament divisions

At what point does one not play recreational in tournaments. I am from the mid Michigan area and all the so called "rec" players are all veterans with aces galore and year round league play under their belts. This will be my second season of playing disc and just wondered what other people thought. I played in 2 tournaments as rec and didnt shoot the 10 or 15 under to even compete with these guys. Are these guys doing it for the money and prizes? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[ROBEY the one.]

Well if thier shooting those types of scores they should't be playing rec, IMHO. With that said if you can't hang with rec ,play novice its the division below rec. If you get crap and the TD says there is no novice, then tell him to create one or force them baggers to move up.

just my 2 cents

[Rescue]

My first year playing I started in rec div. In one tournament, the winner shot a +3 (rec div.). So if you haven't heard of this term before? We would call those so called rec players... Baggers! Only they can tell you why they do it. Since the prizes and $ are not that big of a deal. I would say they just like to see there name in the 1st place spot, and the only way to make sure that happens is to play in a div. they know they can win in.

[Jamie 'gr8rocshot' Ruane]

"Recreational" leaves room for a couple of interpretations...why because we are all Rec players. I think the spirit of recreational was intended to be more or less novice level or one step up. It's confusing for sure. The Rec division like a novice division should be the minimum entry...prize only for awards. No Cash.


Other then being the possibility of the TD's call...knowledge of a players ability...a veteran player with skills...never competing in sanctioned play thus having no rating...there is nothing stopping them from playing in any division as long as it's age and gender applicable.

The rec division seems to be a good overflow division..in other words...if there isn't enough to form a certain division then either move up or fall back on Rec. I've seen senior grand masters...veteran players and juniors in that division simply because....what seemed to me there wasn't enough to form their own respective divisions.

[Andy Pearson]

IMO, the TD's should be checking player ratings and assigning players a division consistent with their rating. This should happen across the board.

[Steve Belliveau]

I thought the payout in rec. was spread way deep to make players move up?

[J.D.Guy]

10 or 15 under?!! that's pro/advanced dude, lol. sandbaggers! play a diff tourney, sounds like the T.D. doesn't have his head screwed on straight and probably won't care what you have to say if you did speak up. it's the T.D.'s job to keep it competitive.

[Jordan smith]

they do it because they are scared! baggers are wimps if you can play up do it, its more fun to play with better guys anyway. its not fun trying to beat the baggers and winning and becoming a bagger. plus i wouldn't want to waste my time and money playing with guys with the mindset that they can shoot -10 but even they don't want to be a better player.

[Senior]

I think that the Rec division is only for those who fit what the name implies... A recreational golfer. This means they do not play very often and do not come out for leagues and weeklies. They have played in very few tournaments.

[Senior]

No, not forced. However, If you have the time to play competitively and are always out playing in leagues and weeklies and are frequently going to tournaments you are not a recreational golfer IMO. I think these golfers should be playing in the intermediate division. But that is why we have a rating system. It really doesn't matter as long as your rating allows you into the perspective division you want to play. I see many a golfer bagging the rec division. It will end as soon as their rating goes up. However, I have seen the TD simply say no to the guy who wants to play Rec again and has the same Rec trophy from last year and bump him to intermediate, Rec. rating or not. And that is my point. Most TD's don't see the Rec division as a career division.....

[Senior]

My rating dropped from 928 to 908 then to 897 after a couple of really bad rounds. That means by ratings I can play Rec. Would I? No. But I have seen players do it. I have played in over 100 tournaments and would never dream of playing Rec. How do you thing a real Rec level player feels when someone who drops from 900+ to the high 800's and goes Rec after playing Int. Not good. It just shouldn't happen. IMO the Rec division is for players who play very little and are just getting started. So if you have played as Rec in more than one season, IMO it's time to move up.

[Chuck Kennedy]

The reality is that half of the PDGA tournament players have ratings under 900 and most have had them for several years. To presume that those under 900 rating in the Rec division are mostly new players is not accurate. While your rating is not your destiny, it shows where you've been. It means your average performance is right where your current rating is located if you play a half dozen PDGA events per year. The more rounds included in an event, the more likely your average rating at the event will be within 10 points of your rating unless you have actively been practicing, not just playing, and doing the things needed to learn how to play better. It's unfortunate that we couldn't persuade the PDGA Competition Committee to use colors or another naming sequence so the Rec division with the most players by rating would not be avoided by many players due to the name.

[Senior]

That's not what I am saying Chuck. I am saying that most players don't want to play in the Rec. division because they want to move up and play better. Not only that, the prizes and the number of players is less along with the current competition level. Ratings don't mean that much to many of the players as far as divisions goes. We play in a division and try to move up, not down. So lets say a players rating drops after being in the advanced division for a year or so. Most players don't drop back to intermediate. They stick with advanced and try to get their rating back up....