Why are there so few tournaments with a Rec Division or is this just a South Carolina thing?

Just wondering why more tournaments don't have a Rec division when the majority of disc golfers are rated as rec players (850-899 rating)? I am an 854 rated player and had the best time ever in the last tournament playing in the Rec division. I had been playing in Advanced Masters (I was swept up in the "you need to step up because you're too good to be playing in that divsion" mania) and Intermediate before this last tournament and was pretty much just donating money. It was the first time I have ever been on the lead card and the best finish I have had (3rd).

However, the next 3 tournaments coming up in SC have no Rec division. Why should I pay $25.00-$35.00 to play in a tournament just to get my butt kicked by most everyone in my division? Does it have to do with it being a B-Tier or C-Tier tournament? If not, the only reason I can think of is money. It does typically cost less for a rec player than an intermediate player which means less overall tourney money which means less payout for the pros. Am I completely off base here?

Scott

[wayhighoffire]

with an 854 rating you should be able to hang in intermediate
when you play with better players you get better

[Jack Moore]

Mark
I thought as long as you can get three or four people that want to play a certain divison the TD would allow it, is that not true???

[ScottO]

Thanks for the info Mark. I'll contact the TD's about it. Still begs the question of why there's not always a recreation division offered since the majority of disc golfers are rec rated? I understand it's the TD's call, but why do they almost always omit the largest group?

[Discette]

Must be a South Carolina thing as all So Cal Series events offer Recreational as well as Novice.

[Scot Lambert]

Great question. Truth...People love to win. Im never going to be one of those guys! People regularly play in devisions that they shouldnt. Its very american. Everybody loves..and loves to be a winner. Play against yourself. You will see jag offs who play in devisions below thier ability on the way up as they, and thier skills, are on the way down.

[Noah Brooks]

Rec division is stupid. They need to get rid of a division. It makes no sense why a Novice player would be worse than a Recreational player. Solution: Adjust division ratings, lose tournaments for a while, play with better players, eventually get better and start winning events, move up. The end.

[Chuck Kennedy]

There are more Novice players than Rec players and more Rec players than Intermediate players and more Intermediate players than Advanced players. If anything, Advanced and Intermediate are the minorities and tournaments should be dominated by Rec and Novice divisions. That's where the growth of the sport is.

[FullContactDiscGolf.com]

maybe tds don't like seeing rec and novice divisions paying out more than int and adv? or for the bigger events, maybe you, or someone who talks with the td, could suggest making rec and novice players pack only? is that even allowed? i know you wouldn't get as many entries in a "players pack only division" but still points and ratings.

(on a side note... i've never been to or heard of a tournament that offered a novice division in my area)

[Tino "SilverBack" Medina]

I believe its all up to the TD. CAll or e-mail and ask for a Rec. division. It should be allowed, and since the PDGA states your ratings allow you to play at this level, so be it. When your ratings go up, then you move up!!!

[krupicka]

Whether or not a TD offers the Recreational (MA3) and/or Novice (MA4) division tends to be a regional thing. There are a lot of MA3/MA4 players, but some TDs ignore them. Up here in Illinois MA3 and MA4 are regularly offered and at the same entry fee as other Am divisions. Thus the only additional cost to the TD would be a couple of extra trophies.Get a group of other players that qualify for the MA3 division and talk to the TD. Do it plenty of ahead of time and pre-register so that the TD is more willing to go to the trouble of offering the division and making a trophy.

[discgolfdady]

The rec. and nov . groups are the beginners if you have no beginners then you will have NO FUTURE. Tell the T.D. that........

[Kade Atkinson]

Come to Georgia. Recently coined "Amlanta" by its own players. We recently had only 3 open competitors for a tournament this weekend. Heck just two years ago we had 16. The market has drastically changed. Plenty of rec league bums to play with here!!!