Joining PDGA?

[Pagan]

I dont look at it as a "Is it worth it for me to join?" question so much as a "Should I join and contribute to the PDGA?". My wife and I both joined more to help the PDGA than for the tourny savings. My own opinion: if you can afford the dues it's a good thing supporting the association that helps organize and facilitate our sport.

Pagan

[mothrows]

I agree

[Fritz]

I dont look at it as a "Is it worth it for me to join?" question so much as a "Should I join and contribute to the PDGA?". My wife and I both joined more to help the PDGA than for the tourny savings. My own opinion: if you can afford the dues it's a good thing supporting the association that helps organize and facilitate our sport.

Pagan

Well said.

[Thatdirtykid]

I wish I could afford the occasional tourney, then I would think about joining (although ive already stated I am joining next year)

[TexasOutlaw]

I still fail to see how they organize or facilitate anything (other than tournaments).

I don't even carry a rulebook anymore, just want to throw.

[Rooster]

Not only does the PDGA not really help with anything tournament wise they charge for TD's to have sanctioned events. The PDGA charages 3 bucks a player for TD's to have an event. Also the PDGA doesn't help at all with the actual tourney. The TD's still have to put up the players rounds onto the website. The PDGA really does nothing as far as I can tell, except take your money.

[TexasOutlaw]

There is nothing wrong with being a PDGA enthusiast. By all means, support. Please, contribute. However, understand that your are supporting a professional association more concerned with tournaments than the sport of disc golf.

There is nothing wrong with supporting tournaments, and the PDGA does give us a nice set of rules. For those of us that do not intend or have the ulitmate goal of playing in tournaments, PDGA membership is a personal choice. I mean that is a nifty looking mini with your PDGA number on it (and no name). For me the casual gamer who would rather play with his girlfriend or other friends, membership in such an organization is trivial.

Hell, I may even play this weekend without taking score.

[Amateur]

Tex-So if I did join the PDGA I'd have to stop picking up trash, helping new players, giving random DG gifts to the needy, and generally stop caring about the course I call home? It is the people who make up the PDGA? You said it yourself, "The only ones of us that do belong to the PDGA are those that play tournaments (which we have to travel for)." Were they too not out there replacing signs, doubling chains? I'll bet they had a part in the sanding too.

I guess I want to be a Professional in this sense of the word:
Main Entry: 1pro·fes·sion·al
Pronunciation: pr&-'fesh-n&l, -'fe-sh&-n&l
Function: adjective
...characterized by or conforming to the technical or ethical standards of a profession (2) : exhibiting a courteous, conscientious, and generally businesslike manner in the workplace.

I never said anything about disc on ESPN. That would be great though. I would watch and so would you.

I wouldn't expect the casual gamer to even think about joining the PDGA, let alone someone who does not intend to play tournaments. Paying money to the PDGA for this player would be asinine.

I never keep score unless I'm playing by myself.

[TexasOutlaw]

I'll bet they had a part in the sanding too.



I never said anything about disc on ESPN. That would be great though. I would watch and so would you.



I never keep score unless I'm playing by myself.

Actually, no. They played on through. And on the clean up; I don't smoke while I play so it sure wasn't my cigarette butts I pick up nor trash. It would be hard for me to watch ESPN since I don't have cable though great of you to induce the opposite. As far as playing by yourself, Um...congradulations? On the score keeping I mean.

My apologies for answering your inquiry. Join up bro. Go PDGA! Yee Haw! I'm sorry for giving you the point of view of a try rec player, not a rec whose ultimate goal is to some day play tournaments.

[krusen]

Whoa Tex. Don’t give the guy too hard of a time. I understand your reasons totally, and agree with you on a lot of points. The PDGA is not perfect, but it’s the front line exposing DG to the world. If I know anything about disc golfers, I’m guessing the people in charge aren’t stuffing money into their pockets.

I think what Am is getting to is that you can still do all those good things while being a PDGA member. It’s a shame that the tourney players in your area didn’t help out with the course maintenance. It’s the opposite here. Rec players are referred to as “wreck” players….mostly high school punks who perform illegal activities, litter, tip over trash cans, and tear down small trees…in general make things harder for the rest of us to get a new course in the ground or keep the ones we have. I wish there were a lot more people like you around.

I was poo-pooing the PDGA on here a while back when they shut down the message board. I think it was Blake who pointed out that you get a magazine subscription which normally costs $20. You get a very cool mini, and a disc w/ the PDGA logo on it. Sure it’s a Storm which I could care less about, but it looks pretty nice hanging on my wall. If you do plan on playing 4 or more sanctioned tournaments, the membership is definitely worth it.

More power to you if you don’t want to join. There seems to be at least as many non-sanctioned events around here as the sanctioned ones. That might be a good way to “cut your teeth” on tourney play before you dish out the money.

[sleepy]

I think what Am is getting to is that you can still do all those good things while being a PDGA member. It’s a shame that the tourney players in your area didn’t help out with the course maintenance. It’s the opposite here. Rec players are referred to as “wreck” players….mostly high school punks who perform illegal activities, litter, tip over trash cans, and tear down small trees…in general make things harder for the rest of us to get a new course in the ground or keep the ones we have. I wish there were a lot more people like you around.

It's the same way around here, and that's what I was referencing in my original post.


sleepy

[coogs]

The PDGA is not perfect, but it’s the front line exposing DG to the world.

Just out of curiousity, and I mean no ill will with this question, what does the PDGA do to expose our sport to the world? From what I've seen and read, it's the TDs and SDs that are getting word out about their events, procuring sponsorships and so forth. The governing body appears to do very little in this regard.

Why is it that I saw cup stacking on ESPN this week, but I have yet to see DG on it? We just had a major event and our biggest event is coming up soon. What is being done to further expose our sport to the public at large?

From what I've seen over at PDGA.com, and let me stress that this is only what I've seen, the BoDs that post there are more concerned with tournaments, the top percentile of pros, and bickering about rules.

I've got more to say, but I don't want to be too hard on them; our sport needs a governing body for forward movement. I just hope that's a priority for them.

[krusen]

Just out of curiousity, and I mean no ill will with this question, what does the PDGA do to expose our sport to the world? ....I've got more to say, but I don't want to be too hard on them; our sport needs a governing body for forward movement. I just hope that's a priority for them.

I'm sorry to say I don't know the answer to any of these questions. I'm just assuming they have the future of the sport in mind when making decisions and spending Joe Blow's money. Now that I say it, it's a pretty foolish thing to just hope higher powers are doing their job. I'll take that as a challenge to become more informed as to what is going on. Hopefully people bickering on the message boards doesn't typify what is going on behind the scenes.

Cup stacking...seriously? I saw a post about this the other day, but thought it was a joke. How retarded. I think it's been said before though...DG is probably very boring to watch unless you actually play...same as ball golf. But cup stacking? Seriously, WTF is ESPN2 thinking.

[coogs]

But cup stacking? Seriously, WTF is ESPN2 thinking.

I wish I were speaking of ESPN2, but I wasn't; it was on regular ol' ESPN.

[TexasOutlaw]

Whoa Tex. Don’t give the guy too hard of a time.

Krus, I was trying to answer the inquiry which was should I join. There have been many untruths stated here about the roll of the PDGA. But the thread was not a question and answer afterall; it seems it was intended to be a pep rally for the PDGA.

My friend did get a chuckle out of it; he said something to the effect, "do they think that by joining you become an instant pro." He must of picked up on something I didn't. I will stick to the equipment and technique sections. I was thinking that the board needed more interactive discussion, but hell I can't seem to understand the questions or comments these days.

Honestly, I hope some of you are PDGA members because you sound like you have good hearts and the right intentions. For those that haven't had much experience with the PDGA forum, this thread is reminiscent.

Bottom Line: it's your money; spend it as you wish. I still don't think I'll keep score tomorrow....