Why Join the PDGA?

[ChUcK]

$50,000 >> $5,500

# people who give the slightest crap about texting >>>>>>>> # people who give the slightest crap about disc golf.

It actually seems reasonable if you estimate the math.

[Sopuli]

Looked at another way by most people in the world, it's pretty amazing that Avery just won $5500 for skillfully throwing around discs during a week, even though less than a 1000 of several billion people watched let alone care to watch and certainly not willing to pay to watch. There are thousands of people in the world who have developed special skills like tiddly winks and Rubik's cube experts who get much less or nothing for their skills.

there is also a girl who just won 50,000 in a TEXT MESSAGING speed contest

I'd guess that the 50k came from the huge companies manufacturing the phones, 50k is peanuts for them. I'm a noob on this board, so this probably has been mentioned several times, but getting similar size companies to sponsor any events would probably require this sport to get coverage in the media. I don't know if it's a strength or a weakness that this sport doesn't actually cover a certain narrow demographic, but rather a wide range of different kinds of people. At least that's how it's here in finland. On the other hand it might not appeal to companies that want to target a specific audience, but then again I guess the awareness of the sport grows faster this way. In finland this sport is growing very very rapidly and also successfully attracts different kinds of people to try it, based solely on my experience in the courses I've played. I'm fairly sure that we will get bigger sponsors here, it's just a matter of time. We have a lot of young players here supported by their parents, and in some time these people might end up in positions where they might be able to make a bigger impact for the sport. I guess I'm going a bit off-topic, so I'll stop now..

[dgdave]

And after 10 years, they give you a free bag tag.

[KaosDiscgolf]

Comparing the PDGA to the PGA/NBA/NFL/MLB is at the least the most moronic thing I think I have ever heard!

If you are going to play in an Am golf tournament, you don’t get punished from the PGA for not being a member! The PGA doesn’t take money from ams to help pay the pros! You cant even be a part of the PGA unless you’re a pro! How the hell is that anything like the PDGA?

Disc Golf needs two different organizations! The PDGA and the ADGA. Then you would see how much this sport hasn’t grown! The PDGA would tank, because ams make up most of the field at every tournament! Ams are the ones keeping the disc manufactures in business! Ams help pad the pro purses at tournaments! The PDGA makes most of there money from us hacks with the promise of stupid numbers that mean nothing! Its not hard to understand!

In 2005 I joined the PDGA, but after never receiving my disc, mini, or any of the other junk they sent me 5 times, I made the choice that I would never give this organization any of my money again! They couldn’t be organized enough to send my members pac, but they sure as hell didn’t forget to bother me when my membership was running out! I will gladly pay my extra $10 a tournament! I would be happy if we had more unsanctioned events!

[Jesse B 707]

And after 10 years, they give you a free bag tag.

almost sprayed rockstar out of my nose, prolly woulda hurt

[scoot_er]

And after 10 years, they give you a free bag tag.

almost sprayed rockstar out of my nose, prolly woulda hurt

One of the few reasons I will renew again. Well that and I have to be a member to play A-tiers.

[SkaBob]

So, we have people defending the low purses for the disc golf world championships...

Why doesn't anyone step up to defend them not fixing my ratings history, after I've been asking for over a year?

[Chuck Kennedy]

What's your PDGA number?

[Working Stiff]

But I don't think becoming a member of the PDGA is going to help progress the sport.

Hoeinger told me that his job was NOT to promote disc golf, his job was to run a tournament series. If you are into the PDGA tournament scene, then you should be a member. If you are not into the PDGA tournament scene, I'm not sure what belonging does for you OR disc golf in general.

[Timko]

Here's the new mission statement for the pdga:

http://www.pdga.com/new-mission-statement

I see that they mention promoting the sport recreationally, but actually becoming a member doesn't do anything for a recreational player.

http://www.pdga.com/members/benefits

[Chuck Kennedy]

Joining may not do much directly for the rec member. However, they are really paying (thanking people) for what has been provided usually free for them by the efforts many times of PDGA members. Even in places where there are few if any PDGA members, the locals have many times gotten courses approved partially due to existence of the PDGA providing credibility and indicating our sport exists with a website, technical standards, course design guidelines, rules, ratings and championships. Players should still support the PDGA even if they personally got nothing in return like member cards and minis, ratings and event discounts. What else do you pay to play most courses each year?

[Working Stiff]

Here's the new mission statement for the pdga:

http://www.pdga.com/new-mission-statement

I see that they mention promoting the sport recreationally, but actually becoming a member doesn't do anything for a recreational player.

http://www.pdga.com/members/benefits

A mission statement is nice. I'd like to see some concrete plan of what exactly they plan to do to promote the sport recreationally rather than them just saying they will. Perhaps they will in time.

Trying to get the recreational player to contribute to an association is folly. The reason they are recreational players is becasue they don't play and tournaments and don't join the PDGA. That's pretty much the definition of a 'recreational" disc golfer...a guy who plays casual rounds who is not a PDGA or disc golf club member and who does not play in leagues and tournaments. Those guys are never going to plug in.

But it's not about that. Promoting the sport at the recreational level is not about building membership or reaching a short-term goal. It's about creating the necessary elements for the long-term success of the PDGA tour.

Promoting the sport at the recreational level is about building the foundation of a sport that can sustain a pro tour. One of the major hurdles disc golf has always struggled with is the fact that there was a PDGA and "pro" disc golf before there were 20 permanent courses in the ground. The "pro" tour was a roof with no building to set it on. Now there are a lot of courses and a lot of amateur play, so there is a building to set the roof on. There is just no foundation to anchor it to. Building the sport at the recreational level is building that foundation. That is going to do more for the sport long-term than replacing the shingles on the roof.

That was my major beef with the PDGA leadership in the 90's. They wanted to spend all their time searching for fancy shingles to put on the roof, and I thought we needed to grab some shovels and work on the foundation. They at least now are acknowledging that they ought to get some shovels. Now I'd be interested is seeing what they want to do with them.

[scoot_er]

Joining may not do much directly for the rec member. However, they are really paying (thanking people) for what has been provided usually free for them by the efforts many times of PDGA members. Even in places where there are few if any PDGA members, the locals have many times gotten courses approved partially due to existence of the PDGA providing credibility and indicating our sport exists with a website, technical standards, course design guidelines, rules, ratings and championships. Players should still support the PDGA even if they personally got nothing in return like member cards and minis, ratings and event discounts. What else do you pay to play most courses each year?

Still haven't gotten my tour card but I'm sure they just snuffed that PROgram out for a good reason! How about putting the money saved from that into worlds???????

Worlds would be more credible if I didn't only make $80 more than someone 23 spots behind me!!!!!!!! Seriously how do you justify that Chuck? That is $3.75 per position when it is $2500 difference between 1st and 2nd.

[Chuck Kennedy]

Worlds would be more credible if I didn't only make $80 more than someone 23 spots behind me!!!!!!!!

First, why is it necessary for Worlds to be credible strictly in financial terms if the compeition is fair? Second, how does the amount of money difference between places make a difference in its credibility?

[Timko]

Joining may not do much directly for the rec member. However, they are really paying (thanking people) for what has been provided usually free for them by the efforts many times of PDGA members. Even in places where there are few if any PDGA members, the locals have many times gotten courses approved partially due to existence of the PDGA providing credibility and indicating our sport exists with a website, technical standards, course design guidelines, rules, ratings and championships. Players should still support the PDGA even if they personally got nothing in return like member cards and minis, ratings and event discounts. What else do you pay to play most courses each year?

Chuck, that last statement sounds like the equivalent of "Disc golf is a cheap sport, so you should pay the PDGA." More players (and the sport itself) would get more out of supporting local clubs, since they are the ones responsible for 90% of the actual work of getting new courses put in the ground and maintaining them.