What is "intermediate"?

[widewhale]

I've been considering playing in a local tournament (Winter Carnival) but I'm unsure if I am advanced enough to be participating in somthing like this. I've been playing since late September, and I typically play this simple course at -2 to +2:

http://www.playdg.com/rosland/

Is this a reasonable level of play to participate as an intermediate? I want to help support events like this, but I do not want to have a wildly lower level of play than the other participants.

[garublador]

Where is the tournament being played?

My limited experience with tournaments and the intermediate division has me thinking in that many local tournaments the skill level of the intermediate players will span from beginner on up to the ratings limit of intermediate. So, chances are there will be people there with the same skill level as you.

Blake will probably have a better feel for what it's like in MPLS, though. IIRC, he plays intermediate.

[Blake_T]

actually, i lost my intermediate standing and now i have to play advanced

if you've never competed before, i would recommend intermediate.

the best intermediate players should usually be playing advanced, and the worst advanced players usually should be playing intermediate.

at +2/-2 in edina, i'd recommend intermediate. the players that cash advanced are going to average ~ -5 or better at that course.

[garublador]

actually, i lost my intermediate standing and now i have to play advanced

Congrads!

[Blake_T]

heh. means i can afford to play less tournaments.

paying $30 and winning 3 champ/z discs and selling them for $10 each = i played for free.

paying $45 and winning 0 or 1 champ/z discs = doh

[garublador]

heh. means i can afford to play less tournaments.

paying $30 and winning 3 champ/z discs and selling them for $10 each = i played for free.

paying $45 and winning 0 or 1 champ/z discs = doh

Improvement comes at a price. One step back, two steps forward.

[Blake_T]

haha. this is why i teach. after 2 rotator cuffs and a blown wrist, my peak was a few years ago.

[koronin]

I played my first tourny a couple of weeks ago, I'd been playing since July 2006 and I went into the intermediate division on my home course. I finished 3rd out of 5 for 2 rounds and played horribly. The advanced players were 20 or so strokes ahead of me for 2 rounds.

[Blake_T]

in many areas, the level of play in the intermediate and advanced divisions will vary a ton.

a lot of it depends on whether or not a novice division exists. in minnesota, there is no novice, so in intermediate you get everyone from guys rated 914 and 7 years of experience to first time tourney players that have been playing like 6 weeks.

it's also common that the best adv players can beat or at least hang with the bottom of the pro division.

in most areas, peer pressure is the driving factor of people moving up.

[some call me...tim?]

I've been considering playing in a local tournament (Winter Carnival) but I'm unsure if I am advanced enough to be participating in somthing like this. I've been playing since late September, and I typically play this simple course at -2 to +2:

http://www.playdg.com/rosland/

Is this a reasonable level of play to participate as an intermediate? I want to help support events like this, but I do not want to have a wildly lower level of play than the other participants.

I say go for it. Nothing ventured, nothing gained right? I played in my first tournament back in September (it was a sanctioned B-tier), and I had a lot of the same reservations as you. Generally in my area, intermediate is as low as it goes, or Am-II as some call it. I think sometimes they have a recreational division, but generally intermediate is the bottom.

I really didn't know what to expect. I knew that I was better or at the same level as most of the guys I play with, but that didn't tell me much of anything. Like you, I just didn't want to be DFL in the standings. As it turned out, I didn't play so hot (I never seem to in tournaments), but tied for 6th in a field of 22, which I was more than happy about. I finished with a score of 201, 3 rounds of 21 holes, which in my opinion, was pretty mediocre. BUT, the last place guy that actually finished the tournament finished with a 251!

So yeah, I say go out there and have fun. Just play smart golf and you should do fine.

[Rooster]

your best bet would be to look up previous scores for that event on the pdga site and compare your scores to the scores of others in each divison and play what divison you feel like you belong in(not the one your gaurenteed to cash in).

[superq]

I will be playing in my first A tier as a Pro this year. Am I ready? have to see. But I will tell you that for me Advanced is not an option anymore and it is becuase I consider myself a pro. My rating has fallen and I could play advanced but I know I am a pro calliber player.

If you are on the fence on what division to play you should play the highest of your choices. You will typically be playing with better players and force yourself to play better.

hopefully I still feel this way after the big show!!!

my.02

[Blake_T]

If you are on the fence on what division to play you should play the highest of your choices. You will typically be playing with better players and force yourself to play better.

depends on how you view competition. if you are competing against the course, it really doesn't matter who you are playing with, just how well you can play the course vs. how others play the course.

in most areas, the top adv players are basically pros who are waiting for their am worlds run.

most first time tourney players probably shouldn't be playing adv or pro, mainly since they are not accustomed to the etiquette and sometimes some of the more particular rules. the lower divisions will usually be friendlier to these players.

[Rooster]

If you are on the fence on what division to play you should play the highest of your choices. You will typically be playing with better players and force yourself to play better.

i find when i play with better players i play better as well but that doesn't mean i can compete with them. kepp that in mind as well