What constitutes bagging?

I am looking for feedback on what is or isn't bagging? With my rating (929), would I be bagging to play Advanced Masters rather than Advanced at an A tier like Bowling Green AM.s? It looks like it took about 965 golf to win Advanced and about 945 to win Advanced Masters last year at BG. I've never played the courses there, and I have never played in an A tier.

I am looking for opinions on what is or isn't bagging? This would be the largest Advanced Masters division I've ever seen and would certainly test me. Otoh, some say I would have a decent shot of doing well in Advanced, if I play my very best golf...

Have any others wrestled with this type of question and what are your thoughts about it?

[hitec100]

I am looking for feedback on what is or isn't bagging? With my rating (929), would I be bagging to play Advanced Masters rather than Advanced at an A tier like Bowling Green AM.s? It looks like it took about 965 golf to win Advanced and about 945 to win Advanced Masters last year at BG. I've never played the courses there, and I have never played in an A tier.

I am looking for opinions on what is or isn't bagging? This would be the largest Advanced Masters division I've ever seen and would certainly test me. Otoh, some say I would have a decent shot of doing well in Advanced, if I play my very best golf...

Have any others wrestled with this type of question and what are your thoughts about it?

Neither group makes the tournament "in the bag" for you, so I don't think you wouldn't be considered bagging in either case.

But if you were to register in a tournament where winning a category would be in the bag for you, when a more challenging category was available for you to join, then many would consider that bagging the tournament.

Rob,
I am in a very similar situation and my plan is to play Masters at A tiers and Advanced at other tournaments.

[twoputtok]

If your concerned with points for World's, then play advanced. Do the math, if you place at the 50% level in adv am's at Bowling Green, you will get way more points that if you win adv masters. Its just the way the numbers work out. Lots more players in adv Am than Masters.

Sand Bagging would be beating your nearest competitor by 19 strokes, at AM Worlds.

Actually, there is no real definition of a sand bagger for Advanced or Advanced Masters, because that is the highest you can go for Amateurs. But if you keep on creaming your competition, then move up.

I am the opposite of a sandbagger according to the PDGA. Due to a few bad tournaments my rating is 865. But I play advanced and will at BG. Because my avg drive is 370ft with a Teebird, and I am hitting a vast majority of my putts within the 30ft circle. I make some bad mistakes and that is why I am still amateur. Play what ever divsion you want, you are not a sandbagger, unless you beat everyone with ease.

[bschweberger]

Winning more than 2 events in any amateur division.

[Luke Butch]

I'm not sure. You'll have to ask MTL. I think he may know something about it. [img]/msgboard/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]

[esalazar]

Winning more than 2 events in any amateur division.

except advanced !!! huge step from ma1 to open!!

[tbender]

Winning more than 2 events in any amateur division.

Thanks for the Pro perspective.... [img]/msgboard/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]

[james_mccaine]

I tend to agree that bagging between amateur divisions is quite different than bagging between advanced and open. Between amateur divisions, I tend to agree with the standard of winning a couple of meaningful tourneys.

However, the jump from advanced to open is far different. I've seen alot of good advanced players who can maybe compete in open for mid to bottom cash once in a while, but in the long run, it's a losing financial proposition for them. Therefore, I don't blame them. Move up and lose lots of money or stay where you are and stay afloat or maybe make a buck or two. It's a shame our system makes this choice so obvious.

[Luke Butch]

I tend to agree that bagging between amateur divisions is quite different than bagging between advanced and open. Between amateur divisions, I tend to agree with the standard of winning a couple of meaningful tourneys.

However, the jump from advanced to open is far different. I've seen alot of good advanced players who can maybe compete in open for mid to bottom cash once in a while, but in the long run, it's a losing financial proposition for them. Therefore, I don't blame them. Move up and lose lots of money or stay where you are and stay afloat or maybe make a buck or two. It's a shame our system makes this choice so obvious.

Aside from the top few who plays DG for the money? And unless they stick to local tournaments only then bagging Adv. is not profitable.

And I am an Adv player who is starting to play Open this year. I'm hoping to cash a few times out of town and at most of the local events. More importantly I'm hoping to get better. If someone moves up but doesn't improve even if they're practicing then maybe they should move down.

[bruce_brakel]

I have no idea what constitutes bagging. If we just go by rating, there is no cap on Am Master.

I played advanced last year at Bowling Green because I wanted the points for the Am Master obelisk. I played advanced at everything but Worlds or when I was playing doubles with my wife.

Am Masters at an A-tier should expect the best competition. There will probably be four or five players at your skill level in Am Masters at Bowling Green.

You should play in the division that works for you. If I were healthy and playing, I'd play Am Master this year. I've never won an A-tier in any division.

Rob,
I am in a very similar situation and my plan is to play Masters at A tiers and Advanced at other tournaments.

That's my inclination too, and if I do well in Advanced at B and C tiers, I'll move up to pro Masters. I pass Schweb's test of being a bagger, but the B and C tier am. tourneys i won last year were in adv. masters and the fields were very small. BG is an A tier and the advanced masters field is as big as I've ever seen.

[gnduke]

1 or 2 wins out of 30+ tournaments does not make a bagger.

I am looking for feedback on what is or isn't bagging? With my rating (929), would I be bagging to play Advanced Masters rather than Advanced at an A tier like Bowling Green AM.s? It looks like it took about 965 golf to win Advanced and about 945 to win Advanced Masters last year at BG. I've never played the courses there, and I have never played in an A tier.

I am looking for opinions on what is or isn't bagging? This would be the largest Advanced Masters division I've ever seen and would certainly test me. Otoh, some say I would have a decent shot of doing well in Advanced, if I play my very best golf...

Have any others wrestled with this type of question and what are your thoughts about it?

if you plan on going to alot of tournaments and you feel you can make money at going pro then i would say go for it

a 929 rating in my judgment doesn't scream BAGGER ,just remember there are alot of people out there with alot higher ratings then you who arn't cashing at all
plus this isn't about anyone else but you and what you want out of discgolf and tournament play
only a hand full of discgolfer's make enough money to say they make a living at this sport
don't let anyone pressure you into doing anything you don't want to do,the choice is yours and yours alone.
there are worst thing in life then being called a bagger

[Moderator005]

However, the jump from advanced to open is far different. I've seen alot of good advanced players who can maybe compete in open for mid to bottom cash once in a while, but in the long run, it's a losing financial proposition for them. Therefore, I don't blame them. Move up and lose lots of money or stay where you are and stay afloat or maybe make a buck or two. It's a shame our system makes this choice so obvious.

A bigger shame is that by eliminating the ratings-based and Pro 2 formats, the PDGA does not acknowledge the large demographic for players whose skill ranges fall in between Advanced and Open.

[Pizza God]

Bagging is a complament, not anything negitive. It means that the people calling you Bagger are saying you are good and should think about moving up.

With our current system in place, there is no bagging at all in any of our division.

You can't play if your rating is two high in Rec or Am, there is no top rating for Advance, so you can play as long as you want and never go pro.

[esalazar]

I always took it as a compliment as well!!

your answer lies within young grasshopper

I am at a similar point myself. I have only played a few Intermediate tournaments and never won but I consistantly go out and beat many of my friends who moved up to advanced this year. My rating is not advanced but I feel like my game is growing day by day. I would really like an Intermediate win but with most of my friends moving up I feel like I need to be playing and beating them. So I have decided to go ahead and make the jump just because I would be proud to win and beat all of my friends in their division but if I was to win in a lower division it would take away most of the fun. I just played in my first Advanced event a few weeks ago and was only one place out of cashing but it was a really small field and I played like crap but I feel I will get more out of the advanced division anyway.

Look out Barry Schultz I may be moving up again next year. LOL just kidding!!!

OH yeah and by the way to all you STD-ers out there. Do not think I will just be donating to you BAGGERS this year. I am in it to take you all out. ROFLMAO

[garywatts]

BAGGER,,, move up

OH yeah and by the way to all you STD-ers out there. Do not think I will just be donating to you BAGGERS this year. I am in it to take you all out. ROFLMAO

[the_kid]

I have changed my mind I will move up when I hit 1000.
Freakin baggers

[esalazar]

I have changed my mind I will move up when I hit 1000.
Freakin baggers

your just scared!!!

[the_kid]

Ok 985 my real reason for waiting until then is because I see alll the guys around the state that have moved up too early and now don't even play anymore.

[nix]

do you think you would quit playing if you moved up?

me neither.

and you already have a world title.

Its time Matt, its time...

[esalazar]

Ok 985 my real reason for waiting until then is because I see alll the guys around the state that have moved up too early and now don't even play anymore.

like who??

[the_kid]

Man I don't like mentioning names.

[nix]

do you think you would quit playing if you moved up?

me neither.

and you already have a world title.

Its time Matt, its time...

[the_kid]

I know I am going to finish out this year and go to worlds and check on the college thing.