Your PDGA Player Rating (PR) is a number that shows how close your average round scores are compared to the course rating, called the Scratch Scoring Averages (SSA), of the courses you’ve played in competition. Players who average the SSA on courses played will have a rating of 1000 and are considered “scratch players”. A player who averages scores lower than SSAs on course they’ve played will have a rating over 1000. There are less than 200 players in the world with ratings of 1000 and higher. Here’s a grid showing the distribution of PDGA ratings at the end of 2008:
Players who enter a PDGA event in a division tracked by the PDGA will automatically get their results entered into the ratings system. However, only ratings of current PDGA members will be published. Your first rating can be calculated after just one valid round of tournament play. It will be posted by your name on the PDGA website along with your tournament results the next time the ratings are updated. A search tool to locate players by name or PDGA number can be found here.
Dealing with ‘sandbagging’ – players entering a division below their skill level – used to be a challenge. Since 2002, PDGA Player Ratings have been used to group amateur players in competition divisions to prevent players from entering divisions below their rating. A list of divisions and associated restrictions on player rating can be found here.
Course ratings pave the way for statistical comparisons of courses around the world with the potential to help improve their designs and levels of challenge. Course SSA ratings provide a benchmark for players to compare their scores on different courses. A tool to search for course ratings is available here.
Ratings also allow players to handicap their play against anyone all over the world using a combination of player and course ratings. Disc Golf United brings these elements together using the PDGA calculation process to handle competition using handicaps. PDGA members get a complementary subscription to Disc Golf United service as part of membership: www.discgolfunited.com
Starting in 2009, players can earn a separate Super Class rating if they play in those events. See the Super Class FAQ for more information.
Here are some additional background documents on the development of the ratings system which was partly inspired by the methods used by the USGA to handle handicaps for traditional golf.
If you have additional questions regarding ratings, please visit the Ratings FAQ for more information.