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:
Ratings Information Documents
| Document Title | Last Updated |
|---|---|
| Top 10 Best Rated Rounds Ever - 5 SSA Ranges - Men & Women | 02/28/2013 |
| PDGA Ratings Guide | 11/11/2009 |
| How Ratings Change With Age | 06/30/2009 |
| 2008 Player Rating Distribution | 06/30/2009 |
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.
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
If you have additional questions regarding ratings, please visit the Ratings FAQ for more information.
