What are the requirements for an A B and C tiered tournament, I can't find it anywhere. I would like all the requirements although what I'm really interested in is I thought I remember hearing somewhere that in an A-Tier you need to have more than one course and it supposed to be within .x. amount of miles of eachother.

Thanks for the help.

Click "Home" in the upper left corner
Click "2005 Tour Information" in the box on the right
On the Tour Information page you will find two or three documents which, read together, have all the information you are seeking. Look for a Tour Standards document and the Sanctioning Agreement document. There may be another relevant document.

For 2006 information, using the url for the 2005 web pages substitute "2006" for "2005" in the url.

There's a pretty significant change for 2006 in the payout calculations:

Payout percentage for pro divisions is defined as the sum of cash awards divided by the net entry fees.

This is probably an improvement as it relates actual cash payout to entry fees. Trophies and player pack value have been cut from the equation for pros. I think the unfortunate consequence of this is going to be that a lot more tourneys will skip trophies and player packs for pros. I've spent some time and effort trying to figure out what the pros want, and the vast majority of the ones I've talked to like getting a player's pack and a trophy. The ones who don't are some of the guys who always cash and always finish near the top. These guys are more vocal about it, but their numbers around here are a lot lower.

For the ams, meals are back into the equation. So are jumbo toss games. Meals were dropped from the equation last year, and jumbo toss games have never been part of the payout calculation.

These are pretty big changes. Was anyone involved in the discussions about these changes? What drove the need to change the calculations? I'm curious because the old calculations were only 1 year old.

There's a pretty significant change for 2006 in the payout calculations:

Payout percentage for pro divisions is defined as the sum of cash awards divided by the net entry fees.

This is probably an improvement as it relates actual cash payout to entry fees. Trophies and player pack value have been cut from the equation for pros. I think the unfortunate consequence of this is going to be that a lot more tourneys will skip trophies and player packs for pros. I've spent some time and effort trying to figure out what the pros want, and the vast majority of the ones I've talked to like getting a player's pack and a trophy. The ones who don't are some of the guys who always cash and always finish near the top. These guys are more vocal about it, but their numbers around here are a lot lower.

For the ams, meals are back into the equation. So are jumbo toss games. Meals were dropped from the equation last year, and jumbo toss games have never been part of the payout calculation.

These are pretty big changes. Was anyone involved in the discussions about these changes? What drove the need to change the calculations? I'm curious because the old calculations were only 1 year old.



I think every one of those changes are good.

But that has nothing to do with it. I am risking the online rath of Nick or Brian when I say this, but these decisions just seem like the "...The Great Oz has spoken! Do not pay any attention to the man behind the curtain..." Rather than just announce these changes shouldn't we be able to voice some opinion in some kind of meaningful way? Shouldn't we at least know why these changes are being implemented? I feel that I'm on the verge of just deciding to not care anymore. It's the caring that tears me up about these things. If I don't care about my events, my players and the PDGA, then these things just won't matter anymore, right? Where can I get my implant so that it doesn't hurt anymore? WHERE'S MY MEDICATION, **** IT!!!

I don't think I like meals coming back into the equation.

Many players prefer to bring food, some have dietary restrictions that prevent them from taking advantage of the food provided. I would much rather see reasonable priced food made available on site, possibly made an option on the entry form, than having it considered part of the payout.

If it is part of the payout, can it be applied to the player pack value ?

The screwy thing about the meals is that it only can count towards am payouts. So, I guess it can come out of am entry fees. If the meals aren't payed for through sponsorship you either have to use wholesale/retail to pay for the pros, or not allow them to eat.

Jumbo tosses, like meals, have been in and out of the payout accounting. Specific abuses of both of these led to them being removed from the payout accounting. Probably a lack of institutional memory has caused them to come back.

My implant is working fine. I'm not going to play a crappy tournament that puts the am women's and lower divisions' payout in a jumbo toss that is being won by pros and advanced men. I'm not going to play an event that pays out in cat stew either.

I think the allowing them to be included is the right thing. We've already seen the mini+sticker=$10 player pack slide by, so you know that there is absolutely nothing the PDGA can or will do to reign in abusive TDs. They might as well give abusive TDs as many opportunities as possible to out themselves so that at least some of the players can figure out who the busturds are.

I'm more worried about the pro calculation side of things. Trophies aren't cheap, so unless you are good at fundraising then you really can't offer pro divisions any more if you want to have trophies for all divisions.

I'm more worried about the pro calculation side of things. Trophies aren't cheap, so unless you are good at fundraising then you really can't offer pro divisions any more if you want to have trophies for all divisions.



You should hire Kira to make your trophies. They're very inexpensive.

I like the idea of letting the ams pay for their meal with part of their player pack. At our B tiers we give the players a $15 player pack in the form of brass coins (it is also how we do our payout). The coins are good for anything at the merch table. I'd like to work out a way that the player can have the option of signing up for lunch at registration and paying 5 or 10 brass for it. The pros could buy brass from the amateurs if they wanted lunch! :o

I'm more worried about the pro calculation side of things. Trophies aren't cheap, so unless you are good at fundraising then you really can't offer pro divisions any more if you want to have trophies for all divisions.

I'll post a picture of a couple of the trophies that Kira has made when I'm home. Her microbasket minimarker trophies are really cheap. You can look at my avatar today and see an example of another kind of cheap trophy that I make. These are cheap, but they are disc golf themed, so they are also cool.

I like the idea of <font color="blue"> letting </font> the ams pay for their meal with part of their player pack. At our B tiers we <font color="blue"> give </font> the players a $15 player pack in the form of brass coins (it is also how we do our payout). The coins are good for anything at the <font color="blue"> merch table </font>. I'd like to work out a way that the player can have the <font color="blue"> option </font> of signing up for lunch at registration and paying 5 or 10 brass for it. The pros <font color="blue"> could </font> buy brass from the amateurs if they wanted lunch!


I like all those ideas, but doesn't that >>> long lines at the merch table, with the most-impatient/time-challenged placers in the rear? Or is there a surfeit of staffers, there? :D

We have a lot of staff. Becky usually takes money and Maddisen or a junior girl checks membership status. Jon is taking care of the leaderboard and I am on merch. Another junior girl hands out the brass. Sometimes if I get really busy I'll get a junior girl to help with merch.

Half the players put their brass in their pocket and spend it later. I suppose what you want depends on how much you have at the end of the day.

I like the idea of <font color="blue"> letting </font> the ams pay for their meal with part of their player pack. At our B tiers we <font color="blue"> give </font> the players a $15 player pack in the form of brass coins (it is also how we do our payout). The coins are good for anything at the <font color="blue"> merch table </font>. I'd like to work out a way that the player can have the <font color="blue"> option </font> of signing up for lunch at registration and paying 5 or 10 brass for it. The pros <font color="blue"> could </font> buy brass from the amateurs if they wanted lunch!


I like all those ideas, but doesn't that >>> long lines at the merch table, with the most-impatient/time-challenged placers in the rear? Or is there a surfeit of staffers, there? :D



During registration it only takes one or two volunteers to work the merch table. I'm figuring that whoever I could get to cater would have to work the lunch sign up table as part of the catering deal. If you talking about the brass coin prizing in general, then the only crunch time is after awards. We fortunately have plenty of volunteers to work the merch table then.

Lucky youses. :)

Im glad this disscusion started because I may be running a tourney this year, and a lot of this is a bit new to me. My first question relates to required max entry fees. Have they always been required or is that new for this year?

They have had suggested maximum entry fees in the past. I guess this is a little firmer than "suggested," but I am already seeing tournaments advertising entry fees over the new maximums, so you have to wonder if there is going to be any enforcement.

Right. Now, when you add all the other fees (ace pot, CTP, etc) the entry fee would be in-line with what we were thinking...but, other tourneys I know would charge more. I guess thats a question for Dave Gentry.

Another question: What are bump rules?

Bump rules are local rules about what division you have to play in. Like, if you won the series in your division last year you have to move up. Before ratings they were quite common until they were abolished a few years ago.

When are tournaments going to be punished for not meeting requirements?

Bad tournament! Bad! Bad!
You didn't get enough sponsorship!
You'll never be good enough for an A-Tier!
The PDGA staff works so hard - and for what?
You can't even cover the payouts!
I'm never taking you anywhere again, you little ingrate!

How's that for punishment?

Well..............for myself , sometimes just being able to play any tournament is cool. X-tier , A-tour , NT , B , C.......as long as I'm able to play. /msgboard/images/graemlins/smirk.gif