At what point does a Disc Golfer become 'Too Good' to attend the players meetings during a tournament?

I'm sure you know what i'm talking about... Calls of "Bring it in" by the TD apparently signal these guys to go about their practice putting routine.

It seems like after reaching a certain skill level (either real or simply in their own mind) these folks feel like they really don't need to hear anything from the TD before their round.

Is it okay to skip the players meetings? Do we need them? Can a TD make them mandatory and DQ anyone taking practice putts after the meeting starts? No refund of entry fees?

No.

Yes.

Sometimes I think they should. And at least partial refund if not all because that'd just be bad business, others wouldn't like it.

We had something like this happen at our Friday Night Doubles event this week. Two people decided to go about practicing their putting, totally missed what everybody else heard about being stroked for playing course out of order (busy course, lots of casuals, makes it tempting)... got paired up and then played it out of order. Got stroked, lost out on cashing, both were understandably [censored], but should have been more [censored] at THEMSELVES than anyone else.

NOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

801.04 A. It is the responsibility of the player to play the course correctly. Before play begins, players shall attend the players� meeting and ask about any special conditions that may exist on the course, including extra holes, alternate teeing areas, alternate hole placements, out-of-bounds areas, and mandatories.

However, there is no penalty for not attending, so it's an arguably moot rule. The problem I find with players' meetings is that unless I'm standing 5 feet from the TD, I usually can't hear or understand everything that's stated. I myself am guilty of talking during players' meetings, but try to not do so while going over the course. It's also tough for me to listen to OBs, special situations, etc. discussed hole-by-hole on a course that I'm not familiar with. I'm a big advocate of course maps!

as a td this is one of my pet peeves. you bust your [censored] for a month leading up to an event so the players will enjoy themselves and then they don't have the simple respect to shut the heck up for 15 minutes while you are trying to talk. i have and will continue to call people out individually who don't shut up (schwebby :p)- i also will not begin to talk until everyone shuts up. makes you feel like an elementary school teacher (actually many aspects of running a tourney make me feel like an elementary school teacher. )

as a td this is one of my pet peeves. you bust your [censored] for a month leading up to an event so the players will enjoy themselves and then they don't have the simple respect to shut the heck up for 15 minutes while you are trying to talk. i have and will continue to call people out individually who don't shut up (schwebby :p)- i also will not begin to talk until everyone shuts up. makes you feel like an elementary school teacher (actually many aspects of running a tourney make me feel like an elementary school teacher. )

Sorry Mr Biscoe, it will prolly happen again, you know, No Disrespect intended.

DisrespecTT?

i know. its fun to tell you to shut up anyhoo.

Feldberg's page at Huklab, under pre-round rituals or something, says "rarely attend player's meetings".

It definitely gives you more time to warm up. I think players of any skill level could use that, not just players who think they are good, or are good.

Biscoe, I liked your speal to get players to shut up at Loriella. I expect you have practiced that one many times.

If it wasn't so time consuming, I would love to require players to check in at players meetings. If you werent there, you were DQed.

No matter if I have played the course 100,000 times and know exactly what to expect, I will always attend a players meeting.

I always aTtend the meeting, unless(and i mean rarely) I am running late and didint get time to warm up...

Only time I have missed the players meeting was to find a disc I threw in the water. I needed that disc. But I got a 7 on the first hole anyway, probably as punishment.

Feldberg's page at Huklab, under pre-round rituals or something, says "rarely attend player's meetings".


So if somehow commit to being the best disc golfer I can possibly be, I should start skipping the players meeting?

Perhaps a courtesy violation should be added to the rulebook for missing the meeting? At minimum, the sponsors that might be paying for Feldberg's payout are promoted and thanked at the meeting.

Not attending the players meetnig is in a way disrespectful to the TD and sponsors. It would be nice if it were mandatory but like MTL said it would be time consuming.


Feldberg's page at Huklab, under pre-round rituals or something, says "rarely attend player's meetings".




He should attend all of them, at the MSDGC a couple years ago I played with him, he threw at a wonrg basket (which were clearly marked with red and yellow flags) and then got upset with the group, like we were supposed to stop him from throwing (I normally would have tried but I wasn't paying attention to him b/c the group ahead of us was in the fairway/green, not sure why he was throwing to begin with).............but he did appologize after the round was over.

Perhaps a courtesy violation should be added to the rulebook for missing the meeting? At minimum, the sponsors that might be paying for Feldberg's payout are promoted and thanked at the meeting.


I like this idea. However, it would be any player's first courtesy violation per round (we sometimes have players' meetings between rounds to discuss course changes) and as such only a warning?

He should attend all of them, at the MSDGC a couple years ago I played with him, he threw at a wonrg basket (which were clearly marked with red and yellow flags) and then got upset with the group, like we were supposed to stop him from throwing (I normally would have tried but I wasn't paying attention to him b/c the group ahead of us was in the fairway/green, not sure why he was throwing to begin with).............but he did appologize after the round was over.



A goal of his, listed on the same page, was to act more professional.

i know. its fun to tell you to shut up anyhoo.

It is quite funny...Really

If it wasn't so time consuming, I would love to require players to check in at players meetings. If you werent there, you were DQed.

No matter if I have played the course 100,000 times and know exactly what to expect, I will always attend a players meeting.



we'll it's a good thing you didn't cash at the last 2 DEPCs or you would be owing first out of cash some money

: ) :

haha, except for the fact that the TD granted me freedom from the players meeting b/c I was doing registration and it gave me a chance to warm up

I think I have only missed 2 players meetings in my years of playing.

For larger tournaments, meetings on the night before are the way to go. Nobody likes to get a sweat going and be properly warmed up only to sit down and listen to a lengthy players meeting the morning of. I think the Players meetings are great for sponsors, rules, etc but just at the right time. This coupled with a sheet of course rules for those still traveling in are the way to go.

If you do have a meeting in the morning, thank the sponsors, plug the amenities and ask if there are any questions on the rules sheet. Badaboom Badabing, Two Minutes!

I was really good at attending them until Feldkins and Jenkberg *forced* me to miss a few during the original Big Show week. :D

If you do have a meeting in the morning, thank the sponsors, plug the amenities and ask if there are any questions on the rules sheet. Badaboom Badabing, Two Minutes!


Sounds good in theory... :)

My meeting at EIEIO always go over because I have remind people not to pee on the course, don't pee on the course, you are in front of somebodys window when you step off the fairway so don't pee on the course, etc.

Nobody likes to get a sweat going and be properly warmed up only to sit down and listen to a lengthy players meeting the morning of.



I do not want to put words in your mouth Yeti....but it is a logical jump from this comment to assuming that you mean that it will negatively affect performance to cool down after warming up. I assume that is why players do not like their warmup routine interrupted by a meeting. If this is a bad/wrong assumption, ignore my post.

I really question the validity of this line of thinking. There is so much start and stop activity over the course of a full round that pausing for 15-20 minutes should not affect anyone too much. Plus, there is usually time between the end of the meeting and the 2 minute warning to get re-warmed up.

If there is a lot of truth to the statement that cooling down after warming up causes a marked drop in performance, it should be kept in mind that if everyone attends the players' meeting, everyone is treated the same.

In fact, you could take it a step farther and charge those with missing the players' meeting with cheating - breaking the rules to gain a competitive advantage.

In fact, you could take it a step farther and charge those with missing the players' meeting with cheating - breaking the rules to gain a competitive advantage.



Miss a player's meeting and be DQ'ed for circumventing the rules to gain a competitive advantage.

Ask any player that intentionally misses the player's meeting why they aren't following the rules, if the reason has anything to do with performance, DQ. :cool:

haha, except for the fact that the TD granted me freedom from the players meeting b/c I was doing registration and it gave me a chance to warm up



That must be one really nice TD.

i have and will continue to call people out individually who don't shut up (schwebby )


Schwebby, along with Burl, were actually assets in this regard at the Players Cup. They took turns admonishing the crowd to pay attention.

My experience from doing two of these before a big crowd that's being served dinner, along with attending meetings as a player yields the following wish list:
1) keep the meeting short. I agree strongly with Jay that once I've warmed up, I'm ready to play and hate to have a long meeting. (Unless it's known that the tourney will start 45 minutes after the conclusion of the meeting, allowing players to plan for warm-up during that time).
2) Put a lot of effort into writing, re-writing, and editing the course legend. Have several players of various abilities/experience read and offer feedback. Repeat process.
3) Emphasize repeatedly during the meeting that everything they need to know is in the legend and players are responsible for the consequenses of not knowing the legend.
4) Use the meeting to quickly thank sponsors, go over any last second course changes, and answer questions.
5) Emphasize key information repeatedly: i.e. read the legend and don't pee in view of the neighbors!
6) Save the stories, excessive thanking, plugging, praying, and/or whatnot for the awards ceremony.

Basically: keep all the gold nuggets of information that actually pertain to knowing the course rules, what hole I start on and what's the best way to get there and sift out all that iron pyrite so the players don't have to.

If the meetings are very brief, pertinent, and start promptly (a whole other can of worms), players will attend and pay attention.

I hope y'all are joking about penalizing players for not attending the meeting. Next thing you know players will be saying "courtesy warning" as a joke to someone for talking during the meeting, standing too far from the TD, or throwing a disc and then someone will seriously give a courtesy warning to someone for jokingly giving a courtesy warning.

Not to say that John isn't 100% correct that players as a whole could improve in the being quiet during the meeting category. It's a bit of a chicken/egg thing.

It definitely gives you more time to warm up. I think players of any skill level could use that, not just players who think they are good, or are good.


You know, I hear showing up 5 minutes earlier can give you the same advantage Daemon ;)

(I kid because I love, group hug!)

You should do a sheet of o.b., etc., but also leave one critical piece of information off it. Announce that very loudly at the player meeting. That'll get the prima donnas who can't be bothered to attend and listen. :D

You should do a sheet of o.b., etc., but also leave one critical piece of information off it. Announce that very loudly at the player meeting. That'll get the prima donnas who can't be bothered to attend and listen. :D

That works for me, good Idea Mr Bruce