Last weekend i was distressed when a couple local pros who are friends of mine, said i shouldn't be playing ADV MASTERS while i was walking down the fairway during the last round of the MAAC tourney. kind of upset me and really threw off my game. as Hawk would say, here is the pertinent info:

Rich Myers #19614

40 years old, and always gimpy. moreso now that i have acute plantars fascitis or something!

913 rating(could play INT!) and over 20 included rounds

highest rated round ever - 952 at Hounddog Howler last year. I was totally on. This year we don't speak of that event.

lowest round - 834 this spring at bluemont. don't speak of that event either! :mad:

the 4 rounds i am dropping are all below 880

I contribute alot of money to local disc golf, so i really can't justify spending the extra money to play pro. i really don't care about the prizes, i just like competing. for example i won a bag and some discs at the event this weekend and gave the bag to the first int player who raised his hand that he didn't have one. an di often give away discs and bags i win to new players.


OK, you guys have at it and decide where i should play this weekend.



2-3 wins in INT in 4 year career, 0 wins in ADV except at a local event once or twice.

Oh, and tell me why if you think i shouldn't play ADV MASTERS, or why i should! Thanks :)

Dr. Evil

Play wherever you want. I'm almost in the same boat (except I'm so low rated I have the Rec option still open) where I'll be Masters eligible Jan. 1 and look forward to picking a division based on who I'd like to play with. I've played Int (for the competition), Advanced (to play with friends) and Pro 2 (for the hell of it) and look forward to adding Adv Masters to my decision next year.

your friends are just giving you a hard time about kicking their ARSE!! keep doing it and than donate something to them.. :D

Welcome to the world of me by Rich Myers! :D

It's sad when the teacher becomes the student. :) I don't think you should be playing masters anything. I believe I share a belief with Craig in that I'm not a big fan of age protected divisions. I say this being three months away from masters eligibility! ;) You should play either Advanced or Intermediate. Now if you are stalking an int. title like I currently am then do that. It's your rating. I believe that I read somewhere that the Advanced floor will be dropping to 905 next year meaning you'll have to play Advanced. This could be your last hurrah. On the other hand look at who makes up the typical advanced field around here: Me, Paul (for now ;)) Ras, Ski, etc. You can hang with us easily. If I can steal an int. win somewhere to go with my Wreck King title, I will probably stick to advanced as long as my completed rounds hover around that rating. I would encourage you to do the same. The only thing you gain by playing Adv. Masters is a better shot at prizes. Aren't you currently unloading a ton of unnecessary plastic? You'll find more competition, and a greater sense of accomplishment playing in the Advanced field.

Whoever said that to you about playing pro was probably referencing your 60 in the third round. Like we've talked before...how often can you or I really be a 930 player? You have one good round and your whole career is based on that? I beat you two of the four rounds. Should I be playing Pro? :D


highest rated round ever - 952 at Hounddog Howler last year



Hey my best is only seven points behind that. /msgboard/images/graemlins/smirk.gif


lowest round - 834 this spring at bluemont.



Are you signed up for redemption on the 17th yet? :D

If you are wiping out the competition in ADV masters, it must be because too many of the ADV Masters players in your area are playing Masters instead. Adv Masters is right where you belong unless the field is full of real Adv Masters rated players (which doesn't seem to be the case) then you might opt for INT.

I didn't start tournaments until I was playing Adv Masters, and around here who wins depends on who has the hot round of the tournament. I have beaten and been beaten by almost everyone in the Adv Masters field in Texas over the last couple of years. It really is any given Sunday around here.

Around here pretty much all the Advanced rated masters aged players are playing Advanced and Pro Master. Now that Worlds is almost over [some of us have unresolved issues :o] some of those amateurs might start playing Pro Master. That leaves mostly intermediate and rec rated players in the Am Master division.

This is how to decide whether to play Am Master or Pro Master or Intermediate. Look at who is playing then ask yourself, "Am I going to have more fun winning stuff in a division where I'm competitive or playing disc golf with these guys and donating?" Last weekend Diana decided that donating to the Pro Master Women would be more fun than competing against the Intermediates and losing to some 14 year old girl. Most fun wins every time.

unfortunately, gn is correct, most of the am masters eligible people in this area are int or rec level. the exception is the larger events like WVO and the coming ODS. also when i went to florida for the cross canyon challenge, there were like 30 masters players, and i did well in the first day and fell like a rock on day 2. i feel like i am right where i belong in masters in the larger events. last weekends event i was 50/50 on if i was in the right division, but if you discount my 9 stroke win in round 3(the round of my life at seneca!) i only won by a few strokes. also there were only 4 people and i expected more. i mainly wanted to play with jimmy, who had come up from VA and was staying at my place. normally i play advanced and hold my own locally, but in the larger events i can't compete with the big adv guns, and i really don't have the time or desire to actually practice and get better. i'm happy where i'm at, where i can beat pros one day and lose to rec players the next!

ok, what wanker voted for INT? :mad:

i only put that there in jest! :D

probably md21948726587456827365!

Why would he want you to play int.? That's just one more place he's pushed down in the finish. :)

not me. i think you should play with the ladies.

what is that tag line on your sig paul? the sound of a disc golfer choking? :)

carl spackler from caddyshack...

So I jump ship in Hong Kong and make my way over to Tibet, and I get on as a looper at a course over in the Himalayas. A looper, you know, a caddy, a looper, a jock. So, I tell them I'm a pro jock, and who do you think they give me? The Dalai Lama, himself. Twelfth son of the Lama. The flowing robes, the grace, bald... striking. So, I'm on the first tee with him. I give him the driver. He hauls off and whacks one - big hitter, the Lama - long, into a ten-thousand foot crevasse, right at the base of this glacier. Do you know what the Lama says? Gunga galunga... gunga, gunga-galunga. So we finish the eighteenth and he's gonna stiff me. And I say, "Hey, Lama, hey, how about a little something, you know, for the effort, you know." And he says, "Oh, uh, there won't be any money, but when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive total consciousness." So I got that goin' for me, which is nice.

MidAtlantic AM CHAMPIONSHIPS!!



Speaking of signatures would it be possible to update yours to something a little more timely or amusing? Live in the now please. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Dr Evil, I have played Adv Masters, Masters and Open divisions, OVER 2003 & 2004 This 43 yr old picks the division by turnout & who I want to play with. I won't play Adv Masters again unless it is at World's & only then if I haven't cashed between now & then as a Master or Open player. Do what you want, play with who you want, I play better when I play up and worse when I play to my rating. Depends on your goals so do what you want & have FUN! Most pro's encourage folks to move up but only you should pick when & why. I moved up to improve my game & it appears to be working.....

Personally, I think that Advanced Masters is a redundant division that should not be offered at any event other than the Amateur World Championships. (For the record, I also feel this way about Advanced Grandmasters, Intermediate Masters, Pro Grandmasters, Pro Masters Women, and basically any division that draws a small turnout at most events other than Worlds and whose skill sets overlap with larger existing divisions)

Even 'A' tier events draw few competitors in the Advanced Masters division. You normally end up playing against the same small group of guys week in and out.

Furthermore, the skill level of Advanced Masters golfers directly overlaps with the vast majority of Advanced division golfers. Why do we need multiple divisions with overlapping skill sets? So that Advanced Masters don't have to be subjected to the "unpleasant experience" of playing with golfers 39 years of age or under?

With a 913 rating and a couple on Intermediate wins under your belt, you are at the high end of the Int. range and won't have the opportunity to play with many golfers of your same skill or better. At the same time, you would likely not be competitive with Pro Masters, and it's no fun to always donate.

Clearly the obvious choice is to play in the Advanced division.

Clear to whom ?

What's wrong with playing with the same guys every week ?

We have almost as many OMBs as there are Adv players at some events, and that' sonly because the Adv level players are playing Advanced or Pro Masters.

It's a much different story in the Mid-Atlantic region of the country than it is in Texas. Our last three big events (Eric C. Yetter Champions Cup, Brandywindjammer, West Virginia Open, all PDGA 'A' Tier events) drew 4,0, and 9 Advanced Masters competitors.

Even if there are a healthy number of competitors in Texas to warrant offering the division, I still question why we need multiple overlapping divisions of the same ratings/skill. Is there a different answer to that other than "We like it that way?" or "OMBs like playing with other OMBs?"

they're old! let them play what they want to play. just start giving personalized hemorrhoid donuts as trophys and they'll switch back to advanced.

That is pretty much the only reason, other than if there wasn't a division then many wouldn't bother with tournaments.

They'd just hang at the park playing casual rounds with the same guys every week. Some might come out and staff at events, but not much more than that.

Toward the end of last year when there was an int master division offered, I started regularly seeing players showing up at tournaments I hadn't seen at tournaments for years. They were showing up because they could play without having to play Rec. This year most of them have again stopped tournament play.

It was not a case of taking players away from the Adv or Int divisions to play in a redundant OMB division, it was taking players away from the tournament period if there was no OMB division. Yes it is more about playing with people you know every week and really wishing everyone has a good round and your is just a little better.

It is about having a good time with friends, not what you can win. If I can't have a good relaxed yet competitive time at tournaments, there is always wolf Sundays at the Lake.

BTW if you don't go pro you are less likely to beat the Shark doesn't that mean anything :confused:

+ you are setting yourself up to NEVER go pro ??????

Hawk start the poll, is Dr. Evil scared to go to the next level?

I personally don't think Rich is ready to shoot pro. Even in a geezer protected division. He's a 913 player people. The only reason to go pro for him is to poach some geezer divisions for cash. Unless he wants to try for the money he should stay an am. Remember Rich it's tough to come back.

i would happily turn pro if the entry fees weren't so much higher than AM, or if they offered trophy only pro. i think the next event i will make sure to have pro2.

or just avoid it all and do a ratings based event.

The changes for next year will make it less painful to turn pro since you'll always have the option to occasionally play Am until your rating exceeds 954.

Can I get an Amen!

AMEN!!! now that is a good idea!

play adv master. 913 is not a pro rating by any stretch. if the other MM1s in your area give ya a hard time, too bad for them. tell em to come to texas and play atwood if they wanna beat someone.

if no MM1, play either advanced or MPO. MPO is a very humbling experience, but will make you better. dont play am, it wont get you anywhere. plus, it'll be major embarassing if/when you dont win by a dozen strokes.

or just move to texas. 913 wont win diddly in most larger events. :D

You will have to play Pro with a rating over 954 if so It's back to the $15 dollar juniors division for me. :D:D:D

That referred to a Pro player wanting to play MA1 for prizes insteda of cash. There will be an upper limit for Pros playing in advanced if that is added to the competition plan in 2005.

If you are an Am, you are not required to play Pro.

Ok thanks gary I was pretty sure that's what it meant just making sure. /msgboard/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /msgboard/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /msgboard/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Your poll has the same miserable result as mine. Advanced Masters! :D If you're serious about the Pro Masters thing I say fine, but no backing out come May. You've got to go all year no if's, ands, or buts.


BTW if you don't go pro you are less likely to beat the Shark doesn't that mean anything




This could be the greatest reason to play Pro Masters...taking money from Sherwood. Can you think of anything greater? He often has to Master as there aren't enough players his age still living. On any given day you could beat him, and I could here and there.