When I ran the Frying Pan earlier this year I was so preoccupied with running a smooth event that I was unable to play to the top of my game. I'm sure this is a common happening. I was just wondering about some of the other TD's out there that have had the same or better experience while playing and directing. Next year I was thinking of not playing, but I'll be a GM and think I can hang. Any thoughts?

On the Fabulous Florida Tour (http://www.fabflatour.org), TD's aren't allowed to play in their own events as it could create some ugly situations as far as making rules calls in addition to, as you mentioned, all the work that is involved with running a successful event.

It would be hard to run a good event and play in it too. Unless it is a smaller event (like 50 or less players) I can't see a TD being able to play.

Now if you have staff running the show, that is another matter.

However I will say that Jerry Power has helped me at several tournaments now, he won like 3 of them while helping me between rounds.

At this years Carrollton Open, Cory Flippin won Advanced, at lunch and before the morning rounds, he was getting us ice from his work for the water coolers.

I've won a few

Timmy Gill has won some of his own tournys, but he usually has a small staff to help him out.

What Jon, Brett and I do is, half the crew plays Saturday and half plays Sunday. On the day we play, we work less and try not to be responsible for very much. Brett is better at this than I am.

My rating for other TD's tournaments is about 5 points higher than at my own. The difference used to be more like 20 points.

When I TD my own events I make sure to add 2 penalty strokes if I add up my own scores wrong. But I never "add" them up wrong!! If you know what I mean.

He he

I denied cash at my own tournament. Thats an accomplishment for an amateur.

Plus, I had a good amount of quality help running the event and only 66 people participated

I've seen Diamond Dave McQuay win the Big Valley Challenge when he use to run it.

I've cashed at my own event!

I've won 3 of my Ace Race events but graciously give the grand prize to 2nd place. ;)

The only PDGA-sanctioned event I've run, I won (adv, not open).

I don't play in tourneys I run because I want the tourneys to run smoothly. I think the last one I played in that I ran was "The TBD Tourney" at La Mirada a few years ago, and I was worrying more about all the stuff I had to do between rounds than I was about playing my game. That one convinced me.

There's enough stuff to worry about when TDing. Plus if you are playing you aren't available to make any rulings if something comes up.

I know that even at the events I assist at, it effects my game. Mainly on getting to my hole before the round starts and not having any warm-up time.

Larry Labond has got to win at least half of his events.

edit: this year, he won 2/5 of his listed events. cashed at 4/5.

I help quite a bit at most events I play in, to the point of being a co-TD. At times it seems to affect my game adversely and at other times it seems to help. I have won 3 out of 6 of the last events I helped at and placed 2nd or 3rd in the others, with the exception of the last one. So take that as you want.

I will say this, unless I had a VERY competent co-TD, I would never play my own event.

A lot of people do not realise that being a TD or co-Td is a lot of sacrafice. It is really hard to finish your round, and go straight to work. Most would prefer to hang out with friends and partake in post round " activities " Its the td/co-td who has to take the hit for the greater good, and miss out on all those good times.
All you disc golfers out there......
HAVE YOU THANKED YOUR TD TODAY?

Name this TD:

Arrive at park before daybreak to set up 18 temp baskets.

Drink 2 Pepsi's

Run Player's Meeting

Drink another Pepsi

Play first round

Drink 4 Pepsi's

Check score cards

Drink 2 more Pepsi's

Play second round

Drink 4 more Pepsi's

Check score cards

Drink one more Pepsi

Take down 18 temp baskets

Drink one more Pepsi

Go home and get on the message board for three hours

Drink 3 Pepsi's

Sleep 2 hours

Repeat.

My question is how can he sleep even 2 hours after drinking 16 pepsi's in one day ?

<font size="5">IT'S KEITH JOHNSON OF COURSE!!!</font>

You left out: "Miss 80% of your putts from inside the circle but make three 90 foot jump putts" and "go over every single painful throw three times with each staffer". :D

that might have been me 10 years ago. before I reined in the caffine addiction.

My name is BOB and I'm a pepsiholic.
Pepsiholics annonymous

Name this TD:

Arrive at park before daybreak to set up 18 temp baskets.

Drink 2 Pepsi's

Run Player's Meeting

Drink another Pepsi

Play first round

Drink 4 Pepsi's

Check score cards

Drink 2 more Pepsi's

Play second round

Drink 4 more Pepsi's

Check score cards

Drink one more Pepsi

Take down 18 temp baskets

Drink one more Pepsi

Go home and get on the message board for three hours

Drink 3 Pepsi's

Sleep 2 hours

Repeat.



hey i resemble that remark :D

yep 41 hours of total sleep in 18 days :eek:

good times, good times!!

those were the days when i could actually play decent too!!

now i a washed up wanna-be has-been who fills out the leader cards early and last cards by the end of the event :o:(

Name this TD:

Arrive at park before daybreak to set up 18 temp baskets.

Drink 2 Pepsi's

Run Player's Meeting

Drink another Pepsi

Play first round

Drink 4 Pepsi's

Check score cards

Drink 2 more Pepsi's

Play second round

Drink 4 more Pepsi's

Check score cards

Drink one more Pepsi

Take down 18 temp baskets

Drink one more Pepsi

Go home and get on the message board for three hours

Drink 3 Pepsi's

Sleep 2 hours

Repeat.



hey i resemble that remark :D

yep 41 hours of total sleep in 18 days :eek:

good times, good times!!

those were the days when i could actually play decent too!!

now i'm a washed up wanna-be has-been who fills out the leader cards early and last cards by the end of the event :o:(

In 2004 I ran the local tourney and finished tied for 4th, barely cashing. In 2005 I was just a player and I won finishing 16 strokes better than the previous year.

I don't know how he does it but Pin High Ken Kreie is not only a great TD and player, winning his own Eagle Open, but he runs his own tour (Pin High Tour), he runs this areas premier league, finds time to play in a few tournaments that he doesn't run, he is the local disc golf club president, and has a wife and 2 childen under the age of 5 at home. Oopps...almost forgot. He has a job too.

While he gets some help from some of us locals he is pretty much a one man show. He organizational skills are what makes him so successful.

I can't imagine what it takes to run an event let alone run and play in it. Ken does that about 8 to 10 times a year. :eek: