The all-new SPPR (or Speed of Play Player Rating). What it is: After tournaments players log on to the PDGA.com and submit an SPPR number for each player on their card. High SPPRs indicate fast-playing players (for example, Mitch S. who looks up from his lie at the same time he releases his putt) and low SPPRs indicate players who need more time to focus on their line (as in Bennett's 40 pump-fake ritual before he cans every 80 footer). How many shots a player takes during a tournament also comes into the equation (so lower-scoring Pros will have their SPPR influenced toward the higher end and amateur women who may throw 100 shots on a course will have theirs influenced lower).

The Benefits: Speed of Play during rounds is vastly improved by arranging players during the first round according to their SPPRs. Each card has a lovely balance of players with low and high SPPRs and backups are a thing of the past.

The second and subsequent rounds are of course arranged by score within each division. However, SPPRs will be used to determine fivesomes vs. foursomes vs. threesomes within the division. For example, if FPO has 16 players (yeah right, only at BG or Worlds) then the TD would take the score-based ranking and determine that the top card has 1 player with a low SPPR, and 3 players with average SPPRs. This would be good foursome. Let's say the next 5 women all have high SPPRs: there is your fivesome. Then the next 4 girls are a mix between low and high for a foursome and the bottom three women have low SPPRs so you make them only a threesome.

Backups eliminated, people praise the TD and SPPR system and all is well in the world of Disc Golf.

Nice!

This is cool: "Bennett's 40 pump-fake ritual before he cans every 80 footer"
This is not: "Clements using his full alloted 45 seconds to line up a 25' putt....and missing it. 45 seconds on every single putt outside of 15'"

I like how your formula factors in these missed putts.

I go with a theory I developed playing pool: If I take forever lining up my shot and miss, I look like a doofus. If I step up and sink my shot (happens with the same frequency as when I take my time), I look like a pool shark. It's all about style points!

What do people think? I like it. I would be a 4.

Beautiful AND smart. U da shizz, SD.

If it weren't for my bum knee, I think I'd be boasting a 990+ SPPR.

Beautiful AND smart.



And a disc golfer... can't get better.

Nice!

This is cool: "Bennett's 40 pump-fake ritual before he cans every 80 footer"
This is not: "Clements using his full alloted 45 seconds to line up a 25' putt....and missing it. 45 seconds on every single putt outside of 15'"

I like how your formula factors in these missed putts.

I go with a theory I developed playing pool: If I take forever lining up my shot and miss, I look like a doofus. If I step up and sink my shot (happens with the same frequency as when I take my time), I look like a pool shark. It's all about style points!



If anyone enforced the 30 second rule, 45sec per missed putt would be reduced.

I understand this is probably the hardest rule in disc golf to call, as one would need to stand there with a timing device, and the player can always claim he/she was never fully "free of distractions."

It's just unfortunate there are players out there who take FOREVER to throw.

Random thoughts:

I'm usually a fast player, but I'll intentionally slow down if we are waiting on the group ahead.

I don't think number of throws taken has much to do with speed of play. My junior girls used to be one of the first groups off the course at the end of each round when they were taking two times as many throws as any other group.

If you let that repeat pump fake guy fake you out every ten pumps, like he pumps ten times and then does the big pump that fakes you out, and then you step forward to go to your disc and then step back because it was a fake throw, sometimes you can keep him pumping for five or ten minutes! :D

Sometimes it just takes a while to tell the cerebral cortex to quiet itself and let the cerebellum take over the body for just a moment while you throw. Some of us can just do it quicker than others......

Fear is the mind killer. Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.

Putt with joy in your heart.

I love putting and it doesnt take me very long to do it!!! I hate when people take forever to throw shots or make putts............Sure it looks ok when they make them but you cant look any worse then when you take 45 seconds to a minute to make your shot or putt and then you completely blow it!!!

The long you take to throw a shot the more doubt there is in your mind about it!!! Think about what shot your going to throw before you get to your lie (unless its a really crappy lie) then when you get there set up and throw!!!

Sometimes it just takes a while to tell the cerebral cortex to quiet itself and let the cerebellum take over the body for just a moment while you throw. Some of us can just do it quicker than others......

Beer is the mind killer. Beer is the little death that brings total obliteration. I will face my beer. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the beer has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.

Putt with joy in your heart.


Fixed for the sake of my favorite shirt.

For the record, I've added a solid .5 seconds to my set up before I putt. Instead of just looking up and firing, i set, look up, fire. :DI also don't like playing with really slow players though I'd much rather play with them than the group behind them. I HATE playing with all fast players because we wait on every hole.
SD, thanks for the props :)