Should we lower the buy in for doubles?

[sillybizz]

I'm thinking of lowering it to $5 ($3 to play, $1 for the ace pot and $1 for the course fund)

I know what you're thinking, if we lower the ace pot buy in the pot won't climb as much, but if the night golf disc golf doubles takes off then we will be playing two events per week and taking in $1 per event which makes up for that. Please vote, you opinions matter to me.

Please click here for more details: http://www.nwdiscgolfnews.com/forum/showthread.php?p=44142#post44142

[cefire]

Yes! I love the idea of lowering it, back in VA we usually played for $2-4. Winning was mostly for pride, not cash.

I'm sure others have an opinion on this though so lets hear it!

[sillybizz]

I feel the same way. I don't want to take too much from my playing buddies anyway.

[Tim]

I support that as well. The main reason I had the $5 to payout was to make things simpler for divvying up the cash. I also support the $1 ace pot. That's the way it started originally, but then we bumped it up to $2 to replenish it more quickly...it was supposed to be a temporary fix, but nobody complained (least of all, Aaron), so we never bothered to bump it down again.

[sillybizz]

Originally Posted by Tim

I support that as well. The main reason I had the $5 to payout was to make things simpler for divvying up the cash. I also support the $1 ace pot. That's the way it started originally, but then we bumped it up to $2 to replenish it more quickly...it was supposed to be a temporary fix, but nobody complained (least of all, Aaron), so we never bothered to bump it down again.

I think Aaron wants it at $10.

Glad to hear it Tim.

[killa]

I voted to lower the buy-in, but keep the ace pot at $2... here's my reason, for what it's worth:

An ace is the penultimate experience of our sport, much more rare and special than a home run or a half-court buzzer beater. Doubles is a great format to promote ace runs, with its "I'll park it so you can run it" dynamic, giving each partner several no-pressure/no-consequence ace attempts each round. To me, this is what doubles is all about. A big ace pot enhances this aspect by moving some of the focus away from shooting the best round, and encouraging players to gun for that elusive ace whenever possible. Also, HUGE ace pots draw bigger crowds, which adds to the excitement.

So I support a $2 ace pot, whether that means $6 buy-ins or a 2-1-2 divy. But hey, I'm just one guy... let's hear more from the peanut gallery!

By the way Tom, I like the way you're putting a fresh spin on things; night golf, hat trick, asking for feedback on payout, etc. Good stuff.

[bryan_luoma]

I love playing poker and disc-golf with friends. I personally find that playing for slightly higher stakes is more enjoyable and exciting. In addition to the fun-factor, I find value playing for higher stakes because of that extra "edge" of pressure that resembles tournament play.

[sillybizz]

Originally Posted by killa

I voted to lower the buy-in, but keep the ace pot at $2... here's my reason, for what it's worth:

An ace is the penultimate experience of our sport, much more rare and special than a home run or a half-court buzzer beater. Doubles is a great format to promote ace runs, with its "I'll park it so you can run it" dynamic, giving each partner several no-pressure/no-consequence ace attempts each round. To me, this is what doubles is all about. A big ace pot enhances this aspect by moving some of the focus away from shooting the best round, and encouraging players to gun for that elusive ace whenever possible. Also, HUGE ace pots draw bigger crowds, which adds to the excitement.

So I support a $2 ace pot, whether that means $6 buy-ins or a 2-1-2 divy. But hey, I'm just one guy... let's hear more from the peanut gallery!

By the way Tom, I like the way you're putting a fresh spin on things; night golf, hat trick, asking for feedback on payout, etc. Good stuff.

Glad to hear the feedback Kyle, I can understand where you are coming from on that, when the pot was up to $900+ dollars this summer we didn't even have enough open spots on the course for everyone and normal payouts were huge as well. I've been wanting to put a fresh spin on things for a while and had a bunch of ideas from myself and others and now that it's getting cold and rainy and playing random doubles every week is mundane, it's time to bring some other stuff in and have some fun experimenting with some other formats.

[cefire]

I also don't think the $2 acepot is such a bad idea because it does get people out and playing but I have to disagree about the importance of the ace. There are a lot of disc golf experiences that I find way more rewarding than a pretty good shot that went slightly bad (oops, can of worms opened).

[sillybizz]

Originally Posted by cefire

I also don't think the $2 acepot is such a bad idea because it does get people out and playing but I have to disagree about the importance of the ace. There are a lot of disc golf experiences that I find way more rewarding than a pretty good shot that went slightly bad (oops, can of worms opened).

I can see that point of view, but I agree with you Andrew, I would go out and play doubles if it were free with no ace pot, I play to have fun and socialize.

[killa]

Originally Posted by cefire

There are a lot of disc golf experiences that I find way more rewarding than a pretty good shot that went slightly bad.

I absolutely agree, and that's what many (most?) tournament aces are.

However, doubles is a different dynamic. Let's say your partner parks hole 7 at Terrace Creek, giving you a free ace run, and let's say you execute the exact shot you want and actually hit the ace. That's not a shot going slightly bad. That's a euphoric experience made possible by best shot doubles. (For anyone unfamiliar, hole 7's basket is perched on a treacherous hillside that sends many seemingly good shots down the hill and OB... i.e., not a hole any sane person would try to ace if her primary concern is her score at the end of the round.)

I love me some canned worms with a nice bottle of Chianti.

[sillybizz]

I'm probably going to keep the $2 ace pot buy in at least until we can get a decent amount into the pot again and then I will revisit it. We are at $250-$280 in the pot right now, I forgot exactly how much but we will cap that at $300 and save it as the primary pot and then begin to grow the back up pot for a while. With an extra event like Night Golf Doubles we will get the ace pot growing even faster!

[cefire]

Originally Posted by killa

I absolutely agree, and that's what many (most?) tournament aces are.

However, doubles is a different dynamic. Let's say your partner parks hole 7 at Terrace Creek, giving you a free ace run, and let's say you execute the exact shot you want and actually hit the ace. That's not a shot going slightly bad. That's a euphoric experience made possible by best shot doubles. (For anyone unfamiliar, hole 7's basket is perched on a treacherous hillside that sends many seemingly good shots down the hill and OB... i.e., not a hole any sane person would try to ace if her primary concern is her score at the end of the round.)

I love me some canned worms with a nice bottle of Chianti.

Fully agree with this, there are indeed times when people are throwing for an ace and thats when I would say it was a perfect shot!

[Joshua Olmsted]

I think aces are silly and worthless.......... though this may be in part because I have 0 aces in 6 years of play. But in all seriousness I find players at shorter course who simply throw for aces even at the expense of consistent birdies, I'm just desperately hoping that my first ace is a horizantle skip ace that would have been right there anyway.

[sillybizz]

Yeah I don't have any in six years as well, unless you count Snohomish which I don't. Interesting outcome on this poll, looks like we are all over the place on this.

[Cajun]

Is there 10am doubles at Terrace tomorrow? Where do ya'll meet?

[sillybizz]

Originally Posted by Cajun

Is there 10am doubles at Terrace tomorrow? Where do ya'll meet?

Sorry buddy, I didn't check here last night. Hey if the Lake Stevens gang wants to come down next week we start at 10am (I'm there at 9:30 to take money) and we meet by under the gazeebo by the playground, hope to see you, Ed, Steve and others out there next week!

Thomas

[sillybizz]

Based on your input here and in person at doubles, next week the buy in goes to $5. I did not announce this at doubles this week, sorry about that.