Playing above your rating (from Eugene Celebration thread)

[snap7times]

Originally Posted by Sausage Fingers

Save your money and hire Nate Sexton for a private lesson, it will do you more good and THEN you can kick everybody's arse in MA2 which will raise your rating so you will qualify for MA1 in the near future.

But if you play 2 divisions above your rating and then choke hard you'll be in the same spot for the NEXT tournament. Except that the sharks in MA1 will be enjoying your entry fee!

Hey! Here's a good idea: play the division that you are rated for and then just hand the winner of MA1 the cash difference in entry fee at the awards ceremony! I'm sure that he'd love that...

ALready have an appoitment with Mr. Sexton on Friday before the celebration, and I'm still baggin' MA2, I want a win, oh please let me win...

[Sam]

Originally Posted by Flash

Sam, if the case is getting better by seeing better wouldn't making the jump to Pro give these guys the best bang for their buck?

No... I think that there has to be some natural progression and Intermediate or Rec to Pro seems a little over-eager to me.

[Sam]

Originally Posted by Sausage Fingers

Sorry I must have missed the memo about this being the Eugene Celebration PRACTICE tournament...

I don't think you should practice what you see that moment. That sounds like a good way to ensure that your second and third rounds are with players near the bottom of the field.

Save the practice for practice time. In tournaments, play the game you know.

[Sam]

Originally Posted by Sausage Fingers

So was I! But unless we go back to the Stone Age of disc golf and just have 2 divisions: Pro & Am; some people will just keep passing on the pablum of "play up so you'll get better".

One man's pablum is another man's truth. Maybe playing with better players hasn't benefitted you but I know many, many people who have benefitted from this.

[all2common]

I too used to believe in "playing your rating". That was until my rating kept getting lower and lower while playing MA2. At that rate, I felt like I was going to be MA2 for life! Then I moved to MA1 where all the people have better ratings. Once I got over that realization that I'm just as good as those guys, and worked on my consistency, that I'd be competitive in that division. So far, although not in the top 3 ever, I feel that I've been competitive. And my rating has gone up and will do so in the near future.

[Sam]

TESTIFY! TESTIFY!

[SMOKIN JOE]

if the rules allow you to play what ever division you can. Why would it matter to anyone else what someone wants to do. If the P.D.G.A. allows it so should evryone else. Don't like it. Get the P.D.G.A. to change it. Saying someone shouldn't seems a bit rude to me.

[black mamba]

sam, i totally agree with the osmosis belief.

["Over the Hill" Bob]

I'm really confused here! I just went and looked at players list and SAM is still playing Advanced. Sam, if you have any interest in getting better, MOVE UP!

Bob

[snap7times]

Originally Posted by all2common

I too used to believe in "playing your rating". That was until my rating kept getting lower and lower while playing MA2. At that rate, I felt like I was going to be MA2 for life! Then I moved to MA1 where all the people have better ratings. Once I got over that realization that I'm just as good as those guys, and worked on my consistency, that I'd be competitive in that division. So far, although not in the top 3 ever, I feel that I've been competitive. And my rating has gone up and will do so in the near future.

Uhhh, I've played a few rounds with all2common, there seems to be a something he left out on that testimony.... he failed to mention that the reason his rating was going down, was that he just sucked; flat out sucked
Just kidding there... I believe there is a certain concept that is behind playing up. Some of us are playing up one division and claiming that osmosis works, which is true most of the time... however I believe this conversation started from the concept of playing 2-3 divisions up, not one, so hence the testimony given recently only applies to those who play up one division, not two...
The reason I haven't played up in ADV most of this year is the simple fact that I keep playing in tournaments at courses that I have little to zero experience at..
And I kinda hoped to play the short layout twice at Dexter, which I have never been able to play half the holes in their shorter pin placements, which I believe MA2 to play twice, I hope...

[snap7times]

Originally Posted by "Over the Hill" Bob

I'm really confused here! I just went and looked at players list and SAM is still playing Advanced. Sam, if you have any interest in getting better, MOVE UP!

Bob

Sam is relying on "natural progression" to get him to Open someday, so let it "naturally happen"... If you ask me, I think he's peaked... His other half will soon overtake him...

[Flash]

Originally Posted by snap7times

Uhhh, I've played a few rounds with all2common, there seems to be a something he left out on that testimony.... he failed to mention that the reason his rating was going down, was that he just sucked; flat out sucked
Just kidding there... I believe there is a certain concept that is behind playing up. Some of us are playing up one division and claiming that osmosis works, which is true most of the time... however I believe this conversation started from the concept of playing 2-3 divisions up, not one, so hence the testimony given recently only applies to those who play up one division, not two...
The reason I haven't played up in ADV most of this year is the simple fact that I keep playing in tournaments at courses that I have little to zero experience at..
And I kinda hoped to play the short layout twice at Dexter, which I have never been able to play half the holes in their shorter pin placements, which I believe MA2 to play twice, I hope...

Sorry Buddy you will be playing with the Pro's most likely and that means you will play their layout.

[Toby Puttzinski]

As a competitive Advanced player, I moved up to Pro for a few tourneys over the past year and had very poor results... I was putting extra pressure on myself to play well, which contributed to my poor play. I realized that I would eventually become more comfortable through tournament experience, while learning from those with more experience, natural ability, and skill than I-- but it was very discouraging to know that I'd be donating most of the time.

For me, there were several reasons that compelled me to continue playing advanced:
It costs less for me to play Advanced than Open...
I like t-shirts and CFR discs...
I lack consistency, a side-arm, and index fingers(ok, just seeing if you're still with me)
I have a chance to win, not an 'outside chance' to cash...
I can still compete against players that are as good or better... just not exponentially better.
If I wanted to sponsor Nate Sexton, I'd just write him a check...

[Darr]

I have CRUSHED my personal best at every course I have played this year.
I attribute that mostly to:

TEAM DISC GOLF! Playing in the winter teaches you to slow down and manage the course. I also played matches with and against some of the best players in the state!

VAPOR TRAILS! My teammates have been there year round to practice and compete against each other pushing each other to improve our game. One in particular who happens to be one of the best in Oregon!

I still have a lot of work to do, see this past weekend:

43 845
40 863

But I would say that

34 986
Is a little above my 901 rating

I would say you're both right.

[Toby Puttzinski]

or just pay for a 1:1 lesson...

[TYVEK]

I am one of the people that moved up before my rating says i should. i have never regretted it for a second! my rating is 905 and i play in the open division. i am always in the bottom 10 players, usually closer to last place, but it is totally worth it for me!

Throughout my rounds in tournaments i am learning how the "pros" play. i learn the different lines they take and decisions that they make. It also forces me to take my game more seriously during the tournament. I have improved greatly so far, and am still gaining consistency and more skills.

one other thing that i really like about playing with the pros is that they are just better people to play with. they are not so uptight and nervous during the tournament like the lower division players. it is just seems more relaxed and more fun playing with the pro groups. and they are taking the tournament seriously, which is what i am looking for.

on a side note, i look at it like lessons. i pay 80-100 dollars to play, and if i do end up in last place i think to myself "at least i learned some stuff and i got to fatten the payout for the pros. and i learn how to play better.

People should be able to play up if they want to, who cares if a 880 rated player wants to play in the open division, they learn faster and fatten the pro payout. if you want to stay in Ma2 division until your 40, go right ahead but some of us have higher asperations than just playing in a division because your rating is high enough.

[all2common]

Originally Posted by snap7times

Uhhh, I've played a few rounds with all2common, there seems to be a something he left out on that testimony.... he failed to mention that the reason his rating was going down, was that he just sucked; flat out sucked

Now there's an example of osmosis.

[Sam]

Originally Posted by TYVEK

one other thing that i really like about playing with the pros is that they are just better people to play with.

Wow... you haven't played with some of our pros down here, have you?

[Ol' Bob]

I find that playing with people with longer drives than mine hasn't lengthened my drive one bit. Pretty disappointing. At least mine do go as far into the rough as theirs.

[TYVEK]

Originally Posted by Sam

Wow... you haven't played with some of our pros down here, have you?

a few, but not many. the ones that travel up here to washington have all been great players and had good sportsmanship. the most i played with was at BSF and all was good there to.