10th Annual Jesse Buryj Memorial Open

I appreciate the time and effort all tournament directors invest into organizing and volunteering fo ... show more ›

I appreciate the time and effort all tournament directors invest into organizing and volunteering for these events. I want to be clear my points are about the process and fairness—not a direct criticism of you Alcorn. That said, I respectfully disagree with the use of capped divisions, specifically C-tier events and one that is specifically to honor a fallen hero from our area. Registration should be based on a clear first-come, first-served system across the board, as denoted in the PDGA 1.02 tournament registration rules - https://www.pdga.com/rules/competition-manual/102. That approach is transparent, objective, and treats all competitors equally at the point of registration. Once caps are applied by division, the process becomes subjective and inevitably leaves some players feeling disadvantaged, even when open spots technically still exist. You are not obligated to cap a C-tier. While the PDGA does mandate temporary holds for certain events (e.g. Majors, Elite, A-tier) and those requirements should absolutely be followed—that does not necessitate long-term division caps beyond those rules for C-tiers. After the required holding period, registration should naturally flow to those who registered earliest, regardless of division, rather than redistributing spots based on perceived balance. It's obvious you are biased toward age-restricted and lower rated divisions. In regard to division sizes, fairness should not be measured by equal headcounts across divisions, but by equal opportunity to register. Participation levels fluctuate year to year, and historically popular divisions will often fill faster. After all, you are endorsing the sport to grow, right? That trend should not be penalized simply to enforce an artificial balance. If MA2 or MA3 fills more quickly, that reflects demand and why would you oppose the opportunity for lower-rated divisions the chance to improve? I fully understand that adjustments are often made after the initial registration period, and I recognize that those efforts typically result in getting more players into the event. However, clearer reliance on a first-come, first-served system from the beginning would reduce confusion, frustration, and in my case - lack of interest to play in your tournaments. Again, this feedback is offered constructively and with appreciation for the volunteers and organizers involved. My intent is simply to speak for others, who have shared similar opposing views to your tournament capping. I find it hard to believe a pillar in our area for disc golf (Kilgore,) has to literally beg for his age division to be added, considering how important the memorial tournament you offer is personally for him. Perhaps you don't get around outside Massillon much anymore, there is a HIGH demand for MA60, and it's great to see the older guys out there still playing and having interest to compete. Keep playing, no matter your age, division, or rating - keep the game flourishing.