2nd Annual Southern New England Disc Golf Open - Sponsored by Flying Saucers Disc Golf

Jeff and all, as I responded in your Google form above, having an MA3 division with 30 players is no ... show more ›

Jeff and all, as I responded in your Google form above, having an MA3 division with 30 players is not necessarily better than an MA/FA65 card with 3 or 4 players. There is also the social aspect: playing with card mates about your own age can be more comfortable and fun, regardless of their relative abilities. It's about choices. An older player with a certain rating isn't required to sign up for the appropriate age division. They can, and often do, choose a non-age-protected division for just the competitive reasons you mention. I am not sad when I see an MA65 division with only 3 players, I am glad the choice was available. As an experiment, why not offer all age-protected divisions with the stated policy that any division not having a minimum will be moved down to the next lower age division? That way you open yourself up to surprises: an unexpected MA/FA70 card with 5 players that would never have occurred if just one MA/FA60 division was offered to cover the old folks. That could make your event special and memorable for the players involved. Your field is not just a set of people with ratings. A tournament is a competition, of course, but the fun and comfort of the players needs to be part of the mix. As someone who plays in a lot of tournaments and will be eligible for MA70 next year, I would be inclined to skip an event that only offered rating-based divisions.

Thanks Will and Mike — you both make great points about the social side of age-protected divisions ... show more ›

Thanks Will and Mike — you both make great points about the social side of age-protected divisions. I know for a lot of players, the camaraderie is just as important as the competition.

I’ve seen other TDs consolidate divisions that don’t meet a certain minimum, and I think you're right, that could might be a good alternative to just not offering them at all. That way, the choice is still there, but we can keep divisions competitive if numbers are low by consolidating. I want you to know I’m taking this feedback seriously and will factor it in before making any final decisions. I appreciate you guys taking the time to share your thoughts.

Totally fair question. Actually, MA4 has really grown since we started offering it last year—we’ ... show more ›

Totally fair question. Actually, MA4 has really grown since we started offering it last year—we’ve had MA4 fields as big as 14 players, and 12 signed up at our last event. So it’s not just a one-or-two-player division anymore.

The theory behind not offering multiple age-protected divisions is that players in MA40, MA50, MA60, etc., can already play in divisions that match their skill level based on rating—like MA4, MA3, or MA2. That helps consolidate the field and makes for more meaningful competition and fuller divisions across the board. Instead of having just a few players scattered across multiple age divisions, they’re redistributed into the rating-based divisions where they can still be competitive and earn points.

We’re always open to feedback, though—especially if we start seeing a consistent demand for certain divisions!

Glad to hear you had a good time at the 2023 Dragonfly Open — we'd love to have you back for anoth ... show more ›

Glad to hear you had a good time at the 2023 Dragonfly Open — we'd love to have you back for another event! This event will be a B-Tier, but we’re currently only planning to offer MP40 as the sole pro age-protected division. It’s part of an effort to consolidate divisions a bit and encourage larger, more competitive fields.

I shared a bit more detail in my reply to Jaime, but the short version is we’re trying to simplify trophy planning and promote more balanced competition across divisions. That said, I really appreciate you reaching out, and if enough MP50 interest comes in, I’m definitely open to adding it.

Just an update, we are now in the process of upgrading this to a B-Tier event thanks to a generous s ... show more ›

Just an update, we are now in the process of upgrading this to a B-Tier event thanks to a generous sponsorship from Flying Saucers Disc Golf. The PDGA event page will be updated once the change is approved.