I joined the PDGA back in 1989 and remember going to my first tournament after playing for two months. The experienced player that invited me to play in the tournament told me to play "PRO" because 1 out of 54 shots I threw back then went into the target as a deuce. I thought I was hot chit and it was the only sport that I know of where I could proclaim myself as a "professional sports player". How cool is that? To be at the bar and tell people "Hey, I am an professional disc golfer." Ha haa haa haaa. I have only won money in this sport on ocassional Monday or Wednesday night league doubles, but have told people since 1989, until I reclassified as an "AM", that I was a professional disc golfer. Sheesh, what other sport is there that is so cutting edge for so many years.

So, the thread I'd like to start here is: Why did you join the PDGA?



I am Redroc, and I approve this message.

because they forced me to.

I'll speak for my brother . . "because my brother made me do it"

Realistically I joined for the magazine and to have a voting voice in the PDGA.

Later on down the road, as I started playing more tournaments each year, I noticed the savings in the $5.00 for every sanctioned event and have renewed ever since then.

I really debated hard on becoming a life-time member, but there wasn't much incentive on paying it all at once or over time and who wants a satin jacket stating you are a lifetime member :D

Well, I had planned to become a lifetime member this year, but the economy will prevent that for a while.

I joined because I finally decided to start playing tournament golf.

I accidently won the AM division in a tournament at Seneca in 1992 and the TD (Mr. 4010) awarded me my PRO membership to the PDGA.

I let my membership lapse for a few years as the $20 fee was too steep.

I rejoined in 1998 becuase I was a co-TD for the West Virginia Open and you needed to be a member to do that, as well as pass the officials test.

Now I'm waiting to get my DGWN before I pay my 2005 dues...and the way it looks...they'll get thier money by 2006.

Could someone photocopy the current DGWN and fax it to me...I keep hearing about articles and I want to see for myself!

MS #7002

Side note: Am I the only one who hasn't recieved their DGWN?
Thanks Adam for the offer to send me one of yours but I will wait, as a matter of principle.

MS

I joined in 1996 when a membership cost $25. A new membership got you a PDGA disc, mini, (with membership number) membership card, bumper and window stickers, voting privileges, and one year's worth of Disc Golf Worlds News, to which a yearly subscription cost $18 per year anyway. Furthermore, since I was an amateur and entry fees were low, I played in ten or twelve PDGA-sanctioned tournaments per year and avoided the $5 surcharge each tournament. Joining the PDGA was a no-brainer decision, as was renewing each year - an extra $7 or $12 each year over the price of the magazine alone to support the PDGA was totally worth it. I recommended to every one that I met out at the course, especially recreational players, to join the PDGA.

Nowadays it's a different story for me. Without consulting the membership, the renewal fee was raised to a whopping $55 (plus a $2.50 handling fee if you renew online) for professional divisions. You do receive a 2005 membership card, 2005 Rulebook, DGWN subscription, bumper sticker, election ballot, official PDGA communications, player ratings and points. However, the points are basically worthless since anyone can get into Amateur or Professional Worlds off the waiting list. Entry fees for the professional division in most tournaments has grown outrageously in the last few years, so I play in very few PDGA-sanctioned tournaments. I played in all of two PDGA-sanctioned tournaments last year, and with the elimination of Pro 2 and ratings-based events (and with the only option of donating in Open or playing for merchandise and no PDGA points against 900-rated players in Advanced) I'm not likely to play in very many PDGA-sanctioned events this year. I'd certainly be better off from a financial standpoint if I bought a yearly DGWN magazine subscription and paid the $5 fee at the few PDGA-sanctioned events I attend this year, and didn't renew. But I still like having an active PDGA player rating (even though I could calculate them myself) and I still believe strongly in supporting our national organization. I'd also feel "guilty" over using this message board for free. So I'll probably end up doing what I've done the last few years which is renewing in the spring when my membership expires and my online player rating is no longer updated, or before my first PDGA-sanctioned tournament of the year, whichever comes first.

So I'll probably end up doing what I've done the last few years which is renewing in the spring when my membership expires and my online player rating is no longer updated, or before my first PDGA-sanctioned tournament of the year, whichever comes first.




Memberships end at the end of the current year now, not when you signed up...just some FYI

I joined the PDGA in 1987, after playing for about 3 years. I joined because I was beginning to play in some tournaments, They gave me a PDGA membership card, Midnight Flyer mini with my PDGA number 3594 on it, a DGA Powerdrive disc with my name and number on it, and a Rule Book.

Midnight Flyer Mini...Sweet...

Anyone know when the 1st year of memberships began. I wonder if they gave actual Midnight Flyers then. Probably a few years off that, but I wonder what those 1st discs they gave with membership were.

I got a 147 Cyclone :p

I joined because of the multitudes of hot women hangin' around PDGA events! :D

I joined because I wanted to support the governing body of the almost unheard of sport which I fell in love with. I think that it's in the governing body's best interest to grow the sport. Because it is largely composed of "us" as volunteers, it isn't as quickly moving as we'd like, but it's growing.

I have maintained my membership since taking up the sport in both the local and national levels. I can't imagine not supporting it as long as I'm still in love with the sport.

Midnight Flyer Mini...Sweet...

Anyone know when the 1st year of memberships began. I wonder if they gave actual Midnight Flyers then. Probably a few years off that, but I wonder what those 1st discs they gave with membership were.



I've seen the very first members frisbee. They gave out Whamo 40 molds with there name and number on them. They had picture of a guy tossing a frisbee into a Mach I. Ahart just sold several this weekend, including one from Tom Kennedy.

Nowadays it's a different story for me. Without consulting the membership, the renewal fee was raised to a whopping $55 (plus a $2.50 handling fee if you renew online) for professional divisions.



jeff,
send me your membership renewal(subtract $5 from the total)and ballot in a sealed envelope and i'll mail it in with our memberships thru the pdga club affiliate program...

keith

I had been playing and competing in monthlys for about a year when I went to the 2002 USDGC as a spectator. I ran into Scott & Moe Knapp who at the time were planning their first event. They told me about the PDGA & the $5 discount. I joined the following week and played my first sanctioned event the next month.

--- To support the sport.

I joined before I played my first tournament. I used the application form that was included with the discs I bought at Sports Authority.

I joined in 2001 shortly after I started playing, as soon as I found out about the PDGA.

I joined to support the sport. I did not start playing tourneys until this year.

I will remain a member whether I play tourneys or not. I like to support my favorite activity.

They told me that if I joined the PDGA it would instantly drop 2 srokes off my game...


I joined because in the end, our sport has to have a voice. So, I suppport the PDGA as that voice.

I joined the first time in 1990 so I could play in Worlds.

I'm curious Jeff, what kind of voice does the PDGA have? Is it a strong powerful James Earl Jones voice? A squeeky cartoonish voice? or the unintelligible Boomhauer voice? :p

It sounds kinda like Pauly Shore tho the PDGA tries really hard not to admit it.

to save 5 dollars (non-pdga member fee) for santioned events throughout the year.

The Pauly Shore one sounds reasonable.