Fields are paying deeper these days at national tours, but first place hasn't been over $2000 exept at the Memorial. I would like to know some opinions on the new payout system, and why 1st through 4th havent been geting rewarded.
Majestic will be sweet

What kind of rewards do you feel they deserve?

And more importantly, what contributions are you making to insure they get what they deserve?

For the last few years, bigger tournaments have been requested (and many have complied) to paying out deeper into the Open field..thus flattning the payouts at the top. How big are Open fields in those NT events compared to last year? I believe this year NT events are required to put more of the total added cash to the Open division. Have high gas prices affected turnout enough that the added cash cant offset declining numbers?

Personnally, I like flatter payouts. Having just started playing Open, it benefits me because I can't consistantly compete at the top yet. I seem to remember threads in the past where some touring Pros stated they prefered the deeper payouts as it helps keep their divisions well populated. Of course, you can get the best of both worlds with more sponsorship. I feel like at this point, retaining as many involved disc golfers (not just the best players) is more important that rewarding those best players. Disc golf needs quantity (people) more than quality (higher skill)

Steeper payouts dont bother me either. But, my motivations for playing Open (or DG period) are not incentive based.

From: http://www.pdga.com/msgboard/showflat.ph...amp;#Post683544 (http://www.pdga.com/msgboard/showflat.php?Board=Rules%20&%20Standards&Number=68 3544&Searchpage=0&Main=683279&Search=true&#Post683 544)


Isn't that kind of backwards? Shouldn't A-tiers and NTs pay deeper so that more of the people who are counting on disc golf cash to stay on the road (not many are "making a living", so don't fool yourself) can get some of it, and the smaller events should pay fewer due to less added cash so that 1st still wins something decent?

The way you have it structured you are paying fewer in the big events so that 1st place looks more impressive even though the payout supports fewer people, and you are paying out way deeper at the little events in order to hoodwink the gullible into accepting 47 cents in cash to turn pro and become a donator.



I agree with Rhett. 'A' Tier and NT events should pay out flatter and deeper, imo. There are higher entry fees, bigger fields, more touring players, more added cash from sponsorship, and a higher level of competition. Local golfers who beat everyone but the touring pros and finish in the top 40% or 45% deserve to be paid. The difference between 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc. at these events should not differ than more than a few hundred bucks. I always shake my head in wonder when I see that the Open winner beats 2nd place by a stroke and wins almost twice as much as 2nd place, and almost four times as much as third place who may have been another stroke back. That's just wrong.

I think most of the touring pros would like to see the tour events pay flatter, but not necessarily deeper. Some touring pros will enter into side deals on profit sharing in order to create the flatter payouts they want. What would work for them would be a two-shelf payout curve where the top half or third of the cashing pros would all get close to the same and then there'd be a steep drop off and the bottom half or 2/3rds of the cashing pros would all get close to the same.

I think most discussion about the shape of the pro payout curve is irrelevant. There is no payout curve that works right now because the amount under the curve just isn't enough. If there was enough under the curve, almost any curve would work. I don't think disc golf has any problems that can be solved by the shape of the curve. It's the height of the curve that needs work.