I am beginning my campaign for reelection to the PDGA Board of Directors. I serve at the pleasure of the membership, and I want to present a very clear and detailed statement so members can easily judge whether they would like to vote for me or not. I also want to reach out to people who are not PDGA members.

I want to change the PDGA. I believe that the ‘little people’ in our organization have been left far behind. I’m talking about people who pay too much and about people who serve without meaningful compensation. This includes about 90% of our membership, 97% of our Tournament Directors and all of our State Coordinators.

We (the PDGA) have become like a giant vacuum cleaner that sucks enormous amounts of money (over half a million dollars in tournament fees in 2013) from local clubs and communities, and puts more than $300,000 into a few ‘PDGA-owned’ events that are attended by about 10% of the membership. Thus the balance between ‘top-down’ and ‘bottom-up’ is all out of whack.

The next post in this thread presents a list of items that I hope someday to help implement. This would at least in part correct the imbalances noted above, and also addresses some peripheral issues. I will entertain questions and comments about any of these.

Do not respond here. I have posted this information on several discussion Boards, but will post answers only on one, Disc Golf Course Review. Look for the thread ‘How I Would Change the PDGA’ at the following address http://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=2.

How I Would Change the PDGA

1) The PDGA would provide MEANINGFUL benefits for tournament directors, and for state coordinators.
2) A substantial portion (at least 50%) of the income (sanctioning fees, player fees and nonmember fees) from PDGA events would be left with the local communities and clubs.
3) There would be an Amateur Tour (a tour FOR Amateurs – not one in which Amateurs are manipulated to provide galleries and financial support for Open Pros).
4) There would be a Tour for older Pros.
5) The PDGA would make a serious effort to provide good value for recreational players.
6) Members would be told which delinquent TD are still being allowed to run events (ie, have not been suspended for nonpayment of fees).
7) There would be POY awards for all Pro divisions, and for major Amateur divisions.
8) There would be a mission effort (let’s call it ‘Marco Polo 2’) to the PDGA’s third world, our A, B, and C-Tier events.
9) International competition would include a ‘Culture Clash’ component.
10) We would give away any grass-roots program that has as much potential to generate new members as the new League program.
11) No more ‘Vanity TV’, paid for by the entire membership. The rights to broadcast PDGA events would not be considered worthless. Independent producers would be encouraged.
12) Board members and officers would not be permitted to hide potential conflicts of interest from the members. Board members with conflict of interest issues would not be allowed to lobby the Board on their own behalf. And Board members whose terms expire would have to run for reelection, even if they had been appointed (especially if they had been appointed).
13) Tournament directors would no longer be required to pay exorbitant amounts of added cash to Pros in low-registration tournaments.
14) Hotel group commissions would revert to the PDGA members who stayed in the hotels, and not be pocketed by the PDGA.
15) Changing the Bylaws to allow appointed Board members was a bad idea, and should be undone.

I would like to vote for you bit I would like your position on the following: Disc limit in bags in tournaments. The PGA has a 14 club limit. For speed of play and to show athleticism. Official review at tournaments. All legitimate sports have official review-ask Tiger. Self policing does not work. Elimination of the jump putt. It is really a touch and go midrange shot which was illegal by Folf rules until the PDGA made rules where players found a loop hole to use the shot. As a person who understands marketing I don't like the term disc golf because it suggests Folf is golfs little brother. An alternate to golf is not how it should be marketed. Looking forward to your reply. By the way I've been playing since 1965 and I don't like the irreverence from the younger PDGA members. I don't get it from young Folfers.

Michael,

I'm going to answer this, but not here (see last paragraph of my first post). I'll copy your post and respond to it on the DGCR Forum.

Since you are running for the PDGA board, I find it in poor taste that you are answering questions on another website instead of here on the PDGA website. Even though I disagree with at least half of your above points, that more than anything is why you will not be getting my vote.

Since you are running for the PDGA board, I find it in poor taste that you are answering questions on another website instead of here on the PDGA website. Even though I disagree with at least half of your above points, that more than anything is why you will not be getting my vote.

On the one hand, Peter is simply going where the disc golfers are...and they do congregate en masse at DGcoursereview.com. If you're running for the mayor of Phoenix, you don't go set up a podium to answer questions 30 miles outside of town in the middle of the desert. So from that aspect, it's hard to blame him.

On the other hand, this message board is on life support, and it sure would have been nice for a current PDGA Board of Directors member who is running for re-election to make use of this resource and encourage participation here. I think the term "find it in poor taste" is probably not apt and a little harsh, but if we're not using the PDGA DISCussion Board for important things like discussing our leadership and the future of our organization, then what's the use?

Personally, it sure would mean a lot to me if the other BoD candidates

Kevin McCoy, #9453
Matt Peckham, #21325
Shawn Sinclair, #10819
Michael Solt, # 32429
Dave West, #752
Job Wilson, #41259
would post their own threads here on the PDGA DISCussion Board.

What say you, fellas? :confused:

Jeff,

I think it's ironic that the guy who killed the PDGA website single-handedly has to go to "where all the Disc Golfers are" to run for office - As much as I enjoy DGCR - it is in no way where PDGA things are discussed for the most part as they were here.
And alot of "PDGA STUFF" on DGCR is misrepresented, outright wrong, or made up lies sometimes making it even worse-----at least here when you had PDGA complaints they were from PDGA members, not someone who just picked up a disc and has no clue about the PDGA but like to recite what their buddies say about the PDGA, even though none of them have ever been PDGA members. :(

It's sad to see on a daily basis that in 30 seconds on the PDGA.com discussion board, you can read all the new posts for the day, when it would take 30 MINUTES to read one of the 30-40 active threads in the old days...

Lorelei and I haven't voted for Shive in the several times he has run though I agree with a couple of the things he has proposed over the years and even though I am an active participant on the old guys newsletter he does....

Keith

I think it's ironic that the guy who killed the PDGA website single-handedly has to go to "where all the Disc Golfers are" to run for office

Keith


Please Keith, don't give Mr. Shive all the credit. He had plenty of help.

It is plenty ironic though, that Mr. Shive hinted at the latest scandal over at that place where all the disc golfers are (because that's where he wanted us to go LOL). It was insinuated by this ironic poster that some favors were granted in regards to tournament fee payments, in violation of pDGA policy. If I read it correctly I believe the ironic poster then proceeded to produce a copy of the June 2013 minutes which I believe said the pDGA BoD voted nearly unanimously to continue allowing some TDs to not pay proper pDGA fees.

Oh wait. I forgot the pDGA Constitution was burned to a crisp about 7 years ago. Nevermind.

In case anyone missed it, Peter announced on DGCR (http://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?t=89990&page=40) that although elected, he would not take office when the new terms start September 1. You can read the underlying reasoning behind his decision in the above link.

Wow, I venture over here to see some touney results and find a thread with many of the old regulars. So, I remember voting, but I don't remember hearing who won. It is not on the front page as far as I could tell.

So, who won?

Nevermind, google is my friend. Congrats to the displaced Okie, the conundrum who will not serve, and Mr. Sinclair who will hopefully fill his spot.

Now, get to work :)

In case anyone missed it, Peter announced on DGCR (http://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?t=89990&page=40) that although elected, he would not take office when the new terms start September 1. You can read the underlying reasoning behind his decision in the above link.

LOL ... and he still didn't want to use the PDGA forum ... good riddance!