OK, I’m going to be honest — this week’s poll is a hypothetical one that is supposed to give readers the chance to have fun with their responses in the comments section. You don’t have to take it seriously.
In fact, we’re going to have a little fun with it as well.
Answer the question in the poll as normal and then comment. We’re going to do the normal where we’ll give away something from the prize vault for a random commenter. 
BUT…
We’re also going to give away some plastic via “Staff Choice.” Basically, it comes down to this — if you create the funniest or most entertaining answer and our staff votes you the winner — you’ll have the disc sent to you. I’m not sure what kind of disc I’ll give away, but you’ll get some plastic if you win!
Anyway, before we get into that, let’s look at last week’s poll about whether or not you are PDGA members.
Of 72, voters, 75 percent said they were current PDGA members. That’s 54 votes. Further, three more votes (4 percent) said they were members, but not current. That means 21 percent (15 votes) of those voting are not PDGA members.
It’s an interesting breakdown, but it’s only 72 voters. We’ve had polls where hundreds of people have voted, so this is not a total response. Also, with so many disc golfers out there, who knows the actual amount. But, it’s an interesting small sample to gauge things.
Here is some reader feedback…
Justin Allen makes a tremendous point:
Not a member yet, but I plan on being one soon. I would be one already if PDGA accepted paypal for membership.
In this day and age, most places accept PayPal. When I renewed my membership, this stood out to me as I’d rather use PayPal over giving my credit card number. Hopefully, it’s something the PDGA will eventually consider using.
Trey Pfeiffer says:
I’m a member to support the sport. It’s nice to save the $10 per sanctioned tournament, but I’ve been a member for years and have only played one tournament.
When I initially joined the PDGA, it was for the same reasons. But I don’t nearly play enough sanctioned tournaments to justify the savings part, either. So supporting the sport is a good thing. Nice work, Trey!
Heymo says:
I became a member ’cause I like to have a rating, just to reassure me that I’m still a poor player.
Amen to that!
Kris Blum makes a good point as well:
I just haven’t had the money to renew plus I am not planning on play a lot of tournaments this year. But I might still renew yet.
This is really important because after the initial year, one has to decide if the $50 per year is a smart move, whether economically or for whatever else. I know I have been there — wondering whether I should renew or not because of the money — and I know many friends who are the same way.
Finally, Stan Frischman gives us something to think about:
Even though I’m not currently a tournament player, I’m a long time recreational player, PDGA member, and supporter of this great sport. If we don’t support the sanctioning organization of the sport we love, we can’t expect it to ever go mainstream.
It’s a good thought, Stan. Thanks for bringing that up.
In the future, we’ll be attempting to break down PDGA membership a bit more so people can judge if they feel it’s for them or not.
As always, we like to give something randomly to someone who commented. This week’s winner is Trey Pfeiffer! Get me an address so I can send you something from the prize box!
Now on with this week’s poll question. The hypothetical fun one.
Here’s the situation (remember, this is completely hypothetical as I’m quite sure nobody would act like this during a tournament, especially not any top pros. But this is a way to have a little fun and maybe have a reaction you know you’d never have on the course) …
You are a decent amateur golfer. The pro tour comes to town and, after three of four rounds, you find yourself on the final card with three of the top professionals in the world. It’s your home course, so you figure that’s how you are somehow in the fight for this championship.
Throughout the round, you are getting “hazed,” so to speak. The pros are messing with you a little, after all they are getting booed at times and you are getting massive cheers throughout the course. So the pros are having some fun. But inside, it’s burning you. They aren’t doing anything during your shots, but they are messing with you enough to throw your game off.
Still, you stay in it and are close. Despite some razzing and such, you are, for the most part, able to block it out. Being called “noodle arm” means nothing when you are still able to compete. Little comments aren’t totally distracting you, but you’ve blown a few shots with this stuff simmering in your head. And now, coming to the 18th, you’re a bit peeved and having a hard time focusing, despite having a chance to win this tournament on your home course against some of the finest players in the world. You’re tied with one of them for the lead.
Your drives falls a good 125 feet shy of the leading pro and at least 100 of the others. As you walk toward your disc, you can hear some quiet comments about not being “able to hang” with the big boys when it’s all on the line. You simmer some more.
Your second shot bashes a tree, but you get a little love and your shot falls about 40 feet shy of the pin. Meanwhile the pros do their normal thing and get quite tight to the pin, though the leader still has about an 18-foot putt for birdie. You approach your shot knowing you probably need to make this birdie to force a playoff. Everything these guys have been saying is running through your head and you can see them whispering to each other as you step up to putt.
You can’t focus. The basket looks 1,000 feet away. You’re jittery.
The disc leaves your hand and it floats to the basket… all of a sudden, it looks good. Ching.. flump. It hits the chains, hits the edge of the basket and drops to the ground. You drop your head and you can hear the pros giving you, in non-serious voices, of course, “so sorry…” sort of reaction.
You stand there as the pro you are tied with steps up for his putt. He smirks as he looks at you and keeps total eye contact on you. He putts — without looking — and clangs the chains and in for the win. Then he smirks some more and winks at you as he walks to the basket.
The fire in you is about to run over. The whole round has been like this. And as he walks to the basket, you just can’t take any more…
How do you react? Remember, it’s hypothetical, but let’s leave it as legal as can be!
[poll id=”15″]
Vote away and let us know in the comments how you would react. You can’t win if you don’t comment here. (In other words, comments on Facebook or other places where this poll might be linked won’t count… it has to be here).
A random commenter will be selected for a prize and we’ll give away the disc from our staff choice, so make sure you leave your thoughts!
(Note: The RC staff reserves the right to not award a disc if they feel the comments are not entertaining enough. We don’t fear this will happen, but need to put all this here. So have fun! Make it entertaining! And win a disc!)
If you have any comments, questions, thoughts, ideas or anything else, feel free to e-mail me and the crew at: pj [at] rattlingchains.com. Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook!
rattlingchains.com 
I would take it stride because its my nature and because they “are” pros and I am not. But at some point, I would have a “one-on-one” chat with him to let him know my sons aspire to be GREAT golfers and the example he set could and would stain the sport and its growth. Then I would say, “lets have a 12 pack rematch!” to which after getting revenge, I would share a beer or two with him.
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I would look at him with an even bigger smirk and said, “Lucky for you that I only play in my spare time. Congratulations!” And then walked away.
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Its always important to act calmly in situations like this. Complaining to your friends privately is a better outlet. If you react to players like this you are most likely going to look like the person that is out of line.
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I would act crazy and start undressing. Then I would run circles around the basket with nothing but my Puttet covering my goods. Next I would jump on top of the basket stand tall and shout VICTORY!
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Now that’s discusting! Haven’t seen you out on the course in a long time.
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My reaction would be simple, shake his hand and laugh it off. Then make fun of him behind his back till i calm down and don’t care anymore.
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I’d stay calm, but probably say something mildly sarcastic. I love the “lucky for you I only play in my spare time” statement.
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You have to stay calm. If you act all pissy then not only has the pro won but he has beaten you too. He owns your ass now.
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I would like to thank you for the experience of playing with you. I work at the state welfare office. If you are not winning at some time and need food stamps stop in and see me .
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I would re-enact the scene from Happy Gilmore when he misses the putt then starts to go after Bob Barker…stopping just short of actually hitting him. Once he’s showing signs of freaking out about my tirade, I would walk over and say, “Good game Sir!” and calmly walk away.
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I would still offer him a ride to the bus station so he could make the next tourney.
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Walk over kick him square in the nuts. Everybody already knows who most of the pro players are, nobody knows who I am unless I do that. Then at least in disc golf circles I would be famous. ” hey that’s Andy, isn’t he the one who kicked [insert touring pro] in the stones? It sure is. Doesn’t he suck? He sure is but that sure was funny!” this is all tounge in cheek of course. Having played with a lot of these guys in various tournaments over the past few years most of them would never treat you like that. They are for the most part classy and professional.
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If someone had the balls to treat me, a woman hanging with the men (per the situation), in that manner, I would be aggravated at best. After the dirtbag-esque move on that putt by the champ, I would likely remind the guy that he should remember that we have a “spirit of the game” in disc golf, toss in a few choice words about the denigration of our great sport. And then that little bit about not being overtly rude to anyone in the rules…..yeah, I’d go off and talk to the TD. Because after the first hole of their crap, you can bet I’d have recorded their actions.
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i would in no way stay calm. i started playing DG to try to calm some aggresion that i have during competition. i have to say its worked a little but i still get very worked up when im not playing the way i know i can. i would not yell or scream because i dont want to disrespect the game but they would definitely know how upset they made me. you let people push you around in life and they will always do it. probably not a winning answer but i must be honest.
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After all of the razzing that I had been getting throughout the tournament I would offer my congratulations to the winner and shake his hand then make the comment about my shot loud enough for the bystanders to hear. I would say “that’s typical for me, it’s just like my sex life! Long but never hard enough to stay in…!”
Then I would go have a drink with everyone and look forward to the next time I hit the course. During my next tourney win I would recall the way that I had been treated and try to act a little more sportsman like.
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I’ve had my share of these situations in my life, and I agree with Kevin in that you have to stay cool. These kinds of characters are wanting to twist the knife further, so why show them you care and give them what they want? I’d probably say, “Nice going! I should have used my 9 iron.” Smile at him, the crowd, shake hands, wave, and walk off. I’ve found that those who always show class under heat end up gaining the most respect and recognition in the long run. (e.g. Tom Landry) You have to ask yourself if you’re playing for this guy’s benefit or yours? If “yours”, then the Good Book teaches, “Don’t let anyone rob you of your joy.” (Col 2:18) “And the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.” (Prov 22:7) Of course, John Wayne would have probably cold-cocked the dude, but that brings up another quirk about life, some people seem to get away with certain things that crucify others. Why lower yourself to his standard by playing his other game and losing again? I had to chuckle at Mike’s “food stamp” quip, but in reality, “put-downs” continue to swing the sword rather than rise above the first strike. As for me, I’ll root for the classy player every time.
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I would shake the guys hand and congratulate him and show sportsmanship. The poor sportsmanship came fromt the razzing from the Pros. I myself would feel good about the placement against the pros, not being a Pro player. And also knowing that the disc hit the chains and a matter of fate that it fell out.
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I would shake his hand, pat him on the back and then use the Vulcan neck pinch to incapacitate the winner. Following that, I would paint his fingernails bright pink, something every good disc golfer carries in their bag, amiright? Put his hair in little pig tails and post the video and explanation to youtube and every disc golf website I could think of. Seems fair. 🙂
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I would laugh and shake there hands and then I would say “hey I still almost won”. I am sure I would be mad eventually but I would embrace the moment and laugh at it because I made the lead card.
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No way would I have let the pro get that far. Hassling other players is against the rules: the PDGA rules as well as the Golden Rule. If the TD for some reason allowed this behaviour I’d be forced to give it right back to the pro and get creative until I got up his nose. Since I am a vegetarian it would be easy to start passing gas a lot during the pros throws. A couple of good loud rippers should get the crowd laughing at the pros throws, since they were uneasy, embarrassed witnesses to the poor sportsmanship and bullying by the pro. If the pro still won after all this I would say, in a silly french accent, “Sir, your bullying is a smelly stain on the world of Disc Golf. I fart in your general direction.”
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Dont get mad, just congratulate him and go let the air out of his tires while he’s kissing the trophy.
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I’d be calm, but proud. First of all no competitive person – in anything – takes to the court, the field, the course thinking he’s not gonna win. “You play to win the game,” as the famous football coach once said. Even in this situation I began the day thinking I’m gonna play my game and I’m gonna win. “Just beat the course, A, just beat the course…” is what I’d be saying to myself. Now after the round is over, I am an absolutely top-notch sport — I take wins and losses in stride, don’t overly brag when I win, don’t whine win I lose. And I never let the “razzing” get inside my head.
As far as my actual reaction — I checked “other” because I’d be acting proud, maybe even be gloating a bit. I mean, these top pros needed to rag me for 3-4 hours, talk under their breath, and [secretly] pray and hope for a win. THEY got lucky — they were one bad bounce off the chains on 18 from having to go to a playoff with an am. Since I would have my iPhone on me (I have my rulebook and scorecard on it when I play), I’d flip to my music and, right after the last putt turn up “Gonna Fly Now (Theme from Rocky)” as loud as I could. Because I’d be Rocky Balboa at that point. You see, the home crowd would hear that music, start clapping and chanting to me, the runner-up, “A-Ray”, “A-Ray”, “A-Ray” just like in the movie – ignoring the winner and only paying attention to their home town boy!
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http://soundcloud.com/aoni/fly-now
And then when they invited me back to play next year, I’d have another song ready to play when next year’s round was over.
http://soundcloud.com/dmitry-mashkov/bill-conti-the-final-bell
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Laugh it off. From the lead in to the missed putt said, I was in over my head anyway. I’d be happy to wind up 4th out of 3 top pros. “Wait till next year, I won’t be so easy on you guys!”
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