How PDGA Ratings Work

Mcbeth's PDGA rating

If you’re new to the world of disc golf, you might have heard seasoned players toss around terms like “PDGA rating” with the same importance as if they were discussing the stock market or the performance of their favorite sports team. You might have hear players bragging about their improvements, or lamenting a drop in their rating. But what exactly is a PDGA rating, and why does it matter? Let’s dive in—and not even mention math and calculations … well, sort of.

What Is a PDGA Rating?

The PDGA rating is a number that represents your general skill level as a disc golfer. It’s like a report card, but instead of judging you on algebra and biology, it reflects your performance on the course. Specifically, it represents your efforts during PDGA sanctioned tournaments. This rating allows players of all skill levels to be compared fairly, whether you’re a weekend warrior or a touring pro. No matter what skill level and rating you are, you can still compare yourself to any other player with a rating.

How Is Your PDGA Rating Calculated?

The process isn’t magic, but it does involve some math. image of a head with gears, making calculationsAlthough the exact algorithm isn’t made public, we know approximately how they are determined. Ratings are based on the scores you’ve earned in PDGA-sanctioned events. Here’s how it works:

  1. Establishing a Baseline: In every event, some players’ performances are used as a benchmark. These players, called propagators, already have established PDGA ratings. There needs to be several propagators playing in order to calculate round ratings.
  2. Round Ratings: The PDGA determines the difficulty of the course that day by analyzing how propagators scored. Then, they calculate how many points your score is worth relative to the course’s difficulty. The course difficulty can be affected by things like wind and rain, so the difficulty level can change.
  3. Averaging It Out: Your overall rating is the average of your round ratings from the past year—with some exceptions. For instance, if you have a particularly bad round (for example: you have a nightmare hole where you hit every tree, find every OB, and three-putt to finish), it might get excluded if it’s unusually low compared to your other scores. The algorithm recognizes that outlier scores aren’t a reflection of your actual skill level.

group of disc golfers

Why Does Your Rating Matter?

Along with bragging rights and a clear representation of our skill improvement, our PDGA rating determines your division eligibility in tournaments. Want to play in Advanced or move up to Open? Your rating will guide where you will be playing against similarly-skilled players. upward trending graphThere are limits set by the PDGA that restricts people a high enough rating from playing in certain divisions. As mentioned, it’s also a handy way to track your progress over time. And let’s be honest, there’s something satisfying about seeing that number trend upward.

What If Your Rating Is Low?

First of all, no worries. Everyone starts somewhere. Some of the best players in the world once had ratings that might make them blush today. If your rating feels more “bumbling beginner” than “proud pro,” think of it as room for growth. Besides, a low rating just means you’re leaving plenty of room to surprise your competition!

As one wise disc golfer once said, “The only rating that matters is how much fun you’re having.” (Okay, maybe nobody said that, but they should have.) Keep that in mind if you find yourself worrying too much about your rating. Most of us are in this sport for the fun of it. So, have fun when you play! You might just find that the more relaxed you are, the more your rating will climb.

 

Ted is the Chief Writer at Infinite Discs. He is responsible for the State of Disc Golf Survey articles and most of the "best discs" posts. Ted runs all kinds of local disc golf leagues and tournaments and tournaments in Northern Utah.

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