If you are like us, you may have been playing disc golf for a while, and you certainly enjoy it. And now, you’re looking for a way to take your passion for disc golf to the next level by becoming a professional.
Becoming a pro in the disc golf industry is no easy feat, but it’s not impossible either. You can certainly gain acknowledgment, and make money out of it if you have the skill, the cash, and the endurance (in that order, or preferably all at the same time).
But first, you must build rapport with an established disc golf association to set an official rating for yourself. Currently, the most well-known disc golf association is the Professional Disc Golf Association, also known as PDGA. (Note: there are other disc golf associations based on localities; please do check and register with them as well.)
What’s a PDGA
The Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) was founded in 1976 by Ed Headrick, the creator of modern disc golf, to formalize and promote the sport globally.
Its headquarters, also called the International Disc Golf Center, is located at 3828 Dogwood Lane, Wildwood Park, Appling, Georgia, USA. One of the main duties of PDGA is overseeing, advising, and sanctioning tournaments and events for players of all ages, genders, and skill levels.
In short, PDGA offers an opportunity for you to build a career through the sport.
PDGA Membership
To date, PDGA has more than 130,000 members worldwide. You can join the membership from anywhere globally through their official website.
There are three offers of membership: professional, amateur and junior memberships. In general, the differences between the three are as follows: professional members compete for money, while amateur and junior members compete for trophies and prizes.
If you join the amateur division, you can still compete in the professional division. However, there’s a catch: you automatically become a professional member if you make money from it.
And, if you’re joining as a professional member, you can also compete in the amateur division in certain situations (there are terms & conditions that will be applicable).
You will join the junior division if you are under 18 on the calendar year during registration.
Divisions
After selecting the membership class, you may enter a pro tournament division, which is primarily subdivided based on two criteria at once: by gender and age or by gender and skill level (which is only available for the amateur class).
There are two main categories for gender: Mixed and Women. Mixed means anyone can play regardless of gender, while Women means players who are either female by birth or assigned female gender and have taken hormone replacement therapy or undergone gender-affirming surgery.
Based on gender, you can choose to either be in a Mixed category or a Women’s category. Age-wise, you will be grouped based on your year of birth.
For example, if you are female, 51 years old, and registered as an amateur, you may be eligible for FA50 (Female Amateur 50+) or FA2 (Female Amateur 2—a skill-based division only for amateur class) or a lower age group such as FA40 (Female Amateur 40+).
Another example is Mixed Professional Open (MPO) which means anyone who is registered as a Professional class of any gender and any age may be eligible.
Cost and Benefits
Now, we will talk about the cost of memberships and its benefits.
Cost
Annually, it will cost $20 for the amateur and junior class and $30 for the professional class. All membership expires on December 31st of that year, but if you register after October 1st, your membership is extended to the following year.
Benefits
When you first apply for the membership, you will receive a few things:
- Lifetime member number,
- Access to free Disc Golf Network content (and a 50% discount if you subscribe),
- 10% discount at any PDGA Store,
- PDGA Membership card,
- PDGA sticker,
- The right to play in PDGA Tour events around the world (subject to player qualification),
- An individual member page at www.pdga.com (which shows event results & player ratings).
If you renew your membership, you will receive:
- An annual PDGA bag tag
Of course, this isn’t all. There are other benefits you will gain as a member along the way.
Premium Membership Cost
But wait, there’s more! There are 3 premium club membership options that you can select to receive additional PDGA goodies:
- Birdie Club (+ $50): receive PDGA disc & member bag tag;
- Ace Club (+ $100): receive PDGA shirt, PDGA metal mini, PDGA disc & member bag tag;
- Eagle Club (+ $2,000): unlock a lifetime membership, & receive a PDGA jacket and two PDGA discs.
Tournament and Championship
You can only select the ones available now to participate in pro-tour events, so check often for upcoming PDGA-sanctioned events’ schedules. Travel may also be required, so consider this and plan ahead (in terms of time, effort, & budget).
There are generally four categories of events: B-Tier, A-Tier, Elite Series and Major events.
The rules and requirements for B-Tier and A-Tier are much simpler. Once you are confident enough in your skills, you can join as a professional member right away.
However, if you’re serious about making your mark in the professional disc golf world, the Elite Series and Major events are the ones you should keep an eye on.
Rating System
To be eligible for the Elite Series and Major events there are rating systems put in place to separate the pros wannabe and the real pros.
So, the next logical question is, how do you get rated high enough to be eligible for the Elites & Majors? The answer of course is by joining in B-Tier and A-Tier events and competitions held by the PDGA (and don’t forget to also stomp your competitors in those events). You’ll build up your rating this way.
At Major Events and Elite Series, the minimum rating requirement to be an eligible participant in the Mixed Professional Open (MPO) is 925, and for the Female Professional Open (FPO), it is 825.
Don’t let the numbers discourage you. Almost all of the professional members who are eligible to take part in MPO and FPO started from the bottom.
Gentle Reminder
Before you immediately jump into the professional world, we need to remind you of this one thing. The most important step in establishing your professional career in disc golf is having the skills, physically and mentally. Such skills can be acquired, learned, and practiced.
Again, remember to always practice and refine your skills. Master the techniques, and always find ways to improve your play-by-play. Don’t get discouraged if you fail or do not succeed at first. Keep practicing, keep throwing, and don’t just go through but grow through your adversities.
Ready to Join?
Now, you already know about PDGA, their membership options, and how you can establish yourself as a disc golf professional.
It’s time to bring your desire into action.
You can register for professional membership on the PDGA official website right now and enjoy your new path in disc golf.
If you want to know more about professional disc golf, you can check out other related disc golf content on our site.
