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Is the R1 Driver making the WGT less competitive? An empirical investigation.

• MBaggese 15,367 Posts

  Thu, Apr 25 2013 2:20 PM

  DAZZA501:

  Personally i think the new nike ball at level 81 has had a bigger impact on scoring

  I hadn't thought of that..heck, I haven't even used one yet...gotta get with the times..lol!

• tjos 231 Posts

  Thu, Apr 25 2013 2:41 PM

  This isn't the first post I've seen where somebody who has only been playing for a short time is whining about not getting the  " Big Club".   Most of us have been playing for years (over 3 myself) and if that gets me to the level to buy the "Big Club"  then yay for me.   I paid for it.   

  Further,   it's not such a big deal.  I've played many times with those who have the R11 and have been out driven because I missed the ding a little and don't get the full benefit of the club.    It is fun to see a long drive on occasion when the wind is behind you but overall the club isn't going to turn anybody into a star.

• Tightrope 1,072 Posts

  Thu, Apr 25 2013 2:59 PM

  Im sure the R1 is better and give some advantages, but I think there might be other reasons why the >= 98 players among the top 5 is increasing. One reason might be that there is more of them now than it was when the R1 was introduced, but I think that the main reason is that less average skilled players are playing RG's. I think if you would break up the stats by month and go back a year, you would see a steady increase of high level players in the top 5 since the medium skilled players who got in there maybe one game out of ten simply do not play RG's any more.
  
  New members come in, play some RG's, realize it is a waste of money and stop.

  There was a time when decent players could  earn enough to pay for balls by playing RG's, but that time is gone, now you have to be great. Most of us ain't. The R1 would not change that.

• MBaggese 15,367 Posts

  Thu, Apr 25 2013 6:16 PM

  Tightrope:

  There was a time when decent players could  earn enough to pay for balls by playing RG's, but that time is gone, now you have to be great.

   

  No you don't, you need to pick and choose your RG's..I keep my head above water, and I'm certainly not near the top players here...sure, when things get tight I slow down...try to do a few surveys to build the bank, but all in all..I live (here at WGT) just trying to stay in the top ten.

• Tightrope 1,072 Posts

  Thu, Apr 25 2013 6:43 PM

  MBaggese:

  No you don't, you need to pick and choose your RG's..I keep my head above water, and I'm certainly not near the top players here...sure, when things get tight I slow down...try to do a few surveys to build the bank, but all in all..I live (here at WGT) just trying to stay in the top ten.

  So you have become TL by being average?
  And now you grab easy credits with your R1 :)
  
  No, I'm talking about the players a step below you in ability.

• Badfinger100 54 Posts

  Thu, Apr 25 2013 7:12 PM

  In a nut shell it is very obvious that the R1 is the most dominate driver in the game,even the big dogs admit that,trying to defend the requirement to get to level 98 to obtain one is ridiculous,same with the R11's 3wood.....Equipment should be obtainable when the skills to use them have been achieved and I would say anyone who has obtained Legend status deserves to be able to purchase the best equipment available bar none.

     Those who say they have paid their dues by playing the game longer are being very selfish in my humble opinion,not everyone discovers this game at the same time or plays 24hrs a day,I believe as I've stated before all equipment should be made available by tier and not level or length of time playing the game,I can just hear a PGA veteran telling a rookie "Hey kid just because you're on the tour now you can't have that R1 driver or those fancy schmancy Nike balls,sorry kid those are reserved for us veterans only ha ha ha".....

   Maybe WGT should start a whole new senior tour so when you have a few years under your belt you can no longer play with or compete against anyone with less than a certain yearly play requirement or close to the same amount of time you have been a member.....just sayin....

• MBaggese 15,367 Posts

  Thu, Apr 25 2013 8:11 PM

  Tightrope:

  So you have become TL by being average?
  And now you grab easy credits with your R1 :)
  
  No, I'm talking about the players a step below you in ability.

   

  Lol!,,,No, as mentioned before, I have only had the R1 for a week,,,I made more credits as a legend, than I have TL...it's reeeeeeally tough up here, hence why I rarely play TL only RG's.

   

  I think we all know RG's play a bit tougher than a ranked round. but I think there would be more competition if players just tried to improve...I think most just come ine (when they start) at 26th place and give up...or look at winning scores and think "I can't shoot a 26 or 27...", instead of thinking "I need a 30 here (like a heavy wind RG 9 holer) to make decent credit, etc...

   

  Hey, wasn't Tiger #1 in the world earning for a long time (maybe even ranked #1 as well) a few years ago without winning?

   

   Sure, winning a RG is a thrill, but being in the top 10-12 (on an average) in a RG, pays the WGT bills;)

• MBaggese 15,367 Posts

  Thu, Apr 25 2013 8:20 PM

  Badfinger100:

  In a nut shell it is very obvious that the R1 is the most dominate driver in the game,even the big dogs admit that,trying to defend the requirement to get to level 98 to obtain one is ridiculous,same with the R11's 3wood.....Equipment should be obtainable when the skills to use them have been achieved and I would say anyone who has obtained Legend status deserves to be able to purchase the best equipment available bar none.

     Those who say they have paid their dues by playing the game longer are being very selfish in my humble opinion,not everyone discovers this game at the same time or plays 24hrs a day,I believe as I've stated before all equipment should be made available by tier and not level or length of time playing the game,I can just hear a PGA veteran telling a rookie "Hey kid just because you're on the tour now you can't have that R1 driver or those fancy schmancy Nike balls,sorry kid those are reserved for us veterans only ha ha ha".....

   Maybe WGT should start a whole new senior tour so when you have a few years under your belt you can no longer play with or compete against anyone with less than a certain yearly play requirement or close to the same amount of time you have been a member.....just sayin....

   

  I can see yuo point...but, being you're a low level (number wise-no disrespect intended) means you may have started WGT when all these nice clubs and balls were available.

   

  Many who have "put in the time" got to TL, Etc, with G10's and WGT balls...and after being legends for a looooong time, Cally balls came out.

   

  Look in the Proshop, you still find a WGT "Legend Only" ball...thid is what many players had as the best available.

   

  They (players I am speaking of who have put in the time), didn't have G20's, Cally's, Nikes, Nike putters.Max balls, Cleveland wedges, and the list goes on.

   

    So yes, I see their point (and yours as well, but side with them), that after putting in the time, there should be something to look forward too.

• bhoese 679 Posts

  Thu, Apr 25 2013 8:43 PM

  Spammage, AllyKennedy and FMagnets are all level 98.  Those three win a ton of top 5s, and the same was true when they were 97s.  If any of those players moved to 98 at any point during the time of the study it would skew the results, and could be enough to account for much of the increase if just one of them leveled up close to the release of the R1.  

  If 2 of the 3 moved to 98 very close to the introduction of the R1 it would probably explain the entire difference.  It wouldn't even matter if they actually bought the R1.

  That said, it's stupid to have anything of value at 98.

   

• Spammage 694 Posts

  Thu, Apr 25 2013 11:20 PM

  I just hit level 98 yesterday...