An Open Letter to the PDGA Board
New Ways To Roc(k) The Vote

by Joe THE / DiscLife.com
March 13, 2001

Dear PDGA Board Members,

Hello. My name is Joe THE Mason. Maybe you've heard of me. I'm writing to you today to tell you how disappointed I am at the dismally low number of ballots that were returned in the most recent election. It seems to me that there just should have been more golfers concerned about the organization that they are a part of. When I heard that only 704 of the nearly 6,000 ballots mailed were returned, I practically five-putted! Understandably, as you explained on the website (pdga.com), January 1st falling on a Monday (so no mail service), and less than favorable weather in your region around that time may have contributed to the lower-than-expected turnout. However, everyone had plenty of time to mail in their renewals and ballots, so the wait-until-the-last-minute defense if shaky, at best.

I'd like to offer to you a way that I believe will get the active members to return their renewals and ballots in a timely manner so that they'll be included in the voting. During this spring or summer, post on your website, and send a letter to all active members, that if the return ballot rate does NOT top 50% for this years elections, you, the PDGA Board, will impose new rules that will take effect January 1, 2002. These new rules will be in effect for one year, and the membership will then have the option to vote them out in the following years elections. So, you're asking, "What rules is he talking about?" Well, I've taken the time to outline some below. Of course, there will still need to be details worked out in reference to these, but I think you will get the point.

So, without further ado, here are Joe THE's Rule Change Suggestions:

1. Alternate Shot, Alternate Hand. This would affect all PDGA events, all divisions. If you drive with your right hand, you would then make your second shot with your left hand, then your next shot with your right, and so on until you complete the hole. This would carry to the next hole, so you would tee off with the hand that follows the preceding shot.
2. Putting Options. Once your disc lands within 10 meters of the basket, you can only choose one of these two options to putt:
   1. Putt must be made while golfer is sitting on the ground, both butt-cheeks down on the ground…we can call this act "butting". If you go over the mini-mark, the other golfers in the group can call a 'cheek fault'.
   2. OR, the putt can be attempted standing up, but the golfer must wear an eye-patch over one eye. Not so tough inside of 2 or 3 meters, but from 10 meters out…depth perception? I think not.
3. Rollers. When rolling, the thrower must sing the entire chorus to "Rawhide", complete with whip crack noise. This must be done for every roller, even the accidental ones.
4. Aces. Aces will only count if the thrower is able to place a second drive from the same tee to within one meter from the basket. If unable to do so, the player disregards their first shot (the ace), but completes the hole from where their second shot landed.
5. Discs. Each golfer will only be allowed to carry 5 discs in a round. Players can switch their discs between rounds, or replace broken ones or ones lost during the round. Discs can only be replaced or switched between rounds.
6. Player Challenges. Each golfer will get one opportunity per round to make one of the other golfers in their group replay a shot. The shot to be re-thrown is decided by the golfer who wants to use their one "throw another shot" call. So, if there are 4 people in the group, each player can make one other player re-throw a shot. And yes, a golfer can have more than one person make them do this.
7. OB. This one is for all of the participants in the pdga.com chat room who want the 2 meter rule changed. I say change it….to 1 meter is O.B.

I'll stop here, even though my list goes on (I thought of adding the carrying of shotguns so golfers could "skeet shoot" one drive per round, but the thought of golfers carrying guns around…well, let's not go there.)

Again, this is just a suggestion to try to get the members of our organization to take a more active role in the decisions being made. If they don't want to vote, then let them have one year of golfing with the above mentioned rules in place. My guess is that the elections following this would be overwhelming. If you're thinking that the membership would get all bent out of shape with these rules in place, you can easily cite the example of the recent U.S. presidential election and just tell them that you've acted like the Supreme Court, and just did the voting for us. Some might consider this to be a bush-league tactic, though.

But, I digress. Please give this some consideration. I think this would greatly increase the membership voting, which in the long run, will put the PDGA in a better and stronger, more united position. For now, I must close this letter….I have to go practice my 'butting'.

Roc(k) On,

Joe THE

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