What Is a PDGA Rating?
A PDGA (Professional Disc Golf Association) player rating is a numerical score that represents your skill level relative to other disc golf players. Ratings typically range from around 700 (beginner) to 1050+ (elite professional). The system is designed so that a player with a higher rating is expected to shoot lower scores than a player with a lower rating on the same course in the same conditions.
How Ratings Are Calculated
Your rating is based on your scores in PDGA-sanctioned events. After each tournament round, the PDGA assigns a rating to every score based on the course's Scratch Scoring Average (SSA) — a benchmark score that represents 1000-rated play. If you shoot the SSA, your round is rated 1000. Every throw below the SSA adds roughly 7 to 10 rating points, and every throw above subtracts the same.
Your overall player rating is a weighted average of your most recent rated rounds, with more recent events weighted more heavily. It updates after each sanctioned event you play. Typically, your rating stabilizes after 8 to 10 rated rounds and then moves gradually as your skills change.
What Ratings Mean
Rating Ranges by Skill Level
Below 800: Beginner/Recreational — learning fundamentals, inconsistent scores
800-849: Novice — developing consistency, can complete rounds without major blowup holes
850-899: Intermediate — solid all-around game, competes well in amateur events
900-949: Advanced — strong player with tournament experience, consistent scoring
950-999: Open/Elite Amateur — top amateur player, could compete on lower-tier professional cards
1000+: Professional level — among the best players in the world
Improving Your Rating
Focus on eliminating big numbers rather than chasing birdies. A round with 15 pars and 3 bogeys rates higher than a round with 8 birdies, 5 pars, and 5 double bogeys. Consistency is the rating engine. Specifically: improve your putting inside 25 feet (eliminates bogeys), play conservative off the tee on risky holes (eliminates doubles), and develop a reliable scramble game for when drives miss the fairway.