Forums

Tier progression

• MainzMan 9,591 Posts

  Sun, Sep 14 2014 10:49 AM

  I'd just add one thing to Apex's breakdown.  The number of rounds you need to play are for the current tier, not total rounds.

  In other words, to go from pro to tour pro you need to play 20 rounds as a pro, all the rounds played in lower tiers don't count.

  As already mentioned, these numbers have become flexible since promotion for general good play has come along.

• ApexPC 3,164 Posts

  Sun, Sep 14 2014 4:12 PM

  Here is the official story:

  WGTadmin:

  We use an algorithm to determine when a player is eligible to move to a new tier, which takes into account a number of factors including number of ranked games played.  These numbers scale by tier, so it's necessary to shoot a lower average to advance and to play more games to reach higher tiers.  For example, when you reach Tour Master, you will need to play a larger number of ranked rounds than you had as a Master, maintaining a low average, to tier up to Legend.

  
  

  Additionally, in response to WGT player feedback about sandbagging (misrepresenting one's true ability to gain advantage by playing at a lower tier from closer tee boxes), WGT is using more than just ranked stroke play scores to determine each player's average score and appropriate tier ranking.

  
  

  For obvious reasons, WGT is not sharing exact details of these changes, but they include factoring in scores from players who perform well in tournaments and challenge games for credits. We still encourage the community's feedback on Sandbagging, but believe this is an important step to reducing the practice and keeping the game fair.

  
  

  Finally, most of our top players have posted close estimates for players to try to gauge their progress in advancing tiers. Here is a good thread to read:

  http://www.wgt.com/forums/p/9085/707139.aspx#707139

   

   

   

• TheBrick1 11 Posts

  Fri, Mar 13 2015 2:48 PM

  It's about the money.

  When I play, I mostly play practice rounds.  I set the conditions of a tournament I am interested in, invite people if I can, and play.  Practice.  Then I compete in the tournament and place to earn credits.

   

  Is this sandbagging?  It's my first, last, and only account. 

   

  My average stays higher than most others in my tier because the only ranked games I play are tournaments or invites from friends. I never sabotage my score intentionally.  Am I sandbagging?

  I look at the leaderboards, see the scores it takes win, and practice until I feel capable of attaining a similar score, then I enter the tournament. 

  If I played ranked games while practicing, my average would go down faster, I'd tier up faster, hence I would need better equipment more often to continue being competitive in tournaments.  It's the money.

  This strategy works until you start winning.  As so s you start earning credits through winnings in tournaments they arbitrarily bump you up.   Today, I had and average of 69.08.  The lowest it has ever been.  Shot a 34 on the Wk 11 Multiround 1st round.  My avg moved to 68.92.  Then later I received 45 credits for a winning (a week or so ago) + 150 credits for being promoted to master.  I never met any Master requirements that I am aware of.

  I was successfully countering those with multiple accounts and other "sandbaggers" with honest play and diligent practice.

  I really think the answer is to look at the other side of the equation.  There are players out there who are Legends from playing nothing but the easiest courses most of the time.  Maybe we ought inject a little more "realism" and clarity and make whatever milestone that I happened to reach a requirement as well as the 66 average requirement, which I have never come close to getting yet.

   

  Thank you for your consideration.

   

• leekow 2 Posts

  Sun, May 31 2015 9:19 AM

  HI my ? is i added up all minimum rds so should I understand you need at least 655 rds played to reach tour legend .i ask for a spicific reason.thank you,Lee...

• alosso 21,083 Posts

  Sun, May 31 2015 7:35 PM

  True, if you omit the other criteria while you are below Legend:

  - winning matches against higher tiers,

  - winning credits in tourneys and challenge matches.

  It should be possible to reach Legend without a strokeplay game.

• phred952 2,714 Posts

  Sun, May 31 2015 8:48 PM

  TheBrick1:

  It's about the money.

  When I play, I mostly play practice rounds.  I set the conditions of a tournament I am interested in, invite people if I can, and play.  Practice.  Then I compete in the tournament and place to earn credits.

   

  Is this sandbagging?  It's my first, last, and only account. 

   

  My average stays higher than most others in my tier because the only ranked games I play are tournaments or invites from friends. I never sabotage my score intentionally.  Am I sandbagging?

  I look at the leaderboards, see the scores it takes win, and practice until I feel capable of attaining a similar score, then I enter the tournament. 

  If I played ranked games while practicing, my average would go down faster, I'd tier up faster, hence I would need better equipment more often to continue being competitive in tournaments.  It's the money.

  This strategy works until you start winning.  As so s you start earning credits through winnings in tournaments they arbitrarily bump you up.   Today, I had and average of 69.08.  The lowest it has ever been.  Shot a 34 on the Wk 11 Multiround 1st round.  My avg moved to 68.92.  Then later I received 45 credits for a winning (a week or so ago) + 150 credits for being promoted to master.  I never met any Master requirements that I am aware of.

  I was successfully countering those with multiple accounts and other "sandbaggers" with honest play and diligent practice.

  I really think the answer is to look at the other side of the equation.  There are players out there who are Legends from playing nothing but the easiest courses most of the time.  Maybe we ought inject a little more "realism" and clarity and make whatever milestone that I happened to reach a requirement as well as the 66 average requirement, which I have never come close to getting yet.

   

  Thank you for your consideration.

   

  Sorry, if not sandbagging in the usual sense, you are manipulating your play to avoid ranked rounds, which sounds like the same thing to me.  

  You are playing far more rounds as "practice"  to avoid raising your average, by your own admission, than probably most other players.

  So your level of experience is higher just by playing those "practice" rounds, than your average reflects.  Sound fair to you?

  Just wondering, not trying to start anything.  I'm just pointing things out as I see them, based on your statements.  If I'm wrong in my thinking, or understanding of the situation,  then please accept my apology..

  GL as a Master, if that's where you are now.

  phred952 

• Wintendo 9 Posts

  Thu, Jul 16 2015 7:29 AM

  phred952, I'd say that the TheBrick1 is NOT sandbagging.  It is his prerogative to spend more time practicing than playing.  Personally I'd rather play, nothing like really life experience.

  I'm relatively new at this game, so my opinion may not matter much.  But I just went from Pro to Tour Pro and I'm not quite sure how.   

  I'm L50, Avg Score 75.10, 45 ranked rounds.  

  I play free brackets and Alternate shot games.  

• alosso 21,083 Posts

  Thu, Jul 16 2015 10:28 AM

  Wintendo:

  I just went from Pro to Tour Pro and I'm not quite sure how.   

  I'm L50, Avg Score 75.10, 45 ranked rounds. 

  Usually I know it quite well, so I give it a try.

  The facts:

  - only rounds played as a Pro do count except for Par3s and Par5s. You have a number of those because they are part of most Brackets. Nevertheless, you have more or less 20 Pro rounds counting.

  - Level doesn't mean a thing in this context, nor do A/S games, AFAIK.

  - You played 7 or 8 Amateur rounds and were then promoted prematurely.

  - your current average is too high for "regular" promotion, so there must be something different,

  - from the match play statistics, you have won 2 rated matches against a Pro, 1 against a TP and 2 against Legends. The last one was on June, 25.

  I can only guess that this match play win, together with two others as a Pro, dropped your average invisibly, and that it only needed your 20th strokeplay to trigger the promotion.

  Why you didn't need 10 as an Amateur, I can't tell...

• woogster 174 Posts

  Thu, Jul 16 2015 1:55 PM

  wintendo, here is a good breakdown of the tier progression.

   

  http://www.wgt.com/forums/p/9085/707139.aspx#707139

   

  hope this helps.

   

  woogster

• Wintendo 9 Posts

  Thu, Jul 16 2015 5:30 PM

  Thanks Woogster, but this didn't answer anything.  I was prematurely promoted from Amateur to Pro and now Pro to Tour Pro.  I don't understand the requirements.