APA Masters question
- Thread starter gunzby
- Start date
Eh it's no big deal. I could play in regular league, but I was wanting to not spend all day Sunday at the pool hall. This is why I went with Masters along with the better competition. There is no way I am going to let a business dictate how I am going to give them money.
I wonder if the 6 required matches is a National rule or one your LO just randomly made up? I am playing/captaining on a 9-ball team next session with the idea that I would get my 4 matches in (required to play in playoffs should our team get there) and still be qualified to play in my Masters League. Like you gunzyby, I don't really want to play in 6 matches. I'm not fond of APA handicapped pool.
Maniac
It's a LO rule. Some areas require 4, some 6 and some you don't have to play in a regular team.
The only thing that really aggravates me about it is that the first I heard of it was the first week I played masters. I liken this to going to a restaurant and ordering a steak only to be told that you have to order an appetizer to eat dinner here.
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Wouldn't you be "grandfathered" since the Masters session started before the end of the year before the rule was in effect? In other words, wouldn't this only be applicable for Masters teams that begin sessions after January?
I would be pissed, too, if they applied this rule retroactively.
I guess my area is good. I play Masters in two different counties and do not play in any of the 23 rule divisions.
If they made that requirement, I would have a very difficult decision to make. I absolutely love Masters but have really grown tired of the handicapped teams. Just for clarity, this has nothing to do with sandbagging, I am tired of having to find/recruit new low level players to fill a team.
Recruiting Masters level players is so much easier.
Pretty funny how companies seem to do that. I guess they assume that more people will acquiesce to their will than will stop playing all together, resulting in a greater net of money for them. I'm sure if enough people quit all together and they lost money, they would drop the idea and go back to not intwining the two.
Best of luck. Hopefully enough people feel as you do to be able to enact a change. Money is about the only thing left in this world that talks, as sad as that is. Maybe I am becoming too bitter, but it seems like everyday some company's service pisses me off. I need some anxiety meds or something...I feel like going off the deep end some days.
Apparently they originally made the rule to start in September and no one knew about it then either. A bunch complained so the LO waived the rule to start in January. The only problem with that is no one really knew about it this time either.
I guess I'll call them tomorrow to see if someone can replace me. The one month I was able to play I really liked.
Yeah, that is really too bad. I really love the Master format above any other league that I have played. However, if they tried to force me back to the handcapped divisions I would probably go to BCA even though I don't like the format as well.
Good luck...
They've extended the session here and upped the minimum play requirement to 6 as well. We've got a new league operator and it looks like the play on a handicapped team to play masters rule is in effect here too.
Too bad. The prior LO only had masters up north. The new LO is starting it up in my area, and I was excited about it. Now not so much. I can't say I won't play(I like the format), but I won't start a team.
Too bad. The prior LO only had masters up north. The new LO is starting it up in my area, and I was excited about it. Now not so much. I can't say I won't play(I like the format), but I won't start a team.
I understand your frustration, they weren't very forthcoming about the new requirements.
Forcing our hands and requiring us to be on a team is purely a business move to increase the bottom line for the APA. They are a business and I understand their reasons.
On the other hand, to be able to match up with some of the best players from our region, whom - unless you travel around the area quite a bit - you would not generally see or even play. All for only $20, seems likes a good deal to me.
If i am not mistaken, I think we are all here because we have an affinity for pool. Hop on a team and play 6 matches. A few extra nights of pool is a good thing my friend!
Steve H.
Forcing our hands and requiring us to be on a team is purely a business move to increase the bottom line for the APA. They are a business and I understand their reasons.
On the other hand, to be able to match up with some of the best players from our region, whom - unless you travel around the area quite a bit - you would not generally see or even play. All for only $20, seems likes a good deal to me.
If i am not mistaken, I think we are all here because we have an affinity for pool. Hop on a team and play 6 matches. A few extra nights of pool is a good thing my friend!
Steve H.
I guess the issue in your area is that they did it backwards by allowing you to play Masters only to begin with.
In our area it was never an option so it's all we know. All of the reasons you listed are many of the same that attracted me to Masters as well. But good luck with your decision. I hope you decide to continue playing.
Black Cat
I am not sure what you are saying is true. I joined the Masters in Frederick MD without being on a regular team. If you play in Terry Justice's league, and it appears that you might since you are associated with Columbia MD, then we did have that option.
Our league allows S/L 5s and above. I have always been curious about an SL 5 getting onto a Masters team and in the regular session he goes back down to an SL4.
I am captain of a masters team that finished 3rd in last years national tourney. We had one guy who only played in the masters division. This session we have 2 guys who are only in the masters division. Unless your local area is making a rule, there is no national rule that you have to play on a regular play team to be allowed on a masters team.
i am only a 4 and played in a master league last session and probably will again next session when it starts back up next week.
i guess every area is different in regards to by laws.
in my ares we have people who play in masters but do not play on any handicapped teams.
also the matches in masters do not affect your handicap since it is a non handicapped league. only the results of your handicap league matches affect your handicap. i asked my lo that question when i joined the master league.
playing in the master league has improved my game. even when i am sitting down watching my opponent run rack after rack i am learning things.
The deep end is good if you're talking about a swimming pool WITH water in it
. It's going off the shallow end that's gonna cause you pain 
!!!Maniac (has gone off the deep end WITHOUT water before
)
True - from my league operator here in northern MD:
I love RUMORS. Let everyone know that players are not required to play on an active APA 8-Ball or 9-Ball team to play in the Masters and advance to the Tri-Cups or to Vegas!
There is a requirement however that APA members be on an active 8-Ball team to play in the National 8-Ball SINGLES Championship … including local 8-Ball Singles qualifiers or Mega Qualifiers and that entrants have a minimum number of scores over the previous two years. The same goes for the National 9-Ball SINGLES program. And before someone starts yelling that it’s not fair that Master’s players can’t play in 8-Ball and 9-Ball National Singles programs … let them know that those programs were set up specifically for the teams playing in the 8-Ball and 9-Ball formats, respectively. Maybe one day if the Masters program grows and the team count nationwide warrants it, the APA will set up a Masters Singles Program. Current, we have the APA U.S. Amateur Championship setup for the better players. I know … no prize money, just bragging rights!
Again no requirement to play on an active 8-Ball or 9-Ball team to play in the Masters!
Perhaps your league operator is trying to rip you off as it sounds like he is looking for a way to bring more moola into his pocket.
I would suggest contacting the National office and bringing your LO into the forefront.
Going back down to a 4
It wouldn't affect his skill level in regular session play because the masters scores do not count on your record. The only thing that is scored is the match totals for the teams. Hope this will set your mind at ease.
It wouldn't affect his skill level in regular session play because the masters scores do not count on your record. The only thing that is scored is the match totals for the teams. Hope this will set your mind at ease.
The info is still confusing me a little. I'm going to give them a call on Monday to find out what is going on. I replied to KT's comment that I need to play 6 by saying that I guess I will play Masters till January. She comes back with she was mistaken and there are no minimum requirements for me to play Masters....she was thinking about minimums to play regular league.
I work 630pm-630am Mon-Thur and sometimes Mon-Fri so my league time is limited to Saturday for Masters once a month and Sunday. I gave up Sundays for a lot of reasons including spending more time with my family.
I can play a lot of the best area players right here in Hickory at Randolph's Sunday tournament. Heck I can walk in at noon pay $5 to play till 530 and then pay $10 to get into the tournament.
I won't bother going that far into it. It's a new local rule and I'm not going to raise hell with the National Office over my personal opinions concerning business/customer relations.