There are far more informed guys here when it comes to the PDGA, but I see it as sort of a hybrid of the PGA and the USGA.
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To expand a bit on Dave's post....
The PDGA tries to do what the USGA, PGA of America, and the PGA Tour do.
Here's a thumbnail description of each:
USGA: rules, turf research, historical stuff, and about a dozen championships with the US Open being the main one
PGA of America: certify and train pros--who must display some competency in play—about the business of being course pros, including caring for courses and running pro shops. Also runs tournaments most notably as the PGA Championship and Ryder Cup
PGA Tour: operates the PGA Tour events. Ironically, none of the four majors are run by the PGA Tour.
All of these entities have complex financial structures that include non-profit and for-profit businesses.
My attempts to get the PDGA more actively involved with local issues came up short, which is not the only reason I'm not running for the Board of Directors again. Not sure what Jack's hopes to accomplish (have yet to see his platform), but I know he understands that most PDGA member are amateurs, and that many (if not most) PDGA "pros" are more like weekend warriors who enjoy gambling for each other's money.
There is only a tiny minority of pros who want or are trying to make a living from competing. I was somewhat frustrated on the Board because we spent a disproportionate amount of attention and time on the issues of this minority rather than helping those of us in the field who build and maintain courses, create and run clubs, and run the PDGA events that help fund the organization. This is likely to change at some point as it's likely that eventually (nothing now that I've heard about) another organization will compete with the PDGA for the allegiance of its amateurs. If that should happen, I would guess that the PDGA would focus on the majority of its membership, and that pros, who have considered forming their own organization, would do so. There is precedent in golf of this splintering. The PGA of America split from the USGA in the 1910s and I believe it was in the 60s or 70s that the PGA Tour split from the PGA.
But I digress.
I believe that right now most PDGA members are most interested in playing events and improving their ratings, but will watch the pros at a tournament as long as there is no cost and that their own tournament rounds are over. That being said, I think that most PDGA members and other disc golfers still harbor hopes of seing more mainstream media attention, including televised disc golf. The sport has come a long, long way since I played in my first pro event, the 1983 Kansas City Wide Open. We still have a long way to go, but I'm a firm believer that it's about the journey and not the destination. This is especially true if you don't know exactly what the destination is. So, let's keep having fun.
To answer Sean more fully, it's been suggested ever since the players took control of the PDGA from Ed Headrick in 1984 to change the name to, most often, the Players Disc Golf Association. Although the membership has not been polled for several years now about a name change, when the membership was queried, a majority have always said "keep professional." The trademark that the PDGA owns actually just says PDGA, but its hard to shake a name that has been in use since 1976.
Wow, I've rambled much more than I intended.
