Competitive GeoCaching games!

[+SniperDive&BamaGrl]

I know I'm new but I have a busy mind and a Competitive attitude. So I decided to make a game of GeoCaching in my area. I am taking 18 golf balls and coring them out to place a micro container within. I'm placing these balls all over but within a 20 mile area of myself. I'm keeping score of the people who are FTF's at the end of 18 holes aka golf balls I'm going to award a trackable GeoCoin to the winner with the most FTF's. In the case of a tie I will have a scramble to 3 more holes regardless of the FTF's on these 3 it will be who is there first. Here are a few pictures of what I have been able to do so far. I would like to say thanks to GeoTre my girlfriends son if it wasn't for him I wouldn't have discovered Geocaching.

 

 

 

[+Max and 99]

I sure wish I lived close to wherever you are going to place the caches for this competitive game. Sounds like FUN!

Just fyi, something to think about: maybe it would be wise to not publish all the caches at once, since at least in my area that would mean the same person gets FTF on many. If you space out the cache publications, it might give others a chance. Just a thought!

 

Good luck, and love the containers.

[+SniperDive&BamaGrl]

Thanks for the comment. Yes I'm going to be dropping them randomly over a month long period so I can buy some time to find the right Geocoin for this game. There are so many coins and all are so pretty but there needs to be the right coin for this that the winner will want to show off the coin and tell there story on how they came about to get this coin. For all coins have a story behind them. I'm open for ideas if anyone knows of a good coin for the winner. Thanks

[+fizzymagic]

I know I'm new but I have a busy mind and a Competitive attitude.

Since geocaching is not a competitive sport, you may want to look elsewhere for your recreation.

 

Attempts to turn geocaching into a competitive sport have generally not turned out well in the past. Indeed, in my opinion, the very worst aspects of geocaching all derive from people who have tried to make it into a competition.

[+SniperDive&BamaGrl]

I know I'm new but I have a busy mind and a Competitive attitude.

Since geocaching is not a competitive sport, you may want to look elsewhere for your recreation.

 

Attempts to turn geocaching into a competitive sport have generally not turned out well in the past. Indeed, in my opinion, the very worst aspects of geocaching all derive from people who have tried to make it into a competition.

 

sorry let me rephrase my idea more fun on the part as a find and looking forward to the next clue of a puzzle. people seem to love being the FTF and others just to being able to find the cache. I just wanted to make it more rewarding for someone. If this is wrong of me then I am sorry.

[+G & C]

I see fizzymagic's point, but I don't think that your idea is going to cause problems. Sounds like something the folks in my area would enjoy too, matter of fact.

[+power69]

Thanks for the comment. Yes I'm going to be dropping them randomly over a month long period so I can buy some time to find the right Geocoin for this game. There are so many coins and all are so pretty but there needs to be the right coin for this that the winner will want to show off the coin and tell there story on how they came about to get this coin. For all coins have a story behind them. I'm open for ideas if anyone knows of a good coin for the winner. Thanks

A golfing related coin would be fitting with the golf ball caches.

i'd extend the radius of the hides though to ensure the same hound doesn't snatch them all as they publish.

[+briansnat]

I know I'm new but I have a busy mind and a Competitive attitude.

Since geocaching is not a competitive sport, you may want to look elsewhere for your recreation.

 

Attempts to turn geocaching into a competitive sport have generally not turned out well in the past. Indeed, in my opinion, the very worst aspects of geocaching all derive from people who have tried to make it into a competition.

 

I'm with Fizzy on this. Many of the ills of the sport stem from those who try to make it a competition.

 

I see fizzymagic's point, but I don't think that your idea is going to cause problems...

 

Until you get an argument between two cachers as to who is the true FTF. It's not like that's never happened before.

Edited April 21, 2011 by briansnat

[+A & J Tooling]

They say no competetion yet look at all those stats.

[GOF and Bacall]

They say no competetion yet look at all those stats.

 

Were they comparing themselves to anyone or was that just you?

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

Some of my best geocaching experiences came from competitive caching! Those who don't enjoy it should not participate.

 

For our 2003 and 2004 CacheLeague.com competitions we were the BKCG - Butt-Kickin Cache Getters, a 10-person team competing against 10 other such teams world-wide to find the most caches in 10 weeks. We had a blast! We would load six cachers in my Suburban and go to a cache-rich area and cache for hours, one time we cached 38 hours...while it rained almost non-stop. Great memories and stories. We started strangers and ended great friends.

 

I have competed in Amazing Race-type team geocaching weekends in several states. Always a blast.

 

I host a lot of events and always have some sort of geocaching game. People love them.

 

At several events I have tossed a bucket of golf balls out into a field, three of them being golf ball caches, two contained "not it!" and one contained "Winner". The winner got a stocked ammo box to hide.

 

The thing is it's not always about one way of doing things. Cachers generally don't do things the same way every time. No, caching is not a competitive game all the time but it sure is fun on occasion!

 

Go for it!

Edited April 21, 2011 by TheAlabamaRambler

[+Kameharem]

If there is no competition, then why do people call it a "sport"?

Maybe we need to call it a "leisure activity" so people don’t get confused.

[+A & J Tooling]

They say no competetion yet look at all those stats.

 

Were they comparing themselves to anyone or was that just you?

 

See, there we go again.

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

They say no competetion yet look at all those stats.

 

Were they comparing themselves to anyone or was that just you?

 

See, there we go again.

It's a legitimate question. My stats are published. They are wrong in a number of ways, but they are published. There is nothing competitive about that UNLESS and until you compare them to someone else's stats and try to make some sort of judgement from them...in which case the 'competition' is wholly made up.

[Mr.Yuck]

I know I'm new but I have a busy mind and a Competitive attitude. So I decided to make a game of GeoCaching in my area. I am taking 18 golf balls and coring them out to place a micro container within. I'm placing these balls all over but within a 20 mile area of myself. I'm keeping score of the people who are FTF's at the end of 18 holes aka golf balls I'm going to award a trackable GeoCoin to the winner with the most FTF's. In the case of a tie I will have a scramble to 3 more holes regardless of the FTF's on these 3 it will be who is there first. Here are a few pictures of what I have been able to do so far. I would like to say thanks to GeoTre my girlfriends son if it wasn't for him I wouldn't have discovered Geocaching.

 

 

My comment was going to be that I wondered if you would be able to get these 18 caches published with wording on the cache pages about how a "most FTF's" contest is one of the major factors in their placement. But of course I decided I'd better be nosey first, looked at your profile, and see one is already out there.

 

But I still will comment, the whole cache page, as currently written, isn't going to mean anything to anyone a year from now. Not unlike way back in 2002, when everyone and their Mother seemed to feel compelled to meticuously list all the "original cache contents" on their cache pages.

[+SniperDive&BamaGrl]

I agree with everyone in some way or another on their points. Someone may get there nose out of shape on this but most will enjoy the whole cache aspect of it. Its not a contact sport but in some ways like golf all are tring to get to one spot together and as friends.

[+A & J Tooling]

They say no competetion yet look at all those stats.

 

Were they comparing themselves to anyone or was that just you?

 

See, there we go again.

It's a legitimate question. My stats are published. They are wrong in a number of ways, but they are published. There is nothing competitive about that UNLESS and until you compare them to someone else's stats and try to make some sort of judgement from them...in which case the 'competition' is wholly made up.

So, what's up with these people posting a first to find dance? Sounds like a victory dance to me. I could be wrong here. Enlighten me. Every single FTF I've seen sounds like a winner/loser experience. "I beat you! Ha, Ha!"

[+horseshoechamp]

Well I will tell you I have a Moonshine Run every year and the ones who collect my shine and complete all the requirments are our Champions for the year. Nobody has a bad time here and it is a competition to see just who is the best at what they do. I have nebees and well seasoned cachers all involved and it's not allways the best that win. I see no problem with a bit of competition in our sport and if you do see this as wrong then just don't play.

[+Scubasonic]

I know I'm new but I have a busy mind and a Competitive attitude.

Since geocaching is not a competitive sport, you may want to look elsewhere for your recreation.

 

Attempts to turn geocaching into a competitive sport have generally not turned out well in the past. Indeed, in my opinion, the very worst aspects of geocaching all derive from people who have tried to make it into a competition.

 

sorry let me rephrase my idea more fun on the part as a find and looking forward to the next clue of a puzzle. people seem to love being the FTF and others just to being able to find the cache. I just wanted to make it more rewarding for someone. If this is wrong of me then I am sorry.

 

I wouldn't listen to Fizzymagic he has always had it in for people that enjoy FTFs your game sunds cool and you R on the right track I just may try that in my area.....great idea don't be discouraged by the naysayers.

 

Scubasonic

[+jmw61]

I'd do it more along the lines of the radio station "games". Ninth caller wins. Do one as a FTF. Next one as a second to find and so on..........

[+Sharks-N-Beans]

I think it's a great idea. You can extend the fun if you play a pro course. Make sure your par 5s are worthy and the locations are enticing to the duffers after the tourney ends.

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

They say no competetion yet look at all those stats.

 

Were they comparing themselves to anyone or was that just you?

 

See, there we go again.

It's a legitimate question. My stats are published. They are wrong in a number of ways, but they are published. There is nothing competitive about that UNLESS and until you compare them to someone else's stats and try to make some sort of judgement from them...in which case the 'competition' is wholly made up.

So, what's up with these people posting a first to find dance? Sounds like a victory dance to me. I could be wrong here. Enlighten me. Every single FTF I've seen sounds like a winner/loser experience. "I beat you! Ha, Ha!"

Some do a victory dance, some casually mention it, some don't mention it at all... sorta like football players... some score a touchdown and walk calmly back to the bench, some spike the ball and dance... but it's not a competition unless it is YOUR mindset telling you that they beat you. If you aren't competing with them then their celebration or lack thereof is irrelevant. Does someone celebrating an FTF somehow make you feel inadequate? If so it's not them that has a problem!

[+roziecakes]

If there is no competition, then why do people call it a "sport"?

Maybe we need to call it a "leisure activity" so people don’t get confused.

 

Not everyone calls geocaching a sport; in fact, I think most don't. I call it a hobby myself. Some people call it a game, or an activity, or an addiction. (I guess I actually border between addiction and hobby).

 

That being said,

To the OP: I LOVE your idea! I personally would find it to be great fun. I think you'll get (and you already have) differing opinions about competition in geocaching.

 

It *is* true that it is intended to be non-competetive, but in this case, he's talking about FTFs, which are of course not an official part of the game, so if people want to engage in competition during this *one activity* then I don't see the problem. Those who aren't in the competition can either not find the caches, or just find them for fun and not participate in the FTF race.

 

I've gone to events where there was some element of competition involved, and they were really fun. Stirred things up and gave it a new spark.

[+roziecakes]

They say no competetion yet look at all those stats.

 

Were they comparing themselves to anyone or was that just you?

 

See, there we go again.

It's a legitimate question. My stats are published. They are wrong in a number of ways, but they are published. There is nothing competitive about that UNLESS and until you compare them to someone else's stats and try to make some sort of judgement from them...in which case the 'competition' is wholly made up.

 

I agree. I publish my stats for myself, not anyone else. I don't compare my stats to other people's. I look at it as a way to measure my own personal accomplishments, and to see where I stand in accomplishing some goals like the fizzy challenge, DeLorme challenge, etc.

[sdarken]

To the OP :- Even though I dont really participate in the FTF game in my area I think your idea sounds like fun and I'd be interested to watch from the sidelines if you did it in my area. My only suggestion is that you give some thought to the placement of those caches so that they take people to a decent location even when the game is over. Even though you're thinking a lot about the first day that they are placed, it's probably more important to think about the next 100 people that will be finding your caches. Put them places that you'd like to be taken to if someone else had placed them.

Edited April 22, 2011 by sdarken

[+SniperDive&BamaGrl]

I love everyone's comments whether positive or negative. Placement will always be somewhere scenic or educational, and very from extreamaly easy to slightly challenging. All placements will keep the CITO motto! Feel free to check in on the logs and commets left by cachers on the hides.