The disc golf double-whammy

I'm not talking about the 'adding insult to injury' kind of double whammy, like a putt cutting through the chains, spitting out the back, then landing on an edge and rolling 50 feet away. That sucks, to be sure, but when it happens, it happens. I'm talking about shot making strategy, where you plot out exactly what kind of shot you're planning to throw, with which disc, and how hard/soft/low/high, etc.

Sometimes, when we're thinking about our upcoming shot, we come up with an imperative that rises above everything else in our minds. For instance, we think "I need to do this to make sure I turn my disc over on this shot," or "I need to do this to make sure I clear that hazard." This kind of analysis is good, but when it isn't organized thought where a clear and detailed plan emerge, problems arise. Sometimes, instead of having a concrete idea of what we want to do, we let vague ideas marinate together right up until the disc is released. The result is what I call the disc golf double-whammy. Here's a good example that I've experienced many times:

I'm on the tee of a hole that is slightly uphill, with a dogleg to the left. Think DeLa hole 18 in the short left position. Being left-handed, I want to throw a backhand shot that turns over nearly the entire time. I consider the fact that uphill throws are harder to turn over, how long the hole is, and the placement of the trees. I know I have several ways to make a disc turn over more; I can throw it harder, put more spin on the disc, make the angle of release more exaggerated, make the flight path lower, or any combination of the four. The problem arises when I don't have a clear idea of which of these elements I want to use to craft my shot.

If my only notion is "I gotta turn this over" and I allow those four possibilities to mull in my mind right up until I release the disc, I may overcompensate to accomplish my imperative (in this case, "gotta turn it over"). So I might throw it much harder than normal AND exaggerate the angle AND, for good measure, my body might instinctively aim more to the left, resulting in a disc that turns over too much. Double (or in that case, I guess, Triple) Whammy.

Another good example I can think of is a classic. You have a disc you know is hard to throw straight very far before it begins to hyzer out, so you think of how to offset that tendency. So you end up aiming it wide AND putting turnover angle and power on it, then exclaim to your friends "I can't believe I just turned over that Excalibur!" or something like that. Classic double whammy.

The best way I can think of to combat double-whammy tendencies is to have a pre-shot routine that allows you to plan your shot in detail every time. Make sure your mind is nowhere but in that place, at that time, playing disc golf in a vacuum.

For beginners, golf is the key to enjoying disc golf

It occurs to me that many first-time players get hung up in how different golf discs are than regular ol' Frisbees. They simply try to propel the disc forward as instructed by their well-meaning friends, note the marked difference between their effort and that of their more seasoned counterparts, and listen to the next set of instruction.

When they've zig-zagged across the fairway several times with errant throws and finally find themselves within tossing distance of the basket, they're probably thinking of the brief respite they'll get before teeing off on the next hole. Or maybe the more competitive among them see the next hole as a chance to start fresh- which it is, sort of.

But for most new players, the golf aspect of disc golf doesn't really register until they get much better at controlling their disc, or enter some type of competition, or both. To me this is a shame, since it was the golf aspect of the the game that had me addicted from the first time I played.

That first time was at UCSC, where the targets were 4 x 4 posts and other objects. I remember quickly realizing that if I threw a disc at a target only caring about that throw, I'd likely end up with another tough putt if I missed that throw. So I started to putt in such a way that enabled the disc to hit the target but not go zipping past if it didn't.

I'm amazed at how many competitive players I see - players that really want to beat their PB and their friends and adversaries - that still haven't made this adjustment. These players are also likely to make the same stroke-costing mistakes repeatedly, like throwing a driver on a tricky hole simply because it flies the farthest or fastest. I can't help but wonder if this has something to do with not embracing the golf aspect of the sport from Day One.

For anyone that has fallen into this trap, the good news is twofold: Focusing on the golf part of disc golf is really about stepping up the mental game, and when you do that you'll discover that disc golf now offers you twice the enjoyment you experienced before. You'll find yourself replaying rounds in your head, analyzing each decision and using the experience to do better next time. And when you do this, of course, your play and score will inevitably improve.

So the next time you're bringing someone out for the first time, make sure they understand they are playing the great game of golf. The discs just make it . . . greater.

A key to disc golf;s unique appeal: wilderness

I just checked out PDGA's homepage to check in on the coverage of this year's coverage of the World Championships in Indiana. Since we're hosting the event next year in Santa Cruz/Monterey, it seemed like a sensible idea.

Anyway, seeing the pictures of the courses being played in Indiana, I'm reminded of one of the numerous aspects of disc golf - in my experience, based in Northern California - I've always thought sets disc golf apart from its ancient Scottish ancestor (ball golf). Namely, nature. Wilderness. The Wild.

Most people unfamiliar with our sport picture someone in a wide open grassy area throwing a Frisbee, walking to it, picking it up, and throwing it again. This is for two reasons: One, they think golf, and they picture a typical golf course, with landscaped terrain long ago conquered by man. Second, most people that accidentally witness our sport do so at a course that is situated in a park setting. They see people throwing discs that soar into the empty sky then land harmlessly on flat, grassy turf. Again, and again, and again.

When disc golf is played in such a setting, it's still enjoyable, and it's pleasant. But since controlling a thrown disc is easier to master than controlling a small dimpled ball by hitting with various clubs, the challenge after awhile becomes somewhat bland. This distinction is particularly apparent to me as I learned the game on Nor Cal courses which are mostly set in undeveloped open spaces. In such locations, the sport is:

• More challenging to score well, with rougher rough, little or no soft grass, more trees, and drastic elevation changes
• Much more strenuous physical and mental exercise
• Showcased as a different - even is some ways superior - version of golf, as opposed to a weak imitation

Based on this argument, the 2011 Pro Worlds on the central coast of California promises to be very interesting. Many players will get a week-long dose of an aspect of disc golf which they have only glimpsed to this point. And those looking in from the outside will see that in its best possible setting disc golf is part golf, part nature hike, and part endurance event- with the roots of Frisbee culture adding a license to think and play outside-the-box.

When it's played in a park setting, disc golf simply comes off as a cheap imitation of a great sport, rather than the next evolutionary step of a great sport. When it's played in 'the wild' and players are forced to tromp through overgrowth and get creative to navigate wooded fairways, the uniqueness of disc golf comes through. For comparison, think about why mountain biking appeals to people that never would have shown an interest in riding a bike on flat concrete roads for entertainment and exercise.

Disc golf as a model for economoic recovery

One of the results of California's ongoing budget crisis was the threat last year of all state parks closing for the foreseeable future. Luckily the move was eventually exposed as a bluff by the governor, and nearly all parks remain open. But when it was still a possibility and the neighborhood groups were mobilizing to protest, a thought occurred to me:

"If the affected local communities were like disc golfers they'd get organized and figure out a way, through volunteerism and donated resources, to keep their parks open. If they approached the situation the way disc golfers have for decades, they'd probably even find a way to improve their parks."

Think about it. Nearly all the disc golf courses being used by the public today - especially those in California - are the result of dogged lobbying efforts, countless hours of manual labor, and thousands of dollars of donated, non-taxpayer money. Disc golfers in California don't look to the state, county or town when they want a new course in their area. Instead, they present an arrangement that should become even more attractive to local governments than it already is: Give us permission to install a course at our desired location, and we'll pay for it, build it, and maintain it at no cost to the city/county/state.

When a municipality strained to the limit for resources hears an offer like this - especially now - it has a hard time turning it down. So maybe other interest groups should follow this example (and maybe they do, and I'm just unaware of other instances.) Come to think of it, parents of students that want to participate in sports, band, etc., have been asked to pony up for years.

Anniversary of the Hambrick Day Ace

I'm not really a 'rare' disc collector. My home office has more than 30 discs on the wall (plus the single framed Marty Hapner created Masters Cup composition-of-many-years' stamps disc remaining in my house), but nearly all of them are really valuable only to me. There are the discs from tournaments I've won, tournaments that stick out from other reasons, and there are a few ace discs. I haven't meticulously preserved all my aces discs, though, because - as I've said before - most of my aces have been accidents, when it comes right down to it. I was trying to nestle it up close for a birdie . . . and . . . ching! A nice surprise. Sound familiar?

But I do have one ace disc that might be more than an accident, and that disc caught my eye just now. Stan my go-to man when I want to know potential collector value of a disc, tells me it's maybe worth $40-$50 because it's an 8-time KC Pro Cheetah in almost mint condition. But probably not, because in Sharpie on the front is written "Ace!, Hole #8, 8/14/97, 3:40 PM, and on the back, in Sharpie also, are the signatures of my playing partners that day- Brad Schick, M. Schick (his Dad), Brian Schick (his brother), and 'DJ,' a friend of theirs.

I was taking advantage of a business trip to play in an Ohio supertour (Hall of Chains Classic) on my way to the Am Worlds in Wisconsin, and decided to stop by and play the famous Hoover Dam course. As it turns out, on that day a memorial was being installed next to a tree planted a year earlier to honor the memory of Brent Hambrick. For those that didn't discover disc golf until recently, Brent was the local legendary driving force of the sport's growth before being cut down by cancer. There was even a camera grew from a local TV station setting up to cover the dedication of the memorial as we approached the tee.

As it also turns out, the Schick's and DJ were close friend of Brent's, and they grew quiet as we prepared to tee off. When it was my turn, I asked where the basket was since it was blind from the tee. They informed me that I wanted to throw around 250 feet up the wide-open, then cut the disc to the right, down into a protected green. I selected the aforementioned Cheetah, let fly based solely on their description, and heard the unmistakable sound of agitated chains. The guys got almost tearful rather than the usual yelling and high-fives, which is understandable given their connection to Brent Hambrick and the fact that the memorial was being dedicated that day. But get this:

• The hole, #8, was well-known to be Brent's favorite on the course
• My home course is DeLaveaga, well-known to be his favorite course. The Masters Cup was also his favorite tournament. He traveled from Ohio numerous times to participate
• I am left-handed, and Brent was left handed
• The Cheetah I threw had never been thrown before, by me (I had never even thrown ANY Cheetah before) or anyone else. In fact, that trip from my (and Maybe Brent's) hand to the basket was the only flight it would ever make.

Add those things together, and it's no wonder my group reacted the way it did. Yes, I threw a disc I had never thrown before on a hole I had never played to a basket I couldn't see . . . but it was no 'accidental' ace.

The future of Professional Disc Golf

Professional disc golf has not 'turned a corner,' and it certainly hasn't hit the mainstream. The sport is more popular than ever, and growing at the same steady pace it has been growing at for more than a decade. But the cash to be won by playing professionally - a bottom line if ever there was one - hasn't changed much at all during that same span.

I've gone on record before with my opinion that disc golf needs to be exponentially bigger as a recreational sport before it'll be anywhere near a spectator sport, or something that makes economic sense to broadcast on TV. But really, all it takes is one forward-thinking corporate sponsor to jump-start the whole thing. If and when that happens, this is how I see true 'professional' disc golf' taking shape:

• A 'World Tour,' (as opposed to the current National Tour) will be sponsored and promoted by a corporate entity that is able to take it to the next level. Each event will have a purse of 100k and a first prize of more than 10K.
• This World Tour will have the money to write its own rules, so to speak, and the PDGA will happily accommodate it to finally break throw to what it sees as the big-time.
  
• As opposed to all current NT events (with the exception of the USDGC), participation is limited to the top-rated touring pros, and regional qualifiers
• These regional qualifiers will consist of what are now A and B tier PDGA events, so nothing really has to change with the majority of the events going on already. The serious players will just have more to play for now

disc selection

Why do most players buy and throw the discs they do?

Most often for the wrong reasons, which include:

• They heard it's the latest 'fastest or farthest' disc on the planet and don't want to be at a disadvantage by not having it in their bag
• They've seen someone whose game they admire or aspire to throw it in a similar situation
• They subscribe to the theory that more disc choices in ones bag is better (which can be true, if you actually know what each disc does)
• Packaging- which can mean the name of the disc, the pattern (tie-dye), or even the color

So what are the right reasons? For me it all comes down to practicality, and a realistic assessment of ones own game.

• Living in Santa Cruz and playing courses that are wooded and mountainous, I always prefer brightly and unnaturally colored discs. Green, black, and multi-colored discs should be avoided at all costs- at least anywhere a disc might get lost.
• If you're not able to generate significant arm speed in general or on a particular shot, don't throw anything fast and overstable. It's much better to throw something that will glide to the target rather than being forced and cajoled.
• You've probably heard it before, but the best strategy is to get a disc like a Roc or Buzz and throw it exclusively until you can get it to fly straight, turn over, and hyzer with good consistency. After that, you'll be able better assess which other discs to add to your bag, and you'll know how to adjust your form to get the most out of each.