Happy FrisbeeGolf Friday to ya! Here in Santa Cruz, today kicks off the Amateur version of the Masters Cup, one of the longest-running tournaments in disc golf on one of the sport’s most storied courses.
Paul McBeth at the 2016 Masters Cup. Photo courtesy of Innova.
This event (the professional version, taking place next weekend) was part of every iteration of disc golf’s professional tour— PDGA Supertour, PDGA National Tour, and then the Disc Golf Pro Tour. After 2022, when tickets sold for $20+ and media passes were required, the DGPT eliminated the Masters Cup from its schedule, opting for venues better suited for spectator attendance and strong cell signals to accommodate a smooth live broadcast.
As I note in my book (written when the DGPT and now-defunct Disc Golf World Tour were brand new), we have a catch-22 quandary with disc golf as a spectator sport. The most exciting and interesting disc golf happens when players are required to navigate objects a good part of the time. DGPT CEO Jeff Spring must consider two sides of the equation, though: the product itself, and the packaging and presentation of that product.
Jack Tupp’s media pass for the 2022 Masters Cup.
Last weekend, disc golf’s first Major (with a capital “M”) event of 2024 took place in Morton, IL, on a very wooded course. One major point of discussion after it concluded thrillingly was the venue’s role in producing exciting action. Another was the fact that newly employed technology makes broadcasting in wooded locations much more doable than even last year.
My hope (and belief) is that improved tech and a demand to see top players take on technical courses get the Masters Cup back in the DGPT shuffle. We want more of this!
Disc Golf Tech
Have you tried using a rangefinder in disc golf yet? Bushnell is a leading optics company that first embraced the sport of disc golf around 10 years ago. They designed a rangefinder specifically for disc golf and are one of the Disc Golf Pro Tour’s most recognizable sponsors from outside the disc golf world.
If you know all about rangefinders and are considering buying one, Bushnell is having a sale on their website for the next couple of weeks. $154.99 is a good price for what the Edge Disc Golf Rangefinder delivers, and as I like to mention often, we’re fortunate to play a very inexpensive sport, leaving funds available for cool gadgets and tools like rangefinders, disc golf shoes, and smart disc training devices.
If you’re not yet familiar with rangefinders, watch the video on the Edge product page. I love it because it’s accurate, super easy to use, and displays distance in feet or meters, user’s choice. I can’t say how many times I’ve assumed I had 160 feet to the hole and threw the exact shot I wanted only to see it come up 40 feet short because, in reality, the target was 200 feet away. Now I check the distance with my Edge rangefinder and trust it rather than my faulty eyes.
The newest model also includes “Z-Mode,” enabling disc golfers to know the exact elevation change between their lie and the target. This feature is possibly an even bigger game-changer than knowing accurate distance. How many times have you failed to notice a subtle uphill slope that sneakily requires a 200-foot effort to execute a 140-foot upshot?
The Bushnell Edge will feed you accurate and useful data about the shot you’re facing in the moment, which is great, but there’s more! Regular use will also help you better understand your own capabilities (and limits). Knowing how far it is between here and there isn’t very useful for decision-making until you’re also familiar with how far you can throw each disc, in each situation. Train and play with a rangefinder, and that will happen!
In the News
Stuff Made Here is a YouTube channel with more than 4 million subscribers. They created what the host referred to as “Basically a Disc Golf Bazooka.” Obviously this thing isn’t ready for production and, haha, not PDGA legal. But as one commenter points out, maybe it or something like it can be used to assign disc flight numbers based on actual science.
In Australia, a similar story of grassroots disc golf growth unfolds. Good on ya, Dean O’Loughlin and the Horsham Rural City Council! Thanks to Innova, another new course will be unveiled at the upcoming FLoydFest in Check, VA.
Tip of the Week
I was working with a client yesterday on driving, and for a break and change of pace, we played a few holes. On the green I noted the lack of spin on his putts made it hard for him to achieve much range. I showed him a simple way to generate spin while still maintaining straight line discipline. I wrote this post 11 years ago, but it still holds up and at least one guy is going to be hitting more putts now because of it.
If you have a question, or comment, or whatever, hit me up! Until next time, remember: “Aim with your Body, Throw with your Body.”
This post is one of a series that explains terminology unique to — or at least originated by — School of Disc Golf. Each term in the series was created by me, many spontaneously during a private lesson as I searched for a new way to explain something to a client.
Think Different
For the first one in the series, I picked a biggie. Those who are familiar with Three Paths to Better Disc Golf know one of those paths involves having a predetermined philosophical approach to the game. Broad concepts a player can use to guide smaller decisions and lead to their best chance to score well.
When I wrote that book I was thinking mainly of strategic concepts, but with thousands more hours of hands-on disc golf instruction under my belt since then, I realize it applies to technique and mechanics as well. Perhaps more so.
“Arm Brain” is a term I use to describe an incorrect mechanical approach most people instinctively take to backhand driving in disc golf. In the same way that early science before Copernicus thought the earth was the center of the universe, most players treat their arm as the core of their drive.
It isn’t, of course. I use other terms in my lessons, like Nucleus, Center Pole Position. Asymmetric Timing, and 180-to-Zero to explain the difference between throwing with the entire body vs. throwing with arm only— why the literal throwing arm plays a relatively minor role in determining whether a player has a figurative Big Arm.
How arm brain came to be
One day during a 1-on-1 lesson, I noticed how my client was successfully achieving the timing and balance we wanted during drills, throwing with the right muscles from the right position, and achieving the results I promised would come. However, a trend developed where after a good throw he would often follow it up with one that were complete mis-throws.
The author with a client in Santa Cruz, CA.
After the pattern became clear, I asked him to describe his thoughts as he set up for the next throw after an especially successful effort. Each time, he described watching the good drive fly, feeling excited about the accomplishment, and wanting to see if he could throw the next drive even further.
Since Sports Psychology 101 is based on “Focus on what you’re trying to do, not what you’re wanting to accomplish” I figured his thoughts had triggered the muscle memory from thousands of Frisbee throws. To explain my thoughts, I mused that he had allowed Arm Brain to enter the realm, kind of like saying Beatlejuice one too many times.
The teaching point was this: It is always a good idea to focus on what’s right in front of you in sports, especially when you’re working on developing a new skill. Thinking about the new mechanics in particular helps prevent “Arm Brain” from jumping in and saying “I can do that!” when you think only of intended results.
Arm Brain can also rear his head at much later stages, as well, in times of mental and physical fatigue or wandering focus. Good driving form takes some work, and if you’re not focused on executing that work Arm Brain can jump in and say “Let me handle this one. It’ll be easier.”
predetermining factors of arm brain
Since that lesson when I made up the term, I broadened the use to describe a related group of reasons why some people have a hard time learning the unique mechanics that are key to throwing as far and accurately as one’s peers Here’s a quick run-down of those reasons:
Familiarity with tossing a Frisbee- Think of the stance you assume to play catch with a Frisbee. Your brain is likely very familiar with that stance and the action that follows, and comfortable with its ability to execute that action
The “Big Arm” label- This popular misnomer only reinforces the other reasons
Proximity to the hand- The hand is important because it holds the disc, right? Therefore focus should be on the thing connected to the hand— or so goes the logic.
Eyes on target- The same power-sapping position that is comfortable and familiar for a Frisbee toss is also the posture that provides a clear view of the target with both eyes before throwing— something that isn’t possible at the beginning of a proper full-power drive.
Frisbee tossing involves the hand, wrist, and arm. Driving in disc golf starts with the body’s largest muscles.
how to outsmart and outwit arm brain
You gotta know he’s lurking. You gotta know how to spot him. And you gotta know how to deflect and defeat him.
If you had to work to learn proper driving technique (or are still in the process) vs. it coming naturally right away (and sometimes even then), Arm Brain is lurking. Don’t doubt it.
If you catch yourself thinking about wants and needs rather than mechanics as you set up for shots, and your throws start to lack their normal explosiveness and carry, Arm Brain has likely infiltrated your camp. The best way to banish him is to purposefully focus on elements of your mechanics that most starkly contrast a Frisbee throw, things I focus on in sessions with my clients.
One of my favorite mantras to banish Arm Brain is “Aim with the Body, Throw with the Body,” another unique School of Disc Golf term phrase. Maybe we’ll cover that one next!
Disc golf is continuing to grow in every direction and way, and UDisc is getting better and better at collecting and compiling salient and relative information. The producers of “The App for Disc Golf” just released its latest annual Disc Golf Growth report.
I always skim first for the number of disc golf courses in the U.S. vs the number of ball golf courses because of my prediction in the last chapter of my book, The Disc Golf Revolution. I wrote that they’d be close to equal by now, but I wasn’t surprised to see it’s still 15,000 to 10,000 in favor of the Judge Smales’. Where did I think I was living, Finland?! (see below)
Revenue is not mentioned. There are as yet no publicly traded disc golf companies, therefore, no public info. Potential investors in the sport can view statistics related to players (location, frequency of play) as a reflection of the sport’s growth in popularity, and stats relating to growth in the number of courses as a clear sign that decision makers believe in the sport’s value and lasting appeal.
Most statistics are gleaned from regular usage of UDisc’s app as well as a survey it invites all disc golfers to complete. This first one is taken from UDisc’s course directory. As not all of their listings are categorized this isn’t 100 percent accurate, but certainly enough to spot trends.
Credit: UDisc 2024 Disc Golf Growth Report
Of all the categories listed, churches (15 percent) and ski resorts (14) saw the strongest growth. Tied for last is public parks, at 8 percent. Not a huge difference, and also not a reason to think disc golf is about to level off. Nevertheless, why?
For the past several decades, course growth has been largely in the public land sector, driven by players who fell in love with the game yet had no courses nearby. They pushed, attended meetings, organized, raised funds . . . you name it. Whatever it took. Now parks seek to install courses rather than having to be cajoled into it, and private entities of all types see the incredible value (and then, when they play themselves, they understand the appeal).
With more than 15,000 courses worldwide, the odds of a person needing to plant the disc golf flag somewhere new just so they can have a course to play in their own town have gone down. But I believe this phenomenon happens in cycles.
Going back to the UDisc report, we see that there are now disc golf courses in 87 countries. Curacao, Cypress, Madagascar, Greenland, and Mongolia all received their first courses in 2023. Organizations like the Paul McBeth Foundation and Eagles Wings Disc Golf (which I mentioned in a recent post) have made the expansion of disc golf both a mission and a vehicle to support a higher mission. Either way, seeds are being planted in totally new places— places that will likely celebrate low cost, low maintenance recreation.
So what’s gonna happen next in those places? I’ll tell you, because I’ve seen it before.
The same thing that happened in Texas in the 90’s will happen in Mongolia in the years to come. Dzhambul will stumble across the course in Ulaanbaatar, thoroughly enjoy the experience, and upon his return to Darkhan realize he can’t live without it! He won’t rest until Darkhan has a course. And so, the cycle will continue.
Disc golf grows pretty much everywhere a seed is planted, but it has absolutely skyrocketed in one geographic area. That area includes Northern European nations surrounding the Baltic Sea. Disc golf courses in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania outnumber ball golf courses by 2.5 to 1, led of course by disc golf-crazy Finland.
Credit: UDisc 2024 Disc Golf Growth Report
Take 30 minutes to read the report for yourself; there are some nice anecdotal stories that underscore all the numbers. If you don’t have time, here are a few other tidbits that are highlighted:
33 U.S. states now have 100 courses or more, and Massachusetts and Maryland are almost there. With more than 500, Michigan has snagged second place from California.
89 percent of all courses are still completely free to play. I’m glad to see this stat holding firm.
New York City, with 8 million people, still doesn’t have a single course.
89 percent of UDisc’s survey respondents said they regularly share the sport with others
I was planning on using the term ‘Christmas Letter’ because I initially had the idea of mimicking those cringy annual missives certain families send off en masse to friends and family at the end of each year, listing their many great achievements. Change of plans! Christmas has come and gone, for one thing. Also, the idea of writing such a letter, even in jest, is as dreadful as reading one.
Although disc golf does have much to brag about, these letters should read more like annual reports. I want to look forward to the next year in addition to looking back on 2023.
Without any more preamble, a letter from Jack Tupp, a letter from School of Disc Golf, and a letter from disc golf itself.
a letter from the sport of disc golf
Disc golf continues to grow fast, in all directions, like the jungle vines in the old Jumanji that used to freak my daughter out so much. And after the previous few years’ growth which was largely about new “pandemic” players, 2023 and 2024 will be remembered (in my mind, anyway) for a better kind of growth: Infrastructure and worldwide geographic expansion.
The McBeth Foundation, Eagles Wings Disc Golf, and others have broken ground on new courses in places where disc golf’s incredible, unparalleled accessibility (including, but not limited to, affordability) will have the biggest impact.
The Paul McBeth Foundation’s second project, in Santa Maria de Jesus, Guatemala, is on a ball golf course that charges a small fee— but kids play for free.
And just imagine! Entire new peoples (many who live in places where weather-wise they can play year-round) having the opportunity to take up disc golf! I wrote about this in The Disc Golf Revolution, specifically the significance of disc golf knocking down the barriers that have kept those same people from ever experiencing golf, period.
The Paul McBeth Foundation in particular has put this expansion into overdrive. Check out all the projects they have ongoing or planned right now.
My comments on the professional competitive landscape are brief, as I like to leave the blow-by-blow to others. Kristen Tattar is one of my favorite players, even though she has for now squashed the parity we were about to finally see in that division. I like her because she seems single-minded about perfecting her disc golf craft, and everything else (at least professionally) comes in a distant second place.
I wrote when Brodie Smith first joined Discraft that he would quickly become good enough to be a legit tour competitor, but wouldn’t ever be a top player or win anything significant. Why? Because his primary business isn’t disc golf, it’s content creation. Which is fine. The reality is that the large majority of touring players do not make enough money from winnings and sponsorship alone to do much better than break even. Unless you are competing for the victory most weeks, a current common formula is to get and stay good enough to be a legit tour player (and earn a tour card), then look to content creation and the resulting revenue to make it all sustainable.
In 2024 and beyond watch for a continued negative correlation between the list of top finishers each week and the players releasing the most content on their own. As the talent pool deepens, it will be harder and harder to have a disc in one hand and a selfie stick in the other.
One interesting development in 2023 on the business side of the sport was a bit of consolidation, something not uncommon for an industry with disc golf’s profile (rapidly shifting from niche to early majority). A couple of private equity firms in Scandinavia partnered with Latitude 64 to create House of Discs, which then acquired three more established brands in Europe and another in the U.S., former Latitude 64 partner Dynamic Discs.
Will 2024 see more similar moves, by House of Discs or others? Who will be the first investor in the United States with no previous ties to disc golf to understand where the sport is headed and “get in early?”
2025 will see the Pro disc golf world championships held outside the United States for only the second time, and in Europe for the first time. This is fitting as the era of U.S. players dominating competitive play seems to be rapidly coming to a close. It has already pretty much happened on the FPO side at majors, with the repeated performances of Henna Blomroos, Eveliina Solonen, and others in addition to Tattar.
a letter from school of disc golf
Whether you are a customer, blog subscriber, or a disc golfer of any stripe, thank you! We could not even attempt to make this work without you. As the sport grows, so do our opportunities to make a living by introducing people to the game and helping others get better. Please keep telling others about us.
New Merch coming soon!
As with the sport of disc golf itself, 2023 was a year for School of Disc Golf to build infrastructure for future growth. We completed our private training facility, a 9-hole course in Santa Cruz where private lessons and teambuilding events take place. Having a controlled environment rather than shared public spaces has been a game-changer!
We also created a second website just for the e-commerce side of the business. The most important new feature is self-booking: the ability to browse available dates, and then reserve and pay for lessons and group events. It may still look funky in spots, but so far things are running smoothly so check it out when you get a chance. I’d love feedback. The site also has a few items of merch, and we plan to add more. Look for unique disc golf items to pop up there in 2024.
Much of our corporate business comes from big tech companies in nearby Silicon Valley, and in 2023 we felt the repercussions of the continued layoffs among them. Group social outings are obviously among the first cuts when things get tight. But another trend is providing hope.
Engineers from Netflix get reacquainted during a disc golf teambuilding outing in early December.
Those same companies are now also requiring remaining workers to return to the office. Netflix, Facebook and Google teams have found us to be an affordable (and of COURSE fun) way to get teams reacquainted with each other. Please think of us when you or someone you know needs an affordable option for an outdoor group experience.
My TECHDISC looks pretty good after a couple hundred throws!
Another new addition to School of Disc Golf in the past year has been incorporating TECHDISC technology into our lessons. We use it to establish benchmark metrics, measure improvement, illustrate the relationship between disc properties and throw metrics, and plenty more.
A couple of my remote clients have already bought their own, giving us yet another way to interact without getting together in person. Check out my initial review of TECHDISC if you haven’t seen it yet.
We’re also considering scheduling group classes for the first time, now that we have a controlled facility. Let me know if you’d be interested. Classes targeting beginners, youth, seniors, and women are all considerations as these are fast-rowing segments of the disc golf population.
a letter from jack tupp
(As you may or may not know, Jack Tupp is a disc golf persona I created first as a character name when I produced Discmasters TV in 2011, then used again as a pen name for my books. Given my industry and position, and the stereotypes about disc golf at the time, I felt the need to keep things separate online. Plus, no one can pronounce my real last name, anyway. So here’s Jack Tupp’s Christmas letter!)
I still love to play, and apparently NEED to compete, even if it’s mostly local. In that regard, I did not have a great 2023 when I measure my potential against my results. I only played four PDGA events and did manage to get my 10th PDGA victory in the Enduro Bowl, one of my favorites due to the ironman format and my success over the years. But my rating went down overall this year, so I’ll be looking for ways to coax more out of this old carcass.
The long journey of Jack Tupp’s player rating. See that tiny sliver between the 2007 bar and the “1000” line? Yep, thaaat close.
2023 has also been a year for assuming additional roles in the local disc golf community. Until almost the end of 2022, a treasured local course in a redwood forest had remained closed due to fires and the pandemic. I led a group that formed a new club and signed an agreement with the school district to reopen the course.
“I’ve got disc golf riches, I’m a frisbee king. Play anytime I want, barely costs me anything. I can make magic happen, when nothing else in life goes right. I can still control my frisbee flight.”
Jack Tupp and SPAM
More recently I was asked to join the board of directors of the DeLaveaga Disc Golf Club, and quickly accepted, honored to serve in that capacity.
The coming year is setting up nicely for School of Disc Golf, and I have also spoken to a couple of other disc golf business owners about partnering in various capacities. We’ll see what unfolds. Stay tuned!
Now, for those who have read this post to the very end, something only tangentially connected to disc golf. I used to be in a band, and about six months ago I was coaxed out of retirement by my old bandmate and friend Eric. He and a couple of other guys were tired of playing covers. I joined ’em, bringing my old originals with me, and have so far written seven new ones! So much fun.
The most recent one is the first song I’ve ever written about disc golf. In it I try to convey how great it is that a resource can be so desirable, beneficial, and available*— all at once! Think about it. Apply that triple standard to anything else. Usually one element precludes one or two of the others. Put another way, disc golf is as desirable as ice cream, as beneficial as kale, and as available as rice.
Keep in mind this is a live recording of a song that is not yet complete, with two musicians new to the band. It’s a work in progress, but I thought it’d be fun to share it with y’all.
Have a great next year. My wish for everyone is to find new, even deeper ways to enjoy our sport. Volunteer for your club. Take someone new out. Think deep about how to shave strokes. Have fun!
If you’re reading this, chances are you know someone who is obsessed with disc golf or love to play and share the sport yourself. In both cases we have you covered for unique gifts, and this guide makes it easy to get it exactly right!
Scroll down to see our options, and don’t hesitate to reach out with questions or requests for personalized book inscriptions.
gifts for new and excited disc golfers
The sport of disc golf grew steadily somewhat underground from the mid-70s until 2020— then it roughly doubled during the pandemic. If you know an excited new disc golfer they are likely eager to learn more and get better.
School of Disc Golf owner Jack Tupp has written two acclaimed books on disc golf.
why and how to give the gift of disc golf
The most rewarding part of my job is introducing new people to disc golf, and knowing that for some it will become a regular and very positive part of their lives from that day forward. If you love the game as I do, you know exactly what I mean.
Gift-giving occasions can be a great opportunity to turn someone on to disc golf. My book The Disc Golf Revolution is packed with info about disc golf’s past, present, and future, and a private introductory lesson is a great way to learn the essentials quickly.
TECHDISC measures speed, spin rate, angles, and much more!
gifts for experienced disc golfers
For those who don’t know, we disc golfers are VERY particular about our equipment. Discs are so specialized these days, forget about trying to pick one your friend will actually throw.
You can go the gift card route — if you do, you can’t do better than one from us or our partner Infinite Discs — but lots of folks enjoy the challenge of selecting perfect and unique gifts. In the world of disc golf, that’s where we come in!
Hello there, this is Jack Tupp, Owner and lead instructor at School of Disc Golf.
Part of my 2023 disc golf summer was spent familiarizing myself with an amazing piece of technology called TECHDISC. I’ve already used it with several clients and have now fully incorporated it into both types of lessons we offer; in-person and virtual.
Here is a brief summary of what TECHDISC is and what it does:
TECHDISC is the name of the company, as well as the company’s flagship (and only) product
The product, which sells for $299, is a piece of hardware; a small rubberized puck that is precisely and permanently attached to a disc at their factory. Customers can choose the disc type and weight.
The puck contains sensors that track the disc’s speed, spin rate, launch rate, hyzer angle, and wobble rate upon release
The data collected by the puck is transmitted via Bluetooth to the user’s phone, tablet, or laptop, where it is displayed numerically and graphically and also stored securely in the user’s account on TECHDISC servers
The software platform also enables users to label and sort throws to gain additional insights
So far, TECHDISC has been so popular they’ve gone through several cycles of preorders. In other words, they can’t make ’em fast enough!
I’m working on a more comprehensive review of TECHDISC to be posted soon, but after extensive use of the tool and platform over the last few months these are my impressions of how TECHDISC can be used to improve one’s disc golf game— and how we’ll be using it at School of Disc Golf moving forward.
techdisc in school of disc golf private lessons
Using TECHDISC with clients hasn’t changed what I teach in lessons, nor has it altered how I teach. At least not very much. But it has supercharged both in two ways I noticed right away.
A big part of my private lessons — especially with newer players — is explaining how to generate arm speed and spin, and how to control the direction and trajectory of the disc. In other words, how to throw further and “straighter.” Before TECHDISC, my methods produced consistent results, but quite often success is delayed, at least for a time, by the fact that adopting proper technique can feel strange.
I would explain mechanical changes and drills to a client, and together we’d assess their throws using my eyes and experience and the client’s feel. But trusting that new feel can take time. Having the quantification and scientific measurement of TECHDISC, however, is powerfully different. It provides an irrefutable level of confirmation — positive or negative — to both student and teacher. Numbers don’t lie, as they say.
Speaking of numbers, the other instant win using TECHDISC with new disc golfers involves explaining the differences between discs, flight numbers, and how to select the correct disc for each circumstance— and why that answer changes depending on a wide range of factors. TECHDISC includes a flight simulator that allows us to see how tweaking throw characteristics (and also disc characteristics) changes the flight of a disc.
The Flight Simulator lets users adjust both disc and throw characteristics, then use the 3D Throw Viewer to see how each change affects the flight of the disc.
Having a hands-on tool that lets someone change disc and throw numbers to create hyzer flip and forced flex shot lines that end up in the same place communicates important info in a much more memorable way.
using techdisc IN virtual lessons
We have developed an excellent methodology over the years to serve those who can’t make it to Santa Cruz, but as with everything else, communicating via Zoom and email and texts is a little less effective than being in the same location.
The most important thing for me in using it as a training tool is that it accurately reflects adjustments a client makes over the course of our work together. It does.
The concrete metrics of TECHDISC permit no message distortion— they are what they are. Clients know exactly where they stand in terms of speed and spin, and they gain a proper understanding of less intuitive factors like nose angle, hyzer angle, and launch angle. As an instructor, knowing the exact numbers for each throw I see on a video call makes an even bigger difference than when using it with an in-person client. I may misinterpret something I see, especially when it’s on a screen and the angle is bad, but I can trust the numbers.
I’ll go into more detail soon in a full review, but I’ve used my TECHDISC enough by now to know it is consistent from throw to throw. The most important thing for me in using it as a training tool is that it accurately reflects adjustments a client makes over the course of our work together. It does. When my clients own their own TECHDISC, they can share their throw data between sessions, and I can trust that data. It provides scientific data that confirms when they do X, the results are Y. Over time, even more patterns and trends will emerge, especially if they take full advantage of the tagging feature.
TECHDISC automatically sorts throws by type and release angle, and lets you manually label and sort in numerous other ways.
using techdisc on your own
You can of course use a TECHDISC on your own. At the very least you’ll have the coolest disc golf gadget around, one-upping the rangefinder crowd. If you expect the ability to capture and slice and dice all that data to translate into lower scores, though, that will largely depend on your ability to figure things out on your own. If you’ve had success in the past watching YouTube videos and implementing changes, and you understand technical disc golf terminology, TECHDISC should provide you with all the benefits described above.
If, however, you’re on the other end of the spectrum (many of my current clients tell me they found my website after trying and failing to watch videos and develop on their own), please remember that TECHDISC is a measurement tool combined with good database tools. It won’t tell you how to change those numbers. But, hey, that’s what me and my fellow disc golf instructors are for, right?
Contact us if you’d like to schedule a TECHDISC-powered lesson or have a question, or book online directly to reserve a date and time right now.
Last month in disc golf . . . The Masters Cup and a School of Disc Golf corporate gig forced me to skip several FrisbeeGolf Fridays. I hope it didn’t leave too much of a void in your lives. Onto some news from the front lines of disc golf!
Nothing like watching the world’s best, up close and personal. Photo by Bill Allen from the 2023 Masters Cup presented by DGA. Can you spot me? Hint, I am NOT the spectator with a Ph.D. That would be my friend – and Ohn’s husband – Justin.
A 9-hole course was just installed on the VA Medical Center campus in Chillicothe, Ohio, and it will soon be a full 18 holes. This idea just makes so much sense, let’s hope the trend continues.
As some know, I am a member of Team Infinite. Over the years, they have come up with some interesting product ideas.
I like this one because it reminds me of bedspread setups I created in hotel rooms over the years to help get in my disc fix. It’s a giant towel with a full-size basket on one side, with grommets for hanging.
Practice putting for an hour in the sun, work up a sweat, then pull the target down and take it to the lake for a swim. I’m in!
Now, I’m not sure why, but many of my favorite stories about disc golf culture these days are coming out of Canada.
From Midland a senior disc golf group called 60 and Hyzer is cleaning up after others, and in Centre Wellington a local man is making a strong case for a publicly-funded course in the township. Even local publication Guelph Today contributed with some solid reporting.
Yet again from Canada — although this practice takes place on courses everywhere — a story about a form of memorial unique to disc golf. Seeing one of these on the course somehow makes me feel sad and good at the same time.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the globe, the Phillipine News Agency just announced the first disc golf course in Manila, where the sport can be played year-round. Expect big things!
Have you checked out our new booking site? It’s also a great place to pick up unique disc golf gifts and merch. There’s not a lot there yet, but you can find some clearance items you won’t find anywhere else. There is even a shirt from the show Discmasters that I hosted with Nate, Val, and Avery back in 2011.
Finally, for those who have been asking, Idio just announced the release of the next generation of their Syncrasy disc golf shoes. They also acknowledged some customer feedback and listed specific improvements made to the new shoes. According to the company, “We have been listening and adapting. This year we have improved our bonding process, hardened the rubber for longer life, and improved on our waterproofing.”
My tester Syncrasys have indeed begun to let some water in after an epically wet winter, but otherwise they’ve held up well. I look forward to seeing the new ones and appreciate that is never satisfied.
That’s enough for now. Disc golf season is in full swing everywhere, so get out there and enjoy!
College Disc Golf, Air Force Disc Golf in Japan, Jack Tupp on Amazon, and the Ground-Up Approach to SAving Strokes.
Last week in the wind-whipped world of disc golf, the College Disc Golf National Championship went down pretty much as expected. WPI (Worcester Polytechnic Institute) finished a respectable 8th, between Kentucky and Texas A&M. Meanwhile, Lenexa, KS finally opened a course 20 years in the making. Officers at the Yokata Air Base in Western Tokyo did not blink, and within days announced their own new disc golf installation.
Meanwhile in the world of School of Disc Golf, aka, Play DisGolf, Inc., aka, me, I was surprised to learn my book Three Paths to Better Disc Golf is only two ratings shy of 100 on Amazon. (I had no idea! You see, I’m pretty shall we say “hands off” when it comes to my social media marketing — eh-HEM, Slacker! — and not as up-to-date on these things as I should be.) If you’ve read the book, post a review and help it hit triple digits!
I want to share a few snippets from past reviews as feedback like this is extremely gratifying and humbling at the same time.
“I did not expect how many of the suggestions just clicked – reflections of things I know to be true from my work and personal life that I had simply never applied to my recreational passion – disc golf. So far my scores are trending in the right direction, but more than any of that, practicing “disc golf in a vacuum” has allowed me to enjoy my time on the course even more. Highly recommend!”
“This is an awesome read, Being new to the sport I was a little confused about some aspects of the game. The author makes great sense and is simple to understand. If you take your game seriously you owe it to yourself to check it out.”
“I’ve read several of the most popular disc golf books and this is by far my favorite. Excellent treatment of the subject and from someone who can actually write!”
Those were some of my favorites, each for a different reason. I even liked the lowest-rated review, which simply said “Be the Disc, Danny.” An association with one of the best movies ever can’t hurt, right?
I also have deep ties to Michigan Disc Golf (what’s up, WinniCrew?), and this campaign to build an epic course and honor a legend is a perfect example of why and how disc golf has come so far and ain’t slowing down! Help ‘em out if you can, especially if you’re near the Upper Peninsula.
Our private course is showing signs of a mini-super bloom, and the season for teambuilding events and group activities is getting started. Contact me directly if you’re interested in booking a date or learning more.
Hole 7, looking back to the tee.Basket of Hole 5 in the Hazard Island location.
This week’s flashback post from the blog is a 2-Parter. Big mistakes can obviously cost you big-time, but lots of little things can add up fast. Knowing how to adjust to the vagaries of the terrain, or taking a Ground-Up Approach to Saving Strokes is key.
Part 1 focuses on up/down and left/right slopes, while Part 2 addresses varying tactics based on varying playing surfaces. Just to tie this week into a neat little bow, these are also chapters in that book I mentioned.
May your weekend include time to throw discs and enjoy their flight.
Last week we found lots of good stuff in the cracks and crevices of the disc golf world. The 2023 World Happiness Report came out, and get this: The top spot goes to disc golf-crazy Finland; the top 10 include more leading disc golf nations; the top 20 “happiest” countries all have disc golf.
Draw your own conclusions.
Ads for the Austin, TX chapter of the First Tee program ran during last weekend’s Disc Golf Network broadcast. I found that interesting. First Tee is a ball golf-based youth program where participants learn life skills along with golf skills. It is run by the World Golf Foundation, the trade organization for the golf industry.
Ads for the Austin, TX chapter of the First Tee program ran during last weekend’s Disc Golf Network broadcast. I found that interesting. First Tee is a ball golf-based youth program where participants learn life skills along with golf skills. It is run by the World Golf Foundation, the trade organization for the golf industry.
When researching my book, I interviewed the WGF’s then-executive director about the possibility of First Tee including disc golf in its programs since disc golf is so much more accessible. She made it clear that the golf manufacturers who funded First Tee would not let that happen. But that was in 2015. Maybe this is a sign of things to come- or maybe the head of the Austin chapter of First Tee received a stern phone call. In any case, the Revolution continues . . .
Speaking of DGN, kudos to the producers for making better and better use of the drone cameras. Getting that “5,000-foot” perspective really makes a difference.
Our #newdiscgolfcourse spotlight of the week comes from Quincy, IL. David Morgan, director of golf at the Westfield Golf Center, said “They (disc golfers) don’t have a long course in the area apparently, and so now they can have competitions and stuff like that.” Do they not have golf tournaments in Quincy? It reminded me of this great moment from Corporate Spokesperson history after Madison Bumgarner and my SF Giants won the World Series. Good “stuff.”
Here’s a quick tip. A truly straight-flying midrange disc is useful for maybe more than you think. If you’re challenged to get a disc to turn in a certain direction, sometimes it’s better to throw a shorter (or longer) straight shot than force it. The Wombat3 is a perfect choice for this purpose because it goes straight and finishes straight regardless of power, even if released with hyzer. If you can’t make that tight dogleg, play station-to-station instead. If you have trouble hitting low tunnels, a Wombat3 is good for both.
A client recently gave me this really cool gift, a handcrafted mini disc that features pressed alder seeds. I have no business relationship with Treasures of the Forest– just wanted to share them with my readers. Judging by the site, their stuff is in demand, but they add pieces each week and take custom orders that can include organic material you send them! Check out their Facebook page, too.
If you missed last week’s FGF, I shared a new instructional post on optimizing the use of eye-body coordination and mentioned I had an upcoming tournament. I won the tourney, and employing the eye discipline discussed in the post was a major reason why. Check it out!
Before you return to your own daily “stuff,” please take 60 seconds to sign this petition. The already semi-approved course would be in a part of the Bay Area that has no disc golf (how can they be happy?!), and the site is fabulous. Thank you!
Last week in the wide world of disc golf, another brave disc golf club declared its intention to turn straw into gold– and you can help! I particularly like the idea of converting Bellingham, WA mall dwellers into disc golfers. As the Disc Golf Revolution continues, disc golf is expanding into a new market- New Market, Alabama, to be precise.
From Taupō, New Zealand we learn of the North Island Championships, where more than 200 players will compete. I love this uncredited image from the story, and that basket! The chain assembly looks solid but the cage appears ready to break some hearts.
Due to shipping costs, disc golf course builders in more remote locations need to create their own, locally-produced baskets.
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My extended test of the world’s first real disc golf shoe continues, and they’re holding up great. Check out my first three months’ review– if you want to give them a try, now is a great time. In honor of Women’s History Month, Idio is knocking $44 off the regular price of $129.99.
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Watch. Where. You’re. Throwing! The latest instructional post on our website is about the role our eyes play when putting and driving, and it can be summed up with those four words. Learn how to best use these powerful pieces of human technology.
Our new booking site is also a great place to pick up unique disc golf gifts and merch- or it will be soon. There’s not a lot there yet, but you can find some clearance items you won’t find anywhere else. There is even a shirt from the show Discmasters that I hosted with Nate, Val, and Avery back in 2011.
Wish me luck this weekend as I compete in the Enduro Bowl at DeLaveaga. It’s 58 straight holes (2×29 holes), and the course is bound to be a slog.
My 2019 Enduro Bowl trophy was this cool ring. Go Team!
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