Hey there, it’s been a minute, but welcome back to FrisbeeGolf Friday!
Kristin Tattar, as usual, teed off in the final group in today’s DGPT event in Nashville. She isn’t in the lead after round 1, but that will probably change. Her events always have the feel of the fastest runner in a relay race who is behind when she is handed the baton and immediately begins steadily stalking the pack. A few moments of observation is enough to see the inevitability of it all.
I am a huge fan of Tattar because she focuses on playing disc golf at the highest level rather than the many ancillary opportunities that come with success on the course. Specifically, she is driven by the quest for lower scores rather than the need to constantly “produce content.”
Our sport has a history of top players allowing these two elements to become imbalanced after achieving a level of success, along with others who use disc golf as a vehicle for their “platform” from the get-go. Brodie Smith leaps to mind as an example of the latter, but as I wrote back in 2020 to each their own. His sidekick Ezra actually came close to winning a week or two ago, so who says you can’t have it all, at least for a little while?
How cool is it, though, to watch an elite athlete practice their craft, dedicated to squeezing every drop from the massive reservoir of potential with which they were blessed?
Check out this recent interview of Tattar to see why I think she is unlikely to fall from her current level of play anytime soon. If her competitors want to see those steely eyes on the lead card less often they will need to come up to her. Barring injury, I see the Kristin Tattar disc golf machine continuing to roll along.
jack tupp disc photo
I love capturing disc golf in photos. This one of my pal A. seems to resemble a ball golf swing follow-through as he arcs his back to execute a technical turnover upshot using just the right mix of extra spin and angle.
jack tupp disc golf terminology
In case you missed it, my most recent instructional post explains “Arm Brain,” a term used here at School of Disc Golf. I made it up one day in a lesson as I was attempting to explain an athlete’s tendency to revert to old, flawed mechanics— and specifically what things trigger that mistake.
Most of my clients come to me using primarily their arms to throw, and we change that by focusing on improved timing, balance, and use of the largest muscles to supply most of the power. Arm Brain becomes a named adversary for us to resist and overcome by focusing on the action and effort rather than the intended result.
disc golf stuff report
I received a couple pretty exciting packages in the mail this week. First was a copy of the board game Birdie Pro! from Steve Dodge. I am lining up a good group of testers that will include disc golfers, board game junkies, and hopefully a non-disc golfer, if I can find one!
Expect a report on the experience soon.
Two days after receiving the box from New England, another arrived from thousands of miles away in the exact opposite direction— China. A new (to the U.S. market) company called X-Com sent me a selection of their lineup to try, in various plastic blends named for planetary bodies. Mars is premium and Earth is baseline, I believe, with more blends coming. I’m encouraged by the fact that their discs are quite affordable, and available in lighter weights, perfect for developing players. This starter set is a good example.
I’ll share some observations in a post soon, but you can already get your hands on ’em now at Infinite Discs. The molds seem to mostly be named for constellations and planets, but the stamp on this guy caught my eye. We’ll see how he flies!
In another recent post I shared pics of the new model of Idio Syncrasy disc golf shoes I’m testing right now. Yesterday’s round featured great weather, but the ground was still swollen with rainwater and it felt like walking on full sponges in many places. My feet remained completely dry again, which is great, but what I really noticed during this round was the traction and sure-footedness on a wild array of surfaces.
Wet teepads, wet, sloped rock, wet, turf . . . you get the idea. Like the first Idios I tried, these really do feel secure for the sport of disc golf. The difference is especially noticeable compared to a pair of shoes with worn outsoles, which was the case for me. If it’s that time for you, give these a try. They’re made for disc golf!
Watch for the second part of our series on getting the most out of TECHDISC coming soon. We’ll be sharing a couple client testimonials and exploring best practices using the smart disc and app with a net.
in the news
The Disc Golf Pro Tour is eagerly jumping through the necessary hoops to enable sports wagering on professional disc golf. Will this result in our stars being less accessible to the fans— or should it?
The inclusivity of disc golf is still a major selling point, in Missoula and elsewhere.
Amboy, Illinois, is finally getting a disc golf course. At Amboy!
And I’ll wrap up this edition of FrisbeeGolf Friday by saying thank you to Brooklyn O’Kafka, a 13-year old Canadian who will be promoting disc golf to her classmates along with free discs from sponsor Latitude64. Keep up the great work, Brooklyn!