Where are you headed in your disc golf journey?

[Ted Bratton]

Disc golf in 2015 is looking great for me and I'm pumped. Where are you at?

In 2011 I threw a disc and was hooked...but I was -unbelievably- bad. I was 100% unathletic and one of the worst players in a big college club. I moved to Kentucky in 2013 and still sucked, but luckily I became friends with a masters pro. One obsessive summer and a lot of guidance later and I had become -much- more athletic and I was finally proud of my modest results.

This past season I developed some tolerance to my disc golf high. I ended up playing very little. I stopped playing in anything but great conditions and only with friends. I stopped caring about discs, and I stopped practicing. Luckily, I still improved -substantially-. I signed up for the PDGA and played my first two tournaments and loved them. I learned how to throw almost 100 feet farther, my putting improved dramatically, and I bested my personal course records by many strokes; by 6 at my home course.

I really haven't played since it started getting "colder" out (lol@KY winters!). I'm still in school and have a job, but I've realized two things. One, that how well I play is mostly dependent on how much time I spent practicing and the quality of my practice. And two, that I love disc golf, I love competing in PDGA tournaments, and I would love to compete at the open level someday.

So for 2015 my plan is to get a basket, cut way down on casual and club rounds, practice regularly, and compete in tournaments. For at least this season I'm going to attempt practicing my driving and doing drills very regularly at my home course, and practicing my putting extremely regularly instead of spending my time in casual rounds and club play. Instead I'm going to devote myself to my best preparation so I can set myself up to "win" a PDGA tournament (starting with intermediate division haha). I'm busy, but I should still have time to get out there at least a couple times a week if I plan effectively. Plus I love all of the exercise. If I estimate correctly I should be able to at least improve my putting dramatically by simply putting 5+ days of the week.

Have you been in my shoes before? What happened?

 

[Magicweed]

It's sounds like we are making our disc golf New Years resolutions.

I wasn't really exposed to disc golf until 2013 and I played my first round with my left arm in a sling. Despite that, the guys I played with said that I had some natural talent. It made sense because I've always played sports and done well in them growing up, but hitting 30 meant most of those days were over a decade ago. I played a bit more and started developing goals for myself (play bogey or better golf, birdie a hole, shoot par for the course, shoot under par) and slowly I met those goals and went past them.

Last year I commited myself to playing events (9 in total) and even jumped up a division in the middle of the summer. I played well, I placed well, but towards the end of the year my practice fell off a little bit. While top 5 finishes are nice, I just couldn't bring home a trophy. That's where we get into 2015.

I've made myself a list of all the event I want to play (9 so far) with the goal or getting myself as close to a 950 rating as I can before 2016. I'm looking to pick up a basket so I can putt every day, and want to play at least one round a day. I'm looking to get enough points to qualify for AM Worlds and hopefully take home some hardware along the way. This year should be a big step forward, I hope.

 

[Questatement]

As soon as I can get the damn bogey or two (occassional double bog) out of my round, I'm going pro - Grand Masters. Birdie count is not a problem.

Or should I say if ever?

 

[BuzzzChief]

Get back into playing competitively instead of just playing every once in a while. Going to play weekly doubles next year, and hopefully 4-5 tourneys.

 

[lbond]

From the bottom to the top!

bam.

 

[Streets]

To the Lonely Mountain to slay the dragon and reclaim my dwarven gold.

 

[scotnt73]

I've been playing A little over 5 years non competitive with a group of friends. We are all pretty decent and 2014 was the year we all started competing in local minis. We've all placed or won the am division of these minis a few times. We've been discussing it and have decided to play quite a few full blown tourneys this year and actually joining the pdga for the first time. Going to start at intermediate and a few of us are masters age wise as well. Should be fun.

 

[sisyphus]

OK, I'll play...

I want to continue having fun, because "He who has the most fun, wins". But along the way in 2015, it would be nice to shave four to five strokes off per tourney round by adding 30-50' on my meager drives, and focus on better 'get out of trouble' shots (playing smart(er)). And putt even more consistently.

Hopefully this will result in an Olympic medal in July (you heard me right: National Senior Games demonstration sport for the 2nd time), and a finish in the top half of my first (and last) Am Worlds (I play grandmaster), before figuring out how to cash in some Open Grandmaster events from August onward.

...well, one can dream, right?

 

[banknwank]

400 ft , par golf and a bad right knee

 

[Cgkdisc]

Hawaii to design one, maybe two courses.

 

[Mud Boy]

I'm going to play leagues next year because I can't get anybody my age (61) to even consider playing disc golf and I'm tired of playing alone.

 

[notroman]

I haven't made the decision yet. I decided to focus on the game and put in the time in the practice field back in 2011. My play as well as rating began climbing pretty fast in 2012 and 2013. In the spring of 2013 I injured my throwing hand by over-working it in the field (the body just couldn't take all the stress). Took 6-7 months off to let it heal and the entire 2014 season I spent rehabbing. I was playing more in 2014, but still could not get back to field work because the injury was not fully healed yet. Naturally my game took a big tumble since it's almost impossible to maintain any level of consistency without practice. Now I wonder if I really want to put the time in to get my game back to where it was. It really was eating up a lot of my time and I would rather see my friends more and get back into some of the other hobbies that I've abandoned due to disc golf over the years.

So yeah, I'm not sure what's in store for 2015. I will probably get back to some sort of field work schedule, although not as strenuous as it was in the past. I think I want to bump up to MPO even though my game is no longer there to be competitive in that division. I only want to make the jump because I can still cash in most MA1 tourneys even if I play like complete crap and I'm tired of being rewarded for [what in my opinion] is poor performance.

 

[zeerobb]

Playing as many courses as I can on 5 weeks vacation in 2015 , mainly Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas

 

[Jukeshoe]

OK, I'll play...

I want to continue having fun, because "He who has the most fun, wins".

^2nd this emotion.

 

[notroman]

Get back into playing competitively instead of just playing every once in a while. Going to play weekly doubles next year, and hopefully 4-5 tourneys.

Looking forward to playing with you again!

 

[Moose33]

This year was a big one for me, I played 4 tournaments, was TD for one(first time), went from averaging +8 a round to -1 and threw my first 500ft dive.

I went from maxing at 400 to making a bit longer than that the norm, I'd always like to add distance but plan to work on shot shaping and putting.

Want to add another 20+ courses this year and try to get Some wins at intermediate(got as high as 3rd this year) and if I can get my putts nailed down might jump to advanced.

 

[beeyang78]

For 2015, I will quit my job and will play disc golf full time. I want to see if I can make it as a pro. I want to see if practicing will actually make me a better player. I started in 2011 and played my first tournament in 2012 in intermediate and was hooked. I just played three open tournaments and cashed in 2 of them so I will start my journey next year. I already have 20 tournaments planned with 4 NTs, 1 Major, and 15 A tiers. I never really took disc golf too seriously, but I am not getting any younger so I figured next year would be the year. I turn 37 next year so you could call it a mid-life crisis.

 

[mAzzA]

Mud Boy, DO IT I'm only 28 and out of the 10 friends I used to play disc golf with in high school, I can only get 2 to play a semi-regular game with anymore. Most of the locals at my course are nice people though, so 1/2 the time when I go out by myself, I end up joining with another group.

Look out for a local DG club and get in on the doubles games and league play, maybe even some tournaments if you feel like it. Just don't be intimidated and have fun

My plan is to play a couple local tournaments this year, I've only played 2 a couple years ago and I sucked hardcore. I need to practice putting and get back into it and just see what I can do.

 

[elmexdela]

For 2015, I will quit my job and will play disc golf full time. I want to see if I can make it as a pro. I want to see if practicing will actually make me a better player. I started in 2011 and played my first tournament in 2012 in intermediate and was hooked. I just played three open tournaments and cashed in 2 of them so I will start my journey next year. I already have 20 tournaments planned with 4 NTs, 1 Major, and 15 A tiers. I never really took disc golf too seriously, but I am not getting any younger so I figured next year would be the year. I turn 37 next year so you could call it a mid-life crisis.

your an inspiration to us all

 

[DavidSauls]

Hawaii to design one, maybe two courses.

Tough gig.