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2015 Trilogy Challenge Discs Review

Posted by randomtiz


You’ve asked for it, now you have it!

Dogleg JT reviews the unreleased Westside Discs Elasto Sampo driver, Dynamic Discs Fuzion Evidence midrange and the Latitude 64 Retro Macana putter from this year’s Trilogy Challenge.


Music credits: Bensound.com

I am a LHBH thrower. If you’re watching the video, for comparison, I would consider my arm speed to be medium. If you are a power thrower, expect the discs to fly more understable. If you have slower arm speed, expect the discs to be more overstable.

Westside Elasto Sampo Driver

Stronger arms could get it to turnover, but The Westside Sampo was a bit too overstable for me. The first round we played silver-to-silver (short layout) and I maybe used the driver 2-3 times. To be honest, I didn’t give it much of a chance but I don’t see it making a spot in my bag. I have only thrown a handfull of Westside discs but have not found one I liked yet. The Elasto plastic is a flexible, almost gummy plastic that has a nice grip but can feel a bit wobbly. Not sure if it’s the best plastic for a driver when you’re trying to get a hard, tight grip.

Dynamic Discs Fuzion Evidence Midrange

The DD Evidence midrange disc I really enjoyed. It was more on the stable side but I could get it to turnover if I put enough arm speed into it and play a slight anhyzer line. I normally throw a Dynamic Discs Biofuzion Truth, so the mold and feel of the Evidence felt familiar. Although I feel the Truth is a bit more overstable, I can see breaking out the Evidence in casual rounds. The Evidence has a very comfortable grip to me.

Latitude 64° Retro Macana

The was the first Lat 64 disc that I had ever thrown. I’m typically not a fan of putters, but something about this disc really stood out to me during the Trilogy Challenge. It quickly made a spot in my permanent bag as that day I seemed to be on fire with it–at least for awhile. The Retro plastic is more of a cheaper, baseline grade of plastic but a nod to the plastics used back in the 80s–hence the name. The Retro plastic dings really easily but does have a nice grip to it. Of all three Trilogy discs, the Macana became my easy favorite.

What did you think of the discs?

To read more about the Trilogy Challenge that I participated in, be sure to check out my previous post, “2015 Trilogy Challenge – Oregon Park Recap.”
-jt


2015 Trilogy Challenge – Oregon Park Recap

Posted by randomtiz


G’morning all and what a beautiful Saturday it is! An early disc golf round already lined up with friends and I can’t wait to get this day started. But before I head out, I had the pleasure of playing in my first Trilogy Challenge last weekend (May 30th) at Oregon Park and wanted to share how it went.

trilogy_errbody

2015 Trilogy Challenge Group shot. Photo credit: Derek Disc.

What is the Trilogy Challenge you might ask?
The Trilogy Challenge is brought to you by Dynamic Discs, Latitude 64°, and Westside Discs who’s goal is to gain better visibility of the sport and get more new players involved. In each player pack, you get three discs to use in the tournament–a Westside Elasto Sampo Driver, a Dynamic Discs Fusion Evidence Midrange, and a Lat 64° Retro Macana Putter. Basically everything you need to play a round. On top of the three discs, each player gets a Trilogy stamped mini, a mini clipboard, mini sharpie, scorecard and a pencil. All included in your entry cost of $30! Pretty sweet deal.

Now what about the format?
The format of the tournament is up to the TD. The one I participated in was a two-round format where the first round silver-to-silver and the second round gold-to-gold layout. Each round had its own winner–scores didn’t carry over from one to the next. For the first round, everyone played from the shortest layout there at Oregon Park which was silver-to-silver. In the Trilogy Challenge, players were only allowed to throw the three discs they received in this year’s player pack. The second round format was a bit different. Everyone played the long layout, gold-to-gold, and had the option to either add their three Trilogy discs from last year’s player pack OR substitute one of the three from this year with one of their own. I didn’t throw the driver much the first round on the short layout, so I opted to switch it out for one of my other drivers the second round.

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Westside Elasto Sampo Driver, Dynamic Discs Fusion Evidence Midrange, and a Lat 64° Retro Macana Putter. To watch Dogleg JT’s review of the three 2015 Trilogy Discs, click here.

Via their website, The Trilogy Challenge is a worldwide event from May 29th to September 20th that concludes with the Trilogy Öppna in Emporia, Kansas on September 19th-20th. The discs in each player pack will be unreleased until the last Challenge in Emporia. So be sure to get in on the action!

Between the two rounds, they had several raffle giveaways which consisted of Dynamic Discs Soldier & Cadet DG bags, Lat 64, Westside, and Dynamic Discs drivers, mids and putters. I won the first raffle drawing (shoutout to Jason Kirkaldy for drawing my name) of a brand new DD Soldier bag filled with 9 discs!

First Raffle Winner Prize Pack – DD Soldier Disc Golf bag with 9 discs included!

First Raffle Winner Prize Pack – DD Soldier Disc Golf bag with 9 discs included!

I had a great time with friends and meeting several new faces out there. It was a lot of fun and I will be playing next year in it for sure. The turnout was huge! I felt like everything went really smoothly and a big shoutout and thanks to Walter Black for running TD this year! I had a chance to talk to Walter earlier this week on how the tourney went. Here’s what Walter had to say:

So, we all start somewhere, right? It is easy to forget after years of playing and moving up from beginner to league play to playing tournaments just how hard those first throws were. How awkward it was to throw a disc the way it is supposed to be thrown. How confusing the different discs and their numbers were. How just finding other people to play with is an obstacle. When I decided to run the Trilogy Challenge, I wanted to be sure I didn’t forget what it was like to be new to the sport.

Our club gets together early in the year to hash out the events we want to host. Last year’s Trilogy Challenge was a success and I asked to run it again this year. I had only one real question for the club and that was, “Do you want me to make money?” The answer was “No”. They didn’t want me to make money. The club wanted everything we took in to be paid back out. It is an important distinction for me because if I don’t have to make money, then I can spend what I feel I need to attract the largest number of players. More players, more money. More money, more prizes. More prizes, more players. I had posters and postcards made to make sure anyone who visited Oregon Park knew about the event. We tapped into social media on the Cobb Disc Golf Club and Atlanta Disc Golf Organization Facebook page. The registrations were slow to get going but as we got closer and closer to the event date they started snowballing.

When we originally planned our Trilogy Challenge we wanted to offer more than what was necessary. More opportunities to play and compete and more prizes. Everyone played the Trilogy Challenge just as Dynamic Discs intended. One round, winner wins the prize pack. A second optional round was added with a few twists. It would be played on the longest layout of the course and would have it’s own prize. We expanded the number of prizes and had a drawing for them. Anything you could win with skill, you could win by getting lucky. No matter how new you were to the sport, everyone paid the same to enter, everyone would have a chance to win. I added another Soldier bag and nine discs to be won in a drawing and also upgraded the Cadet bags to Soldier bags. For the second round winner, a choice of a Recruit practice basket or any bag/backpack that Dynamic Discs sold was offered. There was also a drawing for the same Recruit basket or bag/backpack that could be won just for purchasing a player pack. For the drawings you didn’t have to be present to win. You didn’t even have to play. If you purchased a player pack you were entered into all the drawings.

More players are always good right up to the point that they aren’t and a week out we were rapidly approaching our limit for what the course could accommodate. I knew from experience we would get 20-30 participants walk-up on the day of the event. The problem was, I was already at my limit with the players who had preregistered. Where was I going to put another 30? At the last moment I contacted Dynamic Discs and tossed up another event, the Friday Night Flight, and got another winners pack for that event along with 50 more player packs. I wasn’t going to turn anyone away. I needed to get 25-30 players who had registered for Saturday to play their Trilogy Challenge round on Friday night to make room for the walk-ups I expected for Saturday. Just enough to give us a little breathing room.

For Friday we did a simple flex start where the players could show up after work and get grouped with a few others and head out to play. This was attractive for some because they could get their round in and be done in less than two hours. Friday night I had 33 total participants play their Trilogy Challenge round but I still had a problem. Only 20 had preregistered. The other thirteen were walk-ups. This meant that while I did manage to pull some away, I was still going to have more than 90 players show up on Saturday.

I worried about how Saturday would play out well into the night on Friday, not getting to bed until around 2am. I was trying to figure out the best way to get 90+ players to fit on an 18-hole course. I could do cards for five and a few sixes but how long would that take with all the new players even on the shortest layout? I could split the field and run two rounds but what would 40-50 players do for two hours while the other half played? Both of these options had their advantages and disadvantages. I really didn’t like either choice. I give credit to one of the players for suggesting a rolling start. Everyone would head to hole one when they were ready to play and be sent out in groups of 3, 4 or 5. Friends could play with friends and solo players would be added in to fill out the card. Players would already be out on the course while others were just checking in. It worked very well with just a short wait time at hole one.

In total, we sold out of all 125 player packs and I only had to turn one person away because we just didn’t have any more. The Trilogy Challenge is Dynamic Discs effort to #growthesport but the additional prizes also attracted some very good long-time players. The winning round for both Friday and Saturday on the short silver-to-silver layout was a 13-under par 41. John Riley, a local player, won on Friday while Jason Kirkaldy, who traveled all the way from Augusta, won on Saturday. The second round was very competitive on the longer gold-to-gold layout with Jason Kirkaldy winning by one stroke over John Riley and Jermaine Barksdale with an 8-under par 51. But let’s not forget the real winners here. The three dads playing with their young sons. The fireman and his girlfriend, neither of whom had ever thrown a disc before, playing for the first time. The women, although few, playing together. All the other new players and beginners who came out and played with nearly one-hundred other disc golfers. We all start somewhere. That’s a pretty good start.

-Walter

For information about the Trilogy Challenge and seeing if there are any in your area, check out http://trilogychallenge.com/.

Jason Kirkaldy (left), Saturday's first round Winner accepting his prize pack from TD Walter Black (right).

Jason Kirkaldy (left), Saturday’s first round Winner accepting his prize pack from TD Walter Black (right).

Daniel – First round, Hole #1 tee shot. Photo cred: Derek Disc

Daniel – First round, Hole #1 tee shot. Photo cred: Derek Disc

Justin – First round, Hole #1 tee shot. Photo cred: Derek Disc

Justin – First round, Hole #1 tee shot. Photo cred: Derek Disc

Sean – First round, Hole #1 tee shot. Photo cred: Derek Disc

Sean – First round, Hole #1 tee shot. Photo cred: Derek Disc

JT – First round, Hole #1 tee shot. Photo cred: Derek Disc

JT – First round, Hole #1 tee shot. Photo cred: Derek Disc

Final player's meeting end of the second round.

Final player’s meeting end of the second round.

Want to see what Dogleg JT thought of this year’s Trilogy Challenge discs? Read/watch his latest post here.

-jt


Disc Golf in Schools Program: Press Release

Posted by randomtiz


Download Summit Disc Golf Press Release Media Kit

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Chris Singer
Contact Phone: 517-eight6two-0118
Contact: E-mail: summitdiscgolf@gmail.com

CORVALLIS, OR, 4/14/15 — Disc Golf in Schools program kicks off on April 20 at Lincoln Elementary School

Summit Disc Golf Promotions in partnership with Ascension Disc Golf, Team Oregon Disc Golf, Vision Air Disc Golf and Legacy Discs is proud to announce the launch of its first Disc Golf in Schools program on April 20 and 21 at Lincoln Elementary School in Corvallis, OR.

Summit Disc Golf Promotions launched the Disc Golf in Schools program in 2015 to provide schools with disc golf targets and discs. Our mission is to partner with schools’ physical education programs throughout Oregon and to hold disc golf clinics at each school to help introduce the fast-growing sport of disc golf to students.

The first clinics of the program will be taking place over two days at Lincoln Elementary School during students’ physical education classes. The clinics will be led by two professional disc golfers from Oregon: Zoe AnDyke and Dustin Keegan (download link below for media kit bio information).

Besides providing quality instruction from professional disc golfers, the Disc Golf in Schools program also will be giving Lincoln Elementary 9 disc golf targets (from DGNomad, www.dgnomad.com) and 60 disc golf discs from Legacy Discs (www.legacydiscs.com).

Funding for a significant portion of the Disc Golf in Schools program at Lincoln Elementary comes thanks to our title sponsor, Rotary Club of Corvallis – After 5.

Media interested in attending and viewing the program at Lincoln Elementary on April 20th and April 21st should contact us as soon as possible so we can set something up according to the District’s rules and guidelines.

Please visit www.summitdiscgolf.com for more information.

Download Summit Disc Golf Press Release Media Kit

Thanks for your time.

Best,

Chris Singer, Founder – Disc Golf in Schools


Matt Dollar’s Georgia Top Ten

Posted by randomtiz


Earlier last week, a thread started on Atlanta Disc Golf’s Facebook page where fellow members weighed in on their Top 10 favorite disc golf courses in Georgia. It was interesting to see everyone’s input and how many of the same courses were repeatedly making the lists. Most of the entries were simply just the course names, but the post that stood out to me the most was one by Loganville-local and Innova Disc Golf Pro, Matt Dollar #26045.

Since moving here to Georgia almost 5 years ago, I’ve been able to make it to and play almost 25 of the nearly 90 disc golf courses located here in the state. I am always up for playing new courses and checking them off my list. While I enjoyed reading everyone’s personal favs, Dollar’s was the one that stood out to me because his list was one of the few–if not the only–that included reasons behind each of his picks. I appreciated that. With permission from Matt, below is his post from the ADGO Facebook page.

And now my Top 10 Georgia courses and the reasons.

10. Bowden Golf Course – Macon.
It’s like no other course in Ga. You really feel like you’re in Texas. It’s hot as hades and is filled with sand, CACTI, lizards, and lots of things that poke you. I don’t ever play great there, but it’s a sick course.

09. Tom Triplett – Savannah.
With at least 2 or 3 tee pads on every hole, you have unlimited options at TTP. Hole 4 from Gold might be the best Par 5 in GA.

08. Redan – God’s Country.
This John David design is amazing. The course itself is only on about 15 acres. Some of the good old school long pins aren’t there anymore, and the key holders seem to favor the shorties. Redan is still awesome, and with PNUT raising funds for new pins, it has me excited to see some of those great pins back in the future.

07. Lake Russell – Elberton.
The other John David old school designed course on my list. Par 3 golf at it’s best. Most courses this old are getting easier with age, but LR is the exception. It keeps getting tighter and the areas that used to be tall grass back in the day are now small forests.

06. Jim Warner – IDGC.
The youngest of the IDGC courses is the squirreliest, but overall a sweet track. The back nine is a hike and features what is possibly the hardest Par 5 in GA, hole 15.

05. Perkerson – Atlanta.
John Ritger is one of the best designers there is IMO. The longtime temp course was amazing. When the permanent course finally got the green light, John had to redesign a course that everyone loved for years. That’s not an easy task and yet he came out with a great layout that pleases the masses.

04. NGCT – Lula.
Keith Johnson and John Ritger made a great design. And Keith pours his heart and soul into this place and it shows. This is the year of Lula with the GTI and 3 A Tiers. Oh, and you play through a chicken shack! Bakaaa!

03. Jackson – IDGC.
The big dog. Starts out with 6 Par fours in a row! And 3 Par Fives! Holes 3 and 12 are the only crappy holes here. Hole 17 is one of the hardest Par Fours in GA. Holes 8 and and 10 are sick.

02. JP Moseley – Stockbridge.
The course that has it all. Short, long, wooded, open, easy, hard, and a Skull Island. I haven’t played the news holes, but the original 18 is one of the best ever. The 3 Par Fives are sick. And The last five holes are like playing Lake Russell.

01. Steady Ed – IDGC.
The easiest course at the IDGC is also the most fun, and also the most valid. It’s super fun in the short pins and in the longs. Long arms get eagle chances on several holes on the long layout. Hole 5 is one of the coolest holes in GA when the lake is up. I could play Ed everyday without getting sick of it.
If Flyboy and Crucible were involved they’d be 1 and 2. Anyone who has ever played Flyboy knows it’s the best there is. Duh.

Innova Pro Matt Dollar

Innova Pro Matt Dollar

Matt’s already off to a hot start this 2015 season. He’s won the first two sanctioned tourneys he’s played in this year, Savannah Open and the IDGC Ice Bowl. So far he’s won 3 of the 7 sanctioned tourneys and had 2 more top 10 finishes. To follow Matt’s tournament journey, check out Matt Dollar #26045 PDGA.

If you have any more favorite Georgia courses, let us know by posting a comment below!
-jt


Hunter Park Vibram Birdie Bash Recap

Posted by randomtiz


Vibram Birdie Bash Swag Pack

A week later and just now getting a chance to sit down on this beautiful, cool morning to write about what I enjoy most, disc golf. Although arguably a better morning to be out on the course, it was important to me to get this post up as promised on our Dogleg Facebook page.

Two months ago I posted about an upcoming Vibram Birdie Bash being held at Hunter Memorial Park in Douglasville, GA. Well the time finally came last Saturday, March 21 as our four-man crew made the trek down to Douglasville. Not knowing quite what all to expect, it was all of our’s first time to play in a Birdie Bash and boy were we excited!

I like to think we’ve got a pretty solid, standup group of guys—Daniel, Rick, Sean and myself. Our four group plays regularly together on the weekends and an occasional weeknight. We try to select tournaments that we can all make and feel like it’d be a fun time. Although this was actually only the second tournament that all four of us had been able to participate in together since forming the group less than a year ago. I enjoyed our hour-long carpool down to D’ville last weekend talking disc golf and even strategizing for the Birdie Bash, haha. We had questions about how players would be split up amongst the cards for the first round and whether or not our 2-disc choices would play to an advantage. Of course it would be fun to all play on the same card the first round, but could that be a disadvantage to each of us four? Based on how we were thinking the point system worked, could we potentially be stealing points from one another? For example if no one scores on a hole, then the point goes to whoever landed closest to pin. Then we tried to figure out if our odds would be better if we played on different cards the first round in hopes to score similar and get paired together for second round. As much as we each love disc golf, we take it serious as well. All while having fun, of course!

Speaking from previous experiences in other tournaments I’ve played where you play with the supplied discs, it’s always good to get there as early as possible to sign in, get your discs and practice throwing them. The discs always seem to fly differently than what you expected or used to. So I highly recommend getting there early enough to get your discs and take them out on a couple of holes to practice. Learn how they fly. Test what they can do and how much arm they can handle. It sure helped me in our ~45 min. worth of practicing Saturday throwing the new discs before the start. I had thrown a Lace before, but not one that was in the weight range I chose. This one was a bit heavy and a little bit more overstable than what I’d thrown before. My other disc choice was an Obex which is an overstable, long glide midrange. I had never thrown one of these before either, so I’m glad I got out there and learned its flight path and how to control it to get it to work like I needed.

Vibram Birdie Bash Swag Pack

Vibram Birdie Bash Swag Pack


We got there really early and was able to get in a few holes with our regular discs to warm up. As soon as the tent opened up, we signed in and got our Vibram swag packs with our discs. I actually appreciated how the swag packs were already put together with the discs already in there. I’ve been to other tournaments where the line gets backed up with everyone carefully choosing their disc weight and color—it takes forever. So I liked the simplicity of the pre-packaged swag packs. The swag packs come with the two discs you selected back during online registration, a tshirt, two stickers, playing cards, and a Vibram rubber coaster. Note: The water bottle is not part of the swag pack. I’ll mention that later. [see pic].

One thing I freakin’ love about Vibram discs is the awesome, tie-dyed swirled patterns in the discs. Check them out! I went with a 170M Lace and a 167M Obex. I prefer the X-Link Medium which is Vibram’s original and most popular material.

The X-Link material is a unique rubber-based compound which resists scuffs, has incredible durability and unequaled grip. Additionally, X-Link has a stronger memory than any disc currently on the market, so if you do manage to bend it out of shape, in all likelihood, it will work its way back.

The players’ meeting kicked off with the introduction, “brief” rules, group pairings and scorecards were handed out and then we were off to our starting holes. One thing I didn’t like was that I felt like the scoring instructions, penalty scenarios and starting rules weren’t as clear as they could have been or the OB rules which weren’t mentioned at all. For example, it didn’t come up until we were halfway to our start hole that we had no idea when we were supposed to start. TD didn’t mention if it was an airhorn start or at a specific time. We were at the furthest hole from the tent too. Also, TD never mentioned the OB rules (later covered prior to second round). Do OB rules apply in a tournament like this? What’s considered OB at this course? etc.

I know the scoring rules were on the back of the scorecard, but I felt there was still confusion in a few scenarios that weren’t covered on the card. However, I did like the fact that the TD gave out his phone number to each group and encouraged any player to call if there was a question. But to my point, I feel like the scoring could have been slightly unfair or different amongst the groups when there were obvious things that were failed to be covered. Did everyone count OB’s the first round? Did people ignore those? Can the same player get a metal point and CTP on the same hole, or does metal cancel out the CTP? I know not every scenario could be brought up during the first player’s meeting, but I feel like it can affect the scoring for sure. And I understand that a scenario might not arise until it actually happens during the round. So, say they call the TD and find out the ruling.. What now? How do the other groups learn of the ruling? Another group could have encountered the same thing and may have scored it differently. I feel like there’s too many variables that could come up. If one group counted it one way, and another group a different way…the points are now different. You see my point.

The first round, players were divided up in alphabetical order by their first name unless you had requested to be grouped with other players during the online registration. That was one thing we learned that we didn’t know about. We might have requested that if we had known during the online registration process. But it was cool though, it allowed us to get paired with others and meet new faces. By the way the names fell, Rick and Sean ended up on same card. I really enjoyed meeting each player and getting to know them a bit more as the round progressed. The first round I got paired with Mark, Michael and “Bull”–all fun guys to be around. I did have a rough start and even took me several holes to score my first point, ugh. But I did better later that round once I was felt more comfortable with my discs. After talking to the guys after the first 18, it sounded like we all had a weak first round.

 Lunch at Irish Bred Pub

Lunch at Irish Bred Pub

Hole #18 CTP

Hole #18 CTP


They gave us about a 1.5 hr lunch which was nice–plenty of time to grab some brews down the road. Ya know, loosen us up for the second round. The second round pairings were based on the scoring of the first round like most all tournaments. First round I had 13 pts and Daniel had 12, so we got paired together with Brian and Will. The second round I was on and already doing leaps better than my first round start. It was also nearly 20 degrees warmer the second round, so I felt more in my element with it being short-sleeve weather compared to our cold morning start. My group started the second round on Hole #16 and two holes later I ended up winning the second round CTP on #18 [see pic]. That CTP win is how I got the aluminum Vibram water bottle seen in pic above.

I ended with 18 pts the second round which was enough for a T-5th place finish of 31 pts. All in all I had a great time at the Bash and would recommend it to anyone, regardless of skill level. It’s fun getting out there, trying out new discs, enjoying the Spring weather and meeting new people. I plan to play in next year’s event too at a different course. My hopes would be that the rules will be more in-depth, OBs covered, and just explained more clearly to keep scoring fair amongst the cards. Check out Vibram’s Birdie Bash Locations to see when/where the next one is closest to you!

Congrats to Zach Haynes for the Hunter Park Vibram Birdie Bash win–pulling in a total of 44 pts! Great shooting.

Reviews from the Field:

The birdie bash was great. The format really allows players of all skill levels to have fun. I had never thrown a Vibram disc before the tournament. I was impressed and they will definitely have a spot in my bag going forward.” –Sean C.

It was my first Birdie Bash, first time throwing Vibram, and only second tournament. My biggest highlight was the player packs. I was able to add the Lace and Ridge to my bag. The Ridge is now my go to putter. The point’s system was new for me. But, it was easy to understand once you started playing and kept the tournament competitive regardless of skill level. Overall, I had a good time and learned a few things.
-Rick M.

I’ve been playing for right at one year, and this was my first birdie bash. I thought it was a really cool way to play a tournament. Haven’t really thrown Vibrams before, but really loved the discs we received. The disc material felt great and the look was cool. Everyone was given brand new discs which really leveled the playing field. The scoring method also helped everyone playing be competitive. Really enjoyed the bash!
-Daniel M.

Daniel #9 Tee Shot - Caboose Hole

Daniel #9 Tee Shot – Caboose Hole

Hole #11 Drive - Overshot basket on big dogleg right.

Hole #11 Drive – Overshot basket on big dogleg right.

JT walking away with Hole #18 CTP Prize.

JT walking away with Hole #18 CTP Prize.

If I have any tips to share, I’d leave you with this:

  • Disc Selection: If you’re not familiar with Vibram discs or have never thrown one, check out their flight paths and compare them to the discs you’re comfortable with on sites like Inbounds Disc Golf Disc Comparison. This might help you select the right Vibram disc that matches your own. Remember, you only get two Vibram discs to play with. Think about the course, the lines. Choose carefully.
  • Disc Material: Vibram discs come in X-Link Medium and X-Link Firm. The medium is the most popular and original material by Vibram. The medium has more of a grippy service, gets less skip, and more of a slightly flexible nature. The firm is a stiffer, less grippy rubber compound that cuts through the air and can get more ground skip.
  • Online Registration: If you’re wanting to play on the same first round card as your buddies, request that in the comments field of registration. If you don’t, you might end up getting paired alphabetically the day of.
  • Arrival to Tournament: Get there early! Sign in and get your swag packs as soon as they start handing them out. You’ll want to get in the extra practice and test out your new discs before the tournament starts.
  • Walking the Course: Be sure to walk as much of the course prior to the tournament. At ours, there was a few holes that the teepads were moved up on to lessen the difficulty. These were previously very long Par 3’s. Yellow flags were used to mark the closer “teepad” area. Start figuring out your lines from these new positions.
  • Players’ Meeting: Make sure the TD covers all rules, scoring and goes over what the OBs are. Not everyone has played that course before. Be sure everyone’s clear.
  • You ONLY get a CTP point within your group if NO ONE else scores a point on that hole. For example, if someone hits metal and you have the CTP, you don’t get the point. Their metal hits cancels out your CTP.
  • Most importantly, HAVE FUN! Meet new people, learn new things. Teach others. Have a positive attitude. Strive for that Spirit Award!

Hunter Park’s Vibram Birdie Bash made the local news. – Dogleg JT in the red shirt.

Please share!,
-jt


Introducing “PING”, the First Trackable Discgolf Disc

Posted by randomtiz


I don’t know how often you guys troll crowdfunding sites such as Kickstarter.com which allows backers to pledge funding to creative startup projects. These projects typically offer backers tangible rewards and/or special experiences in exchange for the pledge. Kickstarter’s a platform to help bring creative projects come to life. There is ALL kinds of clever and innovative, cool stuff on there! But back to my point, I do browse through Kickstarter’s site quite often and search for disc golf-related projects. Currently on Kickstarter, there are nearly 30 “disc golf”-related projects that show up in search results dating back to 2011. However, only one of those projects is currently active and it’s the one I really want you guys to check out. Introducing PING, the world’s first trackable disc golf disc!

Have you ever lost a disc in the woods or spent hours on end stumbling through briars and mud looking for you disc?
Well, check out the PING disc from Tobu Discs. Claiming it’s the first trackable disc, this disc has a built-in, underside compartment that states it does not affect the disc’s flight path and also completely waterproof. The disc pairs with the bluetooth on your iPhone or Android phone along with their free Tobu app. The app—specially designed for the Ping—will help lead you to locate your disc once you start walking in the direction of the thrown disc. The PING disc will automatically begin to beep and flash once it’s thrown too!

The app also lets you search for other courses in your area, view course maps using your phone’s GPS, rate courses, create/submit your own courses, track you and your friend’s scores, and even measure and record the distance of your throw.

Ping Trackable Disc

There’s a lot more to it as well. I don’t want to spoil it here, so get over to the PING Kickstarter campaign and learn more! The project’s campaign only lasts until 3:00pm EST this coming Thursday, February 5th 2015. Pledge them!

Visit their Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2015374999/ping-trackable-disc-golf-disc

Visit their website: www.tobudiscs.com

-jt


2015 Vibram Birdie Bash

Posted by randomtiz


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Earlier in the week, I caught up with Steve Dodge of Vibram Disc Golf on this year’s upcoming Vibram Birdie Bash. Here’s what he had to say:

With Spring fast approaching (as well as two feet of snow!), it is time to look into the Vibram Birdie Bash. In addition to improved prizes and more streamlined admin for TDs, we have added in a Vibram Birdie Bash World Championship. http://www.birdiebash.com/championship.html.

The VBB World Championship is happening the weekend before Am Worlds at one of the Am Worlds courses. It will be broadcast live by Terry Miller and Smashboxx TV, and all VBB TDs and VBB winners are invited to attend.

The VBB is geared towards bringing non-tournament players into organized disc golf as well as creating the next generation of Tournament Directors. By design, the events are easy to setup and run. We also emphasize the culture of the disc through our Spirit Award.

-Steve Dodge, Vibram Disc Golf

What is the Birdie Bash you might ask?
The Vibram Birdie Bash is a two disc/two round tournament where everyone throws one shot less than the par for that hole. Eagles are worth five points, birdies two, and metal hits count as one. If nobody in the group scores on a hole, the CTP after the final throw gets the point.

Birdie Bashes run from February 28th to May 31st this year. You MUST pre-register online to sign up for the event. Check out the Birdie Bash Event Finder here to see which events are happening closest to you.

For those of you here in Georgia, as of right now, there are two approved so far for this year. The first one will be hosted at Patriot’s Park DGC on March 8th near Augusta and the second will be later that month on the 21st at Hunter Memorial Park in Douglasville.

Patriots Park – Grovetown, GA
-March 8, 2015
http://www.discgolfscene.com/tournaments/Vibram_Birdie_Bash_at_Patriots_Park_2015

Hunter Memorial Park – Douglasville, GA
-March 21, 2015
http://www.discgolfscene.com/tournaments/Vibram_Birdie_Bash_at_Hunter_Memorial_Park_2015

How much is it?
Only $30 gets you signed up and a player pack (valued over $60)!

What kind of swag is there this year?
The player packs are looking pretty sharp; here’s what you get:
Birdie Bash Player Pack:
Two Discs (one driver, one putter or mid)
One VBB Shirt
One VDG Coaster Mini
One VDG Sticker

Birdie Bash Prizes:
Card Winner prize for 1st round
Per Group CTPs for 2nd round
1st Place Men’s Prize
1st Place Women’s Prize
1st Place Juniors (under 13) Prize
Spirit Award Winner

Extra Prizes are Possible: The TD will award these extra prizes however they want!
VDG Water Bottle prize for every 10 players
VDG Hat prize for every 20 players
VDG Bag prize for every 30 players

Looking forward to seeing you guys out on the course!
-jt


And the Winner is…

Posted by randomtiz


And the winner of our BLACK FRIDAY/CYBER MONDAY WEEK GIVEAWAY is Cody Larson!

Congratulations Cody, you have a won an autographed paperback copy of “Zen and the Art of Disc Golf” by Patrick M. McCormick and a custom stamped DoglegDiscGolf.com Axiom Crave disc!

Please message us or email DoglegDG@gmail.com within one week to claim your prize. If prize is not claimed within one week, we will do a redraw.

Thank you so much to everyone that entered! We truly appreciate your support and following. Look for more giveaways coming soon!
DoglegGiveaway_Winner


Dogleg BLACK FRIDAY Giveaway!

Posted by randomtiz


DoglegZen_GiveawayBrought to you by DoglegDiscGolf.com and Zen Disc Golf

DOGLEG BLACK FRIDAY GIVEAWAY ($50 value)!


– Custom DoglegDiscGolf.com stamped Axiom Crave disc
– Autographed copy of “Zen and the Art of Disc Golf” by Patrick D. McCormick (paperback)

—Here’s How to Enter!—


1. Must “LIKE” both facebook.com/DoglegDiscGolf and Zen Disc Golf facebook pages.
(or) “FOLLOW” both @DoglegDisc and @ZenDiscGolf on Twitter.
2. SHARE this post on social media to increase your chances!

*Contest runs until 12/06/14 at 10pm EST. One winner will be announced 12/07/14.


Remembering Dogleg Destin

Posted by randomtiz


Hello Dogleg Community,
Unfortunately I have some sad news to share. This is not going to be my typical, lighthearted or pun-filled style of post. It is a tribute, a special dedication, to Destin Walch who passed away this past weekend. Destin was a very close, personal friend of mine and fellow Doglegger to the blog. Allow me to share some of my memories as we take a moment to remember Destin.

It was around 10am this past Saturday morning (Nov. 1) that I received a phone call from the wife of a very close, dear friend of mine. The type of call you never want to receive. She told me that Destin didn’t make it—that he had passed a few hours earlier. I got very quiet, I could barely speak. I lost it. I could not believe what I was hearing—no, not Destin, surely this couldn’t be happening right now. It did and I took the news very very hard.. He had finally succumbed to his 6-month fight with liver failure.

Destin was truly a character. He had such an outgoing, friendly personality—the type of person that you enjoyed being around. He had a sense of humor about him that always kept it interesting out on the course. Destin and I first met a little over two years ago stumbling across our blog while searching for disc golf app reviews. He joined the Dogleg crew back in October 2012 and became one of our top bloggers. I remember him talking about how excited he was to find out that we were actually headquartered right down the road from where he was living. Destin had moved down here to GA from Michigan for chiropractic school a few years earlier. I still remember that day I first met Destin in person. It was back on October 3, 2012 at Oregon Park Disc Golf Course where we’d first met up to throw a round. I remember how excited he was to finally meet up with us. He had the biggest smile on his face when he got out of the car and, haha, literally ran up to shake my hand. We had a really good round of disc golf accompanied with good talks. I knew from that moment on that we were going to get along well and be good friends. He was as obsessed with disc golf at the time as I was–and that was pretty awesome.

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Destin had a love for the game. He loved talking about disc golf; loved writing about it. The passion that drew him to Dogleg and lead him to write posts for us here at DoglegDiscGolf.com. Destin really helped me grow the Dogleg brand and blog these past two years–especially here locally. He had a passion for writing tutorials for frolfers new-to-the-game, disc reviews, and interesting articles relevant to the physics of disc golf. He helped make several connections to a few larger disc manufacturers and loved reviewing discs they would send us. I went to visit Destin the first time he was admitted to the hospital in late April/May. He had just gotten the then-unreleased Vibram Four20 driver in the mail a week or so earlier. Due to his illness he had not had a chance yet to toss it so he gave it to me to try it out. He would not know that he would never get that chance to ever throw it. That disc would also become the last one he ever gave to me. It has so much more meaning to me now–I’ve already retired it.

Even in the two short years I knew Destin, he quickly became one of my closest friends I had made (outside of work) since living here in Georgia. Our friendship grew with a shared passion for disc golf, determined to help grow the sport, the blog, and welcoming any new friends to the game. Destin always jumped at the opportunity to go play disc golf after work and school. Whenever I wanted to check out a new course in the area that I hadn’t played before, he was my go-to guy to call because he rarely turned down an opportunity. He and I both liked buying old discs and trading them or giving them to friends that were new to the sport to get them started. I remember one time we were out at Perkerson Park DGC in Atlanta and met up with this guy that played alongside us. That guy was fairly new to the sport and I remember Destin giving him one of his extra bags to carry his discs in after we finished the round. He was just like that. He liked telling people about Dogleg and the blog and always coming up with ideas on how to expand it. He was such a fun guy to be around—the kind of guy that always made you laugh when he was around.

We were very competitive when we played disc golf together. At the time we met, neither one of us had gotten our first Aces yet. Every time we’d go out to play, we were determined that this would be the round. With several close ones brushing the chains, we got to where we started filming all of our throws for every short hole we played—you know, just in case we hit that first Ace.. We wanted it on film. Although Destin never got his Ace here on Earth, I like to think that he’s clanging those Aces up there. I hope—at the very least—he’s playing disc golf everyday. He was an Ace in my book, a great friend.

Aside from disc golf, Destin loved music and flyfishing as well. We talked fishing a lot and had mentioned plans about putting together a flyfishing trip. We were even planning a trip this fall with our wives to go up to my grandparent’s lakehouse to fish all weekend.. Destin shared his birthday date with my wife and I’s anniversary as well. I had invited Destin and his wife to our wedding and even thought it was on his birthday, we were very excited that they came. I remember Destin having such a good time there that night. Haha I remember him literally taking my camera and laying on the floor taking pictures and videos of the events. I guess you could say he became our unofficial wedding photographer for the night. If it wasn’t for Destin, we wouldn’t have any video from our wedding.. He took that job upon him out of the kindness of his heart.

Destin had been battling liver failure since the end of April and had been in/out of the hospital a few times during that span. He first told me that he’d been admitted on my 30th birthday. It was a few days later that I was actually able to visit him while he was there. It was hard to see him like that—in so much pain. He was very weak but I was glad I got to see him and talk to him. He had a tough time gaining enough strength and energy the first time he got out of the hospital. It was months before he was able to get back on the course again. And even at that, he could only play a few holes before he’d get too weak and have to stop. We played disc golf only a few times since that first stint, but never able to complete a full round. On August 13, a few friends and I met Destin up at Legacy Park after work for a round. ..That would ultimately be the last time Destin ever got to play disc golf…

He had some more complications a few weeks later and was put back into the hospital the first week of September. He was there over a month before taking a turn for the worst two weeks ago and went into a coma. Just the weekend before they’d moved him out of the ICU down to a normal room. But late that Sunday they found bleeding in his stomach and it didn’t improve any all week. He hadn’t really been able to speak and had to have a trach put in at one point. For awhile he was too weak to speak and could only communicate by writing on a board. He did get to where he could mouth words. His wife told me that last Thursday that he knew he was going, it was time. That he wasn’t scared. That he was ready…

539641_10200279499860435_63968251_n Full of life, that kid. He was much too young. He saw his 27th birthday in the hospital. He truly will be missed and will be thought of every time I hit the course. I would like to think he’s up there watching down, helping my game or either making fun of every tree I hit on a drive. I lost two friends back in high school (over a decade ago), but never a friend as close as Destin.

Later that Saturday that I received the news, I went out on the course here at Legacy Park (last course Destin would’ve played) to reflect on the good times we had. A solo round. Destin sure was a talker, especially when we played. I miss all the good conversations we used to have. This round was extremely quiet though—it was a hard round to make it through. But I knew if he was here and well, he would’ve been out there with me; in search of that Ace. That next day, Sunday, some mutual disc golf friends of mine and Destin’s went out to Oregon Park (first course Destin and I ever played together) and joined me for a Memoriam round for Destin. It was a good time talking to one another and sharing the memories we had of Destin. I felt like he was there with us.

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Hole #9 at Legacy Park DGC. This is the hole that Destin and I used to pretty much empty our entire bags—throwing every disc—in hopes for an Ace. In honor of Destin, I emptied half my bag trying for an Ace later that Saturday.

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Hole #18 at Legacy Park DGC. After finishing 18 holes, I sat on the creek bank and reflected on the memories and good times we’d had in the two very short years we knew one another.

This has been a really hard week on me..it’s taken me all week to get something going. I’ve been fairly quiet online all week for those of you that follow me on some of my other personal social media accounts.. It’s been more of a reflection this past week and realizing how much we actually take for granted. How short a time we actually have on this Earth. How little time we actually have to make the most of our life. Take nothing for granted. Take a moment, look around, absorb how beautiful nature really is. Enjoy every single breath and moment of life, because no one’s guaranteed tomorrow. It can come and go so fast. Create memories that will last a lifetime—that people will remember you by—a legacy. In the short time I had to know Destin, he did just that. How will people remember you?

-jt

To read some of Destin’s blog posts here on Dogleg, click here.


JT & Destin — Walk up to #9 at Wills Park DGC.

JT & Destin — Walk up to #9 at Wills Park DGC.

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Putting The “Pro” in Professional

Posted by mleefry


Think of the perfect restaurant. The food is incredible. The waitresses are welcoming. The prices are great. It’s your go-to with friends and you’re considered a regular customer by the staff.

Then, one day at lunch, you find a bug in your mashed potatoes.

You’ve been to this place dozens of times with flawless experiences, but chances are, you’re unlikely to go back again because of the one horrible experience. One bad impression simply carries more weight than several good ones.

While this analogy may be a little extreme, it is very applicable to disc golf. While in the past I’ve primarily followed amateur players, this year I’ll be watching more professionals. Already in the past month I have been shocked at the lack of professionalism in the professional division, not because unsportsmanlike behavior is rampant, but because the bad examples are more memorable than the players that do everything right. The following three cases highlight the diversity of unprofessional behavior in the Open Men’s division at PDGA sanctioned events that I have witnessed in the last month.

The first incident occurred during the first round of a C Tier. While I do not find it uncommon to see smoking at disc golf courses, I was shocked to hear a player say, “So, this is a C Tier, right? What are the rules about smoking pot?” This was obviously not a comment about the tournament rules for smoking, considering this took place in a state where marijuana is still criminalized. The implications run deeper. The player who phrased his question this way was degrading the legitimacy of a PDGA event, essentially comparing a C Tier to any other casual round or league.

The second incident occurred at an A Tier. I was watching a professionally sponsored player during a round. As part of this player’s sponsorship deal, they are only allowed to throw discs produced by the sponsor. This player was using discs made by another manufacturer. Can you say false advertising?

The third, and most appalling incident, took place at an A Tier as well. The top four players from the Open division were set to compete in a final nine in front of a large gallery. The fourth player was 5 strokes out of third place and decided that, because his place in the top four was secure, he could just “show off.” This “showing off” included rethrowing a putt after missing (more than once), throwing out of bounds three times on one hole because he was trying out his left-handed skills, laying up on 10 foot putts for no reason, and throwing ridiculous rollers that more often than not either went out of bounds or far enough away that it delayed the speed of play. The player verbally acknowledged loud enough so that the gallery could hear that he was just showing off.

What may be more disappointing than seeing a high level professional player simply give up during a tournament is that he got away with it. When he received his payout, the tournament director personally shook his hand and thanked him for coming to the tournament. The final nine was rated as a 918, while the player is rated in the 1020s; since it is more than 100 points below his rating, it will probably not be figured in to the next ratings update. The worst consequence the player had to face on that day was a loud, snarky comment from a member of the gallery during his round and a lack of applause when he made his final putt.

These three incidents are just a few examples of the spectrum of unprofessionalism that occurs in disc golf at all levels of competition. They each have a multitude of consequences and implications for not just the individual players, but the integrity of the sport as a whole. They all make a mockery of PDGA events and professional disc golf. They set horrible examples for new and lower-level players. During the aforementioned final nine, I spoke with an intermediate player who thought the player’s behavior was acceptable because “he’s just having a good time.” Next time that intermediate player is 5 strokes out with nine holes left, how do you think he’s going to play?

Those consequences are just assuming that none of these would be bad enough to turn people away completely. An individual may choose to stop (or never start) playing because of the lack of professionalism. Parents and schools may decide it’s not a suitable environment for children in terms of safety or sportsmanship. Big name sponsors that disc golf needs in order to become “mainstream,” like Nike or Adidas, are not going to spend thousands of dollars to sponsor a tournament where these types of behaviors can be spotted at the professional level.

Now, let’s move into the future five years or so. Optimistically speaking, there will be cameras from ESPN if we’re lucky, or even just local television stations, at every large PDGA event. Right now players are allowed to think their behavior is no big deal because very few people are there to witness it firsthand. But what will happen when their actions are no longer instantaneous, and they are replayed over and over on YouTube, the news, or just through word of mouth? This is going to be the case very soon at the rate disc golf is growing.

My intentions here are not to complain about the things I have witnessed. This is meant to warn disc golfers that unprofessional behavior is not acceptable. Change is necessary, and can come from a variety of sources. First and foremost, the players themselves need to be aware of how unprofessionalism and bad sportsmanship reflects on not only their own character, but disc golf as a whole. Players and officials who witness inappropriate conduct can also help by enforcing PDGA rules, including calling courtesy violations. Tournament directors should consider enforcing rule 3.3 of the Competition Manual, which states, “Any conduct deemed to be unprofessional is subject to disqualification by the Tournament Director, and may also be subject to further disciplinary actions from the PDGA.” Finally, sponsors should stop condoning unprofessional behavior by holding their players to higher standards of conduct. Just because someone can consistently throw 1000+ rated rounds does not mean they deserve to represent your brand—in the same way that Nike cut ties with Lance Armstrong in 2012, sponsors need to make sure that their players are not only excellent golfers, but display good character.

Until these people are willing to step up and take professionalism seriously, disc golf will continue to have the reputation of a casual game and its advancement will be hindered.


Missouri Winter Wonderland

Posted by mleefry


Hey Dogleggers, long time no talk!  I promise I haven’t forgotten about you guys—I actually daydream about blogging quite often.  For those who don’t know, I’m currently in my junior year of college, so let’s just say that I have to write a lot of stuff that’s not about disc golf during the school year and my brain can only produce so many words in a week.

Anyway, I’ve been DYING to tell you guys a little bit about the crazy winter we’ve been having here in Missouri.  It’s been a winter wonderland.  Not “wonderland” like the deep snow and beautiful trees on a Christmas card—we’re not quite northern enough for that.  I mean WONDERland, like “I wonder if it’s going to be 60 and sunny, or if it’s going to be so cold the news anchors are telling me not to let my dog outside for more than 10 minutes.”  So, let’s take a look at Missouri’s last few weekends.

Four weeks ago today I played in the 28th Annual Ice Bowl in Columbia, Mo.  Columbia is not only my hometown, but the home of the original Ice Bowl in 1987.  As we all know, the official Ice Bowl slogan is “No Wimps, No Whiners,” and for the 28th Annual there was nothing to complain about.  The weather was beautiful, in the 40s and no rain or snow.  I was very happy to be able to play in a division of 5 women, two of us celebrating one year since our first tournament!  On top of that, I shot my personal record on the Oakland Top course with a 2 stroke improvement.  It was a wonderful day!

Five ladies competed in the women's division at the 28th Annual Ice Bowl in Columbia, Mo.

Five ladies competed in the women’s division at the 28th Annual Ice Bowl in Columbia, Mo.

Ice Bowl Shirt

Winners of each division at the 28th Annual Ice Bowl in Columbia, Mo.

Winners of each division at the 28th Annual Ice Bowl in Columbia, Mo.

After such a great experience at the Columbia Ice Bowl, I was really pumped to play the following weekend in Jefferson City, Mo.  However, the night before the tournament there was an ice storm and it wasn’t safe to make the 30 minute drive.  Instead, I spent the day playing a 4-hole NOMAD course at my house and gathering with my neighbors to scrape ice off of my street.  Not so wonderful.

NOMAD target set up in my backyard while it was too icy to drive to a course safely.

NOMAD target set up in my backyard while it was too icy to drive to a course safely.

My street covered in ice, and everyone trying to clear it off.

My street covered in ice, and everyone trying to clear it off.

 

I didn’t get any golf in the following weekend.  There was more snow and I turned 21, so I think you can infer that I was a little busy doing other things…

Final Birthday

Last weekend I finally made my way down to Jefferson City to play league at their new course.  They still don’t have permanent baskets or tee pads installed, so we played the front nine twice with temp baskets.  Just by looking at the front nine and hearing rumors about the back nine, this course is going to be a BEAST.  There are a few water hazards, lots of elevation change, and a mix of tight tunnels and long fairway shots that have to be strategically placed.  (It’ll definitely be worthy of a course guide when it’s finished.)

Although it only snowed a little while I was there, there was plenty of “leftover” snow on the ground, cause it hadn’t been above freezing in at least a week.  The park’s namesake Binder Lake was frozen enough to walk on (although I never recommend walking on ice!), which is pretty rare.

During this round my winter weakness was particularly evident.  I’m usually pretty good at not letting cold affect my mental game, keeping my throwing hand warm, and not letting my feet get wet.  But the worst thing about winter disc golf is wearing so many layers that it limits my range of motion.  For the most part it doesn’t impact my driving, but trying to follow through on a putt when I feel like the Michelin Man is just not going to happen.

Geese on the shore of Binder Lake in Jefferson City, Mo., near their newest course.

Geese on the shore of Binder Lake in Jefferson City, Mo., near their newest course.

One of my drives at the new course in Binder Lake Park

One of my drives at the new course in Binder Lake Park

Jefferson City Disc Golf Club's President Stan Balke putting from a tree on the new course

Jefferson City Disc Golf Club’s President Stan Balke putting from a tree on the new course

Just six days later, I played my first short-sleeved round of the year at Carrollton Park in St. Louis.  It was a beautiful, sunny day reaching a high of nearly 60 degrees.  Can you say complete weather 180!?  Then, fast forward to today, when the high is expected to be only 38 degrees; my disc golf feat for the day will only consist of writing this post and wishing I were at the Gentlemen’s Club Challenge, where it is currently 65 and sunny!

Precarious basket at Carrollton Park in Bridgeton, Mo., a suburb of St. Louis.

Precarious basket at Carrollton Park in Bridgeton, Mo., a suburb of St. Louis.


Vibram Birdie Bash, the Steve Dodge Interview

Posted by randomtiz


I am excited to kick off the 2014 year with our first post this year! An interview with Steve Dodge from Vibram! Steve is a continuing supporter of the Dogleg Blog and has worked with us before allowing us to test/review a few new Vibram discs before they hit shelves. We are very fortunate that we could connect with Steve for this interview and learn more about Vibram’s annual Birdie Bash for a Dogleg special.

Q&A with Vibram’s Steve Dodge:


DLDG: Thank you Steve for helping make this happen and for being a part of our first post of the year! I know we’ve got a lot to cover, so let’s jump right into it.

So Steve, tell me a little about the history behind the Vibram Birdie Bash (VBB). How did it all start?

Steve: I get bored easily and wanted to create an event that was both easy to run and fun and engaging to play. Discraft’s Ace Race was a great starting point, although it was too minimal for me. After a dozen test events in 2012, adding a second throw, a creative scoring system, and counting metal hits for points were the primary changes that made the event universally fun.

birdie-bash-v1.10.0.1732.1218.356.250.c

DLDG: What exactly is a Birdie Bash?

Steve: In a sentence, use two discs and get two throws per hole.

Scoring:
– Birdies: 2 Points
– Ace/Eagle: 5 Points
– Any metal hit: 1 Point

For example: hit metal on the drive, sink the birdie putt: 3 points

The Birdie Bash format was created to increase the fun of a good shot and decrease the aggravation of a bad shot.

DLDG: That sounds like a lot of fun. I agree sometimes Ace Race’s can go by way too quick and it’s either all or none. I like the thought of getting more throws in there to where it’s more of a competitive, strategic game rather than a throw-off. OK, so who would play in a Birdie Bash?

Steve: Advanced and Pro players would play to enjoy a great day of fun disc golf, maybe try out some new discs, win some great prizes, and help teach some newer players how great our sport is.

Newer players will find a relaxed atmosphere for one of their first “organized” disc golf events. They will also get some great discs, meet their local discers, and have a chance to win some great prizes.

Basically, if you want to have fun, come play a Birdie Bash.

DLDG: We all love swag! What kind of sweet gear comes with signing up for the VBB?

Steve: $30 gets each player:
– two Vibram discs (of their choice)
– a Vibram dry fit tee
– a Vibram towel, mini, and sticker

As well as a chance to win tons of prizes: http://www.vibramdiscgolf.com/players-pack-and-prizes.html.

DLDG: I’m liking what I hear! That swag tops Ace Race’s in my opinion! And the Birdie Bash is open to anyone, right?

Steve: Yes!

DLDG: I heard that anyone can be a TD for the Birdie Bash too, is that right? Is it really that easy?

Steve: Yes! We have a document that does a step-by-step including prep work, day of, players meeting, getting sponsors and more. It really is a Tournament-In-A-Box.

DLDG: Oh wow, yes that does sound easy! I think sometimes the overall impression about being a first-time TD can be fear of inexperience. I think that is awesome that you guys have put that much time and thought into this that does makes it easy enough for anyone to be a tournament director to run a Birdie Bash.

Now do Birdie Bash tournaments occur during a particular seasonal timeframe or do they go year-round?

Steve: The VBB events are held each Spring. This year they can be held anytime from March 1 to June 1.

DLDG: I know Dogleg has some international readers that might be curious, is the Birdie Bash available outside the US?

Steve: Yes, although not everywhere yet. We are expanding it to Canada, the UK, and the EU. We shut registration a week earlier and charge a little extra for shipping. If it works well, we will expand to Asia and Australia in 2015.

DLDG: Tell me about this Spirit Award. What is that?

Steve: Spirit, or the culture of the disc, is the reason that I want to grow our sport. In short, the ability to compete with honor and respect is what Spirit is all about. This year, we are introducing a Spirit Award which is given to a player that embodies the culture of the disc.

I invite people to read more about my motivation here: http://www.vibramdiscgolf.com/4/post/2013/11/grow-the-sport-why.html

DLDG: I love that idea about the Spirit Award, what characteristics make someone a prime candidate to win the Spirit Award?

Steve: A Spirit Award winner:

  • Is fair-minded and respectful
  • Has a positive attitude
  • Is happy when someone else makes a great shot
  • Listens and considers
  • Is respected by their competitors
  • Treats others as they want to be treated
  • Believes there is someone else more deserving
  • Instantly helps to find a lost disc
  • Is happy to be surrounded by so many friends
  • Has fun
  • DLDG: Ok I’m stoked about the VBB concept! Now how can I find out if there’s one close to me?

    Steve: www.BirdieBash.com

    DLDG: Ok Steve, I’ve got to ask. What is it like working at Vibram? Kind of jealous, it must be awesome! Right?

    Steve: I am very fortunate to not only be working in the industry I love, but to also be able to have an impact on it. 3,500 people played in a VBB in 2013. For over 2,000 of these people, it was their first “organized” disc golf event. Additionally, over 40 people TDed their first event. It takes a lot to move an industry and I’m excited to be able to push as much as I can.

    DLDG: How long have you been with Vibram? What is your position there?

    Steve: 2008: Vibram sponsors Vibram Open, which I TD.
    2009: hired by Quabaug, which manufactures for Vibram, as a consultant for Vibram Disc Golf.
    2010: Quabaug hired me full time to develop the Vibram Disc Golf business unit
    2012: Shifted to Vibram corporate as the Business Unit Manager for Vibram Disc Golf

    DLDG: What would you say your top 3 favorite go-to Vibram discs are and why?

    Steve: Ibex — it is easy to put on any line and it is forgiving when I don’t put enough pop on it.
    Lace — this disc allows me to throw 400′ again, something I had lost for over a decade.
    Summit — 80 feet and in, I’ve got a legit chance to sink it with this slow-speed-friendly finesse putter.

    DLDG: Can you give us a glimpse of what to expect from Vibram [products] this year?

    Steve: Nope 😉

    DLDG: Dang! Lol, I figured that’d be your answer. =) No, but we’re really excited for what’s to come for Vibram this year. Several of the guys here at Dogleg are big fans. Is there any bit of disc golf advice you would like to leave as a takeaway for our Dogleg readers?

    Steve: Vinnie Miller once told me, “Brother, this life ain’t long, get happy as fast as you can.” Disc golf makes me happy. My advice, have fun and do good.

    DLDG: Thanks again Steve for helping us put together this interview. I’m very excited about the Vibram Birdie Bash and hope to make it to one this year!


    Here in Georgia where the Dogleg Headquarters is located, there is already one Birdie Bash set to take place at Patriot’s Park in Grovetown, GA on May 24th. Click to read more on the 2014 Patriot’s Park Birdie Bash.

    Some of our fellow Dogleg members are helping with a Birdie Bash in our hometown of Jasper, Alabama. They have two dates set already for March 8th and one later on May 24th. Click for more info on the 2014 North Jasper Park Birdie Bash in March and for the 2014 North Jasper Park “Second Session” Birdie Bash that will take place in May.

    To find out if there is a Birdie Bash already scheduled in your area, check out the Vibram Birdie Bash’s Events page.

    Want to register for a Birdie Bash? Find your VBB and sign up here.

    Want to take it to the next level and host your own Birdie Bash?
    Click here to sign up to be a TD.

    Follow Steve’s Disc Golf BlogVibram Disc Golf Blog
    Read More on the Vibram Birdie BashBirdieBash.com
    “Like” Vibram Disc Golf on Facebookfacebook.com/VibramDiscGolf
    Follow Vibram Disc Golf on Twittertwitter.com/VibramDiscGolf

    -JT


    Kickstarting a DG Following

    Posted by randomtiz


    According to the “Disc Golf and PDGA Demographics” article on PDGA’s website, last year there were an estimated 500+ thousand regular disc golf players in the world. Disc golf is rapidly growing at a significant rate every year. And it can grow at an even more substantial rate with the help of the hundreds of thousands—if not millions—disc golfers all over the world. We, as a disc golf community, have to back and support our fellow disc golfers and companies looking to improve and expand the sport. Look how far disc golf has grown just in the past 10 years, for example. It is astonishing to me. Whether it’s a new type of disc technology, a new disc retriever, a rolling disc golf cart that houses everything but the kitchen sink, or even a new disc golf app that lets you—right from your living room couch—flick discs into those sweet chain sounds we’ve learned to love, there are numerous projects out there that can have an impact on disc golf.

    One place I’ve found to help support and hopefully “kick start” a fellow disc golfer’s dream is Kickstarter.com. If you guys aren’t familiar with Kickstarter, check it out—it may have more appeal to you than one might think. Ok, so Kickstarter started back in 2009 and is a community of both big and small projects that are “brought to life through the direct support” of people like us. “Project creators set a funding goal and deadline. If people like a project, they can pledge money to make it happen. “ With over 52,000 projects listed since its launch in 2009, there have only been around 16—that I’ve found—to be disc golf related. Funding is all or nothing with these campaigns, soif the projects do not reach their goal, no funding is allocated. It is a really low risk form of investment for people looking to support creative projects, and the incentives that are created for Kickstarter backers are often very cool and can only be had by backing a project.

    Lets take a moment and review a few of these. After recent research of the disc golf Kickstarter projects that I could find listed on the site, there were only a few that I felt were truly unique and worthy enough to mention. I will start by commenting on the very first disc golf project I could find, the “carbon disc” by Tyler Seamons. The “carbon disc” was a disc driver prototype made from Carbon Fiber with a heavy-duty polyurethane plastic protective edge. Sounded like it would have been pretty cool—something that sturdy and could take a beating—but I doubt it would have ever be approved by the PDGA. It raised over $4400 of its $7500 funding goal.

    Then a few projects later there was “Chains the Movie: The First Disc Golf Documentary” launched by pro disc golfer Avery Jenkins back in 2011. “Chains” was to be the first definitive disc golf documentary featuring pros from all over the world in hopes of bringing the sport to the mainstream. Although nearly $20k short of the funding goal, it still raised over $6k. If I had known about this project and Kickstarter years ago, I would have for sure pledged some bucks their way! I’ve always been a fan of Avery’s—not to mention he’s a subscriber of our blog too.

    There are several other neat ideas such as the Walkadisc and Six Shooter disc holsters, but I’m not sure how those would work with big spin drives. Then there’s a handful of “wtf” projects that leave you wondering if it was a joke or if these people were actually serious? Regardless, only 1 of these 16 disc golf Kickstarter projects was successful by meeting its funding goal.

    Why weren’t more of these successful? Was the proposed budget goal too high? Is there not enough current support in the disc golf community? Does the disc golf community even know about these efforts? Or it could just be a flawed concept to begin with. I won’t get into that now—my sole intent here is to raise awareness to new disc golf initiatives and encourage this ever-growing disc golf community for their support. If you feel like these new projects, companies, and apps present a strong concept, please support them! Just think, what if a project that you actually helped fund, made it all the way to completion!

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    This leads me to my final topic. The latest disc golf project to hit Kickstarter that needs your help and support! The “Disc Golf Unchained” campaign by Local Route Labs is the latest disc golf video game app project. Check it out here on Kickstarter and on their website, Local Route Labs for more info.

    I was excited to see the “Disc Golf Unchained” gameplay featured in the video above put out by Local Route Labs. The graphics and environment felt very realistic compared to any other disc golf game app that I have come across. It’s awesome to see the progress and where disc golf video gaming has come so far. After reading about the project on both their website and Kickstarter, I was itching to know more! I was able to get in touch with Local Route Labs’ co-founder, Tyler Krucas, to learn more about the project. Here’s what Tyler had to say:

    “Local Route Labs is proud to introduce Disc Golf Unchained, the most realistic and engaging disc golf video game in development. Disc Golf Unchained is a video game by disc golfers for disc golfers. We want Disc Golf Unchained to satisfy both the casual and hardcore player, hopefully steering new people into disc golf. The game looks to capture the excitement and experience of throwing the perfect shot and bring it to the palm of your hand. We attempted to create realistic flight physics and course environments that, along with a complex player progression system, offer a fun and immersive game anyone can enjoy, just like actual disc golf.

    The game is slated for release on Android and iOS sometime in 2014, and we have developed an extremely intuitive touch interface for the game on these platforms. Although we intend to initially release Disc Golf Unchained on mobile devices, advancements in human interface technology and online networks for next-gen consoles have us thinking about the full potential of disc golf in the virtual world. Imagine throwing a round with or against your friends at your beautiful local course, but from the comfort of your respective living rooms! The prospects for Disc Golf Unchained are very bright.”

    This is where the guys at Local Route Labs and “Disc Golf Unchained” need your help. With ONLY 7 DAYS (ends Dec. 3rd) to go with their Kickstarter campaign, they have already raised over $5500 but still have a good ways to go. Please check out the campaign where you can read more on the project, watch their video, and if you like, pledge money! There are different pledge levels starting as low as donating $1. Each pledge level gets you more swag as the pledge amount increases. It’s pretty cool how it works!

    I’m very excited about “Disc Golf Unchained” and can’t wait to hopefully see it in the App Store and Google Play Store soon! Even better, I hope it makes it to a gaming console in the near future. Lets put the “fun” in funding and go support your fellow disc golf community—I just did!

    -jt


    For more info on the “Disc Golf Unchained” project, check out the following links:
    “Disc Golf Unchained” Kickstarter campaign
    Local Route Labs
    Local Route Labs on Facebook


    “A Throw Above the Rest” – Interview with Full Flight Disc Golf

    Posted by randomtiz


    Hello everyone, JT here with DoglegDiscGolf.com. I’ve got a special interview to share with you guys with Nichole & Sean Gallagher, owners of Full Flight Disc Golf—one of Canada’s rapidly-growing disc golf retailers! Full Flight Disc Golf, based out of Ontario, has been taking the Canadian disc golf scene by storm!

    Sean and I first started talking back earlier this year about teaming up to do something for the blog. Because of our different schedules between company name transitions, wedding planning and several other things our interview had to get pushed back to fourth quarter. I’m really excited about this interview/post finally coming into fruition. Just from talking to Sean, I’ve found that he is extremely passionate about disc golf, he & his wife’s new company Full Flight Disc Golf, life in general and an all-around genuine guy. We’ve sat down and put something together for you guys that I hope you’ll like. If you enjoy our interview, please share! Enjoy.

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    Q&A with Full Flight Disc Golf:


    DLDG: Thank you Nichole & Sean for joining us today. Alright guys lets kick this off. First, tell me a little about Full Flight Disc Golf.

    FF: Full Flight is the newest Canadian family-owned disc golf company. We want to support, promote and bring a new fresh look to disc golfers in Ontario & Canada.

    DLDG: Where exactly in Canada are you guys based out of?

    FF: We are based out of St. Thomas, Ontario Canada. We are spoiled here, 2 courses locally (V.A. Barrie & Dalewood) and many other courses are very close within driving distance!

    DLDG: Now tell me a little about the history of Full Flight.

    FF: Full Flight started earlier this year. As a player and living in Canada, we don’t have anywhere we can go and shop (except for some variety stores that want $26 for discs & usually only is Discraft or Innova—not that there is anything wrong with that, but no selection) and online there is nobody. So we find ourselves going online to the States and having to pay more for shipping and longer times to wait for that new disc. My wife said to me “We should just sell them ourselves.” Guys I don’t know if you know this, NEVER argue with your wife—she is always right. And so Full Flight was born.

    DLDG: Haha, great piece of marriage advice there Sean. As you know, I just got married this September, so I’ll be sure to hang onto that one. Haha OK, so tell me a little about the disc golf culture in Canada.

    FF: We are the same as anywhere else. Disc golf isn’t as big here yet as it is in the States, but that’s changing—and changing quickly. It’s a new sport you can play with friends and family or compete and enjoy every minute of it. Full Flight is trying to support, attend & set up shop at tourneys to show all disc golfers there is more. The feedback has been huge & we can’t wait for next year!

    DLDG: What are courses like up there in Canada? I’d LOVE to get up there one day and play Canada!

    FF: Courses are AWESOME!! We have lots of beautiful courses and lots more are coming. V.A. Barrie, Christie Lake, Toronto Island, Barrie, Peterborough…I missed tons but they are all sweet—and that’s just locally. There are beauties in every province.

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    DLDG: Is disc golf a seasonal sport up there? I mean, you guys must have snow like most months out of the year, haha right?

    FF: LOL… well when the polar bears leave and the penguins aren’t stealing our discs LOL!! But really, we have a pretty good season. Usually can start playing in April and go until November. We still play in the winter, but we use brighter discs and usually add streamers onto the discs. And again that is just locally, I am sure it varies everywhere!

    DLDG: Lol, that’s hilarious. I don’t know if I could handle sub-zero temps playing in snow for an extended period of time. But again, I guess I could get used to it if that was my only choice til the warmer season. I’m pretty accustomed to playing in the heat of summer here when the heat index breaks into triple digits. Good ol’ Georgia heat, haha.

    Wait, so streamers on discs?

    FF: Yea, like “ribbon”. You cut off pieces of ribbon and then tape them to the disc. So if your disc happens to land in the deeper snow, you can find it by the piece of string hanging out!

    DLDG: That’s amazing. I would have never thought of that.

    Well what led you guys to decide to start selling online?

    FF: We started locally and the response was awesome; then we hooked up with some of the amazing TD’s running tournaments locally in Ontario. We were able to go and set up shop right at the tourneys. In Canada that is not seen or even heard of. We wanted that to change. We are working hard to bring tons of different manufacturers to the tourneys for players to touch and feel and drool on!!!

    So one thing lead to another—we thought if we have that problem here in Ontario, the rest of Canada has to be in the same boat. So we thought lets reach out on the net!

    DLDG: That’s a smart move Sean. With the way technology and direction the internet is going, it’s crazy not to have an online presence. I read in Internet Retailer earlier this year that—just in the U.S. alone—e-commerce sales totaled over $225 billion in 2012! And sales are expected to increase by like 10% or something each year, that’s insane! Also with the increasing popularity of tablets and smartphones, people are spending more and more time online including shopping.

    With all these other online disc golf retailers, what would you say sets Full Flight apart from others?

    FF: Well selection and price. There isn’t much around and that’s where Full Flight wants to change that and grow it to!!! We want to have the biggest disc shop in Ontario and we’re working hard everyday to try to do that! Players and customers are number 1 to us. Without their support we would not even be where we are now without them!

    DLDG: I know what you mean. I try to buy/support local as much as I can, but sometimes the selection just isn’t there. Especially if I’m ordering larger quantities, I’ll shop around online and find the best deals mixed with great selection. That’s what’s great about online retailers too, the deals you’ll find!

    Do you guys just sell to Canada?

    FF: We are trying to concentrate on the needs of Canadians. But if there is something any player sees that they want, we want them to have it and will do what ever it takes to make that happen for them. You have to remember there isn’t much for disc golf selection in Canada; we want Canadians to see Full Flight can get it to them faster—no hidden border fees and pretty much the same cost!

    DLDG: What are some of the hottest-selling discs right now that you guys have found?

    FF: Everything is selling well, we find people are trying everything because they can! We try and keep up with all the newest discs, bags and clothes. Anything disc golf-related, we want Canadians to see Full Flight can fulfill all their plastic cravings!

    DLDG: I hear Full Flight Disc Golf actually has a sponsored team too, is that right?

    FF: Yes, we have team Full Flight. An amazing group of disc golfers that support and support the disc golf community above and beyond. We are proud to say the players wear the Full Flight logo and are proud of it. They are a huge part of Full Flight and we can’t thank them enough. Thank you Guys!

    DLDG: Tell me about the Full Flight team. Who all do you guys have on board?

    Team Full Flight is made up of 5 amazing players:

    • Dave Northrup – PDGA# 9448
    • Brian Farquhar – PDGA# 55627
    • Jamie Pay – PDGA# 14000
    • Steve McNeil aka McFlight – PDGA# 50280
    • Chris Stein – PDGA# 49993

    DLDG: That’s awesome, very cool! Nichole & Sean, is there anything else that you would like to share with the Dogleg DG Community?

    Honestly we can’t say enough about team Full Flight. These guys play hard and support even harder. We had an awesome year this year with Dave Northrup taking 1st place at the ODSA finals. We just added Steve McNeil & Chris Stein to the team late this year. We are excited about next year and wish the boys the best of luck. Be watching—we are hoping to add a female to the Full Flight line up!

    DLDG: Thanks again Sean, Nichole and Full Flight Disc Golf for taking the time to make this interview happen! [Keep reading below for a special offer and pics.]


    This interview itself was a long time coming, but I’m very glad and excited that it happened. I believe Nichole & Sean have a good thing going up there in Canada. Once again I want to thank Sean and his team for working with us and sending us shots below from St. Thomas V.A. Barrie Park.

    Be sure to check them out at FullFlightDiscGolf.com for all your discing needs including the latest selection in discs, bags, accessories and more. Full Flight is offering a SPECIAL DEAL just for our Dogleg readers, use Untitled-2 to receive 10% OFF your order! Just in time for Thanksgiving—hurry, it’s only good for 2 weeks!

    Also, be sure to follow Full Flight on Facebook and “Like” their page, facebook.com/FullFlightDiscGolf!

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    [*Photos courtesy of Full Flight Disc Golf and W. Mac Photography.]

    Visit their Online StoreFullFlightDiscGolf.com
    “Like” Full Flight on Facebookfacebook.com/FullFlightDiscGolf
    Follow Full Flight on Twittertwitter.com/FullFlightDG


    Discraft Buzzz 500 Giveaway!

    Posted by randomtiz


    I know I’m late on this one, but there’s still a week to go! Listen up.

    You may have been on your favorite social media websites lately and noticed these little avatars popping up everywhere, yes? What the heck is it? Well it’s a contest going on RIGHT now during the month of October! Discraft is giving away 500 copies of their Buzzz this month to help celebrate their 10-year anniversary.

    “Throughout October 2013, we’re closing out our Ten Year Buzzz Anniversary celebration by giving away a stock Z Buzzz to 20 different fans every weekday!” – Discraft

    » Click here to read the full details and rules.

    You’ll have to read their contest details to find out all the rules. But in short, you have to select one of their three official bee mascot icons to use as your avatar. Next you have to follow any (or all) of Discraft’s social media outlets. They’ll do 20 random draws from their pool of followers on their social media outlets. So yes, go follow and make that bee icon as your avatar.

    Help Discraft close out another awesome year as well as their Ten Year Anniversary by following them today! Good luck in winning a Buzzz!


    Dogleg Update: Where’s the posts?!

    Posted by randomtiz


    So you may have been wondering why there hasn’t been any new posts lately. As some of you guys know, I’m getting married in two week! I’ve been in full wedding mode this summer and apologize for lack of new activity on my end on the blog. Lots of planning and designing has gone into the wedding so far and it’s left me with little time to maintain the blog over the past few months.

    I just wanted to update you all and let you know what’s been up here at Dogleg. No, we’re not going away. Come mid-October when I’m back out on the DG course playing and reviewing, expect lots more reviews and posts. We’ve got several reviews that we’re working on writing, filming and editing that we hope to go live within the next two weeks! With my free time being few and far between, just know that I’m working on the blog the best I can. =) This is a very exciting and special time in my life, so my second true love of disc golf is getting the back burner for the next few weeks. Ha!
    Thank you to all of our loyal fans and friends out there for understanding and keeping up with the crew!

    Many good things will be happening to/on the blog in October and the following months. Get ready. And don’t forget to..Blog the Dog!

    -jt


    Ladies Only!

    Posted by mleefry


    Hey Dogleggers!  I apologize for getting so behind on my coverage of Worlds this week.  I often convince myself that I’m going to have tons of free time when I travel.  I somehow managed to forget that, since I planned on attending the majority of the events going on in Emporia, the rest of my time would have to be used for catching up on rest!  That being said, I will be catching up on my posts over the next couple of days.  I have coverage of the Player’s Party, Night Ace Race, an interview with Pete May, and an overall review of the event coming to you soon!

    Now, on to the ladies-only event!

    More than 30 ladies made it out to the Emporia Country Club on Wednesday night to compete for TONS of prizes in a ring of fire.  Miranda Fulton put on this great event, and was assisted by the adorable Haley, who was in charge of yelling out “1, 2, 3, FIRE!”

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    As if a bunch of disc golf girls getting together to putt wasn’t fun enough, Miranda switched it up on us.  Some rings were reserved for juniors or required use of forehand putting.  Others required us to stand backward, or to “butt putt” by throwing the disc backward between our legs!

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    At an event where so many female disc golfers travel from so far away, it was really great to come together to be reminded that so many of us share the same passion for disc golf and growing the presence of women in our sport!  I hope to see events like this at more tournaments in the future!

     

    PS:  I forgot to mention–every lady at the event got an awesome umbrella straw, even if they didn’t win!  It was definitely a fun way to show off and start a conversation with others after the fact!  GREAT idea!


    Worlds Pro Clinic

    Posted by mleefry


    On Tuesday night, more than 40 people attended the Pro Clinic featuring Ron Convers Jr., Jay “Yeti” Reading, and Robbie Olsen.  The clinic’s general focus was on playing in the wind, as Kansas is famous for, but the tips given ranged from general disc physics to distance driving.  Here are a few key tips from each of the pros for those of you who missed out!

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    Ron Convers Jr.

    Look for visual wind clues

    A common way to test the wind condition is to throw some grass or dirt into the air and observe the direction it blows before it lands.  However, this only indicates the wind condition at the tee.  Especially on longer holes, it’s important to look to the end of the hole for trees or other things that show the direction and speed of the wind.  Your shot should be adapted to fit the wind throughout the duration of the hole and your disc’s flight.

    Add field practice to your routine

    When you’re just practicing on your home course(s), you tend to throw the same discs on the same lines over and over again.  Ron suggests going to an empty soccer or football field and getting to know your discs better in this setting.  You’ll have a better idea of what types of distance you’re capable of throwing.  The monotony of throwing shot after shot will cause you to step out of your comfort zone and to put your discs on new lines.  You’ll never know if your backup backhand driver should be your go-to flick disc!

    “The best asset a disc golfer can have is a short-term memory”

    This one is pretty self-explanatory.  Every hole is a new hole.  Don’t let a bogey or OB mess up your entire round.

    Jay “Yeti” Reading

    Play by the laws

    The laws of physics, that is.  There are four major forces that impact the flight of your disc.  Of course, there’s gravity and lift.  Then there’s momentum—everything in your throw should be utilized to increase momentum.  When you’re doing a run-up, it will only add to your momentum if the elements of your standstill form are still intact! Lastly, the little scratches in your disc impact drag.  Contrary to popular belief, blemishes on the outer edge of the disc are less important than those on the inner edge.  Some of these can be smoothed out by rubbing the disc with a terrycloth towel.

    Play to your strengths

    When it comes to playing in the wind—or really any time—first consider throwing whatever style is most natural for you.  If you throw right-handed backhand, you should always be on the lookout for a hyzer route, because chances are it’ll be the easiest for you to control.

    Robbie Olsen

    Distance is all in the hips

    Just like a good golf or baseball swing, movement in the hips is key to any good disc golf shot.  The hips are where the momentum begins, and using them properly will add distance to your throws.

    Keep your core tight

    In order for the momentum from the hips to travel to the arms, the energy has to travel through the core.  By making sure your core is tight and is acting as a connection for your hips and upper body, you won’t need to pull back as far to still see an increase in your distance.  As all of the pros at the clinic agreed, extra crunches or core-focused yoga can give your drives a boost!

    Watch some of Robbie’s drives here:  https://vine.co/v/h7Ivgl7F6pr/embed/simple


    Course Guide: Municipal Golf Course

    Posted by mleefry


    I’ve had the pleasure of walking the Municipal Golf Course’s temporary disc golf course three times this year, although I have not yet had the chance to get out there without the purpose of caddying!  Municipal, located just outside of Emporia, KS, uses only half of the ball golf course, and plays a total distance of 8,608 ft for the long tees and 7,987 ft for the short tees.  Course par is 65.

    Throughout the week, this course will be used for the PDGA Amateur World Championships.  The A and B pools of Advanced Men played it today, with a hot round of 55.  Tomorrow the C pool of Advanced Men and Advanced Grandmasters will play the course.  The Advanced Men will play it once more on Thursday or Friday.

    Because I have not personally played this course and because I’m trying to spend as much time out experiencing Worlds while I’m here, I’m going to let the pictures speak for themselves (they are worth a thousand words, right?).  For an overall course map and hole-by-hole distance and OB information, head over to the Dynamic Discs website: http://www.dynamicdiscs.com/2013amworlds/courses/.  Dynamic Discs has been very supportive of my efforts to keep you all updated on the Amateur and Junior World Championships by allowing me to use bits and pieces of their course map here on Dogleg.  Thanks for being so great!

    And now, to the course!

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    Welcome to Worlds

    Posted by mleefry


    Hey Dogleggers!  I’m very excited to have the opportunity to spend this week at the 2013 Amateur and Junior World Championships in Emporia, KS!  This small town is booming with disc golfers, with more than 540 competitors here.  During my time here, I plan on bringing you daily updates on all things worlds.  Tomorrow [Tuesday] I plan on posting a course guide of the Municipal Golf Course, where the Advanced Men division will be playing in the morning.  Other than that, I’d be happy to take requests on what you’d like to read.  Just let me know in the comments, or tweet me @MLeeFry.

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    Since driving in from Columbia on Saturday, I’ve been to 4/5 of the courses, hung out at the field events, attended the players meeting, and socialized in our campground (which is PACKED with disc golfers!).  The photo collages below make up just a small portion of what’s going on here in Emporia, and I look forward to updating you on more throughout the week!

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    Jay “Yeti” Reading introducing the EDGE Skills Challenge; Junior Doubles Champion and 13 and Under Putting Challenge Winner Braxton Lawrence; Skills Challenge Competitors; Luis Nava putting during the Skills Challenge

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    Sarah Nicholson presents the mayor of Emporia with an honorary PDGA membership; Founder and owner of Dynamic Discs Jeremy Rusco welcomes players to Am Worlds; Jay and Des Reading bring up the energy levels by giving away prizes from EDGE; 540+ disc golfers conjugate for the Players Meeting


    dgNOMAD New Logo & Glow Chains!

    Posted by dgnomad


    ImageThis won’t be news to any of you who know JT here at Dogleg DG, but I’d like to let the rest of the world know that his design came out on top in the search for dgNOMAD’s new logo, and we think it rocks! Thanks also to everyone else who sent drawings, there were several contenders.

    If you need need any logo or promotional work done you can stop looking, JT did an excellent job for us. From concept to revisions to final drafts, as well as staying in touch and putting up with my busy schedule, he was on top of it all. The new logo looks awesome printed in black on our red carry bags, and the color version does a great job displaying the “UV-ness” (JT coins terms as well as designs logos!) of our newest product, retrofit Glow Chains. Our Glow Chains snap easily to any existing basket or target in under a minute and give glow golf a whole new meaning! Check them out here .

    And speaking of Glow Chains, if you’re in western Pennsylvania or Northeast Ohio you can see them in action at Young’s Run DGC during Valley DGA’s Glow Throw! The first of the monthly events is May 10th, check in a 7:00 for the first 9 and after dark the Glow Chains are coming out for the next 9! If you miss this one try back, there’s one every month May to November. More info at ValleyDGA.com or email info@valleydga.com.

    Trevor at Valley DGA has done a great job helping spread the word on our new chains to some neighboring clubs, anyone else who is interested in a club purchase for glow leagues or tournaments (or just to get a discount!) should definitely let me know. Club orders get 10% discounts and free shipping, email club@dgNOMAD.com for details.

    Last but not least, there’s still a week left before our next drawing, register to win either a set of dgNOMAD Glow Chains or one of our revolutionary ultralight portable NOMAD Disc Golf Targets! These little guys are under 3 pounds, available in 6 standard and 4 Glow colors, and let you take a target places you never thought possible…toss one in your backpack, on your dash, or even on your bike handlebars and you can throw anywhere! They have regulation size target zones, and in fact are the only PDGA approved Object Targets on the market. In addition to being made in the USA, our targets are economical so you can grab one for yourself and give the kids their own!

    Enter the drawing for free stuff here.

    Thanks for checking out our new product!

    Jeff@dgNOMAD.com

     

     


    Dogleg DG (& JT’s beard) featured on Go Ham’s TWIDG!

    Posted by randomtiz


    Earlier this week, Dogleg JT’s article “Prodigy First Run D1/D4 Full Review” was featured on Go Ham Disc Golf’s “This Week in Disc Golf (TWIDG)” weekly YouTube segment! What also got a mention in Go Ham’s video?… JT’s beard! Lol. Check it out around the 3:10 mark!

    Here at Dogleg, we get pretty excited whenever we get featured on Big John’s vids. A BIG thanks to him for giving us a shoutout and featuring us once again in a vid! Check out Go Ham’s YouTube channel here.

    Read JT’s “Prodigy First Run D1/D4 Full Review” post here if you haven’t already. It’s an in-depth review complete with video clips of us throwing and several pics.


    The best round of DG ever recorded! McBeast throwing a 39 at Fountain Hills, AZ!

    Posted by discraptor


    Hey guys and gals!

    Now that the Memorial has wrapped up I wanted to make sure anybody that hasn’t had a chance to see Paul “McBeast” McBeth’s record breaking final round at Fountain Hills has a chance to see it. This is the best round of disc golf ever played and recorded. Paul shoots an incredible 39 in his final day to make an incredible push to force Will Schusterick into a play off!

    Here’s the video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-xGFbRdNv0

    Go watch history!!! This is truly incredible and he makes it look effortless!


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