With the most recent events I have been very weighed down with a lot of extra work. Some of you may know I am going on tour for Discmania. This is a tour that will help us promote the brand and hopefully get the best discs into many different players hands. This is going to be a long stretch as it will see me out until the end of October. I will have the opportunity to meet many new people and play many new courses. I couldn't be more thankful to Discmania for the opportunity and I hope it stretches into bigger things next year.
My play has been so up and down. I have confidence but lack execution. I feel comfortable but lack the result. Maybe I am holding myself to a standard that is too high. Maybe I need to look at many of the players who are better than me and take notice of where my play has been lacking and put forth the effort to make a change. Finding out the little problems I have in my competitive rounds has been a big step in getting better but I tend to have short term memory loss and continue to make similar mistakes. My biggest problems comes from over throwing when I am looking to maximize distance. I realize how much I lose when I go into a shot jerky and out of control. I need more control/distance field work, working on maximizing distance but not sacrificing control. I think something that needs to happen is a look back at my form, and come the off season this will be my main focus. Gaining more distance and fixing some flaws in my form. One of the next things I have to put forth some quality time into is my short game, both on the approach and putting. I have missed countless putts inside the circle over the past two weekends and they really are starting to drag. I missed a handful of putts because I had to straddle. This is something I thought I had down and didn't need much practice with but everything has been coming up short. When it comes to being on the approach my judgement of distance has seemed off I am either blowing by the basket or leaving it way short. This I feel is where I can cut down a handful of strokes a round if I simply fix these minor mistakes.
Coming into the last two tournaments I felt like I was going to have a good showing and came up short... WAY SHORT! Being a sponsored player doesn't mean I am going to finish in the cash every time I play, it only means I am representing a brand every time I play. I have to remember how hard I have worked in the past and I have to continue that trend if I want to cash at every tournament. I have to be humble and understand that if I want to continue to climb in the world of Disc Golf, I have to work every day at it. When I am tired and having to drive all day, when I have played a bad round, when I have played a good round, when I just don't feel up for it, I have to continue to work no matter what is going on.
Seeing the caliber of players on my team if I really want to continue on with them I have to push my game farther and higher. They have made me humble and I will not stop until I am on their level and we can all be looking for top finishes at every tournament we play.
Make sure to follow me as I drive the "Maniac" around. http://www.discmania.net/2015/08/12/discmania-us-tour-fall-2015/
Thanks for taking the time to read my blog. I hope you enjoyed it. Have the #mostfun and make sure those #putterpants are fitting nicely. Cheers!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0a2nXwXLXZo
Enjoy
Sunset
Monday, August 24, 2015
Saturday, July 18, 2015
Patriot Classic and #MostFun
So a few weeks ago I was able to participate in the Patriot Classic in American Fork, Utah. This is played on a course that is very tight and technical and can bite you hard if you choose the wrong times to attack it. Something about this course that hurt is the fact that even in the amateur divisions the scores will not vary too much from the top pro scores. 20 out of the 21 holes were reachable from the tee. This meant if you had some good fortune and kept your drives clean you were looking at a birdie often. But there were plenty of places where you could find yourself inside the circle but having no putt at all. I have mixed feelings on courses like this for tournaments considering it can hurt the Open Players ratings, but I love these courses for the skill set it forces me to have. Alright I am done sounding like a downer, now to the fun and the heart of what happened during the tournament. I was very fortunate to have one of my best friends come out and caddy for me all weekend long. Little did I know he was going to show up decked out with a personalized caddy top with my last name on the back and a big Discmania Logo on the front! It was such a cool motivator and helped me stay positive the entire tournament.
Throughout the tournament I felt myself working through different ups and downs, but would shoot a decent round and continued to leave myself in contention after each round. I battled to be on the lead card both for the 2nd and 3rd round. This is a great feeling especially knowing when you aren't shooting your best you are still in contention. I would be going into the final round in 3rd place... but after that round I fell to finish 8th place. I looked back at the final round I played it wasn't really anything I could've done differently. I found myself inside the circle a lot but the types of putts I had to navigate were always awkward. Either from a knee with trees in my face, big wide lunging straddles around thick trees and bushes, to being completely buried in a bush with no option but to lay up. I would end up 2 birdies and 2 bogeys. The bogeys came from the double mando hole, where I missed like a champ, and on one of the holes they considered a par 4, so those didn't bother me much. But the fact that I couldn't string together many birdies is where my round hurt. Either way I was still having fun and enjoying the round.
The biggest highlight of the tournament was on the longest hole I would card a birdie 3 in each round. I found myself very confident on that hole and it might have fit the stronger parts of my game but I felt accomplished in executing 3 rounds in a row. The hole played from a tight tunnel into and open fairway that would finish to a tight green. The hole really required a good placement drive to a good upshot. Throughout the weekend I saw that hole eat up a lot of very good players including the player who won the tournament took a 6 in the second round. I found myself feeling nervous in the final round playing that hole, but right before I through the disc I started singing before I threw to settle my nerves. The disc I was using is a Maroon First Run PD2 who I have referred to as 'Adam Levine'. So I sang "This Love" by Maroon 5 and pumped my drive out in the fairway and cleaned up for an easy 3. Little things like this has helped my game improve every round. Keeping things light and fun has been key and this is one small way I have chosen to enjoy my time playing disc golf, even in the more serious moments it can still be fun.
With any tournament you will find holes that will back you up. We pulled up to the final hole of the final round and were waiting for another group to wrap up and there was some discussion of a playground near by... I went running and decided to play a bit while we waited. I figured why not? This is supposed to be fun, remembering that the reason we play this sport is because it is fun. Maybe I went too far but it was fun and gave me a lasting memory that I will use in more rounds to come.
After finishing in the tournament I had a lot to take from the tournament and I love that I am continuing to learn more and more about my own game. I think being able to constantly learn I will continue to improve and push my game to another level.
Remember whenever you are on the course to keep things light, keep things fun and really enjoy yourself. It could be on the first hole of a casual round or the final hole of a tournament round, you are playing disc golf and that is such an awesome thing. Each round, each throw, and each putt should be looked at as something fun. I know it can be taxing to keep that attitude all the time but the more you do it, the more you will find yourself shooting better scores and walking off the course much happier even when it didn't go your way.
I will be throwing up another blog soon, most likely a disc review. So let me know what you guys want me to review next.
Thanks for reading. Remember to keep those #putterpants on and have the #mostfun. I am a Discmaniac. Cheers!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPpTgCho5ZA
Enjoy
Throughout the tournament I felt myself working through different ups and downs, but would shoot a decent round and continued to leave myself in contention after each round. I battled to be on the lead card both for the 2nd and 3rd round. This is a great feeling especially knowing when you aren't shooting your best you are still in contention. I would be going into the final round in 3rd place... but after that round I fell to finish 8th place. I looked back at the final round I played it wasn't really anything I could've done differently. I found myself inside the circle a lot but the types of putts I had to navigate were always awkward. Either from a knee with trees in my face, big wide lunging straddles around thick trees and bushes, to being completely buried in a bush with no option but to lay up. I would end up 2 birdies and 2 bogeys. The bogeys came from the double mando hole, where I missed like a champ, and on one of the holes they considered a par 4, so those didn't bother me much. But the fact that I couldn't string together many birdies is where my round hurt. Either way I was still having fun and enjoying the round.
The biggest highlight of the tournament was on the longest hole I would card a birdie 3 in each round. I found myself very confident on that hole and it might have fit the stronger parts of my game but I felt accomplished in executing 3 rounds in a row. The hole played from a tight tunnel into and open fairway that would finish to a tight green. The hole really required a good placement drive to a good upshot. Throughout the weekend I saw that hole eat up a lot of very good players including the player who won the tournament took a 6 in the second round. I found myself feeling nervous in the final round playing that hole, but right before I through the disc I started singing before I threw to settle my nerves. The disc I was using is a Maroon First Run PD2 who I have referred to as 'Adam Levine'. So I sang "This Love" by Maroon 5 and pumped my drive out in the fairway and cleaned up for an easy 3. Little things like this has helped my game improve every round. Keeping things light and fun has been key and this is one small way I have chosen to enjoy my time playing disc golf, even in the more serious moments it can still be fun.
With any tournament you will find holes that will back you up. We pulled up to the final hole of the final round and were waiting for another group to wrap up and there was some discussion of a playground near by... I went running and decided to play a bit while we waited. I figured why not? This is supposed to be fun, remembering that the reason we play this sport is because it is fun. Maybe I went too far but it was fun and gave me a lasting memory that I will use in more rounds to come.
After finishing in the tournament I had a lot to take from the tournament and I love that I am continuing to learn more and more about my own game. I think being able to constantly learn I will continue to improve and push my game to another level.
Remember whenever you are on the course to keep things light, keep things fun and really enjoy yourself. It could be on the first hole of a casual round or the final hole of a tournament round, you are playing disc golf and that is such an awesome thing. Each round, each throw, and each putt should be looked at as something fun. I know it can be taxing to keep that attitude all the time but the more you do it, the more you will find yourself shooting better scores and walking off the course much happier even when it didn't go your way.
I will be throwing up another blog soon, most likely a disc review. So let me know what you guys want me to review next.
Thanks for reading. Remember to keep those #putterpants on and have the #mostfun. I am a Discmaniac. Cheers!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPpTgCho5ZA
Enjoy
Friday, June 26, 2015
Discmania P2 and a Bonus FD3 Review
There is something to say about a week or two of no tournaments. Ton's of field work and casual rounds with buddies. It is always really nice to dive back in and remember the small things that make this sport so great. I have recently got my younger step brothers into playing and seeing them sometimes crush one out is even awesome for me. I have equipped them up with some super lightweight plastic and they are completely hooked, everyday asking if we can go play. This is what the sport does to so many players, the constant want to go and throw. I really hope they can follow suit and become some awesome golfers in time.
To the good stuff. I have really wanted to do a P2 review considering it's easily my favorite disc ever. Some people may think I am a 'Psycho'.... HAHA! But it's the truth, the disc is something I trust on any hole at any time. The P2 has been my go to putter for putting, approaches, and drives.
C-Line: I will start with the C-Line version of the P2. Recently released, I was very excited to see what they could do. Hearing about how stable they were, I quickly picked up a batch and took them to the field. They are very stable, easily the most stable version. They are also very reliable in the wind for a putter. To me they had the least amount of glide, this is where my dislike for the C-Line started. There are a lot of positives for the C-Line, they are great in the wind, you can rip on them as hard as you want, and they like to skip when working towards the bucket. Where the dislikes range for me range from, less glide than other versions, poor grip in most situations, and awkward feeling in my hand. Out of all the P2s the grip on the C-Line is the least, along with an awkward feel in the hand really pushed me away from throwing these. Plus it wasn't good enough to take the spot of my S-Line P2 and that was the disc it was challenging with.
S-Line: The S-Line P2 has enough praise already being thrown by the top two players in the world, Simon Lizotte and Paul McBeth. There is a reason you see the top players bagging this disc. The consistency and stability you get, along with a long shelf life, make the S-Line P2 hard to beat. For me these are my go to stable thrower and approach putter. I can trust this disc to work left quite a bit. The beauty of the S-Line P2 is how much you can really get behind one while still having it finish. These have a slightly more grippy feel than the S-Line giving me confidence in more conditions. For these to lose their stability you have to a number on them, this allows you to continue throwing one and feel it out. I tend to throw these with a power grip unless I am using it on the approach, where I will fan out my fingers. These can handle a good amount of wind as well. They aren't going to crush into big winds but on a breezy day you can trust that the disc will continue to work. These compliment my D-Line P2s perfectly giving me an artillery of putters to tackle any course. If you are looking for a stable putter that can handle some power then don't hesitate and grab a S-Line P2.
D-Line: The D-Line P2 was one of the first Discmania discs I purchased and it has been my putting putter ever since. I have also worked them in to being my favorite disc to throw off the tee. Keeping these in different stages of wear is key. I tend to keep 2-3 in my bag as throwers only, keeping one newish, beat in stable (I know that seems weird, but some will still finish after being thrashed), and beat in straight to understable. The D-Line P2 seems to gain glide as it beats in. They love being in the air so if you can get enough behind them they will go a long ways and not deviate far from their original line. If I am ever in doubt of what to throw I will pull one of these out lace it down the fairway and move on. These cover shots from 175'-350', I have thrown a P2 400' a few times but it is rarely a shot I will need on the course. Now as a putting putter the D-Line P2 is a great putter. Being deeper I feel there is more disc to catch the chains. The D-Line plastic offers great grip and always gives a smooth release. The D-Line P2 is the best putter on the market, it handles the box and the circle incredibly, get your hands on one and don't look back.
P-Line and Color Glow: These are the versions I have the least work with. I tried out the Proto KC material P2s for a while but always worked back to using a D-Line. The KC/P line P2 are not as great off the box and the stiff plastic made for a lot of putts spitting out. They ultimately were just not the putter I was looking for. The Color Glow P2 is something I have heard good things about and a lot of players say they are quality. While I don't doubt that but having thrown the C-Line P2, I am hesitant to try the Color Glow in fear of the same issues.
Basically the P2 is a catch all kind of putter. I don't know what I would do without a P2 in my bag. Remember to work on throwing your putters more often, get good with them off the box and when you are attacking the basket, not only when you need to put it in the basket. Utilize the reliability a putter gives you. Keep those #putterpants on!
FD3: So I recently received an awesome package from Discmania containing the soon to be released FD3. When I saw the numbers I knew this could be a disc to fill a slot that is hard to fill. Having never getting myself into the PD much until lately, I was not fortunate enough to have a stack of First Run PDs so I was missing a good stable control disc for my bag. I recently stopped bagging Firebirds to put more work into flicking PD2s. In doing so I have added great distance to my sidearm game and have learned to control the PD2 in the right situation. Enough about all of that, the FD3 is an awesome disc and will fill a hole in your bag, I almost guarantee it! This is a very controllable disc, it has a good flight with a good dump at the end. It remind me of a slower dumpier PD, or a super beat in flat Firebird, or a faster more stable FD2. All comparisons come together to make a great disc. With my testing I have been throwing them consistently to feel out what they can handle. With a good hyzer they will hold and work hard left, thrown flat the will carry for a long way before dumping, and thrown on an anhyzer they will drift and always finish but not as hard. When testing the FD3 on a sidearm it took some time for me to really feel it out. They don't like a lot of torque and snap but if you try and control it more and let the disc work this disc is great on a sidearm. This has added a different element to my sidearm game. I think everyone should be pumped about this disc being released. It is an awesome disc for Discmania and will help all 'Reinvent your game'.
If you have any questions or want more details about the discs I reviewed please don't hesitate to message me at any time.
Not sure what I will blog about next, but be sure to stay tuned for something awesome.
Thanks for reading. Remember to keep those #putterpants on and have the #mostfun. I am a Discmaniac. Cheers!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MIaaP23qxY
Enjoy
To the good stuff. I have really wanted to do a P2 review considering it's easily my favorite disc ever. Some people may think I am a 'Psycho'.... HAHA! But it's the truth, the disc is something I trust on any hole at any time. The P2 has been my go to putter for putting, approaches, and drives.
C-Line: I will start with the C-Line version of the P2. Recently released, I was very excited to see what they could do. Hearing about how stable they were, I quickly picked up a batch and took them to the field. They are very stable, easily the most stable version. They are also very reliable in the wind for a putter. To me they had the least amount of glide, this is where my dislike for the C-Line started. There are a lot of positives for the C-Line, they are great in the wind, you can rip on them as hard as you want, and they like to skip when working towards the bucket. Where the dislikes range for me range from, less glide than other versions, poor grip in most situations, and awkward feeling in my hand. Out of all the P2s the grip on the C-Line is the least, along with an awkward feel in the hand really pushed me away from throwing these. Plus it wasn't good enough to take the spot of my S-Line P2 and that was the disc it was challenging with.
S-Line: The S-Line P2 has enough praise already being thrown by the top two players in the world, Simon Lizotte and Paul McBeth. There is a reason you see the top players bagging this disc. The consistency and stability you get, along with a long shelf life, make the S-Line P2 hard to beat. For me these are my go to stable thrower and approach putter. I can trust this disc to work left quite a bit. The beauty of the S-Line P2 is how much you can really get behind one while still having it finish. These have a slightly more grippy feel than the S-Line giving me confidence in more conditions. For these to lose their stability you have to a number on them, this allows you to continue throwing one and feel it out. I tend to throw these with a power grip unless I am using it on the approach, where I will fan out my fingers. These can handle a good amount of wind as well. They aren't going to crush into big winds but on a breezy day you can trust that the disc will continue to work. These compliment my D-Line P2s perfectly giving me an artillery of putters to tackle any course. If you are looking for a stable putter that can handle some power then don't hesitate and grab a S-Line P2.
D-Line: The D-Line P2 was one of the first Discmania discs I purchased and it has been my putting putter ever since. I have also worked them in to being my favorite disc to throw off the tee. Keeping these in different stages of wear is key. I tend to keep 2-3 in my bag as throwers only, keeping one newish, beat in stable (I know that seems weird, but some will still finish after being thrashed), and beat in straight to understable. The D-Line P2 seems to gain glide as it beats in. They love being in the air so if you can get enough behind them they will go a long ways and not deviate far from their original line. If I am ever in doubt of what to throw I will pull one of these out lace it down the fairway and move on. These cover shots from 175'-350', I have thrown a P2 400' a few times but it is rarely a shot I will need on the course. Now as a putting putter the D-Line P2 is a great putter. Being deeper I feel there is more disc to catch the chains. The D-Line plastic offers great grip and always gives a smooth release. The D-Line P2 is the best putter on the market, it handles the box and the circle incredibly, get your hands on one and don't look back.
P-Line and Color Glow: These are the versions I have the least work with. I tried out the Proto KC material P2s for a while but always worked back to using a D-Line. The KC/P line P2 are not as great off the box and the stiff plastic made for a lot of putts spitting out. They ultimately were just not the putter I was looking for. The Color Glow P2 is something I have heard good things about and a lot of players say they are quality. While I don't doubt that but having thrown the C-Line P2, I am hesitant to try the Color Glow in fear of the same issues.
Basically the P2 is a catch all kind of putter. I don't know what I would do without a P2 in my bag. Remember to work on throwing your putters more often, get good with them off the box and when you are attacking the basket, not only when you need to put it in the basket. Utilize the reliability a putter gives you. Keep those #putterpants on!
FD3: So I recently received an awesome package from Discmania containing the soon to be released FD3. When I saw the numbers I knew this could be a disc to fill a slot that is hard to fill. Having never getting myself into the PD much until lately, I was not fortunate enough to have a stack of First Run PDs so I was missing a good stable control disc for my bag. I recently stopped bagging Firebirds to put more work into flicking PD2s. In doing so I have added great distance to my sidearm game and have learned to control the PD2 in the right situation. Enough about all of that, the FD3 is an awesome disc and will fill a hole in your bag, I almost guarantee it! This is a very controllable disc, it has a good flight with a good dump at the end. It remind me of a slower dumpier PD, or a super beat in flat Firebird, or a faster more stable FD2. All comparisons come together to make a great disc. With my testing I have been throwing them consistently to feel out what they can handle. With a good hyzer they will hold and work hard left, thrown flat the will carry for a long way before dumping, and thrown on an anhyzer they will drift and always finish but not as hard. When testing the FD3 on a sidearm it took some time for me to really feel it out. They don't like a lot of torque and snap but if you try and control it more and let the disc work this disc is great on a sidearm. This has added a different element to my sidearm game. I think everyone should be pumped about this disc being released. It is an awesome disc for Discmania and will help all 'Reinvent your game'.
If you have any questions or want more details about the discs I reviewed please don't hesitate to message me at any time.
Not sure what I will blog about next, but be sure to stay tuned for something awesome.
Thanks for reading. Remember to keep those #putterpants on and have the #mostfun. I am a Discmaniac. Cheers!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MIaaP23qxY
Enjoy
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
Team Discmania, RPO and Having the Most Fun
A couple weeks ago there was a big announcement that was probably one of the biggest moments in my life, I was announced as being added to Discmania as a sponsored player. This is something I have been working towards years and reaching this step is amazing. I am now even more hungry to accomplish my goals and continue to move onward and upward in the disc golf world. I have to give a big thanks to Discmania for giving me the opportunity. I would also like to thank all of the players/people who helped me get to where I am today. This is only a small step and I plan on continuing going forward.... TEAM DISCMANIA!!!! AHHHHH!!!!! SO PUMPED!!!!... I couldn't help it. Ha!
http://www.discmania.net/2015/06/05/new-additions-to-discmanias-us-promotion-team/
Check out the article!
Check out the article!
RPO Hole 15, Sick screen shot I know! Ha!
So after seeing a couple of players find trouble on either side of the fairway, looking to have some fun, and to find some redemption from the day before, I grabbed my trusty C-Line FD and pumped a straight shot that turned over slightly before finding its way in to the opening and scooted about 15-20' long of the basket. I was the only player looking at a 2 on that hole while the other players were having to scramble to find 3s,4s, or 5s after some OB strokes. Before that hole I came to find out after, that I was behind and that hole really opened up an opportunity for me to fight back into contention. After everyone played close to the basket I stepped up to my lie, which was directly in a bundle of trees and bushes, I went to a knee to give me self a better line to the basket and canned my putt. There was a decent gallery and heard some awesome cheers and that the shot was near perfect on the hole. This was such a great feeling, it's hard not to be boastful when you tackle a difficult hole, but I must say if it hadn't been for Chris, Brandon and Casey in the preparations before and during the tournament I wouldn't have been confident executing that shot, so a big thanks to those guys for the boost in my confidence.
Where the people are standing is the opening to the basket. Photo Credit Casey Lee
After finishing up the round I was able to finish tied for 4th place and pretty stoked about the finish. Even with being tied for 2nd, I was the only non-local guy on the final card and I battled all weekend long to a strong solid finish. The tournament was run great so big props to everyone who was involved in running RPO, they really made it an awesome time. After the tournament they were going to have a raffle for a Skins Safari Doubles match, with the top 3 finishing Open players, the top Masters player and the top Female player from the tournament. With my finish I didn't qualify but I wasn't discouraged because I had just played a lot of fun golf and was happy walking away satisfied with what I had achieved. Brodey had purchased some tickets and unbeknownst to me had planned on if he won twice he was going to give me the other winning ticket. Brodey went on ahead an won twice and I was lucky enough to participate in an awesome skins match where 10 of us were competing for $780! On a side note, THANK YOU BRODEY! You're the man and I look forward to playing with you again, I have a PD waiting for you! This was another opportunity to play and have some fun. As the safari match got going I was paired up with Karina Nowels the top finishing Female player from the tournament and an exceptional golfer, I was confident we could take a shot at bringing home some cash. After playing 5 of the 6 safari holes we wen't into the final hole with all skins pushed. All of us were itching to try and pick up the final hole. We had previously discussed if we pushed all holes we would split the pot, so either way we all were walking out winners. The final hole was hole 18 to the practice basket, This was a long shot and would take a total crush to get there for a two and steal the skins. Brock Shepard and his partner TJ Smith both crushed their drives and were looking good. When it came down to my turn to throw I stepped up and said to myself 'have fun and just throw.' I crushed my Maroon Early Run PD2, nicknamed 'Adam Levine', finding a silly gap and skipped off a path way and finished pin high but 50' right of the basket. Karina and I had the closest look after all the drives were said and done. Brock stepped up and jump putted his off the front pan and gave the crowd quite a roar but it wasn't meant to be. Karina took a look from our putt but finished a touch short. Having the last putt of the Safari Doubles Skin Match was a pretty cool feeling knowing that there was a lot on the line but no matter what I still had the feeling that it was just great being there and being able to play. I settled in and sent my P2... it finished and caught the front pan. The crowd roared but it wasn't meant to be. We pushed the skins and in the end it was an awesome addition to a great weekend. This is an event I won't miss next year and hopefully will come back and represent again. I had a lot of awesome feelings going into the weekend, especially after being announced to Team Discmania. Again I am super thankful for to them for the opportunity and am so excited what the future may hold.
I constantly post about having the Most Fun, I hashtag it, I tell people all the time to remember to have the most fun, I try and live it every time I am on the course. This is something that resonates with me and gives me confidence just like #putterpants does. No matter what this game is about fun and the competition side should be all about fun. Even on the worst of rounds or days you can still find the enjoyment that you are out playing disc golf. I played a round yesterday where I missed almost every putt it felt like but I still had a blast playing. Remember why you started playing the game, if you are like me it's because disc golf gives you an awesome feeling and it shouldn't be ruined only enhanced, and we do that by enjoying every moment.
Next post will be a Discmania P2 review! Going to review C-Line, S-Line and D-Line. I will add some small things about the P-Line, but I don't have any work with the Color Glow P2 so will leave that up to someone else. Stay tuned!
Thanks for reading. Keep those #putterpants on and remember to have the #mostfun. I am a Discmaniac. Cheers!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z97lQTLFShU
Enjoy
Thursday, May 28, 2015
Having a 'Go To Disc'
It was great to hear some of the feedback I received from my 'In The Bag' video I posted recently. My buddy, Chris Tellesbo, mentioned that he could see that I cared about a lot of the discs I was throwing, as if I had a connection with a disc. I never thought about it like that, but it was completely true. I enjoy pulling out a disc from my bag and having complete and total confidence in what the disc is capable of doing. This has been tested quite a bit recently having lost quite a bit of quality plastic. Whether it has been a perfectly seasoned disc or a specific run of a disc. I have been forced to break in a number of discs quickly and efficiently. I am putting in countless reps with certain discs to make sure I have the best feeling before I decide to bag them for a round. This is where putting in a lot of field work has been crucial. I am getting to the point where all I want to do is work on field work, fine tune my mechanics and fixing anything that feels wrong. I have worked myself into having a good conservative run up when I need to be more focused and am picking a landing area and I can still get aggressive when I have room to work and need a little bit extra behind the disc. All of this has been from throwing brand new discs and getting comfortable again. I am now getting to the feeling that I want to get away from having a 'Go To Disc' and really want to be able to trust whatever is in my hands as long as I have an idea how it will fly. This turns me to relying more on my own capabilities and skill set rather than trusting a disc to do something specific. Granted I still have a 'Go To Disc' in my bag whenever I feel uncertain or worried I can trust pulling out my beat in D-Line P2. My favorite thing to do is take on longer holes and only throw my P2 just to see how it would differ. In doing this it allows me to tackle a hole with a more cautious approach and can always resort to playing smart. Plus who doesn't like attacking a 1000ft par 5 with only a putter?
I have a few tournaments coming up and am just super pumped to be out and playing. My PutterPants competition was great because it showed me that a lot of people care about having fun playing and enjoy being on the course. Getting back to the foundation of why we all play is great.
Thanks for reading. Keep those #putterpants on and have the #mostfun. I am a Discmaniac. Cheers!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5VQV8jTl5Q
Enjoy
I have a few tournaments coming up and am just super pumped to be out and playing. My PutterPants competition was great because it showed me that a lot of people care about having fun playing and enjoy being on the course. Getting back to the foundation of why we all play is great.
Thanks for reading. Keep those #putterpants on and have the #mostfun. I am a Discmaniac. Cheers!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5VQV8jTl5Q
Enjoy
Sunday, May 10, 2015
Discmania FD Review and a PutterPants Giveaway!
S-Line FD, Yellow 2nd Run FD, Pink 3rd Run FD, Glow FD
So this week I am going to just jam you guys up with an in depth review of my favorite disc, the Discmania FD. I want this to be as informative as possible. I will cover multiple plastics, but keep in mind I have only thrown C-Line and S-Line so that is where my focus will stay. I will also talk about some of the different runs of C-Line plastics, but also this is an area I only have most of my work with 2nd, 3rd and Glow run. With all of that out of the way I will do my best to inform you guys the best I can so you can hopefully go out and pick up one yourself and enjoy the best fairway on the market. Read all the way to the end and I will give you a little insight about the #PUTTERPANTS Giveaway that should be going live at the end of this weekend.I will begin with the S-Line FD or the Jackal. This was the first Discmania disc I bought about 4-5 years ago along with a D-Line P2 and even now still has a place in my bag. The S-Line FD has an incredible amount of glide out of the box and a very neutral flight. There are a lot of benefits to this disc. It is not only a top disc for beginners to get extra controlled distance when starting out but has the versatility for the top level pros to use them as turnover fairways and even rollers. In most cases I will pull mine out when I either need to throw a roller or a big turnover. The S-Line FD has a very comfortable rim that should have a good feeling in most players hands. The S-Line plastic tends to be a bit more flexible allowing for a solid grip in all conditions. Something to keep in mind when considering the S-Line FD is that it will not be a wind fighter but where you can see this disc shine is in calm conditions to a tailwind. No matter what kind of course you are playing, from a tight wooded course to a open range course, you will find plenty of instances of where you can use this disc. This is a disc I will suggest to players of all ages and skill level. The S-Line is much more beginner friendly than the C-Line. Something to note about the S-Line FD is most of the runs have stayed very consistent so you can trust what you get. It's the biggest reason why Discmania is pushing the level of the game is not only giving you consistent molds but if there is any change the will give you much needed insight on what has changed and how the disc will fly. So if you are looking for a long neutral disc that will get better with age and become a great turnover/roller disc that can tackle any course, I highly suggest picking up an S-Line FD.
As I was writing this post the Discmania store released the 5th Run Firm Jolly Launcher FD which I have yet to test out, but I do intend on snagging a few up and really testing them out. With the C-Line FD you have to understand that there are different runs that will offer you different flight characteristics. Like I said about Discmania they will have incredible consistency in whichever run but if its different by the next run, all of the information you need about how it might be different is offered so you have a better understanding of what you are getting. When it comes to C-Line FDs I have the most work with the 2nd, 3rd and Glow run versions. I did not have a good chance to test out the First Runs as much. I had one but decided to ship it off to my buddy Aron, seemed like a good home for the disc. I will lead in with the 2nd run. These are the most stable run of the FD, they tend to be very stiff and very flat. If your FD is stiff and flat, check the rim for bubbles, if you see bubbles then you have a 2nd run FD.
Bubbles in the rim.
For how stable these are they still have a great amount of glide and can bomb like any other FD, but at the tail end of the flight you will see this disc work harder and finish left. This disc gets pulled out in situations for longer glidey hyzer shots, pumped straight shots, and just about any other fairway shot. With the stability this disc has it reminds me of a glidey beat in Firebird that takes less effort to keep in the air. With that kind of consistency the 2nd Run FD is a staple for my bag, I recently didn't have these but have come into a few and I really enjoy throwing this disc. This version I wouldn't totally suggest for beginners considering how beefy it can be, but would highly suggest this disc to players with a bit more power. This version is the best at battling the heavy winds you sometimes see on the course. These are now very hard to come by in anything over 170g but from my understanding these at the lower weights are still very stable and a very great thrower. Moving on to the 3rd run FD, these can be seen as the slightly firm (not firm like the 2nd run) with swirls in the rim.
Swirls in the rim.
Jamie Thomas has referred to them as the good FDs, which is completely spot on. This version of the FD is easily one of the straightest versions with a slight hint of stability. This allows for players to really get behind this disc and trust that it will have a good straight finish. If you really get behind them you will get a significant amount of turn before the disc will work back to straight. These are great for long glidey hyzers, turnover shots, long flex shots, and tunnel shots. This is a disc you can completely rely on, but I wouldn't go and throw it into a monster head wind. This version is the FD I pull out the most for its consistent flight. This version also has a long shelf life so if you decide to keep it in your bag you shouldn't worry too much about the flight changing all that much. This really goes for all of the C-Line FDs, and really all C-Line discs, that you can get a long life with a consistent flight right out of the box. The last of the three I have worked with in the C-Line plastic are the Glow FDs, these have been talked about by Jussi Meresmaa and other top Discmania players as a solid addition to the FD line up. I have found that these have a tremendous amount of glide and are very similar to the good 3rd run FD. These tend to beat in a little bit quicker which will add to the neutral flight and even present some reliable high speed turn. These I feel actually have the most glide out of the C-Line lineup. This is a disc I tend to pull out for longer drives with poor footing or little run up space, or long straight tunnels and basically anything the 3rd run can do. Why carry both a 3rd Run and a Glow? Most of the time I will just settle with having a 3rd run in my bag but when the weather gets bad or the course I am playing has some tricky fairways and awkward footing I will toss in the Glow to have the extra glide for when I am not throwing as hard. Plus the Jolly Launcher plastic I feel adds to the durability where the Glow does beat in faster, but only in the comparison to the JL plastic otherwise it takes a while to really beat in.If you have any more in depth questions about any of the FDs I have mentioned feel free to comment here or message me on facebook.
I have been mentioning on Instagram and Facebook about #Putterpants and a Putterpants giveaway. I had been chatting with my buddies about what would be the best way to run this competition since not many people maybe understand what #Putterpants stands for. For me #Putterpants is a reminder to have fun and enjoy myself on the course, along with remembering to putt with confidence. My buddies and I used to say after hitting a long putt for 2 "Putterpants Party of 2" and it caught fire among us. So anytime I wouldn't be putting well I would crack a joke about how I needed to put my Putterpants on. Now it even works when I throw my putters off the tee. Having the confidence on the course is key and this is my constant reminder. So here is how the contest will work...
1. Use the #PUTTERPANTS on Facebook or Instagram.
2. Follow me on Instagram (@theericoakley), or add me on Facebook.
3. Give a brief explanation of how you might view putterpants helping you on the course.
4. Post a Rad Picture of you with some Discmania disc or canning an awesome putt for those of you who don't have any Discmania discs.
Thanks for reading. I am a Discmaniac! Cheers!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUv2zaj9mPs
Enjoy
Monday, May 4, 2015
Forgetting the Bad and Embracing the Good
With my recent performances, I am having to learn how to forget the bad quickly. When I play I feel as if I am plateauing, so I must figure out a way to push different parts of my game to make for a continual increase in my game. I let shots stick around for too long. When they are bad, it takes a few holes to really recover from it. When they are great, I tend to ride the good feelings and enjoy my shots. This game is so mental and having the right attitude and mindset can make or break any shot. Every shot counts in a round but letting one shot make or break a round seems silly when looking at it from the outside. I can't tell you how many times I have missed a 20 footer and wanted to stop playing right then and there. When it happens in a tournament round that feeling of disappointment lingers and bogs me down. I have tried keeping a great attitude and joking off my bad shots and that works to some extent, but finding the right way to build the mindset that even when it goes poorly that it won't matter considering all the shots that are left to throw. I have a tattoo on my left arm that reads "Fino alla fine..." which in Italian means "to the end..." So with those words I must remember to not give up and finding a way to battle and move on and forward until the end. Whether that is the round, tournament, or even that individual hole I am playing, I should battle and keep staying positive no matter what the outcome.
Recently I have had a lot of different things happen lately and it has stalled my getting the time for a review along with putting out the #putterpants giveaway. Hopefully this week I will have the review up and the giveaway so I can get back on the right foot. So please keep an eye out for these things. I am going to do a review of the FD and follow up with a review of the PD2, DD2, P2 and maybe a few other molds.
This week will be a good week of practice with the Utah Open looming at the weekend. There will be a lot of top pros who will be in attendance, so it will be a great opportunity to learn and to prove myself as a player. Lots to work on this week, especially my short game.
Looking forward to an awesome week. Thanks for reading. I am a Discmaniac. Cheers!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ter0p_iyIxk
Enjoy
Recently I have had a lot of different things happen lately and it has stalled my getting the time for a review along with putting out the #putterpants giveaway. Hopefully this week I will have the review up and the giveaway so I can get back on the right foot. So please keep an eye out for these things. I am going to do a review of the FD and follow up with a review of the PD2, DD2, P2 and maybe a few other molds.
This week will be a good week of practice with the Utah Open looming at the weekend. There will be a lot of top pros who will be in attendance, so it will be a great opportunity to learn and to prove myself as a player. Lots to work on this week, especially my short game.
Looking forward to an awesome week. Thanks for reading. I am a Discmaniac. Cheers!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ter0p_iyIxk
Enjoy
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