After a very positive start to my season I found myself getting complacent and expecting only good golf. In reality that is just not how golf works. You have to continue to stay on top of each and every throw, round, and tournament. I was making simple errors and not connecting on my putts. I was still doing some very good things in my rounds but my mistakes outweighed the good. It became more of a mental battle to keep myself going and trusting that I could still play golf and keep pushing forward searching for the right game. I decided to change up my practice routine for a tournament to be a bit more vigorous, I planned on playing more than just 1 or 2 rounds on the courses. I wanted to get some more solid practice golf in an attempt to better myself. I still kept the philosophy of having no expectations, but with this added preparation I felt as if I was getting to such a good place in my game. I was playing from shots in practice that would better me in my tournament rounds. Sometimes you need a change of pace to reconnect yourself with your golf game.
The biggest things about understanding slumps is why they are happening in the first place. What are you doing different and how do you regain the focus? More often than not they are from lack of focus, you may feel the same but your focus isn't completely on the details when they need to be. For instance in Temple I continually put my upshots long of the basket, making it very difficult to score, for Nick Hyde, Texas States and Jonesboro I took extra time on my approaches to correct from those mistakes and get my approaches in the circle to give me more opportunities to score. Another focus issue I had was psyching myself out of putts on Chainstar's, now these baskets are not the best but it shouldn't effect my putting like it has, I need to step up and do my part and if something bad happens just take that in stride. A little bit of time on the practice green and getting my timing back in line helped incredibly and I found myself putting very well. I have a been having a few short misses lately but I might be attributing that to a bit of fatigue and I am excited to have a little bit more of a relaxing leading up to the GBO. What I hope someone takes out of this, is to trust your skill set, even when it feels so off and you are finding frustration, just stick to the basics and do the easy things great to build your confidence back up. Up your focus when you are in the moment and let things be easy.
I am very fortunate to have a great support system, I always feel as if I have people in my court and that makes it easier to keep pushing forward. I can't thank Tina, Dynamic Discs, Handeye Supply Co, BOOOM, The Nati, and Launchpad enough.
I know I still have a long way to go, but it was great having a handful of humbling moments to help me reset my focus and get me back to where I need to be. Thanks everyone for reading. Keep those PutterPants on and keep having the Most Fun!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4cUFgggQIE
Enjoy
Sunset
Tuesday, April 18, 2017
Sunday, March 5, 2017
GCC and The Memorial
After a very eventful start to the year hanging with Jonathan Ray and helping with the Chasin the Chains winter series in Las Vegas, Phoenix, Tucson, and San Diego, I was very eager for the tournament season to get underway, but I didn't think these past two weeks would be as exhausting as they were. Side note, I did pick up my second PDGA win at the Chasin the Chains Flex Start at Conocido shooting a 1064 rated round, I was super pumped and it gives me confidence that I can continue to have a great year if I play my game!
GCC! After missing last years GCC due to work it was nice to get out to this event and take in everything it had to offer. There will always be complaints about each and every tournament, but in Vegas we ran into a lot of weird things that I felt could've been avoided with more foresight from experienced players. Either way the courses each had unique challenges, some a little more gimmicky than others, but they were challenges none the less. I held together after my first round to have a very strong finish to put myself in a solid place. The second round was mixed with just a handful of mistakes but other than that it was very solid golf. The third round was where I realized that I wasn't much of a fan of the courses because it kept feeling like we were playing the same holes. You throw far and avoid a hazard and pitch up over more hazards to a basket on a mound. Lots of "tweener" holes that couldn't necessarily be reached but the majority of the field would take the same score on the hole. I would shoot my lowest rated round of the weekend, which lit a fire under me a little and allowed me to gather myself going into the final round. I was motivated and I knew what I was capable of. I had one hiccup that cost me a stroke or two early, but the real bummer was on the final hole. I played what I felt was the right shot and got a reverse skip and roll into the water. I collected myself got a good read on the wind and threw the shot exactly how I wanted but it wasn't good enough and I found myself OB again. I still had an opportunity to make a putt for a 5, but I didn't realize that there was a random patch of OB 18ft from the basket out of my vision from where I was putting, I didn't even know that there was OB there because you rarely ever ended up behind the basket. So I end up throwing OB for the third time on the hole and made my putt for a 7, not the way I planned on finishing my round that was going so well. That was one of the gimmicky things that I noticed and it was a total bummer to have ended the tournament the way I did. I complained plenty about it, but in the end it is what it is and I had to live with how it all played out. Please understand that the things I am saying here do not take away from all of the people involved at the GCC who worked tirelessly to run a successful event and kicked off the year with style. There can always be ways to improve and I hope they listen to the feedback and make next year even better. In the end I was able to average over 1000 for the weekend and finish in 26th place. Of course we expect more but I am very pleased with how I handled myself on the course and even when I didn't shoot my best I was able to play some really solid golf. Finding the positives isn't always easy but it can really help you shape yourself to be successful in the future.
With only two days of rest we headed down to Phoenix and tried to practice some of the courses to just refresh ourselves but with some inclement weather we never really got any solid practice in. Still feeling fatigued from GCC I could tell that The Memorial was going to be a tough uphill battle. The first round was very boring out at Fountain Hills with not many birdies and not many bogies. I wasn't upset but I just found myself not being able to score, it was feeling reminiscent of GCC, playing holes where it felt tough to score except these were all holes that you can score on, I just didn't. Then we were off to Fiesta Lakes, this is not a caliber of course that I think we should be playing at a DGPT event, but it shouldn't determine how I played. I went out and did not play very well and I let my thoughts on the course influence my play. This was my biggest mistake on the weekend, I allowed myself to be influenced in a direction that would ultimately hurt me for an entire round. I found lots of OB and had a couple of bad breaks on putts, but I could've turned it all around had I gone in a little more hungry to play and compete. This was another moment where I found myself getting motivated by my lowest round of the event. I went into round three at Vista Del Camino a lot more hungry. I started slow missing the first three but the one thing I managed to do was focus on each shot and trust that if I kept to my game that I could still score very well. I managed to play incredibly clean golf and put up a very solid round to climb 30 places moving from 71st to 41st. Going into the final day back at Fountain Hills, I was fortunate to have an incredible card with Jake Palmer, Jacob Mott and one of my very close friends AJ Risley. We had such a good vibe going and it all propelled us to play some incredible golf. We all climbed up some in the standings which was great to see, but I lost the card so it stung a bit more. All three of those guys came out ready to play and I hope to have more cards like that in the future. Plus we four way chest bumped every time we got a star frame... we did it four times that round, one hole where nobody was even inside of the circle, it was great! After everything is said and done, I was constantly checking the scores to see where I ended up, I finished 39th which is very respectable considering my play in the early rounds. I managed to again shoot just over 1000 on the weekend and that is something that became a goal for the weekend. I battled and I climbed back from the dead. It was great just being able to play a tournament after coming short two years ago.
Now we are off to Texas, with a ton of events coming up real soon. So be on the lookout for some WhalePants clinics! I am looking forward to having the opportunity to compete more and continue to prove myself in this sport. I have incredible support from my sponsors, Dynamic Discs, Whale Sacs, Booom, Team Nati, Handeye Supply and Launchpad. I want to thank everyone who has supported Tina and I in all of our endeavors, you guys make this all possible and we are hoping to give back. I want to thank Tina for putting up with me and working with me everyday to be a better person, I definitely wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her.
Thanks everyone for reading! Keep those PutterPants on and keep having the Most Fun!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylA2OehiOfU
Enjoy!
GCC! After missing last years GCC due to work it was nice to get out to this event and take in everything it had to offer. There will always be complaints about each and every tournament, but in Vegas we ran into a lot of weird things that I felt could've been avoided with more foresight from experienced players. Either way the courses each had unique challenges, some a little more gimmicky than others, but they were challenges none the less. I held together after my first round to have a very strong finish to put myself in a solid place. The second round was mixed with just a handful of mistakes but other than that it was very solid golf. The third round was where I realized that I wasn't much of a fan of the courses because it kept feeling like we were playing the same holes. You throw far and avoid a hazard and pitch up over more hazards to a basket on a mound. Lots of "tweener" holes that couldn't necessarily be reached but the majority of the field would take the same score on the hole. I would shoot my lowest rated round of the weekend, which lit a fire under me a little and allowed me to gather myself going into the final round. I was motivated and I knew what I was capable of. I had one hiccup that cost me a stroke or two early, but the real bummer was on the final hole. I played what I felt was the right shot and got a reverse skip and roll into the water. I collected myself got a good read on the wind and threw the shot exactly how I wanted but it wasn't good enough and I found myself OB again. I still had an opportunity to make a putt for a 5, but I didn't realize that there was a random patch of OB 18ft from the basket out of my vision from where I was putting, I didn't even know that there was OB there because you rarely ever ended up behind the basket. So I end up throwing OB for the third time on the hole and made my putt for a 7, not the way I planned on finishing my round that was going so well. That was one of the gimmicky things that I noticed and it was a total bummer to have ended the tournament the way I did. I complained plenty about it, but in the end it is what it is and I had to live with how it all played out. Please understand that the things I am saying here do not take away from all of the people involved at the GCC who worked tirelessly to run a successful event and kicked off the year with style. There can always be ways to improve and I hope they listen to the feedback and make next year even better. In the end I was able to average over 1000 for the weekend and finish in 26th place. Of course we expect more but I am very pleased with how I handled myself on the course and even when I didn't shoot my best I was able to play some really solid golf. Finding the positives isn't always easy but it can really help you shape yourself to be successful in the future.
With only two days of rest we headed down to Phoenix and tried to practice some of the courses to just refresh ourselves but with some inclement weather we never really got any solid practice in. Still feeling fatigued from GCC I could tell that The Memorial was going to be a tough uphill battle. The first round was very boring out at Fountain Hills with not many birdies and not many bogies. I wasn't upset but I just found myself not being able to score, it was feeling reminiscent of GCC, playing holes where it felt tough to score except these were all holes that you can score on, I just didn't. Then we were off to Fiesta Lakes, this is not a caliber of course that I think we should be playing at a DGPT event, but it shouldn't determine how I played. I went out and did not play very well and I let my thoughts on the course influence my play. This was my biggest mistake on the weekend, I allowed myself to be influenced in a direction that would ultimately hurt me for an entire round. I found lots of OB and had a couple of bad breaks on putts, but I could've turned it all around had I gone in a little more hungry to play and compete. This was another moment where I found myself getting motivated by my lowest round of the event. I went into round three at Vista Del Camino a lot more hungry. I started slow missing the first three but the one thing I managed to do was focus on each shot and trust that if I kept to my game that I could still score very well. I managed to play incredibly clean golf and put up a very solid round to climb 30 places moving from 71st to 41st. Going into the final day back at Fountain Hills, I was fortunate to have an incredible card with Jake Palmer, Jacob Mott and one of my very close friends AJ Risley. We had such a good vibe going and it all propelled us to play some incredible golf. We all climbed up some in the standings which was great to see, but I lost the card so it stung a bit more. All three of those guys came out ready to play and I hope to have more cards like that in the future. Plus we four way chest bumped every time we got a star frame... we did it four times that round, one hole where nobody was even inside of the circle, it was great! After everything is said and done, I was constantly checking the scores to see where I ended up, I finished 39th which is very respectable considering my play in the early rounds. I managed to again shoot just over 1000 on the weekend and that is something that became a goal for the weekend. I battled and I climbed back from the dead. It was great just being able to play a tournament after coming short two years ago.
Now we are off to Texas, with a ton of events coming up real soon. So be on the lookout for some WhalePants clinics! I am looking forward to having the opportunity to compete more and continue to prove myself in this sport. I have incredible support from my sponsors, Dynamic Discs, Whale Sacs, Booom, Team Nati, Handeye Supply and Launchpad. I want to thank everyone who has supported Tina and I in all of our endeavors, you guys make this all possible and we are hoping to give back. I want to thank Tina for putting up with me and working with me everyday to be a better person, I definitely wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her.
Thanks everyone for reading! Keep those PutterPants on and keep having the Most Fun!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylA2OehiOfU
Enjoy!
Friday, December 9, 2016
Battling the Offseason
With the offseason finally upon us, I have been putting a lot of time into trying to better my game. I have constantly been missing the point to my practice, I am not listening to what I preach about having 'No Expectations', this is leaving me frustrated within my practice because my expectations of what I should be doing are too high. I am comfortable that this will only be a challenge that will only make me better. I am still in limbo between being at the top to being just another player in the field, when I am at the top I am having fun not thinking about much and just playing disc golf, when I am playing average golf it is usually because I am over thinking and expecting to have a certain outcome. I have been doing very well in the field which is a great sing, but once I hit the course and my score becomes a thing I start finding odd feelings and the frustration sets in. Granted the courses I am playing are not top quality courses but they offer plenty for me to get better and make my game more consistent. I plan to play only a handful of scored rounds from now on, I will not keep score unless it is at league or a tournament. If I am playing casually I am no longer going to keep score, I am going to throw to learn from every shot, good or bad, they all have something to offer.
My putting has been in a funk, I think some of that is from using some new Wardens, but most of it is from over thinking. I am getting back to how it used to feel and I will put it to permanent with more practice. The reason I am using new Wardens is during the last season I had been using the same putters for over a year and whenever I tried to make the switch to something new there was such a big difference it was basically putting with a new disc. This time I am using my offseason to build up my backups, so if something happens during the season I am prepared. Plus having more practice putters that feel like my bagged putters will only help my practice to be more consistent.
I am planning on running clinics and private lessons this off season which will be an awesome opportunity to continue to meet new people and spread disc golf as much as I can. So if you are in the Tucson or Phoenix area please let me know and let's make something happen. Also stay tuned for some more videos, Tina and I will be putting out more and more each month!
I am so incredibly thankful again for my sponsors. Over the year I have found some incredible people to work with and feel honored to support Dynamic Discs, Whale Sacs, Booom, Nati Disc Golf, Handeye Supply, and Launchpad. I am super excited for 2017 and everything it will hold.
Thanks to everyone for reading and the support! Keep those PutterPants and keep having the Most Fun!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJvJOsSfVcg
Enjoy!
I am so incredibly thankful again for my sponsors. Over the year I have found some incredible people to work with and feel honored to support Dynamic Discs, Whale Sacs, Booom, Nati Disc Golf, Handeye Supply, and Launchpad. I am super excited for 2017 and everything it will hold.
Thanks to everyone for reading and the support! Keep those PutterPants and keep having the Most Fun!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJvJOsSfVcg
Enjoy!
Tuesday, November 15, 2016
Finish Strong
I feel bad because I haven't posted in awhile and so much has been happening. I feel like the way this year is closing out has been a total positive. I have played some of the better golf, even with moments where I know I am better than what I am showing, but everything is trending in a positive direction. Touring with Tina and making WhalePants happen is incredibly awesome and I love what we get to do, the people we get to meet, and the places we get to see. The way I am feeling right now is that I am still incredibly hungry for more, I want to get even better, I want to finish stronger!
I have rounded out the year with playing some pretty incredible events. I was fortunate enough to travel back to Twin Falls, Idaho for the Disc Dash For Cash. This remains one of my favorite events of the year. All of the beautiful scenery and amazing people in Twin Falls makes me want to come back each and every year. I was able to take 4th place again at this event, falling behind Eagle, Nikko and Ulibarri. Being able to play multiple rounds with these guys was such an incredible learning experience and I love that I can continue to learn with every round. One of the biggest things to take out of this event, was the usage of the Marksman Basket. This to me will be the best thing for our sport. In short, it rewards better drives, approaches and putts, rather than a player being able to jam everything from 60ft and in. The value of every shot goes up, forcing players to play golf rather than throw relatively close and make a putt. All in all I can't wait to be back and I greatly encourage any player to go to this event, you will not be disappointed!
Tina and I spent some time in Salt Lake City with Chris Tellesbo. I love getting back and enjoying some of the simple things. We then played a one round unsanctioned tournament on a ball golf course. I took 2nd place after a long grueling day with some of my favorite people in Utah. I couldn't have asked for a better group to spend the day golfing with, it just happened to be a day where I would win some extra cash to support us while we are on the road. So thank you Justin, Amy, Chris, Nick and Tina for a memorable day of Disc Golf.
We then ventured down to Texas for back to back A-Tiers. VPO and Piney Woods Open, these each have a special place in my heart. VPO was the first course where I felt that I could actually play Disc Golf at a high level, and Piney Woods is easily one of my favorite disc golf facilities that helped spark Tina and I being together. Leading up to these events I wasn't necessarily playing my best golf, but I had this confidence that I knew I could elevate my game to perform where I needed to. First round of VPO I was fortunate enough to play with some of my great friends, Weston, Chase and Tyler. I would have a pretty rough start to my round but battled and managed to land myself on the lead card. The rest of the tournament went very well, I remained positive and took home 5th place, I had a blast battling and am very happy with my finish. Yes it can always be better but I am still going to appreciate the good when it is right there in front of me. I was only beat by the four 1000 rated players at the event. I see positives in that I shot above my rating and I learned a great deal about how every shot counts from round 1 to the final round, stay focused throughout the entirety and alleviate yourself from having the "well if this would have gone in" moments. On a side note, Disc Dash was the first time Eagle and I have ever played competitive rounds together, and we got to have two more at VPO, I am so happy to see how far he has come and how much he has helped me get my game, I can't wait for many more in the future. Big thanks to Skip and everyone who helped at VPO I can't wait to be back.
Tina and I spent some time in Salt Lake City with Chris Tellesbo. I love getting back and enjoying some of the simple things. We then played a one round unsanctioned tournament on a ball golf course. I took 2nd place after a long grueling day with some of my favorite people in Utah. I couldn't have asked for a better group to spend the day golfing with, it just happened to be a day where I would win some extra cash to support us while we are on the road. So thank you Justin, Amy, Chris, Nick and Tina for a memorable day of Disc Golf.
We then ventured down to Texas for back to back A-Tiers. VPO and Piney Woods Open, these each have a special place in my heart. VPO was the first course where I felt that I could actually play Disc Golf at a high level, and Piney Woods is easily one of my favorite disc golf facilities that helped spark Tina and I being together. Leading up to these events I wasn't necessarily playing my best golf, but I had this confidence that I knew I could elevate my game to perform where I needed to. First round of VPO I was fortunate enough to play with some of my great friends, Weston, Chase and Tyler. I would have a pretty rough start to my round but battled and managed to land myself on the lead card. The rest of the tournament went very well, I remained positive and took home 5th place, I had a blast battling and am very happy with my finish. Yes it can always be better but I am still going to appreciate the good when it is right there in front of me. I was only beat by the four 1000 rated players at the event. I see positives in that I shot above my rating and I learned a great deal about how every shot counts from round 1 to the final round, stay focused throughout the entirety and alleviate yourself from having the "well if this would have gone in" moments. On a side note, Disc Dash was the first time Eagle and I have ever played competitive rounds together, and we got to have two more at VPO, I am so happy to see how far he has come and how much he has helped me get my game, I can't wait for many more in the future. Big thanks to Skip and everyone who helped at VPO I can't wait to be back.
I could feel my excitement build as I knew that we were heading to Tyler. The courses at Linsdey Park offer a plethora of different shots and all three courses have some of my favorite disc golf holes. Going into PWO I just felt awesome to be in a place where I knew I was going to have fun, or so I thought... The first round went well, I had a couple of hiccups but still played solid golf and put myself in a solid position to place well. And then Dogwood happened.... This course is incredibly challenging and can rattle your mental game to its core. This is exactly what happened. I let every kick, every shot, and every missed putt dig at me. I let each and every moment rip at my emotions and I found myself very distraught and struggling to compete at my best. The best thing I can take from this round is that I did not give up and I kept battling to a seemingly okay finish. I didn't completely fall off but I made it very difficult to make a move. Bobby Brown, Jeremy Rusco, and Brian Lamoreaux all showed me incredible support and gave me a much needed confidence boost going into the final round. Brian said one of the best things I needed to hear 'Look Forward' it was super simple and it sparked me to get after my final round. I started out on fire being -5 through 6, I would unfortunately take a 4 on the 7th hole but hitting a putt after going OB on my second shot was big. Bobby Brown was there and I turned to him and knew he had my back for this round and I could still finish strong. Following up with back to back birdies after the 4 gave me confidence to finish strong. I would add two more OB strokes this round but they would only cost me taking par. So the confidence was still strong and I knew I could manage this round to shoot well. I would come in with the hot round and move up 8 places to finish in 8th place. It was a great feeling and I knew I had it in me. This was such a similar feeling to when I shot hot at GBO, I was positive, even when something bad happened it didn't stop me from what I was going to do, it felt as if I was there to play disc golf and enjoy every moment of it. I feel like this feeling is being in the zone and I want to tap into this feeling more. How do I get that feeling when it seems like nothing is going my way? How do I recover like nothing ever happened? These are things that I am going to keep battling and looking to improve so I can be better. I am disappointed with how I acted and how I managed myself during the second round, but I am very happy that I could bounce back the next day and make everything right. This will be something I can learn from and only get better from here. I can't wait to be back in Tyler! Big thanks to Steven Storrie and the whole Dynamic crew for putting on one of the best tournaments of the year, you guys are awesome and I am very lucky to be in the same family.
I am excited for this off season. I learned and grew so much and I can't wait to see what I can do with another dedicated off season to improving every aspect of my game. Tina and I both have the same drive and I know that both of us will elevate our games to new levels.
I can't explain how great all of my sponsors have been this year. I am so lucky to be apart of so many incredible companies that want to push the sport to new levels. Thank you to all of my sponsors and the fact that you are truly making my dreams a reality! Thanks Dynamic Discs, Whale Sacs, BOOOM, Nati Disc Golf, Handeye Supply Co., and Launchpad. Be sure to go check out all of these truly incredible companies!
Thanks to all of the support you guys give me as fans or fellow disc golfers! Thanks for reading and keep those PutterPants on and keep having the Most Fun!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYyfnrtLA_I
Enjoy!
I can't explain how great all of my sponsors have been this year. I am so lucky to be apart of so many incredible companies that want to push the sport to new levels. Thank you to all of my sponsors and the fact that you are truly making my dreams a reality! Thanks Dynamic Discs, Whale Sacs, BOOOM, Nati Disc Golf, Handeye Supply Co., and Launchpad. Be sure to go check out all of these truly incredible companies!
Thanks to all of the support you guys give me as fans or fellow disc golfers! Thanks for reading and keep those PutterPants on and keep having the Most Fun!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYyfnrtLA_I
Enjoy!
Monday, October 10, 2016
Disc Golf Can Be So Cruel And Yet So Awesome!
It has been a minute since I last wrote and for that I apologize. Either way I am happy to be on the road living the dream with Tina Stanaitis. With all of the chaos of traveling I have not only played but have witnessed some of the ups and downs that disc golf has to offer. I have shot 120 points difference in two rounds, I was 0.7 points from qualifying for the DGPT Quarterfinals, I got 888'd at USDGC qualifying, I watched my good friend get 888'd just after I watched him play some of the most stellar golf I have seen, I have seen the true nature of some of the players in this sport both good and bad. Even with all of these ups and downs this sport is still so awesome and the best thing to be a part of.
I have been trying to sit back as most of the drama unfolds in the disc golf world. I still have the understanding of "EVERYBODY LOVE EVERYBODY" concept and I will stick to that. Having seen and talked with a lot of the people involved in the many different organizations it has opened my eyes to the deeper conflicts that we face. The one thing remains even with all this chaos, and that is that we all stay together as a collective to make this sport the best thing that it possibly can be. We have to push for the right changes and advocate in the correct way. We need to make ourselves heard and remain respectful to everything that has gone on before that paved the way for our sport to be where it is. I think we will soon find that happy medium and we will all love everybody very soon.
My own game has been pretty solid lately. I am doing things that I haven't been able to do before. I learned so much from USDGC qualifying, I tried to qualify last year and compared to this year I was executing shots that allowed me to be way more comfortable throughout my rounds. I love to see progress and seeing the 12 month change is awesome. I feel like I am comfortable throwing each and every shot, before I used to have a shot in mind and hope that I would execute the shot, but now I have this confidence when I play that I am going to execute the shot. That feeling is going to keep driving me forward. One thing I will say is that with the change to Dynamic Discs and opening the doors to Latitude 64 and Westside Discs, this has opened the doors to having more confidence in each and every disc I bag. The molds are consistent and I have been able to find the exact discs I need to tackle each and every course. I couldn't be happier, so another big thanks to Dynamic Discs for this incredible opportunity.
Tina and I are deep into our WhalePants tour and want to continue this tour into next year so please let us know some awesome places for us to come do a clinic or run some other kind of event. We want to keep growing the sport each and every stop. We have had a great time and seen how incredible the disc golf community can be with the support at our smaller events. We can't wait to see what the next few years will hold. Thanks again to all the support we have received so far.
My final message in this scattered brained blog is that lets keep making this sport incredible and keep being awesome. Even when this game chews us up and spits us out, lets have the most fun and make the best of it. As always thanks for taking the time to read my blog. Keep those Putter Pants on and keep having the Most Fun!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBOWreo5Uyk
Enjoy!
I have been trying to sit back as most of the drama unfolds in the disc golf world. I still have the understanding of "EVERYBODY LOVE EVERYBODY" concept and I will stick to that. Having seen and talked with a lot of the people involved in the many different organizations it has opened my eyes to the deeper conflicts that we face. The one thing remains even with all this chaos, and that is that we all stay together as a collective to make this sport the best thing that it possibly can be. We have to push for the right changes and advocate in the correct way. We need to make ourselves heard and remain respectful to everything that has gone on before that paved the way for our sport to be where it is. I think we will soon find that happy medium and we will all love everybody very soon.
My own game has been pretty solid lately. I am doing things that I haven't been able to do before. I learned so much from USDGC qualifying, I tried to qualify last year and compared to this year I was executing shots that allowed me to be way more comfortable throughout my rounds. I love to see progress and seeing the 12 month change is awesome. I feel like I am comfortable throwing each and every shot, before I used to have a shot in mind and hope that I would execute the shot, but now I have this confidence when I play that I am going to execute the shot. That feeling is going to keep driving me forward. One thing I will say is that with the change to Dynamic Discs and opening the doors to Latitude 64 and Westside Discs, this has opened the doors to having more confidence in each and every disc I bag. The molds are consistent and I have been able to find the exact discs I need to tackle each and every course. I couldn't be happier, so another big thanks to Dynamic Discs for this incredible opportunity.
Tina and I are deep into our WhalePants tour and want to continue this tour into next year so please let us know some awesome places for us to come do a clinic or run some other kind of event. We want to keep growing the sport each and every stop. We have had a great time and seen how incredible the disc golf community can be with the support at our smaller events. We can't wait to see what the next few years will hold. Thanks again to all the support we have received so far.
My final message in this scattered brained blog is that lets keep making this sport incredible and keep being awesome. Even when this game chews us up and spits us out, lets have the most fun and make the best of it. As always thanks for taking the time to read my blog. Keep those Putter Pants on and keep having the Most Fun!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBOWreo5Uyk
Enjoy!
Tuesday, August 23, 2016
Thanks
There has been a ton of stuff going around on Facebook about whether or not I am with Discmania anymore. The truth is we have decided to go our separate ways. We did not see eye to eye in a lot of different areas and that lead us to having some differences. I am bummed that things could not have been worked out, I could have taken different steps to make it work and they could have as well. But here we are and I wish them nothing but the best in the future. They did a great deal for me and I am lucky to have had a lot of great opportunities because of Discmania. I have been fortunate enough to meet a ton of great people throughout my time with them, which can hopefully lead to many more great experiences in the future.
Luckily enough I am going to continue to travel with Whale Sacs CEO and total babe Tina Stanaitis! We plan on hitting a great deal of awesome tournaments and staying on the road. We plan on running some clinics and selling some Whale Sacs, Discs and Gear to help support our tour. Please check out www.ohwhales.com to find some of my #putterpants tour fundraisers and be sure to check out some Whale Sacs to get the grip you are looking for when crushing on the course. Enough with the plugs. Right now I don't have a real future set up when it comes to a sponsor but am hopeful that something great will come soon, until then I am excited to do some more promotion for disc golf and give back to this incredible community that has made me feel so welcome. The amount of positive support I have been receiving is crazy to me. A lot of people have my back and really want what is best for me. This is such a great feeling and I couldn't be happier. So a big thanks to anyone and everyone who has been supporting me. I realize that I can continue to promote and play because of all of this great support.
I played the Twin Falls Classic for the second year running, and needless to say I came up short for the second year in a row. I am such a fan of Twin Falls and I don't know why, but the classic has my number. This will not stop me from coming back and supporting the great community, just makes me more hungry for next time. The biggest thing that came out of the tournament was I cashed an ace on camera in my first round. It was a pretty great feeling and being able to relive that moment is super cool. We were very close to getting on ESPN but they ended up bumping us at the last minute. We still have a long way to go to make it there more often, but I know as a community we will get there! If you want to check out the ace go here -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7tjMIl7Jnw . Big thanks to Central Coast Disc Golf for filming, I'll always be a big CCDG fan!
With my lack of performance in Idaho and other small things happening, I have found myself very motivated for what the future holds. I am focusing in on a lot of outside factors that I am hoping will improve my game. These include a healthy diet and more time put towards field work and preparation. This can be counter-intuitive to my no expectations, most fun, lets go mentality, but I think I can still keep those while still being the same player I have been while at my best. Either way I am excited to be learning some new discs and expanding my game every single day.
Again I want to say thanks to everyone for all of the great support. You guys are the reason I am trying to get better everyday and continue to grow the sport every single day! Thanks for taking the time to read my blog. Keep those Putter Pants on and keep having the Most Fun!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pVABElms84
Enjoy
Luckily enough I am going to continue to travel with Whale Sacs CEO and total babe Tina Stanaitis! We plan on hitting a great deal of awesome tournaments and staying on the road. We plan on running some clinics and selling some Whale Sacs, Discs and Gear to help support our tour. Please check out www.ohwhales.com to find some of my #putterpants tour fundraisers and be sure to check out some Whale Sacs to get the grip you are looking for when crushing on the course. Enough with the plugs. Right now I don't have a real future set up when it comes to a sponsor but am hopeful that something great will come soon, until then I am excited to do some more promotion for disc golf and give back to this incredible community that has made me feel so welcome. The amount of positive support I have been receiving is crazy to me. A lot of people have my back and really want what is best for me. This is such a great feeling and I couldn't be happier. So a big thanks to anyone and everyone who has been supporting me. I realize that I can continue to promote and play because of all of this great support.
I played the Twin Falls Classic for the second year running, and needless to say I came up short for the second year in a row. I am such a fan of Twin Falls and I don't know why, but the classic has my number. This will not stop me from coming back and supporting the great community, just makes me more hungry for next time. The biggest thing that came out of the tournament was I cashed an ace on camera in my first round. It was a pretty great feeling and being able to relive that moment is super cool. We were very close to getting on ESPN but they ended up bumping us at the last minute. We still have a long way to go to make it there more often, but I know as a community we will get there! If you want to check out the ace go here -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7tjMIl7Jnw . Big thanks to Central Coast Disc Golf for filming, I'll always be a big CCDG fan!
With my lack of performance in Idaho and other small things happening, I have found myself very motivated for what the future holds. I am focusing in on a lot of outside factors that I am hoping will improve my game. These include a healthy diet and more time put towards field work and preparation. This can be counter-intuitive to my no expectations, most fun, lets go mentality, but I think I can still keep those while still being the same player I have been while at my best. Either way I am excited to be learning some new discs and expanding my game every single day.
Again I want to say thanks to everyone for all of the great support. You guys are the reason I am trying to get better everyday and continue to grow the sport every single day! Thanks for taking the time to read my blog. Keep those Putter Pants on and keep having the Most Fun!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pVABElms84
Enjoy
Friday, July 22, 2016
Everything is Different
Ever since GBO and FSO everything feels so different. People are treating me very different, from other players to the people I meet in passing. It is such an incredible feeling to know that I actually belong here. I even feel different with how I play, there is a different feeling of confidence in my play. I know what I can and can't do. I know that I can still get better, and I am not going to stop here. I have it very good, I am lucky to be able to see so many different places, but there is a part of it that no one sees that is chewing me up on the inside. That feeling fades almost immediately when I throw a true putt, pure a line, or park an upshot. Disc Golf still gives me that incredible feeling that this is something special and I want to continue to share that with everyone.
Fort Steilacoom Open, what a ride. This is a tournament that I had watched videos and heard about but I didn't know what to expect going in. You can ask anyone who saw me playing leading up to FSO that I didn't look my best at all. I didn't feel good, I had a lot going on personally, but for whatever reason with the poor play, distractions, and it being my birthday weekend, that I was able to completely zone out and find a really good groove. That groove basically was me having zero expectations, having zero worries, and feeling zero pressure, I have found out this is when I play my best. It for whatever reason works for me and I have been using it going forward and has helped me improve a great deal. I was lucky enough to get to play with Chris Waugh in my first round, a incredibly talented local player, I knew if I kept pace with him I would be just fine. I ended up finishing out with the hot round. The entire round I never knew what my score was, I just kept playing and having fun enjoying the fact that I was playing disc golf. So I've been here before, leading the tournament after the first round, I had felt the pressure before and I let it take me, but I still had the zero mentality going. Starting the second round I knew this course was going to play a little bit more difficult because of the OB so the scrambling game was out the window. But I really didn't think much about it and was ready to have some fun playing with some awesome dudes. I threw OB on my very first throw.... I laughed threw my upshot and took my 4 like a champ. I bounced back well and kept cruising through the rest of the round with a good attitude even when I took a bad break. I found a good stretch through the middle but thought nothing of it, I knew I was having fun. Finished with a hiccup but it was all good, I saw the scores and realized I had done just fine and had extended my lead from two to three. My good friend Jared Roan managed to come in hot and was going to add some pressure to the final round, but I couldn't have had someone better to push me. I still had the zero mentality but I was feeling a ton of pressure, because this was a situation I had not been in before. Every single throw I felt pressure, but the one thing I didn't do was think. I let me instincts kick in and allow me to execute shots I could. I blocked my mind from entering the situation. I was also very thankful to have a gallery following, they ended up being the best distraction for me, allowing me to act like a goon and brush off any negative vibes. Hole 8 was the moment that I realized that I had what it took to win the tournament. The hole is a long very wooded tunnel, that isn't birdied often. I missed the tunnel and kicked to the left side and felt there was no real chance of saving a 3. I looked at the lines I had to possibly get to the basket and executed a shot that gave me a putt, I stepped up and and hit the putt. That moment sticks out more than any as I felt like I was going to win. The only time I ever looked at the scorecards all weekend was after my drive on 18. I started doing some math in my head and the only way someone was going to catch me from the other cards on the course was to shoot the course record or break the course record. I laid up my putt and tapped in for the win. That feeling still brings me goosebumps, but that wasn't the part that meant the most, the amount of people who personally reached out to me over the next few weeks was crazy. Those comments and support meant so much, I can't even describe how good it felt to feel so supported. Thank you to anyone who took the time reach out, it really touched me and has helped me incredibly. The funny part about winning and beating Jared in the end is that we had been competing a ton in tournaments before with Jared always coming out on top. Jared told me that if I was going to beat him I would have to win the tournament, and here we are. Without him and all the other people who have pushed me I wouldn't have been able to do what I have done. A huge shout out goes to Dustin Marx, Dustin Marx Jr. and Jr's Mom, you guys made the experience incredible! Thanks to Simon, Eagle, Tina and everyone who helped push me everyday! Enough about this! Thanks again to everyone! If you want to catch some of the round coverage from FSO check out NWDG (https://www.youtube.com/user/EMVLife).
I am not sure what else to say honestly. I am so happy with how well this season has gone. I see my hard work paying off, and I am not ready to stop yet. If you want something bad enough and you are willing to work hard for it, you can make it happen. There will be plenty of moments where you feel like you should give up or change, don't! You can make it happen. My dad said this to me and it is something that will stay with me forever, 'Hard work works' this will stay with me along with 'fino alla fine' which means 'to the end' in Italian. These phrases have always stuck out when things just don't seem to be working but the small reminders motivate me to making it work and pursuing through the harder times.
Thanks to all of my sponsors. Discmania, Booom, Whale Sacs, Deuce Squad, and Launchpad.
The FSO win was for everyone I have met playing disc golf, I feel like this was not only a win for me but a win for anyone who wants to make it in this sport. Thanks again for reading and remember to keep those PutterPants on and have the Most Fun!
PS: More PutterPants discs are on the way stay tuned!!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02Fl1sT2r4g
Enjoy!
Fort Steilacoom Open, what a ride. This is a tournament that I had watched videos and heard about but I didn't know what to expect going in. You can ask anyone who saw me playing leading up to FSO that I didn't look my best at all. I didn't feel good, I had a lot going on personally, but for whatever reason with the poor play, distractions, and it being my birthday weekend, that I was able to completely zone out and find a really good groove. That groove basically was me having zero expectations, having zero worries, and feeling zero pressure, I have found out this is when I play my best. It for whatever reason works for me and I have been using it going forward and has helped me improve a great deal. I was lucky enough to get to play with Chris Waugh in my first round, a incredibly talented local player, I knew if I kept pace with him I would be just fine. I ended up finishing out with the hot round. The entire round I never knew what my score was, I just kept playing and having fun enjoying the fact that I was playing disc golf. So I've been here before, leading the tournament after the first round, I had felt the pressure before and I let it take me, but I still had the zero mentality going. Starting the second round I knew this course was going to play a little bit more difficult because of the OB so the scrambling game was out the window. But I really didn't think much about it and was ready to have some fun playing with some awesome dudes. I threw OB on my very first throw.... I laughed threw my upshot and took my 4 like a champ. I bounced back well and kept cruising through the rest of the round with a good attitude even when I took a bad break. I found a good stretch through the middle but thought nothing of it, I knew I was having fun. Finished with a hiccup but it was all good, I saw the scores and realized I had done just fine and had extended my lead from two to three. My good friend Jared Roan managed to come in hot and was going to add some pressure to the final round, but I couldn't have had someone better to push me. I still had the zero mentality but I was feeling a ton of pressure, because this was a situation I had not been in before. Every single throw I felt pressure, but the one thing I didn't do was think. I let me instincts kick in and allow me to execute shots I could. I blocked my mind from entering the situation. I was also very thankful to have a gallery following, they ended up being the best distraction for me, allowing me to act like a goon and brush off any negative vibes. Hole 8 was the moment that I realized that I had what it took to win the tournament. The hole is a long very wooded tunnel, that isn't birdied often. I missed the tunnel and kicked to the left side and felt there was no real chance of saving a 3. I looked at the lines I had to possibly get to the basket and executed a shot that gave me a putt, I stepped up and and hit the putt. That moment sticks out more than any as I felt like I was going to win. The only time I ever looked at the scorecards all weekend was after my drive on 18. I started doing some math in my head and the only way someone was going to catch me from the other cards on the course was to shoot the course record or break the course record. I laid up my putt and tapped in for the win. That feeling still brings me goosebumps, but that wasn't the part that meant the most, the amount of people who personally reached out to me over the next few weeks was crazy. Those comments and support meant so much, I can't even describe how good it felt to feel so supported. Thank you to anyone who took the time reach out, it really touched me and has helped me incredibly. The funny part about winning and beating Jared in the end is that we had been competing a ton in tournaments before with Jared always coming out on top. Jared told me that if I was going to beat him I would have to win the tournament, and here we are. Without him and all the other people who have pushed me I wouldn't have been able to do what I have done. A huge shout out goes to Dustin Marx, Dustin Marx Jr. and Jr's Mom, you guys made the experience incredible! Thanks to Simon, Eagle, Tina and everyone who helped push me everyday! Enough about this! Thanks again to everyone! If you want to catch some of the round coverage from FSO check out NWDG (https://www.youtube.com/user/EMVLife).
I am not sure what else to say honestly. I am so happy with how well this season has gone. I see my hard work paying off, and I am not ready to stop yet. If you want something bad enough and you are willing to work hard for it, you can make it happen. There will be plenty of moments where you feel like you should give up or change, don't! You can make it happen. My dad said this to me and it is something that will stay with me forever, 'Hard work works' this will stay with me along with 'fino alla fine' which means 'to the end' in Italian. These phrases have always stuck out when things just don't seem to be working but the small reminders motivate me to making it work and pursuing through the harder times.
Thanks to all of my sponsors. Discmania, Booom, Whale Sacs, Deuce Squad, and Launchpad.
The FSO win was for everyone I have met playing disc golf, I feel like this was not only a win for me but a win for anyone who wants to make it in this sport. Thanks again for reading and remember to keep those PutterPants on and have the Most Fun!
PS: More PutterPants discs are on the way stay tuned!!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02Fl1sT2r4g
Enjoy!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)