2015 Pros and Their Manufacturers

[Cgkdisc]

I think Tiger might be considering a career shift to FootGolf though.

 

[DiscJunkie]

In traditional golf there has always been an aphorism that one drives for show, but putts for dough. This has been true for as long as the game exists. A quality long game is an advantage, but if you don't have touch on the green, you won't win. In disc golf I've always felt like we should be flipping this aphorism on it's head. The courses I enjoy most are the ones that require tricky, pinpoint drives. After all, putting in disc golf will never be as difficult as in traditional golf, so there has to be some equalizer. I've always felt like tightly wooded holes served that purpose. I'm not saying there is no room for open holes on a course. The best courses mix it up, and let players with different strengths compete. But I agree with those who are noticing a trend towards longer, more open courses being built, and strongly feel like the game will lose something if this trend continues. After all, most people just see someone throwing a frisbee really far, and don't realize how difficult that can be.


Personally, I play both sports, and play for different reasons. When I golf I'm participating in an activity that my father, uncles, grandfather, great grandfather, etc all enjoyed. I love the history of the game, the nobility and traditions of honor and fair play. I play golf to challenge myself against the course, and to do the best I can. Par is a minor victory for many I play with, not an expectation, so I feel a sense of accomplishment when I shoot close to it over an entire round. I've never broken par for a round, and likely never will. And that doesn't matter. Golf is hard, and meant to be hard. It is a test of discipline and consistency, and as such is not for everyone.

Disc golf is different. I play to feel good about myself, relax and have fun with my friends. Course par is something that should be shattered easily on most courses I play, and so my friends and I play all par 3's. Even with this added challenge I expect to shoot close to par on all local courses from the shorts, and am working to hone my game and feel like I'll be able to do the same from the long tees on the courses I play regularly soon. Disc golf is easy and fun. I play to relax and enjoy making steady improvement.

The two sports are vastly different despite being superficially similar. Those who want to avoid "being more like real golf" are missing the point. There are many great things we can take from real golf to make our sport more challenging and more widely accepted. It's unfortunate that most disc golfers would rather tear down traditional golf than learn from it. After all, it's success is what we aspire to.

Thanks for a considered and thoughtful response. Thoughtful responses seem to be the exception lately...

I can agree with most of what you say, especially this:
"The two sports are vastly different despite being superficially similar."
My only other point would be that I hope I did not come off as trying to "tear down" Ball golf. I grew up playing traditional golf and would play more if the price were more in line with DG (free).
But as you say, they are vastly different and I disagree that traditional golf should serve as a shining example for DG. Two different sports that should be allowed to develop on separate paths.

 

[Guurn]

:clap:

Everytime I see a "golf is dead" item I just laugh at how ignorant it really is, golf is not dying, not in death throes, nor suffering. Private/public parks closed during the recession (like everything else). Golf is very strong, and will get stronger. The PGA majors are very riveting, I love watching how players react to that pressure.

Except it is contracting for a variety of reasons. Something's that aren't talked about much is the area of land it takes, the water use, and the chemicals. Some states that monitor water use don't do so on golf courses, yet. This really isn't that relevant to us though.

Our problems attracting money have more to do with the limited interest in watching top pros play. It isn't easy to get great footage and people, most of which don't have a lot of experience throwing, don't grasp how hard some of these shots are. Personally I am a freak that like to watch tournament videos. Even so, how can advertisements be directed at someone like me?

 

[sidewinder22]

In traditional golf there has always been an aphorism that one drives for show, but putts for dough. This has been true for as long as the game exists. A quality long game is an advantage, but if you don't have touch on the green, you won't win. In disc golf I've always felt like we should be flipping this aphorism on it's head. The courses I enjoy most are the ones that require tricky, pinpoint drives. After all, putting in disc golf will never be as difficult as in traditional golf, so there has to be some equalizer. I've always felt like tightly wooded holes served that purpose. I'm not saying there is no room for open holes on a course. The best courses mix it up, and let players with different strengths compete. But I agree with those who are noticing a trend towards longer, more open courses being built, and strongly feel like the game will lose something if this trend continues. After all, most people just see someone throwing a frisbee really far, and don't realize how difficult that can be.

Jack also said short par 3s are the great equalizer, where a lowly Am could beat him. It's not the putting that is the difference on the par 4 and 5s, as much as it's the distance. Happy Gilmore did pretty well with terrible putting and long driving. I doubt Tiger would have won as many majors on shorter courses.

This is analogous to when Avery said MJ's round of 41 at Reedy Creek World's wasn't impressive.

 

[tbird888]

Happy Gilmore is also a fictional character...

 

[New013]

I'm pretty sure most of the people on this website fail to recognize how difficult it is to throw a 400+ shot with the accuracy needed to compete at a high level.

 

[zj1002]

Wysocki, Schusterick, Doss: the challengers for McBeth

Doss is every bit McBeths equal when it comes to the one tournament that matters. McBeth was chasing him just a few years ago.

 

[WhiteyBear]

It isn't easy to get great footage and people, most of which don't have a lot of experience throwing, don't grasp how hard some of these shots are. Personally I am a freak that like to watch tournament videos. Even so, how can advertisements be directed at someone like me?

I think DG is exactly where it needs to be right now, and will never be the game that some imagine. It's future could be as strong as darts or bowling, but it'll never be like the PGA, or any other major competition. This is not a bad thing, even Olympic sports are pale in comparison to the PBA.

When gold hits the olympics soon, expect the golf industry to surge again, and like the article says, its on the rebound already.

I'm pretty sure most of the people on this website fail to recognize how difficult it is to throw a 400+ shot with the accuracy needed to compete at a high level.

That's because everyone on here is throwing 300+ with a putter, and can drive 500+ anyways.

 

[tomte]

Doss is every bit McBeths equal when it comes to the one tournament that matters. McBeth was chasing him just a few years ago.

That is why I named him as a challenger. Right now McBeth is the standard to beat he is just more consistent on that high level.

There is one more thing: if you don't have the time to watch all available discgolf videos you have to choose which pro you watch. If they are not all playing together in the lead card the difference between that one pro and the rest of the field usually is 12+ throws. This makes those videos not too interesting and the only pros still interesting to watch in a situation like this are Nikko, JohnE, McBeth and maybe Feldberg.
With Doss, Schusterick, Wysocki only, I will turn off the "TV" and do something else.

 

[The Happy Gilmore]

I mean, realistically, Wysocki could beat almost anyone one these forums with nothing but a Wolf and a beach Frisbee

HAHAHAHA

 

[The Happy Gilmore]

Happy Gilmore is also a fictional character...

What... Is that how you feel?

 

[tbird888]

I didn't specify which Happy it was.

 

[Pwingles]

If he hasn't signed the contract and wasn't sporting Lat64 logos, yes, he probably is still using some sort of mixed bag. Once the contract is signed though, it's all Trilogy whether he's comfortable with them or not. There's no grace period.

The only one that knows what's in the contract is Ricky and Latitude.

Right. So funny reading these types of comments from people who have likely less than zero clue what theyre talking about.

 

[biscoe]

While Ricky's contract is no doubt different from his, Josh is trilogy sponsored so may know just a hair more than "less than zero".

 

[burdphil]

Happy Gilmore is also a fictional character...

Shooter McGavin is real though, right?

 

[JC17393]

Right. So funny reading these types of comments from people who have likely less than zero clue what theyre talking about.

Considering I've signed a Lat64 sponsorship contract, I'd like to think I know what it says.

Yeah, Ricky is probably at a different level than I am, but I have to think the core principles contained in the contract apply to him the same as me.

I'd grant a situation where he's signed but the contract doesn't go into effect until today or something. Probably explains why there hasn't yet been a formal announcement in the same vein as JohnE, MattyO, Skellenger, etc.

 

[The Happy Gilmore]

Shooter McGavin is real though, right?

He would have been more real than Happy if I knew how to putt

 

[mj20300]

Jack also said short par 3s are the great equalizer, where a lowly Am could beat him. It's not the putting that is the difference on the par 4 and 5s, as much as it's the distance. Happy Gilmore did pretty well with terrible putting and long driving. I doubt Tiger would have won as many majors on shorter courses.

This is analogous to when Avery said MJ's round of 41 at Reedy Creek World's wasn't impressive.

My 41 wasn't at reedy creek so get your story straight

 

[The Happy Gilmore]

My 41 wasn't at reedy creek so get your story straight

:clap::clap::clap:

 

[mj20300]

Pretty sure I have beaten top flight golfers on every type of course there is and Avery knows how good I am