2015 Pros and Their Manufacturers

[Magicweed]

Also, Nikko just raffled his bag and discs for $1K. I am curious to see what he has planned for the year.

Nikko just played a NorCal one day tournament and just crushed. -22 through two rounds (unofficial 1041 and 1063 rated). Looks like he's in a good place and is getting ready for GCC and the Memorial.

 

[Barefooter]

Childs and Lutz have also moved sponsors.

 

[Karl]

Interesting statement. What do you see as replacing the "finesse game"? I believe that the top pros are playing on a higher level than ever before. If you are correct and the finesse game is disappearing, then it must not be very important factor scoring-wise to begin with.

Intrinsically, it has nothing to do with "scoring" (on a relative basis). What I believe he's espousing (and I'm agreeing with) is that 30 years ago, a player would throw a drive really hard (to get their max distance out of it), have a moderately-thrown approach, and a deft putt (throw the putt too hard and it may cut threw, etc.). It was more like ball golf, where you drive hard, semi-hard (read: control) your approach, and putt softly (as too hard a putt will cellophane bridge over the hole). Now-a-days in disc golf players drive hard and putt even harder...and get peeved if their 40mph putt doesn't stick. The "finesse game" IS going the way of the dinosaur.

It's a lot harder to control your emotions, blood pressure, heart rate, nerves, and tactile feel in a game / sport where there's a premium on doing so. If the game / sport "allows" big power for everything, it is NOT as great an overall challenge as it could be. A different challenge, yes, but much more of a 'one trick pony' (read: power). Biathlon is a great example of a very tough challenge incorporating both "hard and soft" (skiing really hard and then trying to target shoot). Try it if you don't believe me!

In summary (and to answer your question succinctly), more power-based "throws" are replacing the "finesse game". That's not to say that there isn't thought behind these 'hard throws', but ball golf with its 400 years of 'both hard and soft challenges' is a more complete "test" of oneself than disc golf is morphing into becoming.

Karl

 

[grotto]

The finesse game is disappearing from the game altogether, and I believe it's a travesty. Not so much the pros (even though several carry them), but the average thrower could benefit from a lid much more than they could from 90% of the drivers they buy..

I don't think the finesse game is in any danger unless all the new courses from here on out are just pastures with baskets.

Most tournament footage seems to be on open courses where finesse isn't of the utmost importance. I'm sure if we had more woods tourney videos we'd see more, but woods video is harder to film.

Big bomber wannabees also have little interest in finesse. Since Simon's record, all the high speed blizard plastic discs have disappeared off the shelves around me. Distance sells, not touch or finesse.

 

[WhiteyBear]

Eagle McMahon to Discmania.

He's local to Colorado and still a teenager, but he over 1000 rated and an absolute crusher. Its actually a very good get for Discmania because Eagle has a ton of years left in the sport and he's already one of the best I've ever seen. His dad is also an amazing Masters player.

I know that name, everyone else missed the boat on him.

 

[Mocheez]

Is he better than that arrogant kid from Charlotte?

 

[AndyJB]

I know that name, everyone else missed the boat on him.

I don't know for sure, but I'm sure he had other offers. He's been using Innova and Discmania for as long as I've known him (only a couple years) so I'm sure that was a factor. He's still in High School and his parents are VERY supportive of his disc golfing as long as school comes first, so in this case, I would think it was more about what made him comfortable from a throwing stand point more than a monetary one.

Dude throws FDs farther than most people throw distance drivers. He's insanely good and controlled and one helluva good person.

 

[syanjd]

I don't know if this has been discussed somewhere, but I was just wondering that what you guys think would be the best manufacturer to have as your sponsor (both discwise and other benefits they may offer)? And does having to stick to only one manufacturers discs somehow limit you, compared to someone for instance who could just pick the best discs from any manufacturer out there?
Of course you could argue that once you learn the discs available to you (say you're sponsored by Discraft for instance), you can play to your fullest potential. But then again, there are a whole variety of discs out there by many other manufacturers that you can't use that might fit you better.

personally I don't think there is going to be much difference one way or another, but I'd like to hear what you think?

 

[frasnow]

Remembering the Prodigy "hug"

Will's quote may not be exact. This is the moment my view of disc golf went from thinking the other player's brand didn't matter to pros, to disliking team Prodigy's arrogance. The sport appears to have progressed back the other way since then.

 

[riddy]

In summary (and to answer your question succinctly), more power-based "throws" are replacing the "finesse game". That's not to say that there isn't thought behind these 'hard throws', but ball golf with its 400 years of 'both hard and soft challenges' is a more complete "test" of oneself than disc golf is morphing into becoming.

Great answer, thanks for taking the time. I have no idea what the game was like 30 years ago, interesting perspective.

Slightly more on topic: As a trilogy-plastic-lover I'm really excited to see Wysocki joining the Lat64 team. Is there any info available if he was actually throwing new discs @ Aussie Open?

 

[JedV]

Will's quote may not be exact. This is the moment my view of disc golf went from thinking the other player's brand didn't matter to pros, to disliking team Prodigy's arrogance. The sport appears to have progressed back the other way since then.

That's pretty awesome.

 

[thatdirtykid]

re: eagle
Dude throws FDs farther than most people throw distance drivers. He's insanely good and controlled and one helluva good person.

No kidding, aside from tyler liebman no-one else consistantly makes me feel like maybe I should be able to throw further.
He is pretty well rounded and still learning as fast as you expect a 16 year old. Joe has said he expects eagle to beat him regularly this year.

I hope for Eagles sake and the game progressing in a whole players like him keep interest where I have seen some get very distracted by life options that present themselves in young adulthood.

 

[DiscJunkie]

I don't think the finesse game is in any danger unless all the new courses from here on out are just pastures with baskets.

Most tournament footage seems to be on open courses where finesse isn't of the utmost importance. I'm sure if we had more woods tourney videos we'd see more, but woods video is harder to film.

Big bomber wannabees also have little interest in finesse. Since Simon's record, all the high speed blizard plastic discs have disappeared off the shelves around me. Distance sells, not touch or finesse.

Three points to make:
1. Jack Nicklaus said in his golf book (decades ago) that he believed that the golf hole should be 6" or 8" or 12" wide, because the game relied too much on finesse and had become too difficult for the average golfer to score well and enjoy.
2. Ball golf is declining all through the country but Disc Golf seems to be growing very well.
3. Why do we keep comparing our sport to Ball golf? Is DG like some Ball golf wannabe? Haven't we exisited long enough to have our own sport??

 

[Buchajs1]

The finesse game is disappearing from the game altogether, and I believe it's a travesty.

Watch Andrew Fish play, dude is insanely smooth, and finesses all of his shots.

 

[Magicweed]

I'd really like to see Nikko be the prototype for a multi-company sponsorship. Gateway chip in, Legacy chip in, MVP chip in etc.

I've been hearing whispers that this might be exactly what happens.

 

[volkswagen]

Is he better than that arrogant kid from Charlotte?

And he would be?

 

[mj20300]

I think I still have a finesse game

 

[tbird888]

I think I still have a finesse game

I would agree with you. Your videos are the most fun to watch because of it.

I would say Schwebby and Barry have them, too. It's almost as if Charlotte is the finesse player's Dagobah. Does that make Stan Yoda?

 

[Monocacy]

I think I still have a finesse game

Finesse game is all I have . . . I would love to pair it with a power game.:|

 

[WhiteyBear]

Three points to make:
1. Jack Nicklaus said in his golf book (decades ago) that he believed that the golf hole should be 6" or 8" or 12" wide, because the game relied too much on finesse and had become too difficult for the average golfer to score well and enjoy.
2. Ball golf is declining all through the country but Disc Golf seems to be growing very well.
3. Why do we keep comparing our sport to Ball golf? Is DG like some Ball golf wannabe? Haven't we exisited long enough to have our own sport??

Jack said way more than that, but he was exceeding emphatic about standardizing balls. Which no one would ever do. It'd be like standardizing discs.