A Part-Time Disc Golfer With Full-Time Passion - That's Team Member Zach Newhouse

Think that it’s impossible to work full-time and compete as a part-time disc golfer? It’s doable, but it’s not easy. In fact, there are more people achieving it than you might realize, and Dynamic Discs team member Zach Newhouse is one of them. Newhouse, a Canada resident, has taken his love of the sport and throttled himself toward success, but it wasn’t actually disc golf that started his interest in sports.

Zach’s love of athletics actually began when he played tennis in college, and this passion translated over into disc golf when his friend Tony introduced him to the game. Eventually, Newhouse was introduced to Sergio & Carla Correa, who encouraged him to compete in disc golf tournaments and sharpen his skills as a player. After college Zach made a huge decision and moved to Charlotte, NC where the combination of quality courses and players in the area pushed him into the pro ranks.

Now as a long-time member of the PDGA, Zach has a total of 5 wins under his belt and his current rating is a smoldering 1004. His excitement for this year’s GBO was evident, as his skills landed him on the lead card for round 2 and resulted in a 7th place finish.

A True Part Of The Disc Golf Family

Landing a spot on the Dynamic Discs team is a huge milestone for Zach. “It means so much to be a part of a great group of disc golfers,” he said. Zach has been fortunate enough to know many of his teammates for several years and they have become some of his closest friends. His relationships with members of the team are further evidence that disc golf isn’t just a sport, it’s a family.

Those of us who have been in the sport for a long time know that having such a strong community not only helps to promote the game, but it helps to develop your skills as a player too. Lately, Zach has really been into throwing shorter forehand flex shots, describing that “it has been extremely valuable in helping me save strokes on the course and is just fun to watch fly.”

A large part of Zach’s success as a disc golfer has to do with his mental game, and having awesome card mates during a tournament definitely helps to keep the vibes positive. Zach enjoys playing with golfers like Eric McCabe and Cale Leiviska, saying: “They are both incredible golfers and fun to be around. They are extremely competitive but also genuinely nice guys that are always rooting for everyone to play well.”

Setting His Sights Higher

Always looking to improve his game, Newhouse is currently focused on one key element: “Consistency for me is the biggest thing. Not playing as much makes it tough to stay sharp with all aspects of the game, so I really try to maximize the quality of practice I get when I have the time.”

The weather in Calgary doesn’t always agree with Zach’s love of disc golf, so he often ends up spending time practice putting in his basement and uses the off-season to rest up. While he doesn’t tour as much as many of the other pros, he looks forward to playing in the larger events each year to stay competitive.

We hope to see Zach out on the course more as the weather is finally starting to improve this year. Keep your eyes out for him to make some moves in the 2017 season!