An Amazing Ambassador For Am Players - We Caught Up With DD Team Member Marcus Rawls

Photo: Conrad Meyer Photography

All too often, people imagine that you have to be a full-time touring player who’s rated over 1000 to be a part of the Dynamic Discs family. While we certainly have some of the sport’s most skilled players as a part of our team, we recognize talent everywhere. Plenty of amateur players make up our DD family, including Marcus Rawls, a passionate disc golfer from Larkspur, Colorado.

Marcus has had a great 2018 season and we took some time to catch up with him, learning a bit more about his go-to discs, his most memorable win, and how he seamlessly integrates disc golf into his life.

Sweet, Sweet Redemption

Marcus started playing disc golf on a 9 hole course at a local camp, Ponderosa, and was introduced to the game by friends of his. While he just so happens to run this camp as well, Marcus fell in love with the sport through playing tag matches and tournaments. His first competitive event, the MHDGC Spring Fling in 2015, found Rawls in a playoff for first in the Recreational division. He gave it his all, but came up short and ended in second.

This year, he competed in the MA40 division and was able to capture the win, making this event one of his highlights of the season. He’s also taken home several other top finishes in 2018, including the GBO Flex Start C-Tier at Peter Pan Park, his favorite course.

Is Disc Golf Life?

Integrating recreational activities into one’s life can always be a challenge, but Marcus knows exactly how to get the most out of it, “Balance is all about taking care of priorities. My faith comes first, my wife second, family third, then my job, and disc golf after that.” Although it may seem low on the list, Marcus is still a very active part of the DD team, noting that his friendship with Doug Bjerkaas helped him to get more involved:

“The last two years we have been able to bring The Colorado Crew to GBO and volunteer for whatever Doug throws at us as well as partner with Eagles Wings Chapel services. Back home in Colorado, I am able to host a putting league for Pikes Peak Flyers DGC, the Line in the Pines at Ponderosa tournament in May, and the Winter Warriors in November for MHDGC. I try to help local clubs in any way I can as well as teach disc golf at camp.”

Rawls certainly focuses on his own game too, and with the most recent rating update showing a 10-point move up from last time, he’s excited about what 2019 has in store. His tools of the trade? His go-to putter is the Marshal, although he may rotate between Classic, Classic Soft, and Classic Super Soft. He loves the Latitude 64 Zion as well as the Ballista Pro to get distance off the tee box.

Marcus is a wonderful addition to the DD team and shows Amateur players everywhere that you too can become super involved in the sport on both a local and national level. “It has been a true joy to be a part of Team DD. It's like being part of a great family,” he says.

Lodging While On Tour - What Are Your Options?

Whether you’re taking a few months off from disc golf or you’re going strong through the winter season, there’s no denying that some of 2019’s biggest events are literally just around the corner. Many of the sport’s top players are already registered for The Las Vegas Challenge, and much of the housing in Emporia is already filled up for next year’s GBO.

For those who are just now trying to plan their tour for next year, how do you know where to stay, what prices you should be looking for, and how to navigate this part of your tour in general? We’re here to help, so let’s check out the many ways you can approach lodging while on tour.

Comfort And Convenience

You may not see it as a popular option, but believe it or not, there are tons of hotels, motels, and Airbnb’s across the nation. Some of them are more stripped down and practically only offer a bed and a roof over your head, while others like an Airbnb have a full kitchen, backyard, and more. The tricky thing about utilizing these options comes with price and availability.

If you’re going to be on tour for several months and plan on this type of lodging the entire time, your bank account is going to be drained fairly quickly. Even the cheapest motel rooms may be up to $50 per night, so when you multiply that by 60 or 90 days on the road, you’ll end up spending a small fortune.

Many players opt to share a larger Airbnb and split the cost which can certainly help, but for larger events across the nation, homeowners sometimes inflate their prices intentionally because they know the demand will be so high.

Roughing It

The summer months do offer some reprieve as many players look to campsites as their place to stay. Again this does come at a cost, not only to rent your spot for the night but will include an initial investment of gear if you don’t already have it. While you may be able to feel more in touch with nature, camping while on tour can get old and of course is completely reliant on the weather.

If you want to opt for the cheapest option around, crashing on the floor or couch of other disc golfers is the way to go. Obviously, this won’t always be possible, especially if you’re staying in a town where you don’t know anyone, and sleeping on something that’s not a bed will start to affect your body after a while.

Other Options

We’ve seen our fair share of players opt for van or RV life as of late, and while this is probably the best touring option when it comes to lodging, when was the last time you had the money to finance or even rent this large of a vehicle? Again, you may think about pitching in with friends to offset the costs, but remember that there’s not as much room inside of those vehicles as you may think.

We want to hear from you - how do you approach your lodging plans during tour? What tricks or tips have you uncovered to make it more affordable? Let us know in the comments below!

Keep Your Putting Fresh With The Winter Marksman League

For so many of us, the winter months force us to take time off from one of our passions. Not only is it frustrating to choose between shivering throughout 18 holes or sitting at home, but our skills can certainly start to decline. After spending months perfecting your putting routine and or getting used to a new set of putters, wouldn’t you like to keep up your momentum all year long?

It’s with this sentiment in mind that we’ve developed the Winter Marksman League, a way for players across the world to stay sharp on the putting green and have some fun with their friends. With the ability to win prizes and a way to bring your disc golf community closer together, we’ve developed an easy to follow system for groups to enjoy.

How It Works

Running your own Winter Marksman League is pretty simple, and since registration just opened up on November 1st, you’ll want to make sure you submit all of your information sooner rather than later. Depending on the size of your league, you can choose from a range of packages, with varying quantities of Marksman baskets and 6 Winter Marksman League stamped Moonshine Maidens for each week’s winner. We also have Prime and Classic putter packs available to help offset the registration costs.

Leagues can begin as early as December 1st, with time to register until January 12th. All league play must conclude by March 3rd, giving people plenty of time to get a space secured and put the word out to their community!

Keeping Score

The Winter Marksman League has grown by leaps and bounds, and we are so excited to have partnered with UDisc in order to make statistic tracking available for all of our leagues. By implementing a global leaderboard system, you can see how your putting skills compare with your friends and family anywhere else in the world.

Not only do these stats help League Directors run their event smoothly and efficiently, but numbers generated from the 2017/2018 Winter Marksman League gave us some pretty exciting insight. Across the six week league, the results show that people not only maintained their putting ability but actually grew their skills.

Exciting News For This Season

Those who have participated in the Winter Marksman League in the past probably know how much fun it is, but the thought of competing against some of the best putters in the area may have been a little offputting for newer disc golf fans. This year we’ve changed that, as League Directors now have the opportunity to host multiple divisions!

Interested in running a Winter Marksman League of your own? Curious if there’s already one in your area? Visit our information section that details exactly how it works, allows you to look up currently registered leagues, and gives you the opportunity to register your own Winter Marksman League. There’s no reason that colder weather should keep you from improving upon your putting skills, so get some friends together and sign up today!

Paige Pierce Signs 3-year Contract with Dynamic Discs

Dynamic Discs is thrilled to announce a three-year extension with Paige Pierce! Pierce has been a dominant force in competitive disc golf since she won her first world title in 2011, collecting numerous wins including multiple major victories and three more FPO World Championships. Pierce has stated that her goal is to become the greatest female player to ever play disc golf, and we’re excited to partner with her into the future as she strives to achieve that goal!

About the extension, Pierce said, “Coming into each new year, we are faced with which direction we want to go with as a sponsored player, and this year was no different; that decision had to be made. Yeah, it was a very easy decision after a couple of conversations about what the future would hold for a DD/PP partnership moving forward.”

Pierce purchased her touring van (affectionately known as Vanna Kendrick) last year with Dynamic Discs’ support, and we hope that you’ll catch her at one of her tour stops and purchase one of her many fundraiser discs to show her your support! We’re proud of you, Paige!

2018 World Champion Paige Bjerkaas Signs Two-Year Agreement with Dynamic Discs

Dynamic Discs is excited to announce that we have reached an agreement with Paige Bjerkaas for the 2019 and 2020 seasons! Bjerkaas has played for Team Dynamic Discs since 2009 when she was in seventh grade, and she has collected multiple wins since, including the 2010 Junior World Championship. In 2018, Paige faced a difficult decision - return to Emporia State for the fall semester or stay out on the road for the remainder of the year. Ultimately, she chose to tour for the remainder of the year, and most would call it a life-changing decision, resulting in winning the FPO 2018 World Championship.

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I’m hoping 2019 is going to be big for me....hopefully even bigger than my new van! #bedynamic #dynamicdiscs

A post shared by Paige (@paigebjerkaas) on Nov 10, 2018 at 3:03pm PST

As you may have seen, Paige recently purchased a touring van with Dynamic Discs’ support, and we can’t wait to see how she thrives out on the road! About her upcoming seasons, Bjerkaas said, “I am excited to have the opportunity to represent Dynamic Discs in the best way that I can. Dynamic Discs has believed in me for many years, and I’m looking forward to making them proud while touring full-time!”


If you want to join us in supporting Paige, pick up one of her signature Fuzion Judges or special stamps now, or you can grab a Lucid-X Getaway in 2019. We’re proud of you, Paige!

The Brains Behind Some Of Your Favorite Gear - Let's Get To Know Kevin Shaffer

At Dynamic Discs, we often refer to our players as part of a big family, but beyond just those talented athletes, the employees who help our company to grow are just as important. To honor those individuals who spend so much of their time devoted to providing the disc golf world with amazing products and service, we’re starting a new blog series.

Each post will focus solely on one of our awesome employees and help us to get to know them a little bit better. We’ll share how they got started working at DD and the ways in which they help to grow the sport when they’re both on and off the clock. Our inaugural post highlights one of many people who work tirelessly to create awesome disc stamps, apparel, and so much more - graphic designer Kevin Shaffer.

It Must Have Been Fate

Kevin almost didn’t end up working for Dynamic Discs, but a strange turn of events has kept him here for nearly four years. Attending college for graphic design, he applied for a design position just after graduation. What happened afterward can only be described as comical:

“I initially turned down the DD job once I got it because I had plans to move back home to Colorado in the next few months. I ended up calling back the next day and they said that I should just try it out and see if I liked it, so I did. Turns out, it was the best decision for me and I couldn't imagine my life without DD. I also know there are plenty of people out there who would think I was crazy for turning a job at DD down, but I did! I am glad I ended up accepting it the next day though!”

By taking a chance and trying something new, Kevin has been able to be an instrumental part of so many of the designs you’ve seen across the world. He works on disc stamps, posters, apparel, and signage and always feels great knowing that his professional work can help players to elevate the events they run.

Beyond The Office

As you’d imagine, Shaffer has a passion for disc golf and when he’s not designing your next favorite graphic, he’s working just as hard to spread information about the sport to others. He explained, “I like to grow the sport by talking about it to people who don't know what it is. I like describing all the different things each disc can do as it flies. I also like to show people videos of the top pros playing tournaments to show the legitimacy of disc golf and the wide range of skill levels that can play.”

The crew at Dynamic Discs is fortunate to have Kevin as a part of our team, not only because of his incredible graphic design skills but because of his dedication to growing disc golf in every way he can. The next time you’re running an event and want professional and unique graphics to bring it up a level, keep Kevin and DD in mind!