Dynamic Discs Month In Review - January 2019

Dynamic Discs employees and fans are often asked, “Which of your discs are the most popular?” We tend to think that we know the answers, but some of our ideas may or may not be biased depending on our personal favorites. It’s time to put all that speculation to rest with some COLD, HARD FACTS. It’s time for the Dynamic Discs Month In Review.

Some discs may appear twice or more because of different plastic types. Here are January’s top sellers:

1. Special Edition Pioneer - only available at Buyback locations until 3/15/19
2. Special Edition Recoil - only available at Buyback locations until 3/15/19
3. Prime Burst Judge
4. Classic Blend Burst Judge
5. Origio Burst Maiden
6. Opto Ballista Pro
7. Opto River
8. Classic Blend Burst Warden
9. Opto Beetle
10. Lucid Patrol
11. Lucid Trespass
12. Lucid Maverick
13. Lucid Felon
14. Prime Burst Deputy
15. Zero Hard Burst Dagger
16. Lucid Escape
17. Prime Burst Warden
18. Lucid EMAC Truth
19. Prime Burst EMAC Truth
20. Lucid Air Sheriff

January was a big month for the Latitude 64 new releases, the Pioneer and Recoil. The Pioneer fits that overstable fairway driver slot that everyone needs, and the Recoil has a promising, slightly overstable flight. No surprises for the Judge as it occupies the next two spots in Prime Burst and Classic Blend Burst. The Maiden has made quite a splash over the last several weeks, as players are enjoying the neutral flight and shallow profile. The Ballista Pro made it into bags of all skill levels last year, and it doesn’t seem to have slowed down. Some “older” discs are holding their spots well: River, Trespass, Felon, Escape, and EMAC Truth. I (Robert) am clearly happy to see the Warden claim two spots on the list (#teamwarden) alongside a couple of popular putters - the Deputy and the Dagger. The Maverick continues to find utility in players’ bags, and the Patrol retains its popularity with newer players. Last but not least, the Opto Beetle is a fantastic catch and super slow approach disc, and the Air Sheriff is sure to add distance to plenty of drives, including Bobby’s (if you watched the new release livestream).

Thanks for joining us in looking at a snapshot of our best sellers. Which discs are you surprised to see off the list? Leave a comment below, and let us know why your favorite disc should make February’s Month In Review!

What's The One Thing You Can't Survive Tour Without?

Depending on who you are, you may have a very different answer to this question than the next disc golfer. Some might say their bag is priority #1 while others rely on a comfortable pair of shoes or enough money to be able to stay on the road all season long. While all of these answers are true, there’s an issue that needs to be tackled that many people don’t often consider to be a big deal - as Philip Seymour Hoffman said it best in Twister, “food.”

Let’s face it - sure, you can’t play in a tournament if you don’t have your discs, but you won’t be playing to your highest potential if you aren’t eating properly either. It’s far too easy to succumb to fast food and ready-to-go options while on the road, but after a while, it will certainly take a toll on your body. How can you make sure to stay properly fueled while traveling to a new place every few days?

General Meals

There’s an interesting mindset that people get into when they’re on the road, where even if they’re touring and trying to make disc golf their career, it can still feel a little bit like a vacation. This often equates to splurging on fancy dinners and getting the chance to socialize with friends that you haven’t seen since last Fall. More often than not, that may involve a few drinks along with food that may not always be the most healthy.

Even if it’s a few days before a tournament or you have a week off between events, the food you eat now does stick with you. Despite the fact that it eventually travels out of your system, the nutrients or lack thereof that you consume will play a large role in how you perform. Even more importantly are the things you eat on the day of an event, as you’ll be putting your mind and body to the test.

Focus on filling foods and snacks that offer a high nutrient value - despite the fact that convenient items like granola bars and the like are great for putting into a bag, they are often filled with sugar and don’t keep you satiated. As always, plenty of water is also key no matter what the temperature is like.

Prepping Like A Pro

There are so many things to figure out while on tour, and taking the time to consider how you eat may not be at the top of the list. However, with a bit of planning and some creative thinking, you can ensure that you stay healthy all season long. Buy items in bulk and package them yourself into smaller portions - foods like nuts, dried fruit, and crunchy vegetables like carrots can make a long drive go by that much quicker.

Depending on your lodging arrangements, it might be easy to grocery shop and meal plan for an entire week or you could have to come up with food on the fly. If the latter is your reality, look for places that offer fresh ingredients and focus on well-rounded foods rather than greasy or heavy cuisine. Some stops on the tour are going to be more challenging than others in this regard, but as long as you have your eye on your health the rest will follow!

2019 Season Prep - Overhauling Your Bag

Photo: Alyssa Van Lanen

We are so close to the official start of the 2019 season we can barely stand it, and in some parts of the country, players have already attended several tournaments and are well into the swing of things. If you’re still taking some time to prepare for the coming year and want to get the most out of your days as possible, you may be considering the discs in your bag.

It doesn’t matter if you had a great year and are in love with each and every piece of plastic or if you’re ready to give your entire bag away and start over - taking the time to critically evaluate your discs will put you in the best position possible for a great season.

Is It The Disc?

Sometimes we purchase a new disc and have nothing but big dreams for her. Maybe you just know that you’ll throw your farthest drive yet or you can finally dial in your circle 2 putting, but whatever the case may be, you treat that mold like it’s a new baby. As time goes on, maybe that choice didn’t work out so well and you find yourself reaching for other options instead.

It’s important to really examine if the problem is the disc or perhaps your expectations for it. Take all of your discs out of your bag and spend time evaluating if each one will really meet your needs. You might be surprised to learn that you had too many for one type of shot and not enough for another, or you could give another chance to a mold that you gave up on long ago.

After The Purge

We know, it can be scary to try new things, but after you’ve addressed your current setup and decided where to make changes, there’s a good chance that you’ll need to buy a few new discs to round out your bag. While it’s an exciting idea, it can also be scary - what if you once again buy something that doesn’t work out? Is it a waste of time and money?

Not with the Dynamic Discs Buyback Retailer Program, a system we’ve put in place to ensure you end up with the right discs for you. First, simply find a retailer near you that participates in the Buyback option then head over and shop to your heart’s content. Take your time really holding and feeling each disc, and once you’re ready, make your purchase.

After giving the disc a good college try, you might decide that it just doesn’t meet your needs. Within 14 days of your purchase, bring it back with your receipt and select another disc instead. Now, you don’t have to wait until the offseason to go through your bag, purge what doesn’t work, and make a mad dash to fill in the gaps before your first tournament.

We want your disc shopping experience to be just as enjoyable as your time on the course, so make sure to hang on to your receipts and give your discs a try before the 14 days is up!

The 2019 US Amateur Match Play Championships - Here's What You Need To Know

The Dynamic Discs and Latitude 64 family is excited to bring you another year of awesome competition across the nation with the United States Amateur Match Play Championships. We had such a great turnout over the course of 2018 and can’t wait to see what 2019 has in store. By partnering with UDisc, we’re able to help facilitate both singles and doubles matches across the US and culminate the event in Emporia to crown a winner.

If you’re new to the USAMPC, we’re here to give you a rundown on how you can play, how you can host your own event, and update you on some exciting changes for this year!

Hosting A Bracket

Individuals who are interested in running an event in their area can apply to host a bracket. Once your application has been accepted, you can begin to promote your bracket and get up to 16 players registered. We make it easy by offering a complete TD package and have added an extra bonus this year - local and state TDs have the option to purchase up to 16 unreleased Latitude 64 Moonshine Keystones at $10 a piece.

So much of the success of these brackets comes from the individual TDs, so making sure you have the time and organizational skills to host multiple matches is key. You have the option of fitting everything into one weekend or can stretch it out over the course of one month. Managing sign-ups is even easier now as players can register directly on UDisc as well.

Your Chance To Win

 There is an amazing wealth of disc golf talent across the United States, and the USAMPC gives players the opportunity to really show their stuff. As an added incentive to put your all into these events, we’ve made some changes on the player side for 2019. Now, competitors who win their local bracket but do not win their state bracket will have the opportunity to come to Emporia! State bracket winners now walk away with double the winnings with $1,000 in DD store credit instead of $500 cash like last year.

Keep in mind that the spirit of this system is to encourage and promote the amateur players in our sport, so you must have a rating of 969 or below to be eligible. Players without a PDGA number or ones with expired memberships are still eligible as well. As bracket applications begin to get approved, you’ll soon start to see a list of places where you can compete. Some players prefer to stay close to home initially while others are so excited that they’ll travel across their state just to play!

There is a lot more information related to the United States Amateur Match Play Championships, so for a complete list of rules, FAQs, and more tidbits of data, visit www.discgolfmatchplay.com. We can’t wait to see who comes away as the winner this year - remember, they’ll receive the baskets and tee signs for an eighteen-hole disc golf course and $6,000 worth of discs and apparel at the Dynamic Discs Retail store!

Is She DD's Friendliest Face? Touching Base With Jackie Morris

Most occupations require a ton of work behind the scenes that many people don’t see, but for Jackie Morris, her job is pretty much a dream come true. One of the Customer Service Specialists (UPDATE: Jackie is now the Emporia store Manager) at Dynamic Discs, Jackie’s been a staple in Emporia for nearly four years. Without her dedication, willingness to help out, and her awesome personality, we don’t know what we’d do!

In this second installment of our DD employee series, we’re going to take a closer look at how Jackie ended up working in disc golf, what she does on a daily basis, and learn about what some might call a secret disc golf weapon that she relies on.

An Unusual Path

It’s a fair assumption that most employees at Dynamic Discs were super obsessed with the sport before they got hired on with us, but for Morris, it was actually the opposite. DD graphic designer Jacob Torkelson has been friends with Jackie for years and texted her when there was a job opening. Jackie explains:

“I knew nothing about disc golf when I started working at DD and I was eager to learn! I'm kind of a nerd and love learning. Anyway, the other graphic designer Kevin, who is also one of my best friends, took me out to Jones West and had me throw a disc off the first tee pad. He said he was surprised with how well I threw. Spoiler, he asked me to throw again and the second shot was so much worse - your typical newbie shot. I continued playing with Kevin and Jacob through the summer, and even got the courage to go out by myself!”

As is common with most new players, Jackie quickly fell in love with disc golf and now plays casually and competitively in Emporia. She’s an active member of the Emporia Ladies League and often gets to exercise her incredible skill set. Remember the secret weapon we mentioned earlier? Morris is ambidextrous and can often be seen switching up her throwing arm throughout the course of a round.

How Can She Help?

If you’ve ordered items from us in the past, there’s a good chance that you’ve communicated with Jackie before. She makes it her goal to answer any customer question, no matter how big or small, because she knows that she’s truly making a difference. “I get to be a customer service rep for a disc golf company and, because I have this position, I'd like to think I make a positive impact in the lives of disc golf players around the world,” she said.

Jackie is a true team player and does so much more at DD than you’d imagine: “Every day is filled with emails, phone calls, and live chats from our customers and I have the opportunity to help them find solutions. On top of customer service, I handle our warranty claims and coordinate volunteers for events such as the GBO.” Noting that working at Dynamic Discs is just like being a part of a family, she loves that she has the opportunity to make a true impact in the sport.

Thank you for being a part of the DD team Jackie!