Supporting Your Kids In Their Disc Golf Dreams

While it’s always up for debate whether there’s actually an off-season or not, one thing is clear - before we know it, it’s going to be summer break. Kids across the nation eagerly await this several month time period where they can enjoy warm weather and all of the shenanigans that their hearts desire. For youngsters who are just as obsessed with disc golf as their parents are, that means more time on the course.

But how exactly can you best support your kids when they have big dreams within the sport? It partially depends on their age, what their goals are, and how much time and money you’re able to spend. Let’s dig in and take a brief look at ways you can incorporate disc golf into your summer plans.

Taking The Time

During the school year, it can be tough to get as much disc golf in with your kids as you’d like. Between homework, after-school sports, and the responsibilities that parenting entails, heading out to the course can sometimes become an afterthought even if everyone is super obsessed with the game. Factor in daylight savings time and playing regularly can seem like a long lost wish.

This summer, take the time to make a plan for disc golfing that everyone can agree on. While going out every single day sure sounds like fun, there are other responsibilities that will likely come up. Whether it’s five times a week or only on the weekends, sit down and actually talk about when and where you’d like to go.

Evaluate Their Goals

Not every kid wants to be the next 1050-rated player, and that’s totally fine, but it’s important to talk with your child about what they do envision for themselves. We’ve all seen the parents who aggressively coach their kids from the sidelines during a sport that they care about more than their child does, so it’s crucial to not take this same approach with disc golf.

Do they want to go on a mini summer tour and play in as many kid-friendly events as possible? See if you can make that happen. What if they want to become the next World Champion? Then a more focused practice schedule along with tournament play might make more sense.

Depending on your child’s age, how you tackle their hopes and dreams will also make a huge difference. If they are 9 years old and want to throw 400’ then you can take them to do a lot of field work and focus on their form at this young age. Older kids who are just starting out in the sport might find that a mix of casual rounds and tournament play will better suit their needs.

Ultimately how you support your kids in their disc golf dreams will be entirely up to you, as each kid and each family dynamic is different. Above all else, it’s important to remember that young players are the future of this sport, so if we want to see disc golf really take off to another level, it’s up to all of us to support the kids who love it.

The Disc Golf Experience Goes West This Summer At Broncos Stadium

If you’ve been keeping up on our Disc Golf Experience events then you know that we’ve had an awesome time hosting these unique attractions over the last handful of years. Initially, we set up shop at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas and from 2014 through 2016 had an incredible turnout. 2017 brought us to Nashville, Tennesse at the Nissan Stadium, and in 2018 we stayed much closer to home and hosted our event at the Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri.

While these events have been a blast, sticking to the Midwest has made it tough for some of disc golf’s biggest fans to participate, so this year we’re headed west! On June 29th, we’ll be at Broncos Stadium at Mile High in Denver, Colorado. Interested in learning what’s in store? Keep reading and make sure to register for the 2019 Disc Golf Experience before it sells out!

The Round Of A Lifetime

Chat with anyone who has attended a Disc Golf Experience event before and they’ll tell you that this is an opportunity you shouldn’t pass up. Our team sets up nine holes across the entirety of the stadium and you’d better believe that we use every ounce of creativity to create a challenging and unique layout. To keep things organized, you’ll have a set tee time and will get the chance to play the course with up to 8 people on a card.

Depending on the experience you’re after, you may even have the opportunity to throw a special CTP hole from the Club Level of the stadium down to a basket on the 50-yard line! The Disc Golf Experience is a fun event designed for friends, family, or would even make for a great date activity. Kids under 12 cannot play the course, however, they can accompany an adult during the round.

Choose Your Experience

Don’t want to play the course but simply interested in attending the after party? Sign up for our Non-playing VIP Experience that lets you mingle with the pros. Kids under 12 can take advantage of the Family Experience by walking the course with you, or if you prefer to watch from above, this package is perfect for adults too.

Our Player Pack Experience gives you all of the disc golf action you desire without needing to play, as you’ll gain field access that lets you accompany a friend on the course. You’ll also go home with a premium custom-stamped midrange from Latitude 64 and a new-release putter from Dynamic Discs. Those who want to play should opt for the Player Experience, where both discs plus the opportunity to play all nine holes awaits you.

Do you really want to have the time of your life? The VIP Experience is for you then, with everything the Player Experience includes plus the ability to play a hole with 2018 PDGA World Champ Paige Bjerkaas or 2010 PDGA World Champ Eric McCabe. Throw from the 50-yard line, enjoy an exclusive after-party, and gain first priority to purchase the actual portable Patriot baskets used in the stadium for the event.

So what are you waiting for? Register today for your piece of the action at the 2019 Disc Golf Experience at Broncos Stadium!

Behind The Scenes Of Sponsorship - Let's Meet DD's Very Own Derek Savory

As the years go by, disc golf is becoming a sport that’s more and more reliant on financial partnerships. Whether it takes money to get trophies made for a tournament or it’s a professional touring player who could benefit from help with entry fees or gas money, there’s no denying that having the support of others can go a long way. While it doesn’t have to be scary or difficult to ask for sponsorship, there’s certainly a process that’s involved to make sure all factors are considered.

When it comes to partnering with Dynamic Discs, there’s a good chance that you’ve chatted with our Sponsorship Coordinator Derek Savory. He’s been a part of our team for a little over two years and works hard to make sure that disc golfers locally and nationwide have the support they need. Let’s take some time to learn a little more about him!

Why DD?

While it’s the dream job of many, working at Dynamic Discs isn’t a given for all disc golfers. For Derek, it makes sense that he would join our team as he explained, “If you're a disc golfer that just moved 1200 miles halfway across the country from Upstate NY to Emporia, KS, is there really any other place you'd rather work?” Savory’s job is multifaceted, and while he has touched the lives of many, he has a humble attitude toward his work.

Like most of us here, he sees his position as one that allows him to interact with the greater disc golf family across the nation. Thanks to Derek, events from coast to coast are run in a more professional manner and players are able to fulfill their dreams of attending events that otherwise may have been out of reach.

Behind The Scenes

Savory doesn’t just grow the sport 40 hours per week, as he’s actively involved in the disc golf scenes of Emporia and back home in New York. He clued us into just a few ways that he and DD work toward hosting awesome events nationwide:

“I stay pretty busy hosting numerous events each year. Hops N Hyzers is a doubles league held during the offseason that teams up with our local brewpub, Radius Brewing Company, to keep people playing in the winter months. Lyme Warrior Open is an event that we're able to bring a little awareness to Lyme Disease in disc golf and play the infamous Jones Gold. Shenanigans at Shorewinds is an event my wife and I host in NY each summer that gives us an excuse to visit family and friends.”

Despite the cold weather that Derek often sees in both locations, he doesn’t let it stop him from getting out there and playing with friends for fun or in a tournament setting. He notes that his coldest round was during a -13 degree day, proving that he has a true love for the sport! The next time you’re curious to see how Dynamic Discs can potentially turn your disc golf dreams into reality, reach out to Derek to learn more about how we can help.

An Impressive Year For The Winter Marksman League

By all intents and purposes, winter is over and so is the 2018-2019 Winter Marksman League. While it’s not always easy to be able to practice putt during the offseason, competing in this event gave tons of players around the globe the chance to keep their skills fresh over the last few months. Some decided to join a local league simply for the fun of it while others wanted to truly sharpen their putting ability and make an attempt at winning some awesome prizes.

In years past, we’ve seen that many participants were able to improve their putting over the course of six weeks, but now that we’ve partnered with UDisc the numbers we’re able to pull are even more incredible. Let’s take a peek at some of the highlights from this past season.

Excitement Abounds

There’s a funny correlation when looking at some of the participants across the world, as leagues that racked up a lot of points tended to be the ones who dealt with massive amounts of inclement weather. After all, if you’re in Southern California and you can still putt outside, the chances of you engaging in a Winter Marksman League may be slightly less. Over the last three months, here were the top 10 states/regions that had the most people attend:

1. Michigan
2. Ohio
3. Connecticut
4. North Carolina
5. Washington
6. North Dakota
7. Wyoming
8. Minnesota
9. Missouri
10. Alabama

Just slightly lower on the list was Iceland and, of course, Alaska.

Who’s Got The Putts?

When viewing individual player statistics and putts as a whole, it’s pretty shocking to see just how many times a disc catching chains was actually logged. Of the 892,035 putting attempts within the Winter Marksman League, 45% of them, or 403,753 were made. Is that higher or lower than you would’ve guessed?

Some of the individuals who came out this season were likely just starting, and we applaud them for taking their passion for disc golf to the next level. Balancing out the field were some incredibly accurate players, and we can’t not mention the top three individuals who led the field on the Marksman baskets:

• Troy, part of the Discgust league, had an 80% accuracy rate over six weeks
• Oskar Persson, a member of the Discsport Winter Marksman League and part of the Latitude 64 team, pulled off a 73% accuracy rate
• Caleb, another Discgust player, also found success 73% of the time
• Rounding out the three-way tie at 73% was Ian from the Central CT Putting League

We’re All Winners

While the intention of the Winter Marksman League is for players to enjoy disc golf during the winter months, there’s still an element of competition as well. When examining the Global Standings, there was one person who racked up the most points - Latitude 64’s James Proctor. Here’s what he had to say about the event:

“I personally had a great time. I enjoyed how every week was the same but played differently. It was always a competition with myself to beat my previous scores. I also thought it was unique how you could compare your personal and league scores with others all over the world. This was my first season playing the putting league but it definitely won’t be my last!”

The disc golf season will no doubt fly by once again this year, so as the weather begins to get cooler in a handful of months, keep your eyes open for information on the 2019-2020 Winter Marksman League!

Weather Woes - How To Successfully Navigate A New Season

As the years go by it seems that the disc golf offseason is becoming shorter and shorter. While some players don’t necessarily observe this several month time period and instead prefer to play all year long, winter weather does hinder others from getting much time out on the course. With the 2019 season in full swing, we’ve already seen multiple reports on social media of some of the top touring pros reacting to such a major temperature change during their time in Arizona compared to colder days back home.

You don’t have to be on tour to encounter these issues however, as Mother Nature has seemed to have a mind of her own as of late. So how exactly should you transition from cold and snowy days to ones full of sunshine? Let’s cover some of the basics.

Put It On, Take It Off

Those who live in colder areas of the nation are no strangers to layering up before playing a round of disc golf. Even though our bodies do naturally warm up as our day goes on, there’s a good chance that you’ll still be left wearing just as much clothing as when you started. However, as the season gradually transitions into spring, planning ahead will be more and more vital.

Make sure to include enough layers in your outfit so that you’ll both be warm enough should it not reach the highs you were expecting or in the event things do heat up, you’ll be able to take off a jacket or pair of thermal pants in order to be a bit more comfortable. There’s nothing worse than playing when you’re too hot or too cold, even if it’s just for some casual fun.

Assess Your Bag

We talk about one’s bag a lot, and for good reason - without the proper tools, there’s no way you’re going to execute the type of round you’re after. More experienced players, and particularly those who live in colder climates, are well-versed in knowing how discs fly in winter weather and are adequately prepared. Not only might you throw different molds depending on the condition of the course, but you’ll most certainly be using different plastics as the weather gets warmer.

Now is the ideal time to make these adjustments and start to phase out your discs that are intended for snowy conditions. If a trip to your local sporting goods store to purchase some newer items for springtime is required, so be it. As with any transitionary period, take time to look at all of your gear, including your shoes and bag, to see if you can go another season without having to purchase new items.

Some of you might still have to endure another few weeks of knee-high snow, and for that, we’re truly sorry. However, if you’re stuck inside and can’t get out to play, what better time to get ready for warmer days? It’ll happen before you know it and you won’t want to be caught unprepared. What things are most important to you when moving out of the offseason and into warmer weather? Let us know below!

Is This The Best Disc Golf Ace Story You've Ever Read?

Last summer we took some time to highlight a few amazing aces that have been gathered by the DD team over the years. Some were funny and some were inspirational, but none quite set the stage like this one. This ace story by Tero Tommola was so beautifully crafted that we just had to share the whole thing with you:

“I had only gotten very short aces before this one, and only a rare few of them. The longest one could not have been longer than 160 feet or so. None in a tournament either, and still no tournament ace - just recreational aces.

It was the early summer of 2015 and the Finnish weather can be fickle, so as soon as it wasn't raining I decided to head to a brand new 9-hole course that had been opened on a nearby ball golf course, in conjunction with their 9-hole everyman ball golf course. Groups teeing off could have both ball golfers and disc golfers, which I thought was awesome, but I wasn't sure how it would actually work.

The prospect of playing a few rounds and enjoying a burger and beer at the high-end clubhouse mid-rounds sounded very enticing so I packed my bag and off I went. I played two rounds first, 9+9, and got to play alone - no discers and no ballers there other than me. After the rounds, I went for the burger. It was something I had not experienced before - to be able to have a quality burger and a nice glass of cold beer after a round, and then just go for a new round after the break. Just step out of the clubhouse and you were almost to tee 1.

I started getting very tired while eating and was already considering leaving after the meal when the caddie master walked up and politely asked if she could have a moment of my time. Equally politely I agreed and we chatted a moment about the course. I told her it was very well thought out and that I was pleasantly surprised. She, in turn, revealed to me that a disc golfer had actually been called in to create the course. We chatted for a while more and then she left.

I finished my burger and was getting my stuff to head home when she walked over again and said that the designer of the disc golf course was on his way to the course. She said he had asked if I wanted to play a few rounds with him. That changed my mood immediately and I agreed. I was still tired, but I wanted the chance to meet the guy who designed the course.

He arrived shortly and off we went. The round wasn't good for me, I was that tired. I kept the complaints to myself and just told him all the things I liked about the course. We finished the round and he asked me if I would join him for one more. I was on the fence, and considered just saying no for the longest time, but decided that I probably would not come to visit that often (the course is an hour drive away, and I had free to play courses closer), so why not?

We walked to the first tee and he threw his shot on the 345 foot slightly downhill hole, where the basket sits behind the trees on the left - basically a blind hyzer shot. It flew nicely and skipped somewhere close to the basket. I applauded his shot, and grabbed my Sorcerer (back then I bagged Sorcerers) and tried to throw it smoothly on a low line similar to his. I succeeded too, or so I thought before I saw it start to fade too soon. It did clear the corner of the trees, but it still looked bad. I thought ‘it's gonna leave me at least a 60-foot putt’, so I just turned around to get another disc for a mulligan, not waiting to see the rest of the flight.

And that's when it happened. The sweet sound of chains. I stopped in my tracks, looked at him, he looked at me and we both were just stunned. I said ‘it can't be in... it was too short’, and he agreed, but took a few steps to the side where he could see the basket and confirmed it was in.

That was it - my first good distance ace, and seeing as the course was just opened, most probably the first ace on that course also. And with the creator of the course present! Felt good. Felt great. Still does when I think of it. The rest of the round wasn't as good, but that mattered not. I had a big boy ace.”

How’s that for inspirational? Disc golf season is finally upon us and now’s the time to get an ace! Whether it’s your first one or something truly special like Tero’s, an ace is always a huge milestone in one’s disc golf career!

Dynamic Discs Month In Review - February 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 February's top sellers:

1. Opto Recoil
2. Opto Pioneer
3. Special Edition Gatekeeper - only available at Buyback locations until 4/5/19
4. Special Edition Classic Guard - only available at Buyback locations until 4/5/19
5. Prime Burst Deputy
6. Fuzion Raider - Team Trilogy
7. Prime Burst Judge
8. Fuzion EMAC Truth
9. Lucid Air Sheriff
10. Opto Ballista Pro
11. Prime Burst Warden
12. Lucid EMAC Truth
13. Origio Burst Maiden
14. Opto Bolt
15. Classic Blend Burst Judge
16. Lucid Maverick
17. VIP Underworld
18. Classic Blend Burst Warden
19. Lucid Trespass
20. BT Hard Moonshine Harp

New releases rule the day (I mean, month) and claim 5 of the top 6 spots. The Recoil and Pioneer retain their momentum and the top two spots. Paige Pierce is a huge fan of both the Gatekeeper and the Deputy, as she carries multiple Prime Burst Deputies for putting and throwing, and the Gatekeeper has already made her bag for 2019. The Guard is sure to please fans of deep dish putters with its clean release and stable flight. Even with a release limited to Team Trilogy, the Raider debuts at the 6th spot, and I have a feeling we’ll see it rise up the list and retain a top spot for many months to come. Spoiler alert - it’s good. It’s really good. Once again, multiple Judges and Wardens make the list as #teamputter fans continue to show their loyalties. It’s likely that the EMAC Truth will never leave the list, and it joins the Gatekeeper as the only two midranges on the list for February. Slower arms had a field day and bought up Lucid Air Sheriffs and Opto Bolts in droves, and their consistent-flying relatives, the Trespass and Ballista Pro, hold their top 20 positions. Westside putters are getting a lot of love lately as the Harp climbs into the top 20, and the Maiden drops from 5th to 13th but stays on the list. Last but not least, understable fairways retain a presence with the Lucid Maverick and VIP Underworld.

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 March's Month In Review!