Interview with two-time World Champ and 2008 USDGC Champion Nate Doss
Many of you may not know that Nathan Doss has a very valid reason to support public television. At age 7, he and his dad Mark Karleskind tuned into a program on disc golf about DeLaveaga DGC (10 minutes from their house) on the local public access channel. During the program his dad chimed in and said, “Hey, I used to play Frisbee in college - let’s go check it out.” They soon met PDGA Hall of Fame inductee Marty Hapner, and after talking with him and playing a round, both were hooked. By the time he was 11 years old Nate Doss was quite serious about disc golf.
As a youngster Nate was passionate about sports, especially basketball. In high school he played all four years on the basketball team, and has continued to pursue his love for the game by coaching basketball at the school with his former head coach. Concerning his years on the court Nate said, “I was not always the biggest guy on the court or the most athletic but I always found a way to be successful through hard work and a great understanding of the game.” Perhaps this same mentality has helped him rise to the level of play he has attained in disc golf over the years. A two time World Champion and Discraft Sponsored Pro, Nate is the recent United States Disc Golf Champion, and seems more determined than ever to keep playing at his best.
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We had the privilege of talking with him through e-mail over the last week about his recent win, the 2008 World Disc Games, learning disc golf at an early age and some other fun stuff…
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1000 RATED: Congrats on your recent win at the 2008 United States Disc Golf Championship. This is your first USDGC win, but you’ve come close before, including a 3rd place finish in 2007. You seemed to really relax during the middle of the last round, and although you had a sizable lead at that point your focus was very clear. What was it this year that made it happen for you, and what does it feel like to be the 2008 Champ? |
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NATE: I would first like to start by thanking you - and yes this is my first USDGC win. Going back to last year in the final round when I was able to shoot my first round in the 50’s in five years at the USDGC - I think that was the biggest stepping stone for the success I had this year. There are many reasons why winning the USDGC is really important to me. I had a real drive this year to win the tournament and I told the film crew of Chains earlier this year that I did not care as much about winning the World Championships as I did about winning the USDGC. I prepared myself mentally and physically for two months before the event. I also made the decision to not compete in any of the tour events between the Worlds and The second part of the question is kind of hard to answer because it really hasn’t sunk in yet that I won the USDGC. It has just been such a dream of mine to win there and now that I have it’s just an amazing feeling that I can’t even put into words. |
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1000 RATED: The Winthrop course is set up during USDGC to be a test of any contestants body, mind, and patience. It is very difficult to win this event, and even USDGC Tournament director Jonathon Poole noted in our recent interview with him that “if this year’s winner isn’t one of our former Champions, or perhaps Nate, I would be surprised.” It turns out that he was right to throw you in the mix. What is your favorite part about this course and can you talk about what some of your favorite and least favorite holes are and why? |
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NATE: First I would have to thank JP (Jonathon Poole) for the wonderful vote of confidence in me, since the USDGC is his tournament and no one better then him knows what it takes to win. I have enjoyed playing at Winthrop because of its challenge and beauty - it makes for a great disc golf experience. I love the entire course at Winthrop but my favorite thing about it is how you can’t let up at all during the entire round of golf. You could play a great front nine and think that you are almost there but the course gets harder and more challenging as you go. In fact you could play 16 great holes and throw away the whole round on the 17th hole, so every hole cannot be overlooked. It’s very hard to try and pick holes that I dislike or like since I really do like all the holes out there. What I will do is talk about one hole that I love and one hole that is really hard for me to do well on. The hole that I love is number five because of how challenging it can be to play a par five with the water on the left side the entire way - just one slip up and your talking a seven or eight on the hole. The hole that is hard for me to play is number 13 or 888. The tee shot is so hard, I really have to know that I can throw the shot right down the middle, then have the discipline to play the way I have practiced it no matter what score I get. If I throw 2 shots OB from the tee I have to not lose focus and just continue to play as if I was going to birdie. That is what makes Winthrop one of the greatest courses in Disc Golf. |
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1000 RATED: With two World Championships under your belt and now the recent USDGC win, you have started to place yourself within the realm of Climo, Schultz, and Feldberg. Where do you think this puts you mentally, and what goals if any does this newfound confidence give you? |
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The only goal that I have with my success is to promote and build the professional side of disc golf. I have wanted the game of disc golf to grow ever since I was a little boy and saw the amount of people that play. The popularity of disc golf has been growing unbelievably fast in the past years but has not seen an exceptional growth in the professional side of the game. I am very proud of what the tournament directors have been able to do with the awesome volunteers but at some point they will need more help. I hope with my play and my personality that I can help the game to get recognized by the some of the same major companies that sponsor and endorse other professional sports in this country. |
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1000 RATED: Adding to your resume this year, you clinched 1st at the 2008 World Disc Games. Many people may not know what exactly happens at this event. Can you explain what takes place at the World Disc Games and how you won? Have you competed at this event before and do you plan to compete again? |
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NATE: This was a brand new thing for me. It was an awesome event to participate in and it was really exciting to win. The World Disc Games is an overall event which is a collaboration of many different events including disc golf, MTA (maximum time aloft), Distance, DDC (Double Disc Court), Accuracy, and Freestyle. Players compete in each event and are awarded points for the place they take in each event. Each event gets awarded with gold, silver and bronze awards with an overall champion who has the most points at the end of the World Disc Games. The people that are at these events are some of the coolest people you will ever meet and I had just an amazing time. Some other disc golfers that competed in the World Disc Games included Avery Jenkins, Val Jenkins, and Burl. I went through the World Disc Games medaling in every event accept Freestyle and receiving a gold medal in MTS with a time of over 12 seconds. Avery received a gold medal in Disc Golf and Distance and ended up second overall for the event. I was the overall champion with the most points out of everyone. The best part about the week was competing in Freestyle with Avery as my partner. We had the best time at the World Disc Games that week and it really opened my eyes to other aspects of the Frisbee world. |
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1000 RATED: Since you started to play Disc Golf at a very early age, what types of techniques did you learn early on that really helped you hone your skills over time? Can you talk in depth about your early learning experiences, who helped you the most, and when you think things really started to click for you? Also, with young players like David Wiggins Jr who also started playing at an early age, do you think it is going to get harder and harder for guys and gals to compete when they start later? |
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NATE: When I first started playing the game I was very small and could only throw a forehand, but as I got bigger I began to throw backhand as well. Of course my dad was always there help me but one of the first guys to take me under his wing was Jim Hagen. He really got me throwing backhand and at the time he could really throw far so I had someone to look up to and try to beat. Later on in my life I met a man by the name of “Crazy” John Brooks who is part of the history of Frisbee - he has been one of the best in all aspects of the game. Crazy began to teach me how to be a professional, how to act on the course, and how to beat people. The last person I want to talk about is “Steady” Ed Headrick who when I was 14 took me to my first World Championships with my dad, in Appleton, Wisconsin. It was a great experience and really got me going as far as playing competitively. I had never been out of California till then and it really opened my eyes and showed me the world of disc golf. The next year with Ed and my Dad at the 1999 Am world Championships I was able to win the Juniors Division at 15. That is when I really started believing that I was one of the best, and could only get better. By 2000 I had turned pro and was playing in Ann Arbor at the World Championship in the Open division and finished in the Top 100. As far as David Wiggins Jr goes that kid is amazing as are many other young kids in disc golf today. I think it is very important for these kids to keep their noses clean and continue looking forward and gaining skills and becoming confident in their game. They have a real chance to be where I am now, but it’s going to take a lot of hard work and dedication. With the way that the youth today is playing disc golf it’s going to be hard for people in about 20 years to just pick up a disc and try to be the best in the world. |
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1000 RATED: If you don’t mind us asking, who was your favorite athlete as a kid and why? |
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1000 RATED: What do you think your overall advantage is when playing against some of the world’s top competitors? A lot of disc golfers would like to have a chance to compete against these guys and guys - but more or less lack the mental focus necessary to understand how it is done. Is there a specific mental focus that you’d like to explain that helps you drive on through? |
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NATE: The advantage of playing against the best in the world is not even something that I can explain. Ever since I was a young child I always wanted to play against the best pros - of course my dad would never let me (you know entry fees and stuff) but I always had the drive to beat the best. Something that I have seen over the past few years is that going straight to the pros is not so easy any more. I would advise to all those people out there that want to be competitive to go through the ranks of amateur at their own pace. This will allow you get more confident and learn how to deal with the stress of an event and playing against players who may be better. It is very true that the mental side of the game is the most important and most difficult to master. I myself feel that I have not mastered the mental side of the game, although I do pride myself on having a strong mental game. The most important in my opinion - and I do mean the most important - is to have a very short memory on the course. There is a great quote that says “the best athletes are the ones with the shortest memories”. By this I mean if you bogey a hole or throw a bad shot just forget about it and move on. This is also a must for the great shots too; you can’t get too confident on the course because it can hurt you, especially at a place like Winthrop. I would just say to remember that you are on the course to do what you practice - not to be a hero. To continue strong after a missed putt or bad throw is what gives a person the ability to lift the trophy at the end of the day. |
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1000 RATED: If you could offer 3 pieces of advice in detail for any disc golfer who wants to improve their level of play, what would they be? |
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NATE: The first piece of advice I would give is to stop thinking that playing with your buddies is the best way to get better; sometimes it’s not how much you play but the quality of play when you go out. I mean playing with your friends on a Thursday afternoon is the best, and I love it, but to get better you have to practice different things. Ways to practice would be putting at a practice basket for 30 minuets before you go out to the course to throw some practice drives in a field. When I say field, I mean any field too. I have practiced on the smallest of fields. One time I went out to a little league field and threw back and forth with just midrange discs.
The final thing I would say is to watch as much top-level disc golf as possible. When I was a kid I would follow around players like Ken Climo, Steve Rico, Ron Russell, Barry Schultz, and Scott Stokely; watching every move they made thinking how someday I could beat them. I tried things they did, and sometimes it would not work but the more and more I tried I got better and finally found my own style. |
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1000 RATED: Now that the game is growing just a little faster, what would you like to see happen that would ultimately bring the game to a higher level? Do you think you will get to see the day when the PDGA has 100,000 members, or do you think disc golf is merely a niche sport that won’t even get to the level of the Pro Bowling circuit? |
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NATE: The game is growing so fast that I am really amazed and happy for the sport. A quick story: I was at a local restaurant last night in my home town and the owner of the restaurant came to me asking me for a five by nine to put on his wall of fame. This was pretty amazing to me because years ago I was just some guy eating dinner, but now people in my town are getting to know me as a disc golfer and learning about the game through the local papers articles on me. What I would like to see in the game of disc golf is to have it split the amateur ranks and professional ranks and to have them thought of as two different things. It’s not really fair to have the amateurs paying their money to the Pro purse and on the other hand to have the Pro’s being looked at in the same respect as a brand new amateur tournament player. I hope that this is not looked at in a bad way, I am just saying what I feel and what I think is the best way to move forward. I would like to see the PDGA just focus on getting new members and running more tournaments for amateurs to play on a week-to-week basis. I would like to see PDGA fees drop for Amateurs; I mean - make it 20 bucks - that way everyone can register. If we did this, membership would sky rocket and before you know it we would have over 100,000 active members playing tournaments. In a nut shell I am saying that growing the Amateur ranks is the most important part of this game growing - the more people that play the better we are going to be. Everyone reading this tell your friends about the game, bring them out, and show them how great it is!!! |
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1000 RATED: A Discraft sponsored Pro, you’ve ultimately been their Ken Climo when it comes to acheiving national success and piling on the awards over time. What has this been like for you to be one of the top players for a disc golf company, and what has Discraft done for you that you think you could not have done for yourself? |
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NATE: First of all - what an honor it is to be called the Ken Climo of anything - but I would have to say that I am just one man on a team of many great golfers. It is very true that I have more awards and titles that some of the other guys that are sponsored by Discraft, but it is also true that there are other great players on the Discraft team that bring Innova Champion is a great company with great players and I can’t tell you how much I enjoy to beating those guys. Discraft has always given me the upmost respect. They are just incredible - I mean if I need a disc on the course, which is very rare, I can expect Pad Timmons to be there with what I need. I don’t think that there is anything that they could have done for me that I could not have done for myself, but I will admit that Discraft has been very good to me, and I have been a very good promoter of Discraft for them. Overall it is a great relationship. |
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1000 RATED: Other than loyalty, what do you think is the most important reason for you to be throwing Discraft in terms of quality, flight characteristics and dependability? Whatever disc’s or company they choose, what do you think young players should keep in mind when searching for discs to throw, and what mistakes do you think people often make when choosing a disc? |
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NATE: I am indeed very loyal to Discraft because of how long I have played for them but I have never been afraid to tell them or anyone when I don’t like something. I have seen discs since I was a young boy and have seen them grow but throughout the years Discraft has always been on the forefront of disc quality and dependability. Innova Champion has great products and I will admit that they do come out with some unbelievable discs that fly far and fast - but sometimes I see such a difference from disc to disc: One is stable and the next is not so stable. I don’t see this as much with Discraft plastic; I see discs that come out in different runs that are exactly the same all the time. This is especially important when tournaments are constantly pushing the envelope on moving baskets closer to the water and closer to danger. Moving on, I would like to say that it’s very important to use discs that you like and that work for you. I know that being a sponsored player we do our best to support our companies - which I do very well - but I would never tell someone they have to throw a certain disc. Please remember when I picking out a disc to try different ones from different companies, they do fly different and though a Surge may work for one guy a Wraith might work for another. One time a great player by the name of Brad Hammock told me that “it’s not Arrow it’s the Indian” and I really took that to heart. I feel that the better I get, I could throw anything and win. What I am trying to get to is that no matter what you throw you can win, just keep working on getting better. |
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1000 RATED: We asked David Feldberg this question and we think it is a good one for you as well. If you could make a list of these next four types of players, who would they specifically be and why? Keep in mind we want you to answer this question as if all of these players are on a card at the moment - and in this sense you are creating the ultimate foursome on a leader card. (See questions before Nate’s answers) |
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NATE: 1. Who makes you nervous and gives you the biggest push? Ken Climo The reason I say Ken in that he is the greatest player in the history of this game, and is one of the best game day players ever. When Ken puts his mind to something that is when he is the most unstoppable and it’s only a matter of time until he is the one to win that event. Throughout my career I have seen Ken Climo just take over many many tournaments and when he does that you don’t want to be the one he beats. 2. What player seems to drive you to play better during a round? Avery Jenkins Avery is just such a great person and such a great competitor. Of course Avery is a very close friend and competing against him is a win-win situation for me. I always love to see Avery win a tournament that I am not at, and love to beat him when we’re at the same tournament. He is a great player and has been for a really long time. I know that Avery will be one of the best to ever play disc golf. 3. Who would you like to beat? David Feldberg It’s very easy to see that Dave is the best in our game right now and to beat him any time is a great feeling. Dave and myself are very good friends and have been competing against each other for a very long time. For the last few years I have wanted a US Open title which Dave holds - and Dave wanted a World Title which I have two of - now we have reached that goal. It was very nice to see Dave win the Worlds this year in his home town, but by him winning it makes me want to beat him even more because you know that was my title and now I want it back. It’s a very competitive relationship. 4. Who makes the round fun? Cale Leiviska Cale is a great player and has a great spirit. I have never played a round of disc golf with Cale where I did not laugh my butt off, or just plain enjoy myself. It’s always nice to see a top-level player that has great skill and great charisma all in one. Cale is not only great to play with but he is fun to watch and he always has such great energy. Cale is an awesome golfer and a guy that I look forward to having in my group at any tournament. |
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1000 RATED: Who is your favorite 1000 rated player and why? |
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NATE: I have spent some time thinking about this one and I think it has to be Avery Jenkins. I mean many people may think that is a obvious answer but it’s more than just because he is my friend. Avery is a great player with amazing talent and unbelievable power. I mean the guy plays all year long so if you’re a fan you get to watch his play each and every weekend. Plus he has ups and downs just like everyone else does but he always plays through it. Avery works really hard on his disc golf game. Avery is a great role model for all players out there, young and old. I would like to thank you for this interview and thank everyone for reading. |
USDGC so that all of my focus would be in the USDGC. All the support of my friends and family who were there for me through all my practices and throughout the entire event: My mom and dad sent me great text messages during the tournament, my girlfriend Kate was always there to talk with me and help me when I felt like I could not win and needed some encouragement, and finally, Jeff Rezepka (better known as Zeppy who was my roommate for the week of the USDGC) was my caddy that never carried my bag once but he kept me very focused.
NATE: Mentally this win puts me in a great place. I have wanted to win the USDGC for a long time and to finally win it is just a wonderful feeling. When I first started playing the game as a young child I looked up to Ken and Barry, so to now be a part of their club of winning both the World Championships and the USDGC is an amazing feeling and gives me unbelievable confidence.
NATE: As a kid I had a lot of favorite athletes for many different reasons. If I had to pick one it would definitely be Tiger Woods. I look up to Tiger Woods in a many different ways. I not only watched every shot he took but watched every interview of his to see how he answered questions. I tried to focus on his mindset and try to understand how he prepares himself so I can use his examples in my own sport to improve myself and my game. In fact I love hearing any professional athlete talk about struggles they have gone through and how they dealt with those problems. It really helps me as a professional athlete to learn from them on how to get through the hard times as well as how to act when I am on top.
The second thing would be to go out and play tournaments with quality; to me it’s worth it to miss two small tournaments in order to travel a little bit further to a big NT in your region. Now please don’t get me wrong - playing in smaller tournament is great for your game, but getting the experience in the bigger events really pays off years down the road. At one point, years ago, I had played so many big events that when I went to play a B-Tier event it was like a practice round. Go outside your comfort zone once and a while and maybe you will just find your new comfort zone.
something to the table that I don’t. It has been great to play for Discraft, they have a great product that I think is the best in the world..
***We would like to thank YOU Nate - it was a pleasure…
***Images in this article were graciously provided by and are a © of Discraft
Reply below with your thoughts by November 5th and win this sweet disc!
I thinks Nate’s comments on splitting the AM and Pro divisions more clearly is a great way to grow the sport. Make it cheaper and easier for a newer player to play tournaments and i bet we’d see a ton more people out there.
I tried to bring my younger brother out to a PDGA sanctioned event a couple weekends ago and he couldnt justify paying 30$ for playing Intermediate, (i dont blame him either). I believe this reason holds alot of people back from coming out.
Nice Comments Nate! Congrats!
great job Nate .I like the fact that he remains grounded and thanks everyone else for his success way to go nate for being what seems to be normal!!!
Great interview…way to go Doss!!!
God Bless America, and GO PHILLIES!
Thanks Nate and 1000 Rated for a great interview. I couldn’t agree more when Nate said, “I would like to see PDGA fees drop for Amateurs; I mean - make it 20 bucks - that way everyone can register. If we did this, membership would sky rocket and before you know it we would have over 100,000 active members playing tournaments.” With that and splitting the amateur and professional ranks, I think Nate has a very good idea of what disc golf needs to do in order to grow into the mainstream sport we all want it to.
This is why Disc Golfers Rule. You would never see a person on the PGA be this kind and talk up their competitors in a positive way. Disc Golfers stick together and that’s the reason our sport will grow.
Nate is a class act and this proves it.
Great article.
I’m sure this is the one of many USDGC wins for Nate.
Great play Nate. Keep the wins coming.
Thanks for the enjoyable interview. I think that this email style of interview provided much more content and thoughtful answers than an in person interview sometimes provides. In contrast, I guess it does lose the spontaneity a little bit but I liked it. I do grammer checking for cheap ; )
Congrats Nate! Go circle D!!!
great read
Nate is great for our sport. I live in USDGC country and we are always glad to see a new champion arise. Hard work and dedication will always prevail and it is good to see that a player that has be serious about the sport for over 10 years, finally get to win the USDGC. Nate is one of the top elite players ever and I look up to him.
Tyson
Great article. Keep those interviews coming.
Nate is a class act, its guys like him who are going to bring this sport to the masses. Such a great attitude and a great guy to see have great success.
Nate is such a stand up guy, that was a great read. Glad to see he finally achieved one of his dreams.
this was a great article that gave some insight to the mind of a great disc golfer. really like how he looks up to tiger woods. maybe someday he will elevate the sport just like tiger did for golf.
It’s good to know that even top level pros started with the same hunger for the game and thirst for knowledge that I have. I am encouraged that Nate would take in as much content as possible, such as following top players at tournaments. I also feel lucky that the internet provides MANY more viewing opportunities to me than Nate had. Good job Nate, thanks 1000rated.
Reading this interview makes me wish I had started playing when I was a kid
The idea about splitting up the PDGA divisions sounds like a great way to grow the sport.
Congrats Nate - keep em coming!
Great interview! Congratulations on the win Nate!
great interview
Great Interview! Maybe one day it will be me getting interviewed!
Solid win and great info…WTG!
Cruz….
Great to see an interview with Nate. He has been on my top 2 or 3 favorite player list ever since I bought a Nate Doss Avenger and suddenly started driving straight!
Great interview and congrats to Nate!!
Great interview! I’ve always liked and admired Nate, but having read this I have even more respect for him and his contribution to the DG world.
This interview is an inspiration to strive to be a better player, better competitor, with great sportsmanship. I hope to one day be competing at the same level of his and his peers. Great interview.
This was a great interview. You ask great questions which give great insight into who Nate is and why he loves disc golf so much. It also made me really understand why he is such a great ambassador to this great sport we play.
Congrats on the USDGC win Nate!!
Having a player of Nate’s caliber take the time to talk to us this way really says a lot for his personality. You can only pull for someone like that!
Great article. I think i can really take his “3 pieces of advice” to heart.
Great interview, guys! Nate Doss is a truly great member of this sport, but he always seems to slip under the radar in news coverage and interviews. I mean the guy has two world titles and now a USDGC championship under his belt and I still don’t see a disc with his name on it! It was a real pleasure reading this interview, especially reading Nate’s comments about playing along side of the best in the world. I had a chance to meet Avery myself earlier this year and I will agree with Nate - Avery is a great guy. It’s great to see people like Nate and Avery out there promoting the sport and doing what they can to help the people out there improve their game.
What a great article. I like the fact that he has been playing since he was a little kid (which was only like 2 years ago, he just started shaving!) He also speaks from alot of experience. And what an honor to have traveled to Worlds with Ed Headrick. Ed obviously saw something real special in this kid, and now we all get to see it for ourselves! Good job at USDGC and keep it up, this sport needs more people like you!
Good read.
Great Interview,
Congrats Nate on the USDGC win and…
way to stay grounded.
I like Nate’s vibe… I hope Nate stays a person we can look up to.
I’ve had the privilege to play with Nate.. he is really someone that I look up to. Great ambassador for disc golf!
it’s nice to hear a pro think of the amateur and not look down on them . I think he is right on in suggesting lower fee’s for amateurs in order to get more am’s on the tour.
Also it’s nice to hear that nate is rather open mined on disc selection and that all the disc companies make discs that can be useful not just discraft. ideas like these will serve the growth of disc golf
Before reading this article I figured Nate was just another young punk. I’m happy to say I was totally wrong. What a gentlemen. It’s young men like him that will carry this sport. My hats off to him.
Nate Doss is a stud!
asdf! good article!
Great article - thanks! Nate is a great champion.
Nate Doss seemed well spoken, and seems to have a high regard towards other disc companies. I like how he,Dave,Avery, and Ken all maintain a frendly attitude towards each other even though they are each others compition. I think he is a good role-model for the young disc golfers of today.
Nate said: “The only goal that I have with my success is to promote and build the professional side of disc golf.”
I say: Awesome. Like many people have already stated here, I think Nate is a fantastic ambassador for our sport.
Nate said: “play tournaments with quality; to me it’s worth it to miss two small tournaments in order to travel a little bit further to a big NT in your region.”
I say: This makes a great deal of sense. I play a lot of events in my hometown and never get any better or learn from anyone anymore. Traveling to bigger tournaments and watching or talking or playing with other people is obviously the way to go.
Nate said: “I would like to see PDGA fees drop for Amateurs.”
I say: Duh. Thank you for this Mr. Doss.
Nate said: “when picking out a disc try different ones from different companies.”
I say: This means Nate is more inclined to help a player then to try and sway them into buying a Discraft product - and I think that shows that he is a stand up guy who REALLY cares about the game and the people involved. This also means that Discraft is lucky to have such a player who is willing to help and educate people about the game, regardless of his allegiance.
Also, thanks to this site that freakin rules.
Also, GO Nevada Disc Golf!
Congrats to Nate. A solid ambassador for the game and sport. Ball golf has had the great triumverate, and recent history has given us the big 4. Disc Golf now has it’s very own Big 4………Awesome.
Who is Zeppy, and what is his relationship to disc golf? I witnessed his “excuberance” during the final round @ USDGC this year. Interesting…..
Please visit The Sarge in Hardeeville, SC. One mile off I95, Exit 8 in SC. Come check it out.
I agree with Nate’s assessment also on the need to clarify and divide the Ams out. The game can grow faster I think if entry fees on Ams are lower. If this means a more compact professional experience thru the year then so be it.
I’m a local club president and now an open level player, but it’s amazing how many people I run onto at the course that say they can’t play in tournaments on cost alone.
Less pro/open events, but higher attendance will create a greater buzz around the events. My first pro cash even up in Rockford, IL was great to be able to play with Jenkins, Locastro, Reading, etc was amazing. One event like that a month instead of 4 or more smaller events would always be worth it to me now that I’ve made the decision to move up to play open.
Last note: 1000rated staff, you all are doing a great job. Love this site and the interviews.
Great interview.
I loved the interview for two reason: first, the opportunity to see how the top pros think and prepare just doesn’t occur often in this game. As exposure and participation increases I’m sure that’ll change. Until then, though, these kinds of articles are invaluable (especially when players are honest in their replies, such as Doss was).
Second, Nate just comes off as a cool, super-professional guy. The term gets thrown around loosely, but Nate is a true ambassador for this sport of ours. With more people adopting his attitude, we can definitely approach the future with a very optimisic view.
Thanks for the excellent interview.
Way to go Natron. I beat him once!
I just like how he’s open to different brands of discs as we see far too many folks miss out on great discs simply because of inane brand loyalty.
Great article!!! Nate is a class act, a truly great roll model for all young disc golfers. I cant wait to see Disc golf explode into the mainstream and with players like Nate that day is getting closer and closer. Congrats on your win at USDGC Nate!!!!
Very nice article and Nate has some good ideas on how to develop our sport. Creating a bigger difference between playing pro and am, and making it cheaper for amateur players to play in tournaments
Thanks for the great read guys and keep up the good work. Nate is truly a class act.
Great interview, really insightfull from such a great player
Good Job nate. think they still underestimate you?
Nate has the type of competitive drive I love seeing in the sport’s greats. I wonder if the PDGA will take some of his thoughts seriously, for example: halving the Am PDGA fees to $20. Would that double membership? Would doubling membership cost too much in discs/cards/magazines/etc., making halving the cost unfeasible? Interesting thought.
I think Nate is right in that growing the Ams is key to this. Making it reasonable for them to participate (and not forcing them to donate to the pro purse) will increase the overall desirability of this sport.
Well said Nate and good interview Brian. I like the idea of splitting up the ranks and pushing the amateur division to new levels so that the sport grows.
Great article. Definetely enjoyed hearing a top professionals opinions on what the PDGA needs to do to help the sport grow. I think that the things he suggests have merit and should be considered.
Way to go nate, go discraft!
wow,…. really, i mean that. there is so much good dialogue in this interview its amazing. at first i was amazed at the length of the answers that nate took the time to really give his thoughts and not just quickly answer a question, then i was amazed at the content and density of both the questions and answers. this is an article that both the people who are already interested can sink their teeth into, and those who are curious can learn alot and get hooked into.
thank you both
-Zac
Great interview! And great suggestion about amateur fees, although some of my bias may be creeping in
Great Interview with a great player. I enjoyed reading this and seeing all of Nate’s thoughts.
As always, reading what the Pros have to say really makes sense.
Dude, you are so very commited.
AND…. I love Discraft as well.
I use the Soft APX Xand Buzz ESPand MRX X and Cyclone DX.
I’m new at the sport but have been playing for fun 10 years.
It would be awesome to win a free disc!
Keep your disc up Nate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Excellent interview, good reads… thanks
Awesome interview!! 1000Rated has the best interviews out there.
I like how one of his favorite sports persons is tiger woods, because that shows how Nate is so well worded, And true to all of his fans. Go Nor-Cal disc golf–Go Discraft.
Amazing. Thank you to Nate for being so thorough and allowing many of us to see your thought process. The questions were great and I love reading 1000 rated articles with the top pros!! Keep up the great work 1000 rated. And as for Nate…. I sure you have many more victories to be interviewed about in the future!!
Great Job
S
Great interview with an awesome guy, I got to meet Nate at the 2008 Worlds, and he is an awesome guy…
Quote of Nate Doss: [What I would like to see in the game of disc golf is to have it split the amateur ranks and professional ranks and to have them thought of as two different things. It’s not really fair to have the amateurs paying their money to the Pro purse and on the other hand to have the Pro’s being looked at in the same respect as a brand new amateur tournament player. I hope that this is not looked at in a bad way, I am just saying what I feel and what I think is the best way to move forward. ]
Nate, thank you for saying what I feel is the “most important” step that Disc Golf as a sport NEEDS to take!! The PDGA NEEDs to step up for the “Professional Side” of disc golf and quit “relaying on the AM Fees” to pay the Pro’s! I know that the PDGA isn’t capable of “big corporate sponsors” at this time frame BUT, there’s no reason they couldn’t set up a Marketing Program, to work on “Mom & Pop” sized LOCAL business close to the “Tournament being played” and reap MORE Pro player prize winnings from that level of sponorship till DG is large enough to get into the “Corporate Sponsership arena”, jmho.
It’s so great too see a Pro level player as yourself, understand that there NEEDS to be more sepreation between the PRO and AM Players within the PDGA. You are a very good statesmen and I HOPE the PDGA hiearchy will LISTEN to your ideas! Again thanks for saying what NEEDS to be said!
Take care, have FUN, Throw Plastic!
B.J. (bogeyman) Ondo
Colorado Springs, CO.
Congratulations! I’m always happy to see someone succeed and serve as an inspiration.
when i first saw nate, i thought he had downs and that it was great that he played… now i know he can play and think it’s great it makes people wanna be down. good read even though most of his answers are becoming canned reflex type of responses… your interviews always use questions that get past that. thanks, cheers.
also, that fedora is ridiculous…
hey now,most informative about Nate’s involement with disc golf.Agree very much towards the fee of joining the PDGA ,great interview all around.
Excellent interview with this year’s champ! …..keep up the good work with this wonderful web site!
These interviews are always very interesting and teach me so much more about the game. You guys basically pick the pro’s brains for us.
We are so proud. thank you Brian and 1000rated.
Barbie Doss and
Mark Karleskind,
the deladiscman.
Congrats Nate — way to represent Norcal! I could not agree more with your comments about the PDGA and the how to grow the amateur ranks.
Thanks to Nate Doss for bringing the USDGC trophy to California, and thanks for looking out for us Amateurs, as well as seeming like a regular guy!
Nate Doss in my opinion is the best player in disc golf right now for many reasons, but one reason definitely stands out, its his mental focus. In the two tournaments i have watched him at, he never loses focus and continuously remains calm even with bad shots. I’ve learned the most from watching him and david wiggins jr. play disc golf. Hats off to him and his family.
Great article like always, Nate Doss has a drive like no other. Look forward to seeing more wins under his belt.
Good interview. I agree about PDGA Am fees. We should open up the fields to boost memberships. Right now there is a thick line between people who might show up for a local tournament and people who might go to a sanctioned event.
Thanks for letting us get into the mind of a true champion. What a great example for fellow players. I hope for continued success from for such a great competitor.
Doss is sick, good interview, the boss is a sick disc wicked overstable if you don’t throw it just right.
Nate seems like a real class act. It’s great to see a guy like that excel at such a high level. Something he obviously works very hard to do. A great representative for the DG community.
great to have pad timmons ready with more plastic for you,nice guy too
I love these interviews with top pros. I always come away with something, i.e. Feldberg talking about hyzers vs. stalls in the wind. Keep it up.
great read!
Nate is an awesome player and is only getting better and I think his idea of separating am and pro divisions is a great idea and would definitely help grow the sport.
In the near future I can see Doss, Feldberg, Jenkins, and McBeth dominating most tournaments
Nice insight into the mind of a champ.
hearing what players of this caliber have to say about tournament mindset makes it easier to find my own focus as an am on gameday. Great Interview!
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Congrats Nate !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great read!!!
I love the comment about it is not the arrow, but the Indian. I wish more of the folks I play with would learn that! Great interview and it will be passed along to others.
A comment to response 54:
A barebones membership without all the extras would be just fine. It’s all about tourney play, not “free” stuff.
Great website and a great interview. Thanks Nate and 1000 rated.
Great read, Thank you.
GO PHILLIES!!!!
This article is a fine example of how “professional” disc golf could be day in and day out.
I hope all who read this take the necessary step(s) to be the type of player/promoter that Doss exemplifies while taking the time to answer these insightful questions. He has clearly thought things out before saying them and the fact that he is a “champ” shows that he is walking the talk.
Thank you for sharing your visions and unselfishness Nate and good luck to you and the other “Pros” out there.
PS… good advice for telling the young players coming through the ranks to keep their noses clean….. Echo.
Well, since Doss isn’t signed by Innova, I guess this is a rare chance to win a Doss Boss
Nate, great job at the USDGC!!
Great interview
wow awsome article im inspired to try and get my
name out there in the next couple of years…..can nate sign an innova disc being sponserd by discraft??
great article. Nate is a great asset to where we need disc golf to go.
I just want to say thanks to 1000.rated disc golf for providing awesome articles like this one! Also for making my history class go by much faster. Thanks!
Great interview on both the parts of 1000rated and of Nate. Wow, I have a much greater level of respect for Nate now than before, and I had a lot before!
Keep it up Nate, winning, teaching, being a great role model!
GREAT interview! It was fantastic getting to ‘talk’ with Nate like this. Not only is he a champ, but he is obviously a perfect representative for disc golf … he does the sport good! Thanks for the interview, 1000 Rated. And congrats to you, Nate Doss!!!
cool.
good read.
Great interview.
But being sponsored by discraft, isn’t there some conflict involved with signing an innova disc?
I like his views on moving through the amateur ranks.
Fun to read!
What a class act. In an era where many professional athletes are making headlines by their questionable activities off the field, it’s really refreshing to see the top pros of “our sport” being such fine examples. And Nate is truly a great ambassador for disc golf. While the article successfully captures Nate’s competitive drive, it also highlights his humble nature regarding his success. We could use a lot more Nate Doss’s today to serve as great examples of both athletic acheivement and positive role models.
Great read and great website! Congrats to Nate on winning the hardest-to-win tournament in the world! My goal is to one day PLAY in it! ha!
Great interview Nate. Really interesting on the comments about being an ambassador of disc golf and how to grow the sport. Really liked the advice on playing better competition instead of just the same old buds day in and day out. Looking forward to seeing some more wins. Thanks.
Solid as always.
Nate is top notch.
Peace
Thanks for the interview- this site is quickly becoming one of my DG favorites. Nate is the man!
What Nate said about how hard it is nowadays to become a professional is true. With the amount of talent in the game today, its going to take a lot more dedication and hard work.
He is a great role model. Great interview. He has the heart of a Champ.
Great interview…Way to go Nate!
SICK, just plain sick. I love this website…please, keep it up.
I really like these interviews with top players. Getting into the minds of the best players really appeals to me. The more types of interviews you have, with all kinds of players, the better this site will be.
Right now 1000 rated is the top source for disc golf news and information.
I was lucky to get Nate and Dave,Avery,Kenny,Valarie and Burl to come to The Netherlands.
Lipton Ice Tea picked up the bill and they gave me everything I asked for.
It was good for the sport to see and talk to the best players in the world!
I mett Nate at the worlds in 2001(wasn’t it)?
He got introduced to me by Harold Hampton who said that he was the new hottest player around….that was no lie.
Nate was kinda shy(he was still young) but such a nice guy!
It has been a real pleasure seeing him grow up to the wonderfull man he is!
If Nate is around,prepare to roll over the ground from laughter….he is such a card ;-]
We are lucky that we have such a good promoter of our wonderfull sport.
Thanks Nate, I love you brother….
Tuur
ps. getting an Innova disc signed by a Discraft player is a gem!!!
I agree, 1000rated.com is the place for disc golf news! I really hope our sport can support a site like this for years to come!
Thanks guys!
I like the idea of the $20 am entry fee to entice more new players to enter a tourney.
Great interview with a great golfer and great guy. Hope you draw me for that Boss.
Two weeks and 121 entries later we have a lucky winner!
#77 Chris Barker from San Fransisco, CA has been notified and is super excited to receive the USDGC Nate Doss signed Boss.
Thank you to everyone who entered and we hope to see you enter into our next giveaway, which is happening very soon!
my son will be at your coat tails Nate. at 10 years old he out drives grown men. we may be Kansas bumkins but he’ll be driving diskgolf’s future.
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