Interview with Ben Calhoun: The Ultimate Disc Golf Trip and More

Growing up in Ann Arbor, Ben Calhoun had his first Disc Golf experience as a boy-scout at a jamboree. A few years later he began throwing frisbees at flags that he’d place in the yard as hole markers. A lucky meeting with a real disc golfer led him to the actual game later that year, and he and his family have been playing ever since. A Junior Doubles World Champion in 2000, Ben is the son of Terry Calhoun (2008 Amateur Senior Grandmaster World Champion) and Sheila Calhoun (2002 Amateur Masters Women’s World Champion, 2008 Amateur Grandmaster Women’s World Champion).

In 2005 Ben traveled throughout Michigan and played every course in the state. That trip gave him a bigger and better idea. For the next 3 years he saved money and planned for his next trip. In the Spring of 2008 he was on the road and beginning his quest to be the first to play 1000 disc golf courses.

Recently we caught up with Ben and had a chance to ask him about his experiences on his United States disc golf trip…

1000 RATED: It is well known that you’ve now officially played more disc golf courses than anyone on the planet. When did you start this quest, how many courses have you played as of today, and how many courses had you already played by the time you went on the road? Can you provide us with some various stats from the year?

BEN: I left home on April 26th, 2008 with about 375 courses under my belt (during the trip I discovered 5-7 courses I had already played and not recorded). Now (January 5th 2009) I sit at 1,054, after having played my first new course of 2009 just this week. I drove 37,500 miles through 45 states this year, spending nearly $17,000. I took 2 breaks- one for 5 days and one for 10.

1000 RATED: How does it feel to be at home in Michigan after such a long trip? Are you somewhat burnt out from the experience or if you had the money and time to continue your trip would you do so?

BEN: It’s incredibly boring being back at home, back into a routine with nothing to do. I’d much rather be back out, or at least not in the same place every day. Michigan is not where you want to come back to when winter begins, either. I am not burnt out mentally, but physically my knees and elbow still hurt when I attempt to play- and I can’t yet tell if my game has suffered from so much play but very little practice.

1000 RATED: What was it like to play your 1,000th course with Gregg Hosfeld on the same day he was also hitting the 1,000 mark? Was it extra special to make history at the new course at the International Disc Golf Center?

Ben Calhoun BEN: Well when I first heard of Greg’s record for the most courses, that gave me the idea to go for it myself. I knew at the time I could- I had (would have) the time, motivation and money. It would be something most of us wish to do, and because I had the chance, I took it. On the first tee I was nervous. I had already played with Greg and knew it was going to be a serious battle just to stay close in score, add in my first time on video and with a gallery. We share a lot in common when it comes to ideas of course design and the sport of disc golf. I am grateful to the IDGC to put that course in so fast in time for us, it was really only one of a few possible options based on the courses we had each already played and the time scale, or else it couldn’t have been done. It was great to rest up a bit, help out at the IDGC and be a part of history that way.

1000 RATED: After so many courses, you must have a few favorites from your trip. What are some of your favorites that you played and why? Are there any least favorites you’d like to mention?

BEN: I probably played about half or more of my favorite courses before this trip, and re-played a few this time around. Some of the best are: Idlewild (Burlington, KY); Pickard (Indianola, IA); Highbridge Hills Granite Ridge, Gold, Blueberry Hill (Mellon, WI); Hudson Mills (Ann Arbor, MI); Morraine State Park (Portersville, PA); Warwick (Warwick, NY); Milo McIver (Estacada, OR); Whistler’s Bend (Roseburg, OR); Bijou (South Lake Tahoe, CA); Blue Mountain (Missoula, MT); Twin Parks (Austin, TX); Red Hawk (Crystal River, FL); Cedar Hill (Nashville, TN); Burnsboro (Vassalboro, ME); Perkerson (Atlanta, GA). The worst ones are usually due to course maintenance, rough (overburdened with thorns, ivy),navigation issues, and design. Some were just plain unplayable or impossible to enjoy, some are just so poorly marked that it is literally impossible to show up at the course for the first time and find your way around. Some of the bad ones, for varying reasons, inlude: Parma (Parma, OH); Bellevue State Park (Wilmington, DE); Goodnow (Princeton, MA); Patterson Lake (Dickinson, ND); Rooster Rock East (Columbia Gorge). Plenty of others are poorly designed in my opinion, but they’re not on the worst course list because at least they are playable and some others might like the design.

1000 RATED: Going along with the last question, you easily played more disc golf holes than any other golfer during the last year and you must have some favorites. Can you provide a list of some of your favorite disc golf holes and why?

Idlewild Disc Golf Course BEN: I can name a few that stick out right now. There’s a hole at Warwick with 2 walls of rock, you have to turn a corner in the woods to the right, then clear both walls of rocks to get to the basket on the edge of one. Pleasant Hills in Maine has an 1,100′ hole where the ending is an option to go huge over water or play through the trees. There’s #2 at Idlewild where you throw a 350′+ right turning drive through some trees to a landing green, and then throw over a pond to the long pin. Obviously the hole at Whistler’s Bend where you are throwing so far downhill and long 700′, it’s easy to go way, way past the basket. Hole #18 at Tocobaga in St. Petersburg, FL- not for the design as much as you are sort of throwing at the ocean and hyzering back, and can be putting with the bay as a backdrop, a shell covered beach in play.

1000 RATED: For those who are looking to make a disc golf trip (but perhaps not as long), can you provide some tips or tricks you learned to save money and time while on the road? Is there anything you did that you’d change in order to make for an even better experience?

BEN: For on the course: Pack a printer with your laptop and print course maps the day ahead when you can find them. Or, take a picture of the map on your screen and carry it with you on your digital camera’s screen. GPS is a must for this sort of trip, saving literally days of time and tanks of gas. You don’t have to search for street-signs and try to decipher maps and poorly worded directions in the directory. Get the GPS coordinates from online, plug them in, check for accuracy and go. Please update the official course directory if you find errors! Don’t try to plan the days down to exact detail too far ahead, ’stuff’ can happen and will. Courses are closed, traffic jams, tournaments, car trouble, etc. Instead plan a general route, decide which courses you want to shoot for (read reviews and see pictures online ahead- I do that 2-3 days ahead online), and then make a list and route it but add a course beyond what you expect to play- just in case you encounter a problem. Plan for where you will stay at least a day ahead, don’t leave that up to the last minute. There could be a convention in town. Definitely do NOT use bottled water. Get a Nalgene type bottle (I had about 5) and re-fill those at the hotel/friend’s house/course when you can instead. Not just save you a lot over time, but the environment. My web-enabled smart phone saved a lot of time, being able to check maps, check pdga.com, and book and find hotels or campsites while on the road is invaluable. I’d camp a lot more next time around, with better supplies. On the first night my tent and several other items just broke on me. With wi-fi, and a shower, what else do you need?

1000 RATED: Do you have any funny or interesting stories from the trip that you’d like to tell? Did you meet some people you’d like to give a shout out to or have any experiences that you think people might want to hear about?

Colorado Moose BEN: Really not much crazy stuff happened, which is good, because that also means no accidents, major injuries or tickets on the road. I saw lots of new-to-me wildlife and got many pictures of them. Saw a lot of intense car accidents, police action. I want to thank all those that helped in any way, from giving me a place to crash for 4 nights to the guy who pointed me toward the first hole. Call on me for a favor any time.

1000 RATED: Other than being known as that guy who’s played the most disc golf courses, what do you think you gained most by taking this trip? Did you learn any life lessons or have any disc golf epiphanies?

BEN: I gained the most memorable experience of my lifetime, new friends (and enemies), a solid geographical understanding of this country and it’s people (lots of culture shock). Most important to me was the simple fact that it was something to do. If not for the trip, I wouldn’t have worked as hard, and would have spent that time working very little and being bored, leaving me in the same place as I am now financially because I wouldn’t have been working so hard to save up. I’m glad I got to do this with my time instead. A good disc golf lesson would be to practice, and force yourself to forget your current throwing style and find the right one even if it has been what ‘works’ for you for a long time, it might not be right and you might be stuck at a plateau.

1000 RATED: What is your plan now? Are you going to save up for another trip - perhaps in Europe?

BEN: Definitely not Europe- I have no intentions of flying. Now I am starting to take a couple of business classes and trying to get as many hours at my old job back as possible. I’d like to move- winter is miserable and there’s no good reason to stick with it anymore if I can find a new place and a job. I probably won’t do anything like this again unless I somehow have the time, money, and most important- no responsibilities at the time. But, I will keep adding them on as much as possible, like en route to other tournaments.

1000 RATED: Who is you favorite 1000 rated player at the moment and why?

BEN: Probably Feldberg for his accomplishment last year. After being so close several times, winning virtually every other major event and dominating on tour, it was time to win the Worlds, and he did so, at home. It was like a made for tv sports movie.

***We would like to Thank Ben for taking time to answer our questions. Rest your arm for a while!
***Cover photo and photo of Ben at the IDGC is a © of PDGA.com and PDGA Media
***All other photos are a © of Ben Calhoun

spencer on January 5th, 2009 at 11:56 pm

$17,000? that’s crazy man. good job tho…

Bill on January 6th, 2009 at 1:19 pm

Great job Ben! Truly an incredible achievement. Thanks also for the running blog entries on DGRUS, now I have a first-hand account to refer to when playing a new course or visiting a new city. Hopefully your next trip out I won’t be out of town if/when you roll thru SC!

Mike Inscho on January 6th, 2009 at 2:29 pm

Nice job Ben, It was fun meeting up with you at Middle Creek in Cary, NC. Enjoy the crappy cold weather up there in Michigan.. lol. It’ll be all over in a couple months.

Chris on January 15th, 2009 at 2:15 pm

>> $17,000? that’s crazy man. good job tho…

Probably helped that gas started to plummet near the end of summer, lol.

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