1000 RATED: One of the most respected teachers in the game for some time, you’ve had a chance to oversee and help develop some widely distributed and very popular Discraft videos. How did you come to take part in this endeavor and what is your favorite responsibility of being involved in these productions? Also, in a general sense, what overall benefit do you think these videos give players and why?

MARK: Youtube.com is an amazing cultural phenomenon.  Because of its popularity, the Discraft Videos have been widely viewed.  Before the videos I had a hand in teaching hundreds of disc golfers one on one.  Now with the videos, I have had a hand in teaching hundreds of thousands of disc golfers.  At first it surprised me to be recognized on disc golf courses due to the videos.  Now it happens almost every time I walk onto a course.

When I started playing I had the benefit of getting lessons from really good Pros.  Most people do not have the same chance but through the magic of the internet can get the next best thing, a video lesson.

While there is no single right way to throw a disc and conversely no wrong way either, if you go watch any 1000 Rated player (How is that for an early plug?), most of them have pretty similar form.  There is a good reason for that.  Good form makes the game easier, so much easier.  A player with good form, even if they miss a shot will miss it by less.  A player with good form is less likely to be injured.  A player with good form will improve faster and have a higher ceiling on their skill potential.  A player with good form throws smooth and balanced.

The first step in developing good form is to be exposed to it.  If you don’t know what it looks like then you are only relying on instinct.  Unfortunately most instincts are wrong when it comes to throwing a golf disc.  Golf discs are engineered to be much more overstable than beach Frisbees.  That overstability allows the disc to be thrown with great power and control if it is thrown correctly.

The idea behind the Discraft Pro Clinics was to have a variety of Pros teaching and demonstrating individual shots and techniques.  I approached Brian Sullivan, Discraft’s marketing guru, with the idea of a series of videos and he convinced the company to invest in video equipment.  So we started with me as the teacher (talking head) and Brian doing everything else (filming, editing and publishing).

For any readers who have not been exposed to the videos, they can be seen at Discraft.com or at Youtube.com, search for Discraft Clinics.   I have had a hand in six published videos so far.  We have filmed several videos which are still in the editing process.  We shot a Backhand Clinic, principally taught by Scott Papa, which should be very good.  The backhand is the primary drive for most players and therefore is the most basic shot in the game.  We filmed an Anhyzer Clinic with a stack of Pros teaching the shot.  An anhyzer is the most difficult drive in the game and is an especially interesting shot since there are different ways to throw it.  We also did a Women’s Clinics where we interviewed Pro women for their perspective on the game and how it felt to beat up on the guys.  Look for those and others to come out soon.

I was in Lansing, Michigan the day before a tournament, practicing a temporary layout and had some funny reactions.  A disc golfer chick recognized me and said, “Hey, you’re the dude from the videos!  Where is the rest of the team?”  Without waiting for me to answer she turned around a looked at the other visible holes.  “Where’s Nate?  Where’s Cale?  Where’s Mike Randolph?”  Evidently she figured we all travel together on the Discraft jet.  Or maybe she was looking for the cute guys on the team.

As I threw a few warm up holes players came over, introduced themselves and joined in.  Then when more players came swarming in, I overheard one guy say to his buddy, “This guy is like Forest Gump.”  I’m trying to decide if that was a compliment and or an insult.

The great thing about teaching the game is the enthusiasm of new players.  There is a delight in learning each new technique which I get to relive as a teacher.

1000 RATED: You talk a lot about the importance of putting and consistent putting practice. What should players do to focus (as well as remain focused) on this integral part of the game? Can you talk in depth about your putting confidence program and how it affects players over the 30 day routine?

MARK: The Putting Clinic is for hard core players; players who are willing to put time and practice into their games.   It is designed for serious players who are seriously flawed when it comes to putting performance in tournaments.  I always encourage any Pros who play in my division to avoid it.  You guys are already too good.  You don’t need it.

There is a process to becoming a good putter under pressure.  First you must be able to make putts consistently in practice.  Then you must be able to transfer that skill to pressure situations like tournaments.   If you can’t hit the shot when there is no pressure then you will not do so when the pressure builds.  Now, I’m not saying that you can never have a hot hand because we all get hot from time to time.  Rather I am talking about putting consistently well under pressure.  The key to success under pressure is having confidence.

Confidence is magical.  Why it works is a mystery of the human psyche but unquestionably it does work.  And it works both ways.  Add confidence and performance improves.  Subtract confidence and performance diminishes or even crashes down hard.

One of the Discraft Pro Clinics I did introduced a putting confidence clinic.  In this clinic a player putts every day for a month.  They purposely putt at a close enough range (for their individual skill level, whatever that is) so that they make most of their putts.  Putting skill and confidence is established at close range.  Players develop a comfort zone by repetition.  Slowly and gradually that comfort zone expands with practice.  After a couple weeks a short putt looks automatic because the player has earned their confidence.

Confidence created by earning it is very different than what passes for confidence based on positive self talk.  A player can say to himself he is going to make this putt.  Very fine but what happens when he misses the putt?  All the positive talk evaporates.  But confidence based on continuous success in practice is the real thing.  Missing a putt or even a couple does not change a player’s beliefs when it is backed up by real confidence.

When a player is going through the month long clinic there will be days he cannot miss.  Everything goes in.  All that practice and confidence wells up and the player feels like a putting God.  But inevitably there will come the off day: the day where the putts are close but refuse to go in.  This, by the way, is the natural order of putting.  Even great putters have off days.  Great putters though don’t lose their confidence.  They know they are going to make the next one.  If that misses then they know they will wake up tomorrow and they will putt great like usual.

But for someone who is not a great putter, when the putts stop going in, it can destroy their confidence.  That is why the clinic goes for a month.  The idea is to teach a player how to use the clinic to overcome the bad days.  So say a player going through the clinic has one of those really bad days.  The next day he goes back to his practice regime and reestablishes his comfort zone.  His confidence gets restored and he wants another chance.  He then expects to make the next putt.

So the Putting Clinic is the first phase of a process to become a good pressure putter.  After a month you will feel like a putt in your comfort zone is locked in.  Then the second phase is to transfer that confidence to competitive rounds.  For some the transfer is easy for some it is very hard.  It really depends on the mental toughness and true confidence of the player.  But no one starts out in life being mentally tough.  It is a skill we all have to develop in many different areas of life.

1000 RATED: What major mistakes do you think newer disc golfers make that affect their game negatively over the long run and how is it possible to go about correcting these mistakes once they are ingrained in players’ muscle memory? Personally, is there something specific that you’ve had trouble with over the years that has been hard to fix?

MARK: There are two common errors beginning players make.  One deals with throwing form, the other deals with getting into competition.  Let me start with the second.

When  is the right time to start playing competitively?  After a week or two of practice.  Not after a few years.  Not when you beat all your buddies.  Not when you throw over 400 feet.  I played my first tournament a week after I threw my first golf disc.

The clock does not start ticking on your development until you start playing with and against good players.  There are some players who play with their same group of buddies for years, which basically insure their game will stagnate for years.  The way to get better is play with good players.  Don’t be afraid.  Don’t be concerned you are not good enough.  Find your local leagues and tournaments and start next weekend.  Enter the lowest division they offer.  Try your best. Don’t worry about the rest.

The earlier you find good players the quicker you will learn and develop good form.  Those great Pros started the same way you did.  They didn’t invent the game.  They learned from good players or they would not be where they are now.  You will find most good players are happy to give advice to new players.

There are two things which are expected of new players.  Violate these rules and you will be treated like a rookie and good players will avoid playing with you.  First show great courtesy during play.  I’m referring to rules of courtesy, not just being nice to others.  You need to learn when it is your turn to throw and how not to distract other players when it is their turn to throw.  This sounds easy but is often messed up.  The more advanced the player, the more you can learn from them and the more they expect tournament level courtesy from others.  Rather than guess how to do this, ask for help in understanding the rules.  Most low level players, even tournament players do a poor job of courtesy.  What passes for courtesy in the Amateur divisions is very different than what is expected in the Pro ranks.  As a beginning player you should make it your goal to be the most courteous player out there.

Your second job as a beginning player is to not give up on yourself.  You will throw some bad shots.  You will throw some horrendous shots.  So be it.  No one starts out throwing like Ken Climo.  No matter how poorly you play keep trying hard.  Don’t scream and curse and kick your bag.  Control your temper and try to throw the next shot better.  I don’t care what others may do.  Those acting out are no license for you to do so.  Control your emotions and keep your head in the game.  You are on your way to becoming a good player and will be more welcome in groups you can learn from.

The second common error for new players deals with throwing form.  Most players rely on one throwing form too much.  Most starting players who throw backhand throw with a classic hyzer form.  In a classic hyzer form the player bends forward at the waist, releases low and follows through high.  So the disc goes out straight for a ways then hyzers strongly to one side (to the left if the player is right handed).  But a hyzer shot does not help when the fairway goes straight or bends to the right.  Now the player tries to use the same form and throws a flippier disc, hoping the disc will do the work.  Or he throws with the same arm and body motion and twists his wrist on release to get the disc to flip over.

It is difficult to describe in words what is obvious on a video.  The two videos we shot on backhand form and anhyzer shots address exactly this issue.  The short answer is that a player throwing a straight shot should keep their posture upright, not bent forward at the waist.  To throw an anhyzer do the opposite of bending forward at the waist, instead arch backwards.

So is good form essential?  No, there are some very skilled players who throw with poor form.  Which proves that with enough practice even poor form can be somewhat overcome.  But imagine how good those players could be with good form!

Watch great players and they use distinctively different throwing motions for hyzers, straight shots and anhyzers.  The better your form on a shot the larger your margin of error is.  So with good form you don’t have to throw it perfect to get it to work.

It is not easy to learn new form.  It takes time and practice and patience and trial and error.  You will get worse before you get better.  But the payoff is superb.

1000 RATED: What was your first disc golf experience and how did you initially get the proverbial disc golf bug? Also, when was it that you happened to become a part of Team Discraft and how did it happen?

MARK: I was 39 years old and looking for disc golf when it found me.

I have always been an adrenaline junkie.  When I was in high school I discovered the thrill of tournaments on the debate team.  I went to college on a Debate scholarship where I immersed myself in tournaments.  Later (for the next 20 years) I played in softball leagues and tournaments.  I also practiced law, specializing in Criminal Defense, which is an adrenaline junkies’ dream. Eventually I found racquetball, which is a sport which fit my limited athletic skills.  I got hooked on racquetball tournaments and played them across the country for six years, moving up through the ranks.  I was at the end of my racquetball career when I discovered disc golf.  In the sport of racquetball, if you win you get moved up and out of your division.  I got to the top of the Amateur divisions and was looking at the dead end of playing Pro.  Middle-aged, pudgy lawyers have no chance in the Pro ranks of racquetball where speed and quickness are critical.  So I was looking for my next tournament sport.

My racquetball buddy, Darren Harper, called me to tell me he found this new game called disc golf.  Off we went to Wagner Park in Royal Oak, Michigan in October of 1993.  I stopped on the way and purchased some golf discs but pulled a Whamo 165 gram Frisbee out of storage because I knew how to throw that from back in my college days..

When we got to the course I tested the new golf discs.  They didn’t fly right; they just hyzered hard to the left.  I told Darren these golf discs sucked and pulled out my old Whamo lid.  I could throw it dead-nuts straight, backhand, forehand, overhand wrist flip or between my legs and have it go up to 100 feet.  Darren was not impressed.  Not that he could do much better but he claimed to have met this guy who could throw a disc much farther and control it.  I was skeptical that anyone could control a golf disc.  It was then I was introduced to Gary Laura.  Unbeknownst to me he was the top Pro in the state at the time.  On his first shot Gary threw a Roc on a perfect line about 300 feet.  I was shocked. I was also hooked.  I knew I could learn to do that.  It’s just form and snap and practice.  I found out there were lots of disc golf tournaments and went to Addison Oaks for my first event the next weekend.

My early teachers were Gary Laura, Mark Bethel and Al Schack, all fine Pros with good form (Al is the reigning World Champion in Pro Masters).  They were nice enough to teach me and Darren the basics of the game and brought us along to tournaments.  Basically they recognized that Darren had mad skills and was destined to be a Pro (which turned out to be true, Darren is sponsored by Discraft and is employed by Discraft, molding discs) and they let me tag along.  I was happy to ply them with beer in exchange for their coaching.

While Darren had the golden arm with both power and a soft touch, I plodded along, slowly figuring things out. I had two major problems: no power and no putt.  My best drives barely covered 300 feet and I was the worst putter, maybe the worst putter ever.  Seriously, I had people tell me I was the worst.  My friend Gale Vaughn told me that not only was I the worst putter ever to play the game but that he could not bear to watch me putt because just watching me wrecked his putting game.

My coaches all threw backhand, so I did too.  After about 3 years of playing, my right knee gave out.  With the bad knee I couldn’t throw backhand drives so in order to continue playing the game I started teaching myself forehand, using the same form as a racquetball shot.

During my early years in the game it was obvious that my power was so limited I would not make much of a mark as a player.  So instead I contributed to events and organizations.  In 1995 I was elected to the PDGA Board of Directors as the Competition Director, and invested my efforts doing PDGA stuff, helping with the World Championships and running a few Supertour Events (now called NT’s).

As a player, I was graduating from Am 2 when my knee gave out.  Since I couldn’t drive with any accuracy as I learned a forehand, I jumped up to the Pro divisions.  I couldn’t have cashed in Amateur divisions anyway so I figured I might as well donate in the Pros.  At least I got to play with good players.  I was DFL (dead freaking last) in my first 17 Pro tournaments.  Not that I really cared because I was learning a new drive where I threw with good power.  It was fun to go from weenie arm to solid power.  I also went from being a right hander to a virtual lefty (righty forehand shots spin counterclockwise, just like a lefty backhand).

I served on the PDGA Board of Directors for 7 years.  During that time I chose to keep my Amateur status even though I played in Pro divisions for the last several years.  As I kept practicing my game was coming along so I had the thrill of cashing and declining the money sometimes.

While I sat on the Board, I purposely tried and threw discs from the various manufacturers.  But I lived in Michigan, which is the headquarters for Discraft and the owner, Jim Kenner, was a personal friend.  I had been off the Board for a couple years when Jim invited me onto Team Discraft.   I threw mostly Discraft by then and figured it would give me greater access to teaching and promoting the game so I accepted.  OK, the free discs didn’t hurt either.

1000 RATED: Who had a big influence on your disc golf development early on? What do you think are some of the most important lessons you have learned during your career that have made you a solid 970 rated player and why?

MARK: Hey. I’m a solid 979 rated player!  This is a higher percentile in Grandmasters than a 1000 rated player is in Open. Or put another way my rating is no great shakes in Open but it is pretty lofty for the old guys.  Ok, those are just excuses.  I admit it; it is my goal to hit 1000 rating one day.

The most important lessons I learned in sports came from my racquetball days.  I found a great coach, Stu Hastings, and took lessons from him for the six years I played the tour.  Stu taught me how to develop good form then practice it.  Not occasional practice but consistent, long-term practice. Before meeting Stu, I had played racquetball regularly for 16 years.  I was just an average hack in the YMCA and played with my buddies several mornings a week.

Once I learned good form on shots and started drilling (practicing a particular skill to exhaustion) I started chewing up the lower divisions in tournaments and trouncing the former deities at the YMCA.  But it wasn’t just me.  I watched new players come into Stu’s program who were terrible and within a year or two they were darn good.  When I started disc golf tournaments I knew with practice I could master the basic shots.  It never really occurred to me that I could succeed in the Pro divisions until I found a forehand drive that gave me the power to hang with the bigger boys.  And, of course, I had to learn how to putt.  And learn I have.  I will never be a great putter but I am a good putter (you know the old truism, great putters are born, good putters are made).

I have always been good under pressure.  Hundreds of tournaments and hundreds of trials in the courtroom have solidified that.  I realize that most of my competitors have superior athletic gifts but very few of them are willing to practice as much as I do.  Once I got sponsored I figured that if I was going to masquerade as a good player, I should give it a real effort.  So I have used it as a motivational tool.  Now I even cross-train. Don’t tell any of the old guys.

1000 RATED: Michigan is a vibrant disc golf state. This partly (much like Innova in California) has to do with Discraft’s influence on the area. On the other hand, a variety of clubs within the Wolverine State are flourishing and generating interest from players all all ages. What do you think other than Discraft’s influence helps push your membership rate? While both the Ann Arbor and Kalamazoo ranks help garner more attention to the sport, why is it this state (much like Wisconsin) can create such an enormous base? Does it have to do with available land; perhaps park interest and their willingness to work with the clubs? Also, What is your favorite part about being involved in Michigan disc golf?

MARK: Michigan is a hotbed for disc golf because of Discraft.  Jim Kenner and his progeny have had a hand in designing many of the courses in Michigan.  Having lots of courses is a good thing but having lots of great courses is a great thing.  Great courses grow great players.  Great players grow more great players.  It is a cycle.

Discraft has consistently promoted and sponsored the sport for years.  Michigan, being the home state of Discraft, has benefited immensely.  We owe an eternal debt to Jim Kenner for all he has done and continues to do.  And just like Innova’s impact in California and the Carolinas, we see a continuous flow of fine players and courses and tournaments come out of those areas.

Michigan has a large base of players because we have lots of courses with more coming every year.  Thank goodness for the new ones because our established courses get overrun during our few months of warm weather each year.

You mentioned Ann Arbor and K’zoo, which both have national reputations but there are new courses and tournaments popping up all over the State.  The western shore of Lake Michigan has Shelby, Ludington and Traverse City, all with superb courses, which could serve as a great venue for a future World Championships.  That area is a little slice of disc golf heaven.

My favorite part of being from Michigan is that I can play in tournaments year round and don’t need to run them myself.  There are so many strong clubs willing to run fine events that I can concentrate on being a player and a teacher, rather than a TD.

1000 RATED: This may go hand in hand with the last question. “True” winter golf is something a certain majority of the disc golf populous may never understand. While “Ice Bowl” founder Rick Rothstein may have stated “no wimps no whiners” long ago, the average Michigan player has a specific interpretation of this concept that others will always take for granted. What winter experiences have you and your comrades had to deal with over the years that others might be astonished by? Are you a winter disc golf aficionado or do you somewhat despise the snow bound links?

MARK: Baby, I play year round.  I actually like winter better than summer for golfing.  Summer has heat, humidity and bugs: the terrible trio.  The terrible trio can only be suffered through; they cannot be avoided.  In summer the public courses in my area are overflowing with players on nice evenings and weekend days.  Thankfully Jim Kenner and Todd White have private courses.

Winter has cold and snow and ice.  Those conditions can be endured with the right clothes and boots with ice cleats (sheet metal screws drilled into the soles).  Winter is only obnoxious at the end of the season when you are ready for a change and the calendar claims it is spring.

I have always liked playing the game in crazy weather.  So storms and big wind are fun for me and my die-hard buddies.  I am not a huge fan of rain only because it is very difficult to keep a good grip on my forehand drives.  I don’t really care if I get wet so long as I can keep a dry throwing hand and a dry spot on a disc but unfortunately that is more difficult than it sounds.  So rain is something I tolerate rather than enjoy.  Hard ice rain is the worst.

For golfers from warmer climates “ice rain” probably sounds like a weird term.  Sometimes the temperatures at ground level are below freezing or even quite a bit below freezing.  But in the clouds where rain forms, it is warmer.  As the rain falls it starts to turn to any icy substance until it hits and freezes on you and everything else.  When you get heavy ice rain and strong winds blowing sideways you have found some really tough conditions.  But those conditions only last a few hours.  It is not like high temperatures which may last for weeks or months in some climates.  So I would never trade weather patterns with Florida or Texas or Louisiana.  Now northern California or Oregon or Washington State, well, maybe I would trade them depending on the rain quotient.

So the challenge of winter is being able to play effectively in the elements but staying warm is normally easy to accomplish.  Summer is just uncomfortable.  The only really great season is fall.  I love fall.  I want fall to last twice as long.

1000 RATED: Disc golf content, information and quality instruction are changing with the availability of the internet, the constant need for disc golf data and the steady rise of passion for the game. Do you think it’s a possibility that we will one day see a school of disc golf or a highly coveted disc golf camp? If so, would you like to be a part of something like this?

MARK: I would love to teach and attend a disc golf skills camp.  If you look at the best players in the world in major sports, as good as they are, they still have coaches.  Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Lance Armstrong and Michael Phelps were reportedly pretty good at their sports and all of them had or have coaches.  We all could benefit from good coaching.  I would like to break down my form on video and see what it looks like in slow motion.  I would love to get good coaching on a backhand drive.  Maybe my knee has recovered enough to let me go back and develop at least some of it.  I probably could modify my form in a way that causes less stress on my knee.

There is very little formal instruction in disc golf.  It is mostly buddies helping buddies try to get better.  Eventually a disc golf skills camp will happen.  When it does, sign me up.  I want in.

I run mini-training sessions several times a week.  When I go out to play, before I step on the course, I organize little made up games to work on particular skills.  Today we practiced on midrange anhyzer shots.  I purposely seek out players willing to practice with me because solo practice is too slow and boring. Most players don’t want to practice.  They want to play.  Ok, I like to play too, but I find the game is much more fun if I play it well so, for me, that means I need to practice.

1000 RATED: We asked this same question to Steve Wisecup and we think it is also a perfect question for you. Where do you think the game goes from here? There are possibly a couple hundred thousand casual players on the courses, but only 12,000 or so current PDGA members. Is there anything you’d like to see happen that would continue steady growth - perhaps you can define and explain your personal manifesto on the way to pro disc golf exposure and/or pro disc golf fanaticism?

MARK: Disc golf is gaining recognition and popularity but it is a long way from attracting fame and fortune.  Disc golf will continue its current trend until a watershed event happens to the game.  I predict (let me adjust my crystal ball properly), the big event will come in one of two ways.  Either a corporation will adopt disc golf as its marketing tool or a major sporting goods manufacturer will jump into the disc golf market.  Will either event change us into a household name?  Probably not because we don’t have enough interested viewers.

All the traditional sports have one important thing that disc golf does not: interested viewers.  Interested viewers are people who want to watch the game and will seek it out on TV and/or buy tickets to watch it live.  We have a severe lack of interested viewers.  People who are not disc golfers will not watch it if it is free on TV and even fellow disc golfers will not pay to see it.

Without viewers, advertisers have little interest in us.  Does this mean that disc golf can never generate adequate interest to bring it to the mainstream?  No but we are not close at the moment.  This is no insult to the game.  I don’t love it any less because it is not popular with the media or the general population.

Disc golf has lots of things going for it.  We are new and cool and addictive.  The sport is growing very fast and we have the edginess of skateboarding or beer pong.  We attract the alternative lifestyle crowd and the kids love us.  We are also active and healthy and a favorite pastime of the old hippies.  Our charm is our most marketable feature.  In a couple generations our numbers of players will be our most marketable feature.

So when corporate America decides to smile upon the sport there will be a substantial, if momentary, upheaval.  And the corporation doing the investing will make whatever rules suits them even if it offends the old guard (that would you and me, we are the old guard).  Most of the top players will jump at the chance to make more money and they will abandon their sponsors and the PDGA tour in a heartbeat if that is what it takes based on the new rules.  So I see somebody stealing the Pros (or at least borrowing them) somewhere down the road.  That is fine.  The PDGA has always been about the Amateurs and the grass roots development of the game and will continue on even if the Pros go off on their own.

The new reality may not have much staying power.  The sport will gain some notoriety and exposure but it may not be enough to create what the sport really needs for long term legitimacy: interested viewers.

Disc golf lacks two of the ingredients humans are always drawn to: sex and danger.  Sports which have both will always do well (cheerleaders and sacking the quarterback).  Just one of the two is a good start (look at Beach Volleyball (sex) and Mixed Martial Arts (danger)).  If the sport has neither then it needs “common experience”.  Soccer and baseball are not all that exciting to watch unless you played them when you were young.  That is where disc golf needs to draw from, a “common experience”.  So a few generations from now as the sport continues to grow and it becomes something everyone tries as they are growing up we will grow an audience of interested viewers.

The good news is that we are living the Golden Age of Disc Golf.  It is still free and fun and unsullied.  We can easily watch the best players in the world, shake their hands and get their autographs.  Most good athletes, within a year or a few of diligent addiction can play the game at what passes for a Pro level.  Disc golf is a World Class hobby.  Except for the fun and the competition, it is not presently a good career.  But if I was a 20-something stud athlete I would do everything I could to live on tour for as long as the dream held out.

Look at what Dave Feldberg and Avery Jenkins have done.  They not only live the dream on the PDGA tour, they also got college degrees so they will be able to pursue a traditional career (if they choose) when the time comes.

While we are talking the pros and cons of the sport, let me mention this:  disc golf’s greatest attribute is not always recognized.  It is a phenomenal life time sport.  There are lots of sports which are good for young kids.  But very few sports stay with you and help you health-wise like disc golf.  Look at the benefits: good exercise, low impact, cheap, easy to build basic skills and lots of fresh air.  Oh, and one more, addictive as hell.  I am in my 50’s and most of my contemporaries have retired from athletic pursuits.  Yet old folks need exercise more than young kids do. In my opinion, few sport compare with disc golf as a life long pursuit.

1000 RATED: Can you tell us about your favorite things and players in the sport including your favorite 1000 rated player at the moment?

MARK: First I want to apologize to everyone and everything I am leaving out.  And I would like to thank my sponsor, Discraft, for making the worlds finest flying discs.

The Frisbee family has had a new addition in the form of a communication website known as DiscgolfersR.us. It is a social network, like Facebook for disc golfers. It resembles the PDGA discussion board but is much friendlier.   I would like to give a shout out to my friends there and Terry Calhoun for making it happen.

My favorite disc is the Rattler but I also love Magnets, Buzzz’s, Flashes, Crushes and Rogues.  My favorite disc golf artists are Tom Holsten, John Notenboom, Tony Kroes and Marnie White (I collect disc golf art).  My favorite doubles partners are Carleton Howard, Kenny Lee and Critter Bill Themm.  My favorite tournaments, past and current are the Big Freeze (Milwaukee, Wisconsin), The Wisconsin Team Tournament (Sandy Point Resort), the USDGC (South Carolina), National Doubles (Round Rock, Texas) and the Michigan State Finals (Ludington).

My favorite folks to play with are the old guys, Masters age and up.  Old guys are more fun and handle the competition better, that is to say we actually like each other.  The Open division has a harder edge.  So some of my favorite old guys to play with are  David Greenwell, Dr. Rick Voakes, Joe Mela, Jim Oates, J. Michael Barry, Scott Papa, Joe Gill, Chas Ford, Dave Dunipace, Leroy Jenkins, Lightening John Bentling, J-Bird Matthes, Eric Vandenberg, Stan McDaniel, Lavone Wolfe, Brian Hoeniger,  Bart Zandstra, Jim Schultz, Fast Mac Mc Kinney, Mark Martin, Kirk Yoo, Stork and Brad Hammock (If all these old guys were in one division, I probably come in last).  Oh, and every other old guy in Michigan.  Michigan has a really good group.  My favorite beers after the round are Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Bells Two Hearted Ale and whatever hoppy concoction Todd White is brewing at the moment.

If I had to pick one golfer who is 1000 rated and is a favorite then for sure I am going to pick a lefty because lefties have to compete in a righty world where the courses are designed against us.  Since Scott Martin is retired, I guess I have to pick Joe Mela.  Joe “The Technician” Mela is amazing.  His is a lefty without exceptional power but plays right hyzer tunnel courses with superb control, putting and has some of the greatest trick shots in the game.  He has perfect form.  He has fun when he plays.  His rollers are more accurate than my air shots.  I have only played with Joe a couple times but I have seen enough to know that when I grow up I want to be Joe Mela.  When I get old I want to be Peter Shive.

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: 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?

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?

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.

1000 RATED: A natural performer, you excel in many different areas and have a variety of talents. Comedy, freestyle, disc golf, juggling, rope-walking etc. - you’ve performed at Disney, on cruises, appeared on The David Letterman Show, ESPN, America’s Funniest People, and more. What is your favorite part about being a performer, and if you’re not using a disc or a Frisbee is there a certain talent or act you like to perform more than others? Can you also tell us a little about your David Letterman experience or any of your other TV experiences?

GREGG: There are a LOT of great things that go hand in hand with performing.  Travel.  The money doesn’t stink.  Meeting other talented performers and famous folks.  One of the best though is hearing the kid’s laughter. Laughing adults is also good (that means they’re probably not going to be kicking my ass anytime soon)

I like doing freestyle stuff in entertainment venues because nobody else really does it.  It doesn’t get big laughs but it does surprise people because most people’s expectations for anything “Frisbee’ is pretty low.

Many of them don’t know what to think since I don’t have a dog.

I have a ‘spy’ character juggling piece that is completely original.  In the right setting it works very well.

I started doing the first version of my slide show nearly 20 years ago and I quickly realized that I could no longer follow MYSELF!  I had to put it at the end of the show.  This gave me the flexibility to NOT juggle the bowling ball, machete & apple if I didn’t want to.

The Letterman experience was pretty bizarro.

After the Bud Light Frisbee team wowed everyone at the 1985 PDGAW in Tulsa, I kinda crashed their demo by stepping out and doing an impromptu juggling demo, which included a quick series of air-brush combos with a mini disc.  To close out that segment I did some breath tips.  As luck would have it, I did 29 breaths, which is the best I had ever done.  To further my luck, someone video-taped it and I found out about it.  I got a copy of the tape and sent it to Letterman in hopes of landing a “Stupid Hosfeld…uh Human Tricks” slot.

I was working at the hottest comedy club in the southeast, The Punchline in Atlanta, when I got the call from their coordinator telling me they had gotten my video-tape.    “Hey Gregg…that’s pretty stupid!  C’mon up!”

I had to ask the club owner for Thursday night off to do Letterman.  It’s the only time he ever actually laughed at anything I said.  Then he found out I wasn’t joking.

I booked a flight to go up and back the same day.  I flew into Newark (yech) and took the subway over to NYC.   I had a bit of spare time so I took in the Statue of Liberty.  The elevator was broken but I had no intention of taking it anyway.  I was an Ultimate player and well, we run the stairs, thank you very much.

Rather than put us in the green room with Chrissy Everett Lloyd, they put us in the prop room.  The segment would include 3 “Stupid Humans” but there were 4 of us.  They nearly bumped me from the show because I was only hitting about 10 breaths or so in warm-up/rehearsal.

They ended up bumping the guy who could do the ‘Tiger Woods’ golf ball taps and take off his jacket at the same time.  (pretty cool actually)  And I went on between the girl who played a flute in each nostril and another guy who played guitar and yodeled upside down.  Yes, a stellar trio if ever there was one.

For whatever, reason I didn’t have time to work up a good “nervous”.  The old NBC studio was much smaller than I would have imagined.

After Letterman offered to let the flute player stick things up MY nose, I went ahead and did my trick.  I only got a couple of breaths on the first attempt, but the 2nd was perfect!  Upon review of the tape, I had done 40 breaths.  I had never even done 30 before!  Of course they showed it again in ‘super-slo-mo’ as Dave said “Yes!  THIS is what we’re fighting for!”

What’s so cool about it is that on the screen, right between my lips and the mini, was the studio sign that read “On Air”.

Obviously I was really stoked because I was pretty sure that was a new record.  (not that anyone else really works on this)

Afterward, I took a cab to the bus station, a bus to the airport and flew back to Atlanta.  We docked at concourse D (farthest out) at 11:50.  By midnight I had run to my car and was 3/4 of the way out of the parking lot.  I drove 35 miles north to the comedy condo in a half an hour, set up my portable VCR and got it on tape!  (Letterman was on at 12:30 back then)

It amazed me how many people later told me that they NEVER watch Letterman but just happened to tune in that night.

1000 RATED: You have many notable wins, awards, records and accomplishments in both disc golf and Freestyle over the last 30 years. What are your favorites and why? Does your recent 2008 Grand Masters World Championship win mean as much to you as your 1987 Open World title did when you won it?

GREGG: In my eyes, winning the 87 PDGAW is the only reason anyone even pays attention to me in this sport.

For years, (and to this day actually) the biggest kick I got out of winning the worlds is just imagining how many Frisbee players around the world were saying my name like this…  “HOSFELD?!?!?!?!”

Being inducted into the Hall of Fame was pretty fantastic as well.  Billy Crump interviewed me briefly in Melbourne last year and asked about my future plans for disc sports.  I told him that I’m not going to stop competing, designing and building courses, promoting, doing demos and teaching until I get inducted into the Hall of Fame AGAIN!  (Was that pompous?  I can never tell anymore)

While this year’s GM win was the culmination of a LOT of hard work, and felt fantastic, it doesn’t compare to the “dark-horse” winning the open division in a sudden death playoff with the guy who pretty much lives AT the course.

Don’t get me wrong.  I am incredibly happy about how well things went on the 1Kdgt.  It was a very charmed summer.  I knew going into the PDGAW that beating Greenwell was not only going to be tough but I couldn’t really focus on that.  I played very well, but I also used up all of my luck and at least half of everyone else’s on Friday to erase a 6-stroke lead.

I still think DLG is the greatest disc golfer “BC” (Before Climo)

1000 RATED: Hailing from Florida, you have an opportunity to play in fantastic weather for a majority of the year. A lot of golfers may not have had the chance to play Florida’s courses or tournaments as of yet. What is it about Florida disc golf and the Florida tour that’s so special? If you had to move for some reason, what is it that you think you would miss the most?

GREGG: There’s no question that being able to play 12 months out of the year in pretty good conditions has played a role in keeping me into the game as heavily as I am.  When I started, Jeff Watson and Steve Slasor were the guys to beat.  Then I became the guy for a while.  Then it was Climo.  Now, John E McCray, Garrett Gurthie.  (since Climo usually just hits the A’s, NT’s and Majors)

The Florida Tour was called “The best state-level tour going” by Brian Hoeniger when he was in office.  We have 19 stops slated for 2009 but we’ve had up to 25.  Admittedly, the tour has lost a little steam but not as much as some might think.  Much of the tour is handled by a very few dedicated members (isn’t it always the way?) who understand that the FFT has become the glue that holds our clubs together to form a much stronger entity.  Each tour stop helps out the others, which is really the spirit we’re trying to foster.

Until very recently, Orlando was in a stranglehold by one guy running the show here.  There were no real out-reach efforts to charities or anything that I could see that invited the community to come out and play with us.  The Orlando Disc Golf Club formed a little over a year ago and we’ve offered an alternative to the ambivalence that has become the norm.  We’re still gaining a foothold but we’ve made some great progress.  And, I think the core group of officers is doing an incredible job.  The 2008 Orlando Open was the highest attended single-weekend FFT event of the year.

I have considered moving from time to time.  (I did move to Atlanta in the late 80s but came back)  There’s usually a fair amount of work for a variety entertainer here.  I’m getting pretty attached to T2 (the 2nd dg course at Turkey Lake), which I designed and am still working on.  I’ve invested hundreds of hours and I look at this course as a resume’ piece.   Losing the Gran Canyon course a couple of years ago was gut-wrenching.  There were soooo many ideas I wanted to implement.  Still hoping to find a very well-to-do disc golfer who loved the place as much as me.

1000 RATED: With over 1,000 courses played as of late November, you’ve had an opportunity to see some of the best (and perhaps some of the worst) courses ever developed. Are there some diamonds in the rough that you’d like to mention - courses that caught your eye that you never would have expected to be so great? What has been the best part of all of the traveling and playing new courses over the years?

GREGG: There have been a number of fantastic courses along the way… Boylan Family Farms was magical.  Winthrop Gold is just an enormous but fair challenge.  I am, of course, very biased toward the Gran Canyon course, but I don’t believe unjustly.  It was an awesome canvas to work with and once other Floridian disc golfers had a chance to see what I saw, I got a lot of help out there.

From the 1Kdgt a couple of courses stood out.  I was doing shows for Gary Auerbach who runs “Spinning Bees” Frisbee shows.  I had a show in northern Illinois and two days later another in northern Michigan.  I took the ferry from Wisconsin to Ludington, MI.  Doing my homework, I found that there were 3 courses in Ludington, but I’d only have time to play one before heading north for the show.  I flipped a coin and went left.  When I pulled into the parking lot for The Leviathan, I was under-whelmed.  That didn’t last very long.

It was a big course but a big arm wasn’t necessary to score well.  The multi-shot holes had well defined landing areas and the use of topography was as good as any course I had seen.  I liked every hole on the Leviathan disc golf course.  It was a real treat to play.

Just down the road an hour or two was another gem.  Flip City!!  This course, for me, was more about the feel of the place.  The work that Bill McKenzie has done out there should inspire people to kneel down and genuflect!  Again, some wonderfully creative uses of topography and the rock gardens/towers are just incredible.  There were a few “pachinko” holes but the other 15 were so good that it didn’t matter.

I had heard some complaints about Nockamixon but I really enjoyed it.  Hornet’s Nest (+ the web) and Rennie Gold also stood out.  Charlie Vettener pk in Louisville is a wonderful piece of work, as is Idlewild in Burlington, KY.  Pickard is another epic course that I’d play at any given opportunity.  And the Highbridge Complex is several people’s dream come true.  (I’d better stop…this could take forever)

The best part of playing all of these courses might be that I’ve been able to apply what I’ve seen to my game and to my design work.  After 1,000+ courses you get a pretty good feel for what works and what doesn’t.  I am not as often ‘pleasantly’ surprised with something well done as ‘disappointed’ with something that was done poorly.

Here is the WORST part.  After playing nearly 200 courses this year, I found (rediscovered, really) that a disturbingly high percentage of baaaaad courses are going into the ground. As much as 1/3.  Some due to lack of budget, but most due to someone’s pride or ignorance getting in the way.  There are a LOT of courses being installed these days but very few of them are moving the sport forward.  I believe the manufacturers are the ONLY ones who can do anything about that but it simply isn’t in their best (financial) interest to do so.  The PDGA could TRY to impose quality standards but they would fold without the support of the manufacturers.

1000 RATED: Both you and Ben Calhoun shared the experience of playing your 1,000th course together at the IDGC on November 18th. Do you think it was better that you both found common ground and decided to share the round as an historic event? What do you think about the fact that Ben has played 695 courses in the last year alone?

GREGG: I absolutely think it was a more fitting end to our respective journeys.  (Not that they are actually over)

I could have beaten him to the mark and, had I not blown my back out at the USDGC, I’m certain I would have.  The time I spent recuping gave me a chance to mull it over in my mind.  He had worked hard for it.  I had worked hard for it.  He was going to end up passing my record anyway.  People were lining up side bets as to who would hit the big 1K first.

I didn’t really know Ben, though I had read his blog from time to time.  So, I called him and talked to him for a while before presenting the idea.  I needed to feel that I could trust him.  After all, I was sticking my neck out with the offer.  He could easily have blown by while I was recuping.  But no internal alarms went off when I talked to him.  He seemed like an earnest kid and his record shows that he can stick to a plan.  So I threw it out there.  His reaction wasn’t what you’d call jubilant but I did detect a bit of relief.

He came through Florida and we hooked up at Barnett Park (his 600th of the year) and then to DeBary’s River City Nature Park before heading to a local sub shop to work out the details.

I think it’s amazing that Ben has played more courses in one year than ANYONE (but me) has played L-I-F-E-T-I-M-E!!!  I don’t believe there is another person out there who has played over 650 courses.  His persistence and dedication to the task are quite an achievement.  Do you have ANY idea how disc-plined you must be to average 3.5 courses a day, take a photo on each hole, and write about each course and post them each night?  I’m gonna go ahead and guess…. YOU DON’T.

1000 RATED: We want to talk a little about course design. You’re very passionate about this, have a lot of experience, and with 1,000+ courses played have done more fieldwork and research than most course designers will do in a lifetime. What do you think are the 10 most important aspects to consider when developing a new course and why? What kinds of mistakes do inexperienced course designers make when developing a course? Also, what is your favorite course you’ve ever designed and why?

GREGG: My favorite course design is a no-brainer…ANYONE that knows me already knows that answer.  Former IDGC office assistant Matt Gillis said “The Gran Canyon Disc Golf Course is one of the most spectacular courses I’ve ever experienced; like someone’s mad dream of what a perfect disc golf course can be.”  Shawn Sinclair said “”27 of the best holes ever assembled on one course” One of my favorite quotes came from Greenwell, who said “I wish I had more thumbs so that I could give it more than two thumbs up”

Course design ideology…in no particular order…

1. Before you expect to design a course…Find friends with temp baskets and take turns designing temp holes/ courses.  This should help you figure out some of the ABC’s of challenge and flow BEFORE you are called upon to demonstrate them for a permanent layout.  I did about a dozen of these courses with our “Have Course-Will Travel” events.  The experience was inestimable.

2.  Take your time in the discovery process. When you are walking the property for the first time (and and 10th) don’t get married to an idea too soon.  If you “cement” an idea immediately, you might miss a far better opportunity 15 feet away.  Get a very good feel for the property before committing to specific holes.  And, sadly, sometimes you have to give up on a great idea in order for the rest of it to flow.

As Spock said, “The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.  Throw long and prosper.”

The biggest mistake you can make is thinking… “Let’s just get it in the ground and we’ll fix it later.” Fixing a flawed design/install is far more difficult than taking the time to do it right up front.  Partially because the original install probably ruined many of the possibilities.

It is hard enough to get helpers to invest time in the course without having to re-enlist them to come out and do it OVER!  That’s where you hear this…“Sure, this course sucks, but it’s better than it was”.

You also hear this (Geez!) “Hey, everybody’s got to play it.”  As if uniform exposure to a bad hole/course somehow justifies it.

That said, you must be willing to go back and fix a problem. Every course evolves.  You will find very few exceptions to that rule.  Fixing one problem may create another one.  If a course is established, take time to try out solutions before committing to them.  Try temp tees with alt baskets without removing the permanent ones.  If you didn’t originally design the course, call the designer and explain the problem.  He may have had to roll the dice in a decision process and may have a solution.

3.  Let the trees and land tell you where the “natural” fairways are.  This is not golf design.  We shouldn’t try to clear-cut a forest to make a fairway.  Use natural arches.  Try to spare the healthy trees and look for ways to open up areas where there are already dead ones.

4.  Listen to (and ask for) suggestions.  (no matter how dumb they may sound)  I found that about 80% of what people suggest is either completely off base or hasn’t taken into consideration the surrounding factors that influence the flow of the course.  Another skill of a course designer is gently explaining to people why their ‘revelation’ won’t cut it….this time.

But don’t let your pride get in the way.  Too many courses are built by people who think, “how hard can it be?”  My experience has been, if you think it’s easy, chances are, you’re not giving it due consideration.

Also, if you’ve got a radical idea ask someone who’s been around the block.  Maybe they’ll have some valuable insights that you haven’t considered.  In fact, it’s pretty likely.

Oh, and join the Disc Golf Designer’s Group online.  It’s a very valuable resource with over 100 brains to pick.

5.  Safety issues are priority one.  We, as a sport, have been very lucky.  To my knowledge, there has never been a major lawsuit due to a disc golf related incident/injury.  But I get the distinct impression that we are running out of time. With the popularity of the beveled-edged discs (especially in the hands of players too new to the game to wield them) it is only a matter of time before someone gets seriously hurt.

All I can do when I’m designing a course is to say… “not on MY course”.  I am more concerned about the unaware passerby than another disc golfer on the course.  Maybe 70-30%.

Knowing how discs fly in the hands of a pro and a rank amateur is vital when laying out a course.  That said, Houck realized… “Imagine the worst possible shot on a hole and someone will throw one worse than that”.  It just happens.  All we can do is try to minimize the risk of injury.

6.   Try to balance the course but not at the expense of good flow and challenge.  The “6-Left, 6-Right, 6 Straight” formula is a good idea but I call it the “Fisher-Price” formula.   If your formula is slightly off that’s fine if you’ve got at least 15 quality holes.  And remember that just because a fairway turns left, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it favors a righty.  Also keep in mind that a righty backhand and a lefty sidearm may be spinning the same direction but the flights can be radically different.

7.   A course should reward skill…not luck.  Too many times I’ve heard people call their course an “equalizer”.  Meaning that a local am has about the same chance of scoring well (or poorly) as a top pro.  What this usually means to me is that the fairways don’t provide an adequate FAIR WAY for a well executed shot as opposed to putting one out there and hoping it gets lucky.   If skill doesn’t help, why did I practice for 25 years?

8.  Try to give them options off of the tee on at least 1/2 of the holes.  If a hole is wide open, a player has unlimited angle options to reach the pin.  On restricted holes, I like to try to provide optional fairway lines when possible.  I think this helps a player to expand his/her game and the course is less boring with more flight options.  Window-shopping is ok, but dual-fairways are better.

This is also another way to apply ‘risk v reward’ features.  A well-executed risky shot should have a strong chance to gain a stroke on someone who plays it safe.  Along those same lines, someone who decides to play it safe should have an opportunity to make a well executed to decent shot and come up with par.

9.   Be sure to keep the property manager informed of your progress and plans.  Remember, it is not YOUR land, so permission is paramount to gaining and maintaining their trust and respect.  A friend of mine just lost a project that he’d been on for over a year because the lines of communication broke down and he may have overstepped his boundaries instead of keeping them informed and asking permission.

10.   Never assume that the parks people know how to install the equipment.  There are only so many ways they can incorrectly piece together a basket and, unless they use the irreversible screws, it can be reassembled.  But you only have ONE shot at the cement slab.  Be sure that it is surfaced to your liking.  A tee pad should have a much rougher texture than a sidewalk.  Just because “Joe the maintenance guy” (Joe the Plumber’s brother) has worked with cement for 25 years, doesn’t mean that he’s worked with it for THIS application.  Give him his props but be sure he understands why the tee must have a grippy surface and show him how to do it.  For me, a poorly done tee pad falls into the safety issue category.

If the parks folks say they have some experience with course installation.  Find out which course and go see how that turned out.

11. Build the right course for the intended demographic. If there are no other courses in the area, chances are you want to design a course that will spoon-feed the newbies.  Conversely, Orlando had 3 advanced level courses when I started T2, so I designed the blue tees to challenge a pro level player and the red tees to allow an advanced player to score well and not intimidate the newer player.  A friend of mine built a course at a very popular privately owned park that holds massive music festivals.  He built a huge, arduous course through thick woods.  The attendees of these festivals want a fun round of Frisbee in between bands, not Homer’s Odyssey.

Don’t try to build beyond your level of expertise.  If you’ve never thought or played like a pro player, it make sense that you probably aren’t going to build a course that properly reflects the challenges suited to pro players.  If you don’t play at all, don’t even THINK about designing a permanent course.  Period.

12.  Do the follow-up.  You’ve taken the time to contemplatively design a course.  You’ve invested massive man-hours getting it installed properly with great tee pads, tee signs, “next-tee” signs, benches, bag holders, trash cans, bridges etc.  Now…for the love of the sport…Puh…lease… get in your car and drive to the nearest interstate exit and make certain that people have excellent DIRECTIONS to get to the park!!  It blows my gourd how many people invest their soul into a course but fail to tell people how to get there.  Granted, GPS helps but not all of us have them.  Nor do we all have the luxury of googling the address and printing out the results.  The directory should DIRECT us to the course.

Hints:  Start with the exit # where possible.  The first turn should signify polarity (North, South, East, West) from there ‘left’ or ‘right’ will do.  Give the street name and the route number for each road.  And list the mileage between turns.  I wrote an article many years ago called “Directions on how to give directions” in DGWN #32.  Cliff Towne and the PDGA directory endorsed and adopted this method in hopes that YOU the course designer or pro will take the time to ensure that people can find the course without zig-zagging aimlessly around town.   (Like Ben and I did all *&^%$#@!ing summer!!!)

13.  Think ahead.  Design LONG, build SHORT, expand later based on your plans.  Too often I’ve seen a course go in the ground without due consideration of what comes next.  If you’d like to have gold tees one day, put them in your master plan and make sure they work.  You don’t have to build them right away but if you don’t leave room for them at the outset, you’re probably going to be cramping up the course.

Also, many courses are installed 9 holes first and 9 later.  It is a very good idea to find out where the subsequent 9 are slated for and rough them out in your master plan so that your original 9 complements them.  (No, it’s NOT extra work.  It’s going above board now to save work in the future)

In a recent project, a parks department wanted 9 holes now and promised 9 later.   Based on that statement, I designed an 18-hole course (though I was only paid for 9).  In order to preserve areas that I felt were crucial to a decent flow, I installed the 9 holes that were closest to the parking area.  The subsequent 9 will branch off of different holes of the original 9.

This will change the # of every hole on the course but #1.  But I felt this bit of temporary confusion is far outweighed by making a strong first impression and securing the areas that we will NEED.   I wouldn’t do this in most cases but sometimes you have to protect your investment of time and sweat by doing something a bit out of the ordinary.  Which brings me to another important point.

14.  Remain flexible. I have several hard and fast rules about course design.  In order to make these projects work, I find myself breaking one or two each time.  Chuck K uses a ton of mathematical formulas in course design.  In my eyes, he views it as a science.  I prefer to think of course design as an art.  Art is intended to stretch your imagination.  Sometimes you have to go off the beaten path.  But remember… There’s a fine line between genius and insanity.

This is the most important piece of advice…

15.  Just forget about it and hire me. 407 701-9058.

2009?  Yeah, I’m open.

1000 RATED: Well known as Gregg “Mini” Hosfeld, you’ve been a supporter and player of mini disc golf for over 25 years. With the somewhat new Mini Disc Golf Federation and the first public, permanent mini disc golf course in Pennsylvania, do you think this activity will start to catch on with some of the more active disc golfers? Why have you always loved it so much?

GREGG: I think mini golf will pretty much remain as it has been; a fun diversion.  Disc golfers dig mini golf but very few of them are going to dedicate themselves to an investment of time to get really good or put gobs of energy into promoting it, though I’m glad to see Donny and Linc and the PA gang putting energy into it.  And it is a very fun community up there.  I had a blast playing those mini courses with Donny.

That said, I’m working on designing the permanent mini course at the International Disc Golf Center.  I have 10 holes flagged but to be honest, I still have to spend another few days looking at more areas.  The mini course will pretty much have to be squeezed between the existing 3 standard disc golf courses.  The new Jim Warner Memorial course wasn’t finished the last time I was looking for available land.  So I couldn’t really assess what land was suitable on that side of the complex.

I think one of the reasons that I got into mini disc play in general is that as long as I had a pocket, I could carry a mini with me.  It wasn’t really mini golf that got me rabid about minis.  It was more about freestyle…mini air-brush combos, breath tips, snaps etc.  At one point I had written down nearly 100 ways to deliver a mini disc.

Another thing we used to do back in the late 70’s and early 80’s.  Mini fights!!  We’d have 4 guys in a small bed-room with about 20 minis (lightweight wham-o’s ONLY) and just wail on each other for hours at a time.  It was just sick-funny!  My face would hurt from laughing.  (and getting hit)  But you couldn’t THROW them.  We either had to snap them or air-brush them. Jeff Watson could snap a mini 40 yards upwind.  So imagine what damage he could do in a 10×12 bedroom!

1000 RATED: The PDGA has been a big part of your life. Inducted into the Disc Golf Hall of Fame in 1998, your accomplishments have not gone unnoticed. What do you think the best asset of the PDGA is for disc golfers? On the other hand, what do you think the Association can do to bring in more memberships, retain those memberships, and attract more outside attention to the great game of disc golf?

GREGG: Being a governing body for the sport was the premise for the PDGA but they have become much more.  We look to the PDGA for guidance.  We can call upon the folks at the PDGA offices for connections (both business and personal).  They archive information that is valuable in promoting the sport and gladly dispense this info each and every day.  Obviously, the credibility of the PDGA has been soundly vindicated and validated with the opening of the International Disc Golf Center.

Sanctioning a tournament with the PDGA not only provides insurance but it also becomes an event where the statistics can be tracked and used to create rankings for players, tournaments and courses.

I’d love to offer up about 20 paragraphs on what the PDGA can do to bring more people into the sport.  All I can say is education.  Innova is doing the EDGE program, which the PDGA supports.

Marketing is a tricky thing.  I heard that Dr. Duesler brought in more money AFTER he was replaced as marketing director.  It takes a long time to build a relationship up with companies that are being romanced for their pocketbooks. I felt that when DGWN was the official mag of the PDGA, that was the single best marketing tool we had for the sport.

This may not be a PDGA thing per se, but the biggest thing we could do as a sport is find a way to gain a stronger presence in the private sector, outside public parks.  We need some venues that are not run by parks departments (government).  These people cannot operate outside their overly cautious parameters.  We need more private venues like Marshall Street, or Trophy Lakes where it is run like a business, brings in a LOT of players and shows a profit.  Only then will we see an interest in investing in the sport.

The PDGA will continue to grow either way, but an infusion of personal interest by someone in the position to open up privately owned public courses is what we need.  Publicly owned parks are just too bound by outside interests and a lack of knowledge of what it takes to move the sport forward. They have too many other interests to invest themselves properly.

1000 RATED: You recently mentioned on your blog that you gave thanks at Thanksgiving for all of the friendships and friends you’ve made all over the country. Can you talk a little about some of these friendships and perhaps tell some stories from the past that readers would appreciate?

GREGG: I’ve tried to do at least a little of that for the last 20 or so years in my DGWN articles, but I’m sure I’ll never be able to say enough about the folks who have played through in the fairway of my life.

Here’s a cool stat.  If I remember correctly (you’ll find that I preface statements that way frequently these days) when I was steadily working comedy clubs, I think I spent 340 days on the road in 1985. I sprung for a hotel room twice.  I had Frisbee friends all over who would put me up (and put up with me) I didn’t have a van that I could sleep in like I do now.

There are pockets of Frisbee family all over the world now, but a few in particular that I know I can show up at any time and be welcomed.  Kansas City is one of them.  Memphis, Atlanta, Jax… the more I list, the greater the chance that I won’t list a town where someone might expect me to.

Due to my vagabond lifestyle and my A.D.D. personality, many of my friends know that when I call them to let them know I’m coming into town, I’m not giving them a month or a week’s notice. It’s usually only a matter of a few hours.  More often than not, their doors are open and they’re asking when I’m coming back well before I take off.

This summer’s 1Kdgt was such a mad dash with my only $ coming from disc sales and tourney spoils.  I may have paid for a hotel room 3 times.  There were so many people who offered up a couch or a bedroom for this weary traveler.  To be sure, there were a few times when they only let me stay out of the goodness of their hearts but hey…that counts too.  For those of you hosts and hostesses who were so kind as to put me up this summer (or any time for that matter) thanks for making my road trips a bit more comfortable, affordable and enjoyable.

1000 RATED: If you could offer three tips to young players who are trying to raise their level of play, what would they be?

GREGG: 1.  Don’t expect a 50-year old guy to tell you what you want to hear.  Now, get out there and practice in a field and work on different types of upshots and putts.

2.  Learn to throw slower, understable discs until you can control them going straight, left and right.  Then move on to the next level of speed.  But KEEP the slower discs in your bag.  There is nothing more valuable in disc golf than a disc you can trust to get you up & down in two.

3.  Watch the big boys and figure out what it is about their styles you like.  Try to incorporate those styles or techniques into your game.

4.  (As if I could list just 3) Try playing in overall events.  It will expand your overall disc knowledge.

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

GREGG: Can I say ME?  Frankly, I feel pretty lucky to still be rated over 1000.

Actually, I never really put much thought into whom my favorite 1000 rated player would be.

It’s hard to not side with Climo simply because he is just so tenacious and the best that ever lived.

Feldberg is a very smart guy and he is doing some interesting things with teaching and learning within the game.

Avery is a huge talent and Nate has shown that his talent is absolutely for real.  I love the fact that these guys are getting involved in overall events.  There is no question in my mind that over-all skills give a disc golfer more depth.  Don’t believe me?  Ask Climo, Doss, Jenkins, Feldberg…

I think John E McCray is possibly the most under-rated player in the game.  Because he doesn’t travel extensively, he is not as high profile.  But he pretty much rules the Florida tour.  I know he is rapidly approaching his 100th open division win.

There are a lot of younger 1000 rated players that have impressed me over the last couple of seasons, like “Double G”.  I would like to go on record as saying that I was very pleased to see Nikko relax and settle into his game this year.  He has all the physical skills necessary to reel in the big events.  If he can stay calm and focused he’ll be a force to contend with.

DION: What is the best means of gaining skill?

AVERY: It’s all about repetition. As many times you can do a certain movement, or a certain action, your muscles respond to that and lock that motion down to being a natural move. From driving to putting, spending a certain amount of time each day will make your body dial into that spot. If you throw thirty foot putts all day long and by chance you find yourself a thirty foot putt on the course, you raise your probability of making that shot.

DION: What should one avoid doing while practicing?

AVERY: The thing to avoid while practicing is taking it for granted. You can’t go out there and start winging a bunch of shots and not really realizing where they are going. Not trying to aim or put them in a certain spot is a waste of practice.

When you go out there you should challenge yourself in many aspects of the game. I’ll go out and challenge myself by throwing a lot more sidearms - I’ll throw a lot of different routes that I normally wouldn’t throw just in case I did have to make that shot. On longer holes I’ll club down and throw mostly rocs or aviars and see if I can still reach the pin. It’s all about challenges and preparing for that situation in a real round.

DION: Is there such a thing as too much practice?

AVERY: It’s possible to find too much practice tiresome, your body gets tired, and your mind gets tired. You have to keep changing your practice up and try a variety of routines to make it fresh and interesting.

DION: What is your favorite type of practice?

AVERY: I like to go to a field and throw. The best practice you can do is go to a field and watch the discs actually fly the way they want to fly, not just the way you might make it fly to fit a particular hole.

1000 RATED: First off, we would like to congratulate you on winning the 2008 Players Cup. You came close in 2006; tied with Gregg Barsby with a 2nd place finish and 4 strokes behind winner Avery Jenkins. This year both you and Barsby were at it again, but were fighting for the lead. Down by a stroke going into the final day, what was your plan? We know you birdied 7 of the last 9 holes to secure the win, but can you enlighten us on what happened on some of those holes - Perhaps some play by play of the defining moments? Also, how does it finally feel to capture a Major after all of these years?

ERIC: My plan the final day was to just go out, have fun, and play the way I know I can. Gregg started the day with a one stroke lead, by hole 5 I had tied it up. It was a great battle between Barsby, Nikko, and myself. We just kept pushing each other hole after hole. I believe it was hole 7 where I took a one stroke lead over Gregg, and by this time Nikko had caught up to us trailing by only one. I went on to birdie five of the next six holes, Gregg and Nikko both birdied four of them, giving me a 2 stroke lead. This is when Gregg had two sick back to back birdies on holes 14 and 15 to tie me with 3 holes to play. We both carded Birdie 4’s on the Par 5 16th, and Nikko only back by one. I knew I had to really focus and get the last 2 holes for the win. Gregg saves a good 4 after his drive hits early wood and Nikko also Pars. I have about a 15 to 20 foot putt for the Birdie 3, I make it to go up by one over Gregg and two over Nikko with the tough Par 3 18 left. I pulled out my Pink Buzzz, which had been money for me the whole day. 18 is a blind shot with OB all around the basket. When my Buzzz turned the corner I knew it was going to be pretty close, and the crowd’s reaction let me know it was good. Gregg’s shot was a little tight on the right side of the fairway, but safe. We walked as a group up to the green and that’s when I saw my disc about 8 feet out. It felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders. It is an unbelievable feeling to finally capture that Major win, and cap off a great season. I’m really excited about 2009. This win will hopefully secure me a nomination for player of the year which will do wonders for my confidence going into next season.

1000 RATED: In 2008 You’ve competed in 32 events (15 1st place finishes) with winnings of over $27,000. It should also be noted that you won over $1,000 in 15 different events this year, and have cashed in the last 78 tournaments you’ve played in - dating back to November of 2005. Virtually doubling your previous best year of $13,000+, 2008 was a huge improvement, currently placing you 3rd on the money list. You competed in only 6 more events than you did in 2007, but the difference was substantial. How does it feel to have such a successful year after all the hard work, travel, and competition - has it soaked in yet? Other than the Players Cup, What are some of the highlights and memories from this year on tour that you’d like to share with our readers?

ERIC: I’m not sure if it’s soaked in yet or not, I do know this has been an amazing year. Touring around the country with Liz Lopez has been more fun than you could imagine. We played some top notch tournaments like, The Memorial, Beaver State Fling, Minnesota Majestic, and the Vibram Open. The Vibram was probably one of the best tournaments I’ve ever played, the atmosphere was amazing. Steve Dodge really knows how to cater to the pros. However I’d have to say by far my most fond memory from the road was earlier this year after the Texas State Championships. We scored some tickets to the Final Four in San Antonio to watch Kansas vs. Memphis. I am a huge Jayhawks fan so being able to witness them win a National Championship was a once in a lifetime experience.

1000 RATED: Just out of curiosity, what was your reaction when Chalmers hit that 3 to tie during the final few seconds of regulation?

ERIC: Needless to say, we went absolutely insane!  I’m pretty sure it was that time I lost my voice!  Rock Chalk Jayhawk!!

1000 RATED: Let’s go back through time and remember the day you found out about disc golf. Who introduced you to the game and when exactly did it happen - do you have a fond memory of this experience? At what point did you become serious about the competition and when and why do you think you really found your passion and desire to pursue this ongoing quest?

ERIC: I was introduced to the Disc Golf the summer of 1994, by three friends, Jim Ramsey, Mike Gentry and Don Carter. I remember going out to the local course and throwing. I was instantly hooked. I became serious right away, as a matter of fact, I played in a tournament shortly after being introduced to the sport. I played about everyday, and was getting better and better. In 2000 I turned pro after winning the KCWO in Advanced. It was such a great feeling, I knew then I wanted to take my game to the next level.  It was in 2003 I really found my passion and desire to pursue Disc Golf as a lifestyle. I finished 3rd place at the 03 Zboaz Open and got my first taste of a final 9. Playing in front of a gallery was thrilling. I was so nervous at the beginning of the round, but calmed down a couple holes in. I knew then I was going to work hard and do whatever it would take to play golf

1000 RATED: You’ve obviously been playing at the Pro level for quite a while and have become well respected and somewhat revered over the last 5 years or so. During this time you have most likely developed some great friendships, relationships, and interested acquaintances. Can you talk a little about who you’ve met within the game and what this has done for you and your level of play?

ERIC: Yes, I have met and developed a lot of great friendships while playing Disc Golf. Probably the most important was meeting Liz Lopez. I met Liz at the ZBoaz Open in Fort Worth, Texas. She has been a huge part of my life the last couple years and her support has made a real positive impact on my game. There is no one else I want to share this experience with more than her. We have pretty much been all over the Country the past two years. There are so many good people in the Disc Golf community that will do pretty much anything for you. Two of the people that stand out to us the most are Matt and Tracy Petre. We met them at the Texas State Championships, where they opened their home to us, since then they have become great friends of ours.

Another person I’ve met on the Disc Golf course was Jeremy Rusco with Dynamic Discs. Rusco has been a big part of helping keep me on the road. Dynamic Discs is a fairly new company. He spends most of his time running quality tournaments. You can check him out at Dynamicdiscs.com.

Travis Blasé, LD Aspegren, David Hemmeline, and Chris Smith are a few more good friends I’ve acquired while on tour. Each of them has had a positive impact on my game.

1000 RATED: Going along with this last question - out of all of the people you have met and been influenced by, what do you think is the most important piece of advice about the game you’ve ever been taught and why?

ERIC: I’d have to say the most important piece of advice I’ve received was from LaRon “the Who Man” Harris. I remember traveling to tournaments and always looking forward to watching the top pros battle it out in the final 9. I remember watching LaRon, Crazy John, Stokley, Climo, Downtown Randy Brown, among others. However, LaRon always stood out to me, and I really looked up to him. He always told me to be confident, and don’t play scared. If you think you’re going to miss a putt, or are timid about it, most likely you are going to miss it. I molded my putting style after him. Living in Kansas, made me spin putter, because of how windy it is most of the time.  He gave me the advice to always commit to my putt, find your chain and hit it. I still to this day tell myself to be confident and commit before every putt.

1000 RATED: If you could offer your own advice, what three tips would you give to developing players who are trying to raise their level of play?

ERIC: #1. Practice.  The best way to practice is to not just go and play rounds of golf. Grab your favorite stack of discs, go to an open field, and work on all kinds of different shots. If possible, take a video camera with you. It will be a lot easier to fix what’s wrong when you see what’s wrong. Another thing is, don’t be afraid to ask questions. Find your local Pro, he or she should be able to answer any questions you might have.

#2. Putting.  What it really comes down to is practice, and repetition. Find yourself a basket, and a few putters, I use the D Challenger. Stand about 15 feet from the basket, putt until you feel comfortable from that range. Then move back a few steps. Continue this process at least three times a week. About an hour of putting practice will become routine in no time. The biggest things to remember while putting is to follow through, and remain balanced at all times. Do this and you will see your putt improve.

#3.  Play.  Probably one of the best ways to improve your game is to play your local leagues, or minis.  It’s usually inexpensive, and as competitive as most local tournaments. Another good idea is to, if possible, play with golfers that are better than you. This will help you pick up tips and see different shots you might not have known about

1000 RATED: Over the last few years you’ve been quite a road warrior. This year alone you’ve played 32 tournaments in 16 different states (TX, NV, AZ, CA, KY, KS, MO, OK, IA, MN, CO, OR, MA, MI, SC, FL). Other than the competitive drive and success week after week, what keeps you going? Although you’ve had a monetarily beneficial year, what is it you do to make sure your keeping your expenses low while travelling? Also, Are there any interesting or funny stories from the road you’d like to share from this year or the past?

ERIC: Doing what I absolutely love week after week is what keeps me going.  I wouldn’t change anything.

It can be tough keeping the expenses low on the road. The best way is try and find a local to stay with, or camp out.  I’d say the biggest expense would have to be gas and food. There’s not much you can do about gas. I try to eat a lot of sandwiches while on the road. This can be a pain, but well worth it saving you some extra cash on the road.

Probably one of the most interesting stories I have from touring would be at last year’s Players Cup. After the first round, Liz and I decided we wanted to swim with the Manatees, which in Crystal River, Florida is a huge tourist attraction. We rented a canoe for 2 hours and started our journey. Neither one of us had been in a canoe in years, so it was a very interesting trip down the canal. We finally arrived to the Island and dropped anchor. Liz was going to jump in the water first so I held the boat steady as she slid into the water. Well, I did a very poor job of keeping steady, because the boat capsized, and all of our belongings fell out, including my keys. Thankfully the water was clear, but all the moss on the bottom made it very difficult to see anything. We searched for about an hour, when I was about to give up hope, a nice couple on kayaks came floating by and asked if we needed any help, I explained the situation and he was kind enough to help us out. Lucky for us, they had snorkeling gear, oh, did I mention the man was paralyzed from the waist down! He used weights to anchor himself to the sea bottom. Wow!  I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. After about 45 more minuets of searching, I figured it was going to be hopeless, when all of a sudden, the man emerged from the water with my keys in hand and asked, “Are these what you’re looking for?” I was speechless, I couldn’t believe he had found them. I tried to give them some money, or at least buy them dinner, but they told us not to worry about it and they were just happy to help us. Well at this point we had about 10 minutes to return the canoe or we were going to be charged for another hour. We headed back and didn’t even get to see one Manatee.

1000 RATED: You’ve had a chance to play a ton of courses during your last 8 years as a pro. What are some of your all time favorites and why? Is there something you can define that makes a truly original and captivating disc golf course?

ERIC: Some of my favorite courses include, ZBoaz in Fort Worth, Fountain Hills in Arizona, Jones Park in Emporia KS, Rosedale in Kansas City, KS, and pretty much every course in Des Moines, IA.  But my favorite course hands down would have to be Water Works in Kansas City, MO. This course has lots of elevation, and is a well designed course. Hole one is a sweet down hill 400+ foot hole with downtown Kansas City as a backdrop, If you haven’t played WW, put it on your to do list for sure.

I’d say, for me, what makes an original and captivating course would be one that tests every shot in your bag.  Hyzers, Anhyzers, rollers, tunnel shots, etc. not a course that you can throw 18 Hyzers or just bomb over the top of everything. A good example of this would be Milo Mciver Park in Portland OR. This is a great course with breathtaking views and does truly make you throw every shot. For me, a good course is also a well kept and maintained park where there is not a lot of trash, and it is well groomed.

1000 RATED: We’ve asked this question to the last two Major Champions - Doss and Feldberg, and we think it is also a great question for you: 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 in front of Eric’s answers)

ERIC:

Who makes you nervous and gives you the biggest push?

Ken Climo for sure! Why? Because he’s the man! 12x World Champ, come on Climo IS Disc Golf. They don’t call him the “Champ” for nothing.  I enjoy playing with Kenny and think he gives me the biggest push because if you’re keeping up with him, you’re doing something right.

.
What player seems to drive you to play better during a round?

Without a doubt, Cale Leiviska. I’ve played a lot of golf with Cale over the last couple of years and not only is he a solid player, but he is always pumping the card up encouraging everyone to tear it up. I know if I’m playing bad and Cale’s on my card he will easily light a fire under me and get me back on track. Thanks Cale!

Who do you or would you like to beat?

This is a tough one, but I’m going to have to say Dave Feldberg. I mean he has been pretty clutch this last year winning Japan, and Worlds, not to mention his NT victories, and currently being ranked number 1 in the world. If you beat Dave, this usually means you finished somewhere toward the top.

Who makes the round fun?

Travis Blasé always makes the round fun. He just seems to have a certain laid back humorous attitude, that makes for an enjoyable experience. Numerous times I have finished a round of golf with Blasé and spent more time laughing than anything else.

1000 RATED: Our last question is always the same - Who is your favorite 1000 rated player at the moment and why?

ERIC: I’m going to have to go with Steve Rico on this one. I’ve played many rounds with Stevie this year and think he is one of the best players on tour, not to mention he has a great personally on and off the course. It sometimes seems like he doesn’t get the credit he deserves. He’s been playing for a long time and is a very consistent player.  His explosive power off the tee is always amazing to watch.

I would like to finish with thanking you for all you do, I really enjoy reading all your articles and interviews.

1000 RATED: During the first half of 2007 you virtually tore up the competition in the Advanced Women’s division with 8 first place finishes in 12 events, including a 35 stroke lead at the Minnesota Majestic, a 10 point lead at the Discraft Great Lakes Open, and a 37 stroke lead at the Kansas City Wide Open. Quickly picked up by Discraft after the 2007 World Championships, how did this boost your confidence coming into the 2008 season, and what have you learned over that time frame that has helped you compete against some of the best?

LIZ: Being picked up by Discraft definitely boosted my confidence because I felt my performance as an amateur was noticed and rewarded with a spot on their team. Knowing they believed in me helped motivate me to practice and try my best to perform well in the open division. In the very beginning I would get extremely nervous to the point of nausea. I thought I was the only one that felt like this and it was difficult getting past it but after talking to a few of the girls I learned that even the seasoned pros get nervous. Hearing that made me feel a lot better about it and after a while I was able to overcome the nerves and turn it into positive energy. Being able to do that was important because it has helped me feel comfortable playing alongside the top pros.

1000 RATED: You’ve played 30 Pro tournaments so far this year with $6,690 in winnings. That’s impressive for a first full year on the Pro Women’s tour. How exciting has this been for you and what are some of your favorite memories from 2008? Is there anything specific you’re hoping to accomplish in 2009?

LIZ: This accomplishment is very exciting for me because coming into 2008 my goal was to cash in at least half of my events and make at least 2,000 dollars. I didn’t realize how low I was setting the bar for myself. This whole year has been so amazing being able to take time from school to travel the country. I have seen so many beautiful places and met so many wonderful people. I have taken memories from every event this year but some that stand out for sure would be my time at the Memorial, The Vibram Open and The Players Cup. The Memorial was especially memorable because it taught me so much about confidence. It was the first NT of my pro career and so my only goal was to not get last. After the first 2 days I had scored well enough to land the last spot on the lead card. It was extremely shocking to me that I was going to be playing with THE best women in the world. I was feeling really anxious and nervous because I felt like I had no business being there and was terrified of making a fool of myself. Luckily Eric was there to calm my spirits and remind me that I did belong there and I needed to believe I belonged in that group. I took lots of deep breaths to make the shaking go away. I knew all I needed to do was give it all I had. I ended up with a third place finish and a new outlook on the season ahead. The Vibram Open was just a top notch event; I can’t even compare it to anything else. Steve Dodge is the man, that’s really all I need to say. The Players Cup was especially memorable because I got to see my best friend win his first Major! Shout out to McCabe! It was bittersweet because I had finished 4th, which was my best finish at a major, but it sadly marked the end of my rookie season. Some goals for 2009 include winning rookie of the year, winning an NT, and hopefully playing as much as I did in 2008.

1000 RATED: A volleyball player in high school, you obviously took some of this athletic inclination and technique on to the disc golf course once you started playing. How do you think this helped you transition from a sports hobbyist to a disc golf pro? Do you think your game would have developed as easily without this pre-seasoned hand eye coordination and competitiveness?

LIZ: I have always been a competitive person and so when disc golf came along for me I knew it was only a matter of time before I pursued the sport beyond a hobby. I definitely feel that my volleyball background contributed to the development of my game. I don’t think I would have picked it up as easily had I not been active in sports. I was an outside hitter; so much like volleyball disc golf requires a good run up and follow through. Like any sport practice is essential in developing your skills. I knew that it would take more than just playing rounds to get me to the level of play I desired.

1000 RATED: The Pro women of the sport are dying for more competition, better payouts and more recognition. It goes unsaid that some tournaments have a decent turnout with a nice purse - yet others may only have a few players and a winner takes all scenario. Some things may need to change in order to help the sport attract and retain these Pro Women. Do you think Juliana Korver’s new La Vie En Rose tournament is a step in the right direction?

LIZ: I feel like any event that is geared specifically towards women is a wonderful idea. There are many women that play and we are just scattered all over the country. Events like the Texas Women’s Championship, Women’s Nationals and now La Vie En Rose is a great way to bring the women together to promote the sport. It is so refreshing to see other women who share the same love for the game as you do. There are only a handful of women that actually tour so attending these events is a special opportunity to meet women from all over the country. I know it makes me feel special and blessed knowing we are appreciated as women in disc golf. The TD’s of these events go above and beyond to make it a great and memorable experience.

1000 RATED: Who in particular has given you the most help during this journey over the last few years? Are there any players you’ve looked up to and learned from that have really helped you develop your game? If you can narrow it down at all - What do you think is the most important thing you’ve learned so far?

LIZ: Eric McCabe is the person who encouraged me to hit the road and pursue my goals in this sport. In 2007 when he was about to leave on tour he took me along for the ride and we just never looked back. He inspires me everyday to do my best and never to settle. Just getting to play with him everyday has elevated my game to a level I wasn’t expecting so soon. He is a great teacher and motivator. I don’t have much family support in this dream and so I am very grateful for the role Eric plays in my life.

I look up to Juliana Korver, I’ve never had the honor of playing with her but just seeing her accomplishments and the way she presents herself as a woman really inspires me. She brings such a positive image because she is well educated, talented, and beautiful. I have also looked up to players like Nate Doss and Des reading. I learn so much just watching players like these compete. I try to soak in as much as I can whenever I get the opportunity to play with Des or watch Nate on a lead card at a major.

I think the most important thing that I have learned is that everyone has bad rounds. No one can ever really say they played perfectly. Bad shots happen and the best you can let them go and forget about them the better off you will be. I have seen players rounds go down the tube after a bad hole because they get so angry and dwell on the bad shot it sets the tone for the rest of the round. You can’t dwell on bad shots or bad rounds. The true test is bouncing back from them. I feel like this has helped me so much with my game because I can let things go easier than most I think.

1000 RATED: Since you have a chance here to offer your own advice, what tips can you offer to the women of the sport who are trying to raise their level of play?

LIZ: I would say that playing a variety of courses really helps you to raise your level of play. Try to stray away from your home course and play other courses that may be in your area. If it’s the only one then make up your own holes and play safari golf. This helps a lot with learning new shots. When you play the same course all the time you’re just conditioning yourself to throw the same shots over and over. It is also a good idea to play with people who are better than you. This helps you see what you can work on as far as technique and help tighten up all the loose ends. Most importantly is your mental game. Staying positive goes a long way. We have to be our biggest motivators. If you don’t believe you can do something then you can’t. It’s as simple as that.

1000 RATED: Based in Texas, you have a chance to play with a lot of different types of people, a variety of courses, and some of the best tournaments in the country. Can you talk a little about your experience locally and how this has shaped your readiness for tournament play across the country? Are there any courses and tournaments you just couldn’t do without in your area, or do you think the traveling across this land has done more for your game overall?

LIZ: When I started playing disc golf, I didn’t have much coordination as far as technique went. When disc golf became more a part of my life I joined my local club and they helped me develop my style of throwing. They were very supportive and encouraged me to play tournaments outside of south Texas.

There are so many wonderful courses in Texas. I definitely love Cedar Hill and Lake Lewisville. North Texas disc golf is just amazing and the tournament scene is pretty huge. I enjoy anything Dynamic Discs puts on. Jeremy’s events are always amazing and bring in record numbers. The Texas State Championships is one of my favorite events as well. It is held in the Houston area and also attracts many players.

Overall, I feel like I have learned more from my travels than at home mainly because I have spent most of my disc golf career on the road. Playing such a variety of different courses has helped me develop new shots as well as disc selection, which I didn’t have before. There is also more competition playing the NT’s and Majors than locally. Playing with different people helps you learn and make sense of why you would throw a particular shot in a given situation.

1000 RATED: Before Disc Golf, what did you study in school or intend to do with your life?

LIZ: Before disc golf I was an education major. My plan was to teach English and coach volleyball. I had no idea that another sport could replace the passion I had for that. After taking a year and half off school to travel and play tournaments my plans have completely changed. I have fallen hard for this sport and hope to be able to travel as long as I can. Teaching won’t give me the freedom to do that so now that I am back in school I am finishing up my basics until I can figure out what I would like to do instead.

1000 RATED: Is there anything you hope for the future of this sport? Do you see things growing more and more over the years? Also, from a player’s perspective, what do you think the PDGA can do to boost membership and player interest?

LIZ: I hope that it would one day become part of the Olympics. I know we are a long way from that but I always dream that would happen while I am still able to play. I feel like the sport is definitely growing each year and more people are aware of what disc golf is. There are enough new members and courses going up each year that I don’t see it slowing down. I think the PDGA is doing a good job as far as what it offers to its members. I think the Drive for the Championships was an awesome idea because it gave us the opportunity to compete for points and incentive to do so with a cash reward at the end of the year. I think if they developed a system similar to this for amateur players they would boost some membership and player participation in tournaments. Its always fun following your favorite top pros during the race and I think it would be great if ams could be a part of that.

1000 RATED: Who is your favorite 1000 rated player and why?

LIZ: I’m gonna have to go with the obvious choice on this one. Hands down Eric McCabe, I mean he is my favorite person period. He is a quiet spirit but has been able to make his presence known around the country with his many victories and great finishes. He has been flying under the radar for a few years now but with his first Major win at the Players Cup he is definitely going to be a force to reckon with in 2009. I admire his humility as a player and how down to Earth he is. He has been the most encouraging person in my life and I appreciate that more than he knows. Everything he has done and every piece of advice he has given has helped shape the person I am today.