🍻 Cheers to the PNW
Stumptown, Squids, and Store Credit
Hello and welcome. This is The Players Meeting, where you actually want to pay attention without all the OB explanations.
Email Read Time: 5 Minutes & 21 Seconds
If you missed the Memorial Day recap, then I got you: "2nd Best DG Country"
Let’s get into it.
Legends Behind the Mic & Beer
Since stepping away from play in 2018, Nate and Valarie Doss have been busy. They run award-winning Bevel Craft Brewing in Bend, OR while keeping up with the DGPT.
On PDGA Radio, the couple talked up their past and future. As 1st-year commentators in 2019, they worked every event side by side, learned a lot, and endured criticism - constructive and sometimes not.
But even as they live vicariously through players, the heartbreak and glory hit just as hard. Nate has noticed the shots required on Tour haven’t changed, BUT the number of players who execute them has gone up.
And while experiencing that through a screen, they made it their mission to recreate the family vibe that existed on Tour. Bevel is intended to be a local gem micro-brewery where visitors and residents can feel at home.
Those attending Portland this weekend will taste local flavor through 2 beer releases. The “Holy Shot” collaborated with James Conrad is an American IPA. And the “Full Send” pale is a collab with the local renowned brewery, Von Ebert.
These combined 7-time World champs have come a long way, and there’s no end in sight.
Portland Open
PREVIEW (6/2-5)
The DGPT’s home for the next 2 weeks is the beautiful Pacific NW. Known for its cool, wet climate, expect to see lots of mature trees and wet grassy rollers.
The event starts today with 2 rounds at Blue Lake followed by 2 more at Glendoveer East golf course. Blue Lake is a historical course, while the golf course hybrid has a new layout this year.
If the words “2014 Worlds Playoff” don’t raise your heart rate, then stop reading right now. Educate yourself by watching Paul McBeth & Ricky Wysocki put on a clinic for 5 holes. *Spoiler alert* McBeth wins his 3rd World title.
On the flip side, Glendoveer - designed by Dustin Keegan - has seen glowing reviews from many players. Counting down the hours before we see if the hype is real.
Nowhere on tour do we get to play a golf course this wooded and shaped, it’s truly special. - Cynthia Ricciotti
LAST YEAR RECAP
MPO/ It started and ended as a battle between the 3 generational greats: Eagle McMahon, McBeth, and Wysocki. But between, Kevin Jones held a 2 stroke lead over the field until Final Round, Hole 15.
Tragedy struck for KJ in the form of 2 cage hits, 2 rollaways, and an OB stroke. After watching that, McMahon kept it clean for the last 3 holes and tapped in his 3rd victory of the 2021 season.
FPO/ With the Europeans missing, it was the Paige Pierce and Catrina Allen show. Pierce’s 4 stroke lead into the final round gave Allen the motivation to make it interesting.
The pair traded the lead back and forth until the mid-round stretch. Pierce went on to win by 3 strokes averaging a 1006 rating that weekend.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Another event, another week without McMahon. And to add to our sadness, Wysocki dropped out due to his swelling knee.
That makes Drew Gibson the last Portland winner from 2019 still standing. His elite distance and pinpoint rollers come in handy at both courses. Don’t let the McBeths and Heimburgs distract you, cause Gibson will be in the mix.
You’ll be able to watch live all weekend on DGN. Or on next-day coverage from JomezPro, Gatekeeper Media, and GK Pro.
A Series of Unfortunate Events
The full story of the Kansas City Flying Disc Challenge shooting was told by the TD Michael Krueger on SmashboxxTV:
MPO & FPO started their 2nd round at Cliff Drive on Saturday
A card was approached by a random man while playing a hole
After asking what they were doing, the man followed them and for no reason pulled out a gun
A player noticed and immediately shouts, “Gun!”
All 4 players scatter and run for cover
He proceeds to shoot several times and hits Jake Riley
The suspect was arrested soon after at a neighboring park
Riley’s still in the hospital after extensive surgeries and will have a slow recovery
An unrelated, but similarly tragic incident happened in Florida on Tuesday. A local disc diver known as Rocstar was found deceased with an arm missing at Largo Park.
He’s known by the community to search & resell lost discs in these waters at all times of the day and night. Many were concerned for his safety and thought this tragedy might happen due to the gators.
Be careful all you squids and water dogs out there, especially in Florida or Louisiana. RIP Rocstar.
Random Dubs
1️⃣ Supposedly, this year’s DGPT Championship in October will not be held at Hornet’s Nest DGC. There hasn’t been an official statement, but members of the Charlotte DG Club have confirmed it was canceled by the Parks and Rec Dept.
Don’t fret though, Charlotte is home to many champ-level courses that will allow an easy switch. Or is it time to move on from the “DG Mecca” and have a new city host the finale for a few years?
On The Nick & Matt Show, Hannah McBeth suggested New London Tech DGC (McBeth designed) as the perfect venue to test the top men and women. Time will tell when we hear from the DGPT officially.
2️⃣ If you’ve ever played a tags round, then you know the dread of being the 1st card finished. You have to wait around for tags re-distribution, while your stomach is telling you to get home for dinner.
A Redditor spent a year creating the Bag Tag Breakdown app to save you time, energy, and stress. Until UDisc develops a similar feature, see if you can incorporate it into your leagues.
Meme of the Week
Thanks for reading today. Get out and win some store credit this weekend!
- Charlie
What'd you think of this today’s edition?
Thanks for the shoutout! Bag Tag Breakdown removes all the hassle of signing players in and calculating tags. Players join on their own and enter their own scores so the league manager can focus on other things. I would love feedback and I hope you find it useful. -John