🚷 The foot fault seen round the world
Mountain Hikes, Frisbee Golf, and Marine Mammals
Hello and welcome, this is The Players Meeting. The only email you look forward to cracking open.
Email Read Time: 4 Minutes & 58 Seconds
If you missed the BSF recap, then I got you: Beaver State Downpour
Let’s get into it.
Too Close to Call
Last weekend the US Amateur DGC played at the famous Toboggan course. On the final hole, Ilkin Groh sunk a questionable step putt forcing a playoff with Paul Krans.
The playoff continued for 7 holes until Groh drained another questionable step putt to win. PDGA’s two clips of his putts put “internet rule marshals” into an uproar.
From the footage, it looks like he lands his front foot before releasing and his back foot is off the ground. You’ve seen it. You’ve made judgments. But Groh isn’t at fault here.
Sure, he should go the Chris Dickerson route changing his C2 putt to clearly follow the rules. But this comes down to an unclear and “bad rule.”
SmashboxxTV believes the current PDGA rules can create “too close to call” situations. And as a result, most players opt to call nothing.
So does the rule need to be changed? What would make it better?
The PDGA could allow the DGPT to have a different set of rules. Brodie Smith and Jeremy Koling have both advocated for changes that make more sense for the highest competition.
Otherwise, The Upshot's Charlie Eisenhood sees the cleanest solution as expanding the “putting area” to C2 making step putts legal from outside 20m (66ft).
So the debate will continue on and on until the PDGA decides to change the rule or enforcement. And we’ll continue to throw plastic circles at metal chains regardless.
Match Play Championship
PREVIEW (6/17-19)
As of OTB Open, the top 16 MPO & FPO players got invited to the 2nd annual Match Play event. Not every top pro accepted, so it’s more like the top 25.
The format includes 4 pools of 4 players for 3 head-to-head matches per person on the 12-hole mountain course. After Friday & Saturday, only 1 player from each pool will advance to the final day.
On Sunday, the Final 4 will determine the top 2 competitors. Then the pair will battle for the title that same day.
The players who declined the invite:
MPO: Calvin Heimburg, Ricky Wysocki, Chris Dickerson, Paul McBeth, Drew Gibson, Matt Orum, Emerson Keith, Chris Clemons, Corey Ellis, Thomas Gilbert, and Casey White
FPO: Kristin Tattar, Paige Pierce, Catrina Allen, Valerie Mandujano, Jessica Weese, and Kona Panis
Especially on an elevation heavy CO course, stamina physically and mentally will play a larger role this event.
LAST YEAR RECAP
MPO/ In Hellertown, PA, the 1st Match Play Championship took place with a quick 1-and-done format. Solid players like Ricky Wysocki and Kevin Jones were knocked out after one match.
Calvin Heimburg out-dueled Eagle McMahon to cash in on the $10k payout. The cutthroat playstyle allowed for players to take aggressive lines and bang some throw-ins.
FPO/ Only 8 FPO players were invited last year. Paige Pierce ended up against her bestie, Missy Gannon, and outlasted her to walk away $10k richer.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
The Coloradans (Aaron Gossage, Joel Freeman, & Missy Gannon) will have an advantage with the elevation and style of course.
Due to the 7,700’ elevation change between events, all players will be adjusting. The minor differences in disc flight could be enough to put them in uncomfortable situations.
You’ll be able to watch live coverage all weekend on DGN. Or Sunday’s finale live at the DGPT YouTube channel.
The Friz Whiz
The Nick & Matt Show hosted John “Friz Whiz” Kirkland who has a DEEP history with frisbee and disc golf. His many accomplishes include:
1974 World Distance Champion (275ft)
Men’s Overall World Frisbee Champ in 1977
Voted the Disc Athlete of the 70’s
Performed halftime shows at NBA games and pre-shows for the Harlem Globetrotters
PDGA #100
Father to Cody Kirkland who you’d recognize from Goat Hill or OTB Open coverage
With all those things in mind and seeing how far disc golf has come, The Friz Whiz wants you to remember why you fell in love with the game. There’s something about throwing a disc that makes it meditative or fills us with curiosity.
Out of his 15,000 disc collection, his favorite is the one currently in his hand. It was a history-filled interview and worth the hour watch (half that at 2x speed).
Random Dubs
1️⃣ After a 10 week break from pro play, Heather Young jumped back in with a 2nd place finish at the TN State Championships (6/3-5). After TX States, she announced her indefinite break due to falling out of love with the game.
Could we see the purple loving lefty back on Tour? She’s still signed up for almost every stop through Worlds but that could be leftover from her abrupt exit.
2️⃣ This was a week of back to backs. OTB Tour Skins had another ace after the long drought. Cole Redalen threw in a newly bagged Wild Discs Sea Otter (2|3|0|2) on Hole 5 at Milo East.
This happened days before his 4th place finish at BSF, so maybe some good karma carried over. He didn’t win $10k like Gavin Rathbun but still went home with $2.5k.
Meme of the Week
Thanks for reading today. Get out and empty your bag this weekend!
- Charlie
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