🗣️ The Polarizing Darkhorse

Big Goats, Dark Stars, and Local Casuals

May 10, 2022

Hello and welcome. This is The Players Meeting, where we cut your disc golf sandwich into little triangles for you.
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If you missed the Wiggins Profile, then I got you: Mr. 1108

Let’s get into it.

Get Freaky™️

Whether you love him or love to hate him, Brodie Smith is here to stay. There’s no denying he has opinions and isn’t afraid to voice them, but you can’t question his purposes.

Last week, Smith spoke on The Trevor Staub Show to “tell all” about his goals and opinions. Like other pros, he wants to be the best and has one thing on his mind this season: Win a Pro Tour event.

Last week he crossed off the “podium finish before 3 years” goal, and a win seems possible if he continues to grind. Smith’s athleticism and golf mentality are undeniable contributors to his rise.

As for his hot takes, he had many when he 1st started in 2020 but has walked back a few. Here are some still left in the tank:

Ratings need to go away. They have too many impacts on pros (sponsorships, event attendance, etc.).
Redistribution of purses. Higher payouts at the top instead of deep cash lines.
Every event should have a cut before the final day (including 3-days).
Separate the PDGA rules from the DGPT. PDGA governs every casual player and tournament. The rules made for them don’t always make sense for the Pro Tour.

At the end of the day, Smith has already done a lot for disc golf in 2 years. While his opinions might be polarizing, they come from his many backgrounds and have value in them.

The future of his career will only go up, and our sport will join him.

Challenge @ Goat Hill (A-Tier)

Gatekeeper hasn’t released post-produced rounds for The 303 Open, so that won’t be covered. But if you’re interested in the results, then take a peek here.

RESULTS - 🏆 ALDEN HARRIS & OHN SCOGGINS

With the Tour on an off-week, there were some new faces popping onto coverage. Luckily we were treated to the smooth duo of Philo Brathwaite and Ian Anderson on CCDG. And they were bringing us back to our roots with fun, casual commentating.

Beautiful Oceanside, CA hosted pros looking for an off-week event full of long drives and hills galore. After grinding every week since Vegas, Alden Harris made the push to 1st on Saturday with a -13 round (1068 rated).

From there, Luke Samson & Drew Gibson applied pressure throughout the final round. But keeping calm and confident, Harris won with 1 stroke over Samson.

Overall, it was Harris’s weekend. By making all the putts he should with minimal mistakes, he averaged 1049 rated golf. If he can continue this grind, then we’ll be seeing much more of him.

STANDOUT PLAYERS

These players stamped their tickets to the USDGC & TPWDGC:

Luke Samson, Jacob Courtis, Cody Kirkland, Parker Welck
Jennifer Allen, Maria Oliva

HIGHLIGHT

Final round, Hole 15: Drew Gibson’s 2nd throw with 610ft to the basket. Puts it to 20ft then bags the putt for eagle.

Fresh Plastic

Insights by Daddy Disc Golf. SHOP THE SHACK for the latest!

👨‍🏫 Daddy’s Highlight: Innova Halo Star Destroyer
Whether you think this could be the year of Calvin Heimburg or not, his Halo Star Destroyer is extremely popular. Fans scoop them up to add to their collection, while pros love the feel and overstability.

If you have a 2021 Heimburg Destroyer and decided to hold off on another OS meat hook, then I have some insight for you…

Across the board, the 2022’s are less OS than the 2021’s. BUT depending on the halo rim color, the disc could differ in dome and Parting Line Height (PLH). It’s been circulating that the light color rims are more OS, and the dark rims are more US comparatively.

Now if you want a backup to your beefy 2021, then his bottom-stamped Destroyers commemorating the Jonesboro win are available. They look reminiscent of last year’s runs, so give them a try.

Here are more insights that you may have heard through the grapevine:

2022 Ezra Aderhold Nukes in swirly ESP plastic are far less OS than 2021. While they’re not US for the average arm, it has the potential to be your new bomber driver.
Almost all 2022 Adam Hammes Zones are puddle top. That type of Zone can be highly sought after.
The Discmania Enigma is what the DDx wanted to be. So Discmaniacs, if you don’t want to shell out for a rare DDx or don’t have the arm for a DD3, then get a stock Enigma.

Random Dubs

1️⃣ Are you and your buddies tired of sitting on your couch watching the Pro Tour? And you’re finally planning that epic trip to Charlotte, NC for the Tour Championship? Then the guys at Overthrow DG have 4 ways to get the most out of it:

Bring friends or make them. We all know our community is welcoming, so don’t be shy if your buddies flaked.
Use your money wisely. Find a good hotel/Air BnB to split along with food.
Get VIP passes. There’s nothing like hearing Drew Gibson’s BH snap when you’re 20ft away.
Stay for the whole tournament. Be there for day 1 and stay until the end. You never know what might happen.

2️⃣ A Redditor shared a great drinking game for a Bachelor party or a casual weekend round: