Amateur

Started Disc Golf in 1997

I started playing disc golf in 1997 at the prestigious DeLaveaga Disc Golf Course in Santa Cruz, CA—my favorite place on Earth. I was 15 years old and fortunate to have an incredible mentor, Jim Kroutch (#9871), who would take my uncle, my dad, and me to DeLa for early morning rounds. I took to the game quickly and soon began competing in local doubles and monthly tournaments. What truly made me fall in love with the sport was the vibrant local community. The camaraderie and acceptance I found in disc golf was unlike anything that I have ever experienced. Everyone shared the same passion—to play, improve, and soak in the beauty of DeLaveaga. That sense of connection and the magic of DeLa shaped my journey in the sport and remains close to my heart to this day.

This is tough—there have been so many great moments in my disc golf journey—but my greatest has to be my 2024 Beaver State Fling MA40 win. Becoming a BSF Champion had always been a dream of mine. I’d played in several over the years, but I was never able to get close to the top. In 2024, things were different. I was playing well and found myself on the lead card heading into round 2 on the challenging East Course. Normally, I approach the first wooded holes with confidence, expecting solid results. While not the hardest, these holes have teeth—and I found out the hard way that day. I struggled to navigate the woods, missed long putts, and exited the stretch at 4 over. Standing on the tee of hole 6, I told my cardmates, “My round starts now!” From there, I clawed my way back, attacking the longer par 4s with precision. I didn’t card another bogey and finished the round at -2. Going into the final round on the chase card, I felt something click with my drive and putt on hole 4. It was a turning point, and I knew I was in the zone. When the round was done, I knew I was in the lead and had to wait for for the lead card to finish which would determine the results. It felt like I was waiting for hours (when it was only 30 minutes) and found out that I won by having friends jump up, cheer and rush to give me a hug and congratulate me. It was the biggest win of my career and something that I have been dreaming of. It was truly a surreal feeling.

I play "practice" rounds two to three times a week. I keep score using UDisc every time for the collection of data and to ensure my approach to holes/courses shows positive results. I practice putt for 20+ min four days a week (weather permitting) from forty feet and in at my local course or in my backyard.

Learn to throw the touch, mid-range shot. It as just as important as throwing distance and will improve your scores across the board and your scramble percentage.

Plastic Type: Glow

Comment: "I fell in love with the Piwakawaka almost immediately. After taking 5th place in the MP40 division at the 2022 NADGT Finals, I opted for a lot of script and used it to purchase new discs to experiment with. My friend and local player Zac Ruziska, who was sponsored by RPM at the time, couldn’t stop raving about the Piwakawaka. Intrigued, I picked up four glow versions—and it was love at first throw. The Piwakawaka fit seamlessly into my tournament bag alongside my trusted Rocs. Straight out of the box, it offered a perfectly neutral flight, filling the gap for both my “straight Roc” and “flippy Roc” slots. It's consistency and predictability made it easy to replace lost or damaged discs without missing a beat. While I used to carry only Rocs, my bag now reflects a balance including four Piwakawakas. The Piwakawaka has become an essential part of my game (thank you, Zac!). "