My husband and I discovered disc golf in 2001 as a summer activity at a local ski resort. A couple years later, we saw an ad in the local paper for an amateur only tournament hosted by Bill and Sue Leslie at Two Grey Hares in Vadito, NM. We were given two discs which we played with and won some money to spend in the pro shop. We were hooked. We played a couple of more times that summer even though I was 9 months pregnant. Bill and Sue were afraid I might give birth on their course! For the next 15 years, even though we were living overseas, with little to no access to courses, we always managed to play for a couple of weeks in the summer when we were at home in the US. In 2019 we moved to Colorado and for the first time had year round access to disc golf.

This is a tough question. I fell in love with RPM discs when I found a soft Kea and it has since been my go-to approach disc. When my Kea was stolen by a Thai village dog a few weeks ago, I was forced to branch out and have since really enjoyed throwing Tuis in those situations. I can use it for hyzer and anhyzer approaches and also use a Tui as my everyday putter.

Before Tournaments, I have a routine that helps me get warmed up and into a good head space. I listen to some psych up music while I stretch and then I warm up my throwing with my heavier discs (mids and putters) on approach shots. I pick a tree and throw to it with hyzer, anhyzer, and straight shots. After a few rounds of this I do the same with my left arm. If there is space I’ll throw a few longer distance drives and then putt for about 20 minutes.

Without access to any courses here in Hong Kong, I am making the most of the spaces I do have. I can get on a field at least once a week, so I am using that time to increase my driving distance by working on my form. Kyle is coaching me on my run-up. I also have good putting spaces so I am working on my putts in the 25-33 foot range to increase my percentage there.

In the Rocky Mt. Championships in Fort Collins 2022, I was battling for first place in FA40. I lost the battle and it was a great lesson in discipline. I had started with a two stroke lead at the end of Day 1. Day 2 was on Ultra, which is a really long course and I was simply out-driven, trailing by five strokes at the end of that day. Day 3 put us back on a more technical course and also brought the highest winds that I have ever played in. We’d had a windy spring, though, and I was able to play conservatively and stay in bounds. By hole 16, I had fought back to a tie. We both took snowmen on 17 and on 18, I went out of bounds twice with risky throws. I lost by one stroke but learned an important lesson in discipline.

Have fun and throw discs that work for you – don’t worry about what anyone else is doing.

Beaver Creek, Colorado with Eric (my husband), Katie and Kyle (my children). I don’t even know if this course is still available, but they used to set it up on the ski slope and you had to buy a lift ticket to get to it. The ticket, though, incluced lunch at their mountain grill, and with great food, great views and great holes, there is no better day. Eric and I got to play it a couple of summers when Katie and Kyle were very young and grandparents looked after them. Now that they are older and players in their own rights, I’d love to go back with them.

RPM Discs in my bag: Tui (Medium Magma): Go-to Putter | Tui (Glow): Understable Approach Putter (Lefty and Righty) | Kea (Cosmic): Stable Approach – RHBH Hyzer approach shots | Piwakawaka (Atomic): Understable Approach – Big left to Right Anhyzer shots | Kotuku (Atomic): Stable Approach | Pekapeka (Atomic): Fairway flex and hyzer shots | Kiwi (Cosmic): Strong right to left hook shots