This post makes the argument that you should absolutely attend a disc golf pro tour event the next chance you get. Despite the many forces working against me the day of my first event, I had an amazing time. After, be sure to let us know in the comments if you have other reasons to add to the list as well! For now, enjoy!
When I pre-ordered my ticket to the MVP open at Maple Hill in Leicester, MA, and took that Thursday off of work, I was equal parts excited and anxious. Since March of this year, when the disc golf bug bit me, I had been consuming disc golf content at a nearly unsustainable rate. Now, I would be able to see these players live? Sign me up!
The anxiety mostly stemmed from the unknown. Where do I park? How do I get there? What if a disc hits me and I get called out by the announcers(more on this but definitely almost happened)? What if it rains?
Well, as it happens, almost everything that I was worried about came to pass… I had a ticket on my car when I got back. I very nearly got hit by a Kristen Tattar forehand, and it definitely rained. It rained so much, in fact, that the men’s event got cancelled for the day and I couldn’t get to the make-up date on Friday…
And despite all of that, I STILL had an AMAZING time! So, without further ado, I present to you, the 8 reasons why you should definitely attend a pro tour event.
Reason 1: The Price is Right!
So, I’ll be touching on a lot of these factors later as well. But, in short, if you pay $25 (or even less), you get an entire day to be immersed in disc golf culture. You’re surrounded by like-minded people and rubbing elbows with the very best in the world.
And all that for $25? (Note: I was able to easily purchase tickets here.)
C’mon! Where do you get a better deal than that in any other sport? Answer. You don’t.
In general, disc golf is a very affordable sport if you want it to be. In fact, I have a post dedicated to that very topic. It’s called Disc Golf: I Do It All For The Money! Give it a read and learn how you can invest your savings from disc golf, grow your personal wealth, and buy yourself more time to play disc golf.
The affordable price is just the icing on the cake really. It just allows you to experience the other 7 reasons, which I found to be quite enticing. Here’s the next one…
Reason 2: Get Star Struck!
Eight months prior to going, I doubt I could have named 2 pro disc golfers. Truly. Now, I can probably flip through the rolodex in my head and come up with over 100. Why? Because like I mentioned before, I’ve been ravenously consuming disc golf content in the time between then and now, and loving every moment of it!
But something happens when you watch people on tv (or Youtube) constantly and then you see them all together in person.
You get star struck.
I honestly pride myself on NOT being “that guy.” I’ve seen a fair amount of celebrities in my journeys and I make it a point to not approach them. They have enough of that in their lives.
And while I held true to that in this case, I’d be lying if I told you I wasn’t a little awed by seeing so many of the people that have filled my screens for the past half year. Should I be a little embarrassed by this? Probably. But I’m not. I just allowed myself to be a kid again and just be a fan.
And giving myself that permission, added so much to the electric atmosphere. If you get the chance, you should definitely give yourself that opportunity as well when a disc golf pro tour event happens in your neck of the woods.
It’s well worth it and directly related to my next reason as well…
Reason 3: You can Marvel at Their Skills
I’ll just say this: There’s a difference between watching it live and watching it on a screen.
To watch what the pros can do with a disc on a consistent basis is amazing. When you watch it live and get to see the full flight of the disc, it only adds to it. Finally, when you get to see it at a course you’ve played yourself, it’s all the more impactful.
These folks have dedicated themselves to their craft and it truly shows. I, for one, was appreciative for the chance to watch them show their remarkable skills, live and in person.
There’s also something to be gleaned from them, when things don’t go their way…
Reason 4: You get to see their humanity!
You know the awkward, deflating feeling you get when you smack the first available tree 50 feet from the tee box? The thud of the disc hitting the tree is immediately followed by a deafening silence.
Insert half-hearted words of encouragement from your card mates which you barely even register because your body is flooding with cortisol and all sorts of stress hormones.
In short, it sucks all around.
Well, guess what? It still sucks just as bad at the pro level!
And maybe I’m a bad person but I really appreciated this. On the screen, it’s not great but it doesn’t completely capture that awfulness like seeing it live.
From there, it starts to truly sink in. Even the pros smack trees in the fairway and miss easy putts.
They do it far less often than I do and they recover from it way better. But they do it too. And it’s just as horrible as when I do it!
Somehow, in a weird way, I find this incredibly encouraging. Maybe it takes some of the fear out of my own game, and allows me to just play a bit more?
It also leads well into my next reason…
Reason 5 – Get Inspired
Whether it’s watching the pros make incredible shots or recover from those terrible ones, there is absolutely an inspirational component to watching them play. Throughout my day, there was a consistent thought that went through my head.
“I want to get better at disc golf.”
Taking the breathtaking distances the pros can throw out of the equation, there is something almost attainable about watching them play.
One clear element that comes through is consistency. The pros hit their lines, land upshots and putt on much more consistent basis. Those are all things I can work on too.
And after watching them live, those are all things I plan to practice as well!
Weirdly, watching the pros live, somehow makes it feel both unattainable and attainable at the same time.
But the inspiration you can get to work on your own game, is absolutely worth the price of admission alone…
Reason 6 – Immerse Yourself In the Culture!
I’m already on the record as being a big fan of disc golfers in general. I wrote a post on why I think the Disc Golf Community is so great, if you want to check it out.
Now, when you go to watch a tournament, you are completely immersed in the culture. You are surrounded by the people you seek out at parties and talk to for hours.
At a tournament, you are united in a common experience of watching the very best in the world compete at very close range.
You rub elbows with those very pros after their rounds and buy their latest wares.
This idea ties in very well to the next reason as well…
Reason 7 – Go Ahead and Geek Out!
Can I just please be able to turn to someone and say “He just hyzer flipped a beat up Destroyer and parked it from 450,” and have the person completely understand me, once in my life?
The answer to that question, it turns out, is a resounding “yes”!
I’ve already referenced that you are immersed yourself in the culture, but there is something very liberating about being surrounded by people who speak this same disc golf language as you.
There’s no wasted energy having to explain yourself or the game. You can just relax, be yourself, and geek out a little. It’s great fun and I highly encourage you to join in on it!
Reason 8 – Get on Youtube!
Before you label me with too many hurtful names, can I just say that my toddler absolutely LOVED seeing me in the background of a disc golf tournament on Youtube? We watch a lot of those Jomez recaps, and it was a lot of fun for him to see me on the same screen as the players he has come to enjoy watching… But, as much as it pains me to say this, I also liked seeing myself!
Before heading out, my one promise to myself was that I wouldn’t be the spectator that the announcers call out for being in the way of a disc… And naturally, I almost broke that promise by nearly getting smacked by a Kristin Tattar forehand. We were all turned away from the featured card watching Paige Pierce’s foursome finish up putting and a disc whizzed right by me into a sea of spectators.
Luckily, I didn’t get hit, and better yet, nobody called me out either! When I go next year, I’ll do a better job… Nevertheless, it’s fun to be in the action and to be able to find yourself in the background here and there as well!
Watching a Disc Golf Pro Event – In Summary
Looking back, the odds were stacked against me. It was raining and the MPO got canceled to boot cutting my first pro disc golf experience in half. Despite all this, I had an amazing time at the MVP open at Maple Hill Disc Golf Course.
It’s an experience I think every disc golf fan should have.
For starters, compared to other sporting events, it’s quite inexpensive. I got a full day’s ticket for $25.
And for that modest price, you can see your favorite pros up close and personal. Everywhere you look there’s a pro playing or walking the course.
When you are watching them play you can both marvel at their skills, and get encouraged by the fact that they too smack the occasional tree with a disc as well. Any way you slice it, it’s inspiring to watch.
Finally, there’s more fun to be had by immersing yourself in the disc golf community, and allowing yourself to geek out a little as well. And while you’re geeking out, go ahead and position yourself in a spot where you might see yourself on Youtube as well…
All told, attending a disc golf pro tour event is a lot of fun. I highly recommend that anyone interested go ahead and attend. You will not regret it for a moment!
Thanks for reading everyone. If any of you have attended a pro event and want to share your thoughts, put it in the comments below. And while you are here, please consider joining the community we’re building here and subscribe. It’s free, with no spam, and all it means is that you’ll get a monthly email with my latest posts. You’ll also be permanently entered to win $50 gift cards from Infinite Discs! Thank you for considering. I’m hoping to disc golf around the world and I’d love to take you all with me!