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- 🍁 Bringing home the spectacular season
🍁 Bringing home the spectacular season
MVP Recap, Tour End, and Vinny's Brace
Hello and welcome, this is The Players Meeting. The only newsletter that knows a new disc always makes your game better.
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If you missed MVP’s preview, then I got you: Only Big Ones Left
Let’s get into it.
TOUR COVERAGE
MVP Open (Playoff)
RESULTS - 🏆MATTHEW ORUM & HAILEY KING
Maple Hill’s Steve Dodge and crew always do it better each year, and for their 20th anniversary, they went off. In no particular order, here are the storylines you should remember or you may have missed:
1 - Some people give Maple Hill too much credit or not enough.
The event started with some polarizing opinions on UDisc’s #1 course in the world. From being too luck-driven to having the most special atmosphere, one thing for certain is Maple Hill always has exciting drama.
What most couldn’t predict though were Saturday’s hurricane-band winds. With some strong enough to blow down sponsor tents, the wind sheers caused mayhem on discs and scorecards.
But as the dust settled and it came to a close, the event and its changes were vindicated. The contentious MPO Hole 9 did what it was meant to do: only give up 12 birdies, average +0.64, and provide stellar highlights.
So whichever direction the discussion leans, Maple Hill has always remained relevant with much success. It doesn’t shy away from pushing the envelope and will continue to be one of the best (if not the best) in the world.
2 - To defeat a giant, you need a King.
It was the most intense final FPO round this year. Along its twists and turns, there were lead changes, big putts, and dramatic mistakes.
As stone cold as ever, Hailey King proved predictors wrong. This was not going to be another Tattar runaway Sunday, and King was not going to throw it away.
Finally sticking to her game plan, King played “boring golf” and let her competitors bleed strokes. She out-dueled the World Champ and forced Tattar to continue her winless streak here.
Kristin Tattar at the MVP Open:
2nd - 2023
2nd - 2022
2nd - 2019This is the only active Elite/Major event Tattar has played multiple times and NOT won.
— StatMando (@statmando)
1:15 PM • Sep 18, 2023
3 - He was on a Roll Tide Roll.
Mr. Love Incarnate. The most deserving. The purest of souls. Tour veteran. MVP Open Champion. These are all phrases to describe the one and only Matty O.
With his sunglasses, Hawaiin shirt, and puka shell necklace, Alabama’s best showed up when no one else would. And he’s been doing it for the past 20 years, 3 months, 16 days, and 137 events to finally get his 1st Elite win.
Amidst the winning chaos, Matty O honored his dad as his #1 supporter. Passed away in 2020, Jim Orum is the reason why hundreds of disc golfers play the game throughout the Gulf Coast.
During that tough year, he was hit hard by his loss. But he couldn’t deny his love for the sport, so he came back out and hit the road even harder.
Now the only question left… Will this be the start of the Matty-O-winning era? I think yes, but it’s likely the last thing on his mind as he’s already celebrating and looking for a house with his soon-to-be fiancée.
4 - That’s a wrap. You can go home now.
For those who didn’t qualify for USDGC or get enough points to be high enough in the standings, the season’s over and the drive home begins. There are only 3 events left: USWDGC, USDGC/Throw Pink, & Tour Championships.
The DGPT standings were finalized, and the points winners were awarded. Of note, Wysocki managed 4th place while missing 5 Elites and 1 Major event.
As for the Tour Championships cut line, Juliana Korver & Paul Ulibarri both snag the last spot. Both had slow season starts but brought it home in the second half.
In 4 weeks, they’ll get a guaranteed paycheck with a chance to win lots more. These two veterans have had a season to remember.
After BSF in May, Paul Ulibarri was 89th in DGPT points.
Uli had:
- 0 Elite/Major Top-50
- 1 Silver Top-30 (only cash)
- 39.9 pointsSince then:
- 10 Elite/Major Top-50
- 8 Top-30
- 1 missed cash
- 411.5 total points (32nd)Uli will make the TC, assuming McBeth does not play.
— StatMando (@statmando)
12:43 AM • Sep 18, 2023
HIGHLIGHT
Maple Hill is home to lots of iconic moments. This weekend nearly doubled its already lengthy highlight reel.
Besides happy tears for Matty O’s own reel, there were several aces over the weekend. Here’s one from Andrew Marwede from the perspective of being an honorary 8-hole:
POWERED BY POWERGRIP USA
Fresh Plastic
👉 Powergrip’s Highlight: S-Line CD1 Zeta’s Moon (9|5|-1|2)
The Harvest Moon might not be for another week, but Colten Montgomery’s latest Signature Series is out tomorrow (9/20) at 11 AM ET.
This Discmania CD1 comes in the Special Blend S-Line that feels just right. For comparison, it’s nearly the same as Lat64’s top-of-the-line Royal Grand plastic.
This run came in slightly flatter and straighter than the C-Line CD1’s back in April. That means they’ll perfectly fill your flip-up to straight fairway slot.
If you’ve hit one too many trees with your DD Escape or even Discraft Undertaker, then pick up this Discmania mold that can be your new trusted workhorse.
We’ve been fans of the CD1s since the earlier release this year, so trust us, these discs rip. Snag one at Powergrip USA tomorrow!
SHOES & ACE RECORD
Random Dubs
1️⃣ The recommendation for best shoes typically hits trail runners and now the trendy zero drop shoes. But as with arms, everyone’s feet are different and success is possible in anything.
Calvin Heimburg specifically prefers an OOP Nike Flyknit model. Against physics, he smashes line drives better than anyone and braces nearly out of his shoe every drive.
2️⃣ Last August, Caleb Hill captured the longest ace on film (611ft) at Hole 14 of North Cove’s Boulders. 3 days ago, Eli Swansen broke that record on Hole 18 of Justin Trails.
For what felt like forever, his disc floated 634ft and hit the bottom of the basket on the Par 4. Based on the trend, we’ll wait another 11 months to see a 650ft ace on film.
Tweet of the Week
"Just be confident in your putt"
Me: *confidently hits the cage
— obi bogey (@BogeyObi)
11:58 PM • Sep 16, 2023
Thanks for reading today. Get out and make your putts this week!
- Charlie