🤷‍♀️ Is FPO more exciting than MPO?

CA Dreamin', Daydreaming, and Tourney Nightmares

May 19, 2022

Hello and welcome. This is The Players Meeting, where my daily screen time is 16 hours, so I can bring you only the best of disc golf.Email Read Time: 4 Minutes & 45 Seconds

If you missed the SCMC recap, then I got you: The next generation

Let’s get into it.

State of FPO

Through the PDGA and DGPT, player experiences and event coverage have improved by leaps and bounds in this modern era. But on SmashboxxTV, Sarah Hokom aired out her continued & appropriate grievances towards FPO course design:

Currently, there are too many holes that are too long for most of the FPO field. If a majority of players can’t attempt for the birdie on a par 3 at 380ft, 400ft, or 450ft then what’s the point.

Arguments for long holes:

  • If they are shortened, then those with a distance advantage will not be rewarded for having it.

  • Being able to throw TOO far can be a disadvantage. There are many OB lines long of baskets (Ex: Hansen & Allen going OB on Hole 17 last weekend).

Arguments against:

  • Distance is always an advantage no matter the hole length. It allows players to disc down or throw easier/reliable shot shapes.

  • Risk vs. reward gets minimized which takes away from the point of golf.

  • Some players must play par golf, and that’s boring to everyone.

Regardless, FPO is in an amazing state right now. The parity at the top makes for exciting finishes every week. Even Hokom has been waiting for the day that “these ladies are going to figure out how to beat [her]” and that day is here.

OTB Open

PREVIEW (5/20-22)

Welcome to sunny Stockton, CA where the course has been known to only test your distance. This Elite Series event is 3 days at the entire Swenson Park Golf Course property.

Some say last year’s design was an attempt to “Eagle-proof” a course. Well the layout has changed… With only 5 holes staying the same, some love the new layout and believe it’s how Tour events should be when on golf courses.

But it’s going to play harder. Last weekend, the winner of the AM OTB Open shot +17 over 3 rounds. Get ready to see many water features, rollers off the tee, and a new take on golf course hybrids.

LAST YEAR RECAP

MPO/ On a course seen as “Eagle-proof”, it came to no one’s surprise Eagle McMahon won. And it started with a scorching -13 round rated at 1084.

He would continue to hold the lead each day with a comfortable separation of 4. Anthony Barela & James Conrad attempted to catch up, but they fell flat as McMahon averaged a 1068 rating.

FPO/ Like how this year’s FPO division has played out, this event was a close race each day. Jumping into the lead on Saturday, Paige Pierce took advantage of her distance with only Catrina Allen closely following.

The pair went back and forth in the final round. Allen had a stretch of 7 birdies to creep doubt into Pierce’s game plan. But a bogey on hole 14 stopped her charge and allowed Pierce to win by 1 stroke.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

MPO/ With Eagle McMahon taking time off and Ricky Wysocki back in, there’s no telling who could pop off this weekend. Gannon Buhr is hot off his win… But after his other top finish at Vegas, he didn’t do well the next week.

Maybe we’ll see Anthony Barela & Drew Gibson pop back into the frame with their known distance advantage. Or it could be a very tight race at the top. We’ll see.

FPO/ Ella Hansen will take her experience from Santa Cruz and learn how to close out tournaments. She’s comfortable with hybrid courses, and her recent disappointing finish won’t hold her back.

You’ll be able to watch live all weekend on DGN. Or on next-day coverage from JomezPro, Gatekeeper Media, and GK Pro.

Random Dubs

1️⃣ If you’re anything like me, then every Thursday is spent daydreaming about your own private course. But if you’re one of the lucky ones and have land, then a few Redditors pulled together some resources on how to get started.

Bookmark these for your future Maple Hill:

Spoiler alert: Start saving up now, ‘cause land’s not always cheap. And expect to work on your course more than actually playing it.

2️⃣ UDisc dropped their comprehensive list of the “5 Best Disc Golf Courses in Each U.S. State: 2022.” It’s a 27min read for those interested in every state. Otherwise, Ctrl-F your home state.

Not happy that your favorite course isn’t in your state’s top 5? Here’s what you do: Go to your club, tell all the old heads to hop off of DGCourseReview and onto UDisc to 5-star the course, then track all their rounds on it. Boom, 2023 here we come.

Meme of the Week

Thanks for reading today. Get out and enjoy the weather this weekend!

- Charlie

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