⛈️ Indianola brought the heat, humidity, and hail

Hello and welcome, this is The Players Meeting. The only newsletter where disc golf happens no matter the weather outside your window.

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If you missed DMC’s preview, then I got you: McBeth’s Legacy Stage

Let’s get into it.

TOUR COVERAGE
Des Moines Challenge

RESULTS - 🏆GANNON BUHR & KRISTIN TATTAR

Even with a shortened weekend, Indianola and its incredible event brought just as much drama. In no particular order, here are the storylines you should remember or you may have missed:

1 - This tournament sets the standard for all other Tour stops.

Sometimes, the weather rears its ugly head in the Midwest and creates tough decisions. Using the same service as the MLB & PGA, Seth Munsey (Director of Venue Safety) made the call on Saturday to suspend play after 3 lightning delays and a tornado watch.

But no matter the weather, Pickard Park was stunning. Thanks to countless volunteer hours the course had improved visuals and hole designs.

Noticed by players and spectators alike, these minor changes made a difference in feeding the event’s reputation. The crowds rivaled Maple Hill’s 8-Holes as pros scared Hole 5’s basket and drained highlight drop zone putts.

To top it all off, the staff crew led by Ty Tannatt (owner of Wander DG & DGPT’s retail manager) paid out over $110k with both the MPO & FPO champs winning $12,250 each. From the purse to the galleries, DMC isn’t just another Elite Event.

2 - The early bird gets the worm.

The FPO division went through the wringer this weekend. They walked on and off the course 3 separate times only to be sent away until early Sunday morning.

That meant waking up at 4:30 AM and finishing 9 holes to quickly turn around and play another 18. This strange turn of events made it clear that Kristin Tattar is in fact a morning person.

Any momentum gained by Paige Pierce on Saturday was given to Tattar as she cleaned up her 7th win this season with a -6 (1021 rated). The 2x DMC champ averaged a 1001 rating easily clearing the field by 6 strokes.

3 - The hometown hero who grew up playing this course.

9 days ago, Gannon Buhr missed the cash line for the 1st time in 3 years. He explained that he felt the pressure of high expectations and was in a mental slump during DDO.

After the poor finish, he headed straight home to Urbandale, IA, and went to work. Grinding late nights at the practice net, Buhr fixed an issue with his BH timing and wanted to make his hometown proud.

He then made many disc golfers’ dreams a reality… Winning at your home course. There’s always that one tournament a year where you know the course like the back of your hand, but come game day you flop.

That wasn’t the case for Buhr. After growing up playing this course (just 3 years ago), he took down the win and cemented his name among Iowa’s greats.

4 - A crowded podium at this abbreviated event.

Everyone who played well demonstrated a full skill set including the mental strength to handle extreme winds. There were 6 men who proved that and finished on the podium.

• In their Sunday green, the Robinson Brothers proved yet again that Team Prodigy knows how to pick’em. Ezra has been trending up his last 3 events

• Barsby started Sunday with a horrific triple bogey but fought all the way back. As a lifer, his game has had ups and downs but look for GB as a Worlds contender this year

• As an IA native, Babcock’s DMC experience goes all the way back to his MA3 days in 2016. He’s yet to grab his 1st DGPT win, but he’s only 23 years old

• Not much to say about Vinny, but that his great season continues

HIGHLIGHT

The DMC festivities included an ace contest on Friday. If one of the 16 players rang up the 500ft ace, then they’d score a new Ford Bronco Sport.

You can watch the excitement on Gatekeeper. Spoiler Alert: No one went home with a new ride, but some got pretty darn close.

POWERED BY POWERGRIP USA
Fresh Plastic

👉 Powergrip’s Highlight: Simon Lizotte’s Glitch Glitsch (1|7|0|0)
Already a fan favorite, the Glitch is getting a fresh coat of paint for the 1st Simon Lizotte & MVP Powergrip Collab Series.

This hybrid putter & catch disc was part of the reason for Lizotte’s move to MVP. And per his request, this run pays homage to his home country and is stamped with the word “Glitsch” meaning slippery in German.

This disc is available in R2 black plastic with a blue glow rim. The unique plastic comes from MVP’s recycled line and because of its Eclipse rim, it’ll be the most stable version of a Glitch.

That means those floaty US flights will be noticeably straighter. So if you’re already part of the Glitch Gang, then this version will slot perfectly next to your seasoned one.

Each purchase supports Lizotte’s season and will ship in early July. Pre-order your Slippery Glitch today at Powergrip USA.

BIG D & PRACTICE TIPS
Random Dubs

1️⃣ The same team that put on the popular 2022 US Distance Championship will be hosting The Preserve Invitational Distance Championship tomorrow (6/28). This isn’t just a distance showcase. It’s a full-blown competition.

Here’s what you need to know:

• They got the biggest names with the biggest arms: DoubleG, Wiggins, AB, Buhr, Lizotte, and more

• Will air on JomezPro at a later date

• Payouts - 1st: $1k, 2nd: $500, 3rd: $250, Everyone else: $175

In years past, distance competitions have taken a backseat to stroke play but not anymore. If you’re lucky enough to be in the Clearwater, MN area, then call out sick and buy tickets here.

2️⃣ This latest putting tip is for all you who punish yourselves with hour-long practice sessions or who don’t practice at all. On the Over the Top podcast, Josh spoke with OG form guru Jason Liebgott (aka loopghost).

Jason pointed out that a competitive round has stretches of downtime between actual putts. The strokes never matter when you’re already in a rhythm and have hit 10 putts in a row.

So if you want to shave strokes, then you need to practice how you compete. Stash 2 putters by your practice basket for random practice with hours between.

Over time, learning how to putt while ice cold will help build confidence and doesn’t take up a whole lot of time.

Tweet of the Week

Thanks for reading today. Get out and be smooth this week!

- Charlie