🛣️ Is the road to success paved in routine?

Do Not Disturb, Do Or Die, and Tap Outs

October 13, 2022

Hello and welcome, this is The Players Meeting. The only newsletter that’s like Simon’s vlogs: always fun, informative, and worth your time.Email Read Time: 4 Minutes & 50 Seconds

If you missed the USDGC recap, then I got you: The USDGC Nail-Biter

Let’s get into it.

Pro Routines

The Throw Pink champion - Catrina Allen - is known for her routines including mindfulness, workouts, and a carnivore diet. She believes any change (including form) won’t become beneficial until a year later.

Another routine-driven pro - Tristan Tanner - is someone who’s popped on and off coverage since starting to tour 4 years ago. Just a year before that, he threw a disc for the first time.

Since then, he’s pioneered #vanlife, injuries, and structured his routine to improve his game. There are other pros out there who are OCD with their prep, but Tanner takes it to another level.

Here’s his everyday breakdown from The DG Prescription podcast:

  • Eating window: 1PM and 7PM ensuring 3hrs before bed

  • Goes to sleep at 10:25PM and wakes up at 7:30AM

  • Gets in & out of bed exactly the same way

  • Wears blue-light blocking glasses 1hr before bed

  • 1.5-2hr fieldwork: 15 identical putters/mids/drivers thrown to set distances

  • DG Strong, gym workouts every other day

If Allen’s belief is true, then Tanner’s strict regiment could pay dividends for his 2023 season.

DGPT Championship

PREVIEW (10/13-16)

We finally made it to the last Tour stop of the season. Come Sunday there will only be 4 men and women grinding out 18 final holes before heading back to wherever they call home base.

This is the only do-or-die event all year. Each round players can move on to bump their check up another tier leading all the way up to the biggest payout ever.

The DGPT finale has once again broke their own record with winners taking home $35k each. Less than 24 hours ago, play-ins happened and the bracket was finalized.

Top seeds will come in cold on Saturday to battle hungry competitors already on hot streaks from days prior. But they only need one good round, then they’re in on Sunday to become “disc golf rich”.

Changed from Hornets Nest, all rounds will be played on a modified layout of the wooded and difficult Nevin Park in Charlotte, NC. It’ll feature hyzerflip drives, sloped greens, and dangerous rough.

LAST YEAR RECAP

MPO/ Starting as the 29th seed, Nathan Queen shot the hot score in rounds 1 & 2 pushing himself into the semis with a guaranteed $5k. He then went on to beat the likes of Ricky Wysocki & Calvin Heimburg to advance to the finals.

Before this event, Queen only had a single top-10 finish on 2021 Tour. Knowing he had locked up at least $8k, it was clear he wouldn’t settle for 4th.

Puring lines and hitting putts, he held off Drew “Jumpman” Gibson by 2 strokes. Queen capped off his season with a dramatic Cinderella Story and $30k.

FPO/ Into the event, Missy Gannon was 3rd seed and right off of her big win at Throw Pink. She had a bye into the semis where she shot a clean -5 and advanced to the finals.

Heavy hitters Paige Pierce & Catrina Allen both caved to the woods and missed the finals. With Hailey King falling off early, Gannon stepped into the lead early and held on with another -5.

In 2021’s final 2 weeks, she won $36k to earn herself the nickname “Big Money Missy,” which helped her win DGPT Player of the Year.

PLAYER TO WATCH

Beating yesterday’s other play-ins, Jeremy Koling showed how to take on the exhausting track. He might have a leg-up cause of his 10 years of play on Nevin and his involvement with the design of this championship layout.

Big Jerm proved that a combination of finesse and power FHs will be important to succeed. Let’s see if the Practice Round Prince can make a run like Queen’s.

He’ll need to have a top-4 score every day from here on out. You’ll be able to watch live all weekend on DGN or on next-day coverage from JomezPro and Gatekeeper Media.

Today’s USDGC Edition is Sponsored by Powergrip USA

Two days ago, Powergrip USA released its 2022 Q3 sales report. You’ll be surprised to hear that the new Finnish manufacturer - Clash Discs - is leading over companies like Discmania, Discraft, and MVP.

Read up more on their sales list here and check out their Clash lineup on their site. Use code PLYRSMTGOCT22 to save 10% on your order.

Random Dubs

1️⃣ While some struggle to throw well on flat ground, most find throwing uphill more challenging. Brian Earhart’s Level Up series hit the standard tips for throwing uphill: use US discs and come from the side with your runup.

But one tip that isn’t widely talked about is the term “trunk flexion.” Uphill throw timing changes, because the front foot hits the ground sooner making the upper body feel late.

Compensate by matching your shoulder plane tilt to the hill’s slope. Focus on dropping the back shoulder downhill to make it feel less early.

2️⃣ The PDGA Live app is now available on your phone. If you play sanctioned events, then you know the struggles of keeping or checking score through a mobile browser. This should make it easier.

You can also check in on your friends playing the local C-Tier or league. The app makes it easy to watch their scores come in even if they’re double-bogeys or worse.

And the next time you’re questioned if a putter landing on top of the basket counts, you can access the current set of rules easily.

Meme of the Week

Thanks for reading today. Get out and smack chains this weekend!

- Charlie

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