G'day everyone. Thanks for having me on as a guest. Hey Tomas, Hey Harri - how's it hanging boys?
Ok so to the questions
1. When did you start playing DG? Tell us something about your DG history.
I first picked up a frisbee in 1980, when I was 15 and always mucked around with them. I've always taken a frisbee travelling with me - usually a beat-up old ultrastar or freestyle disc. I even took one with me when I spent a month in the desert of Central Australia in 2006.
After a varied sporting career - playing Aussie Rules Football professionally in my late teens and early 20's, then switching to Triathlon (I went to the 1987 world short course championships), then followed two decades of getting very out of shape and overweight. One day I was thinking about getting back into some sort of 'training' but the years of hard grind had burned me out on anything too strenous. So I was looking for something gentle and low-impact to do. That's when I thought of disc golf (I had seen the sport travelling in the USA in 1986). I googled 'disc golf' for my local town and that weekend I was playing...pretty badly.
But I got the bug and here I am 6 years later. A full blown disc golfing freak.
2. What is it that appeals to you in DG - why do you play?
I like the simple beauty of the throwing motion. It still feels like a few cool dance steps to me. Like all disc golfers I love watching the disc fly. I love the mental training and lessons for life that are encapsulated in a round of disc golf - it can be like a gnostic school if you let it. Plus the fun of walking and talking with a bunch of mates.
3. Do you have goals in DG?
Yes - I'd like to make a final in the grandmasters at the AM worlds in 2016. I'll be 51 then so still a young guy in the division. I made the semi's in the masters in Charlotte in 2012 as a 47 year old so I figure it's not-too unrealistic goal.
4. What is your biggest accomplishment in DG in your own opinion?
When I started locally and saw the open final four play in front of a gallery I thought 'I'd like to do that one day'. Those guys just seemed like the coolest kids in school and rock stars all rolled into one. So it felt great to finally make my first open final (I usually play pro-open in Oz) a few years back. Otherwise - I dunno. Winning an Auusie A tier (PDGA C-Tier) last year was pretty cool.
5. Have you gotten aces?
Hah - don't talk to me about aces. Nearly 6 years of playing. Maybe thousands of hours of practice. Hundreds of competition rounds on 68 courses all over the world. Not one ace, ever, never. Not even in one of those stupid ace-race tournaments where the basket is about 30m away.
Still - I think aces are for lazy disc golfers who can't be bothered making extra throws.
6. Tell us about your home course.
The Rob Hancock memorial Disc Golf Course was established in Cockman park, about 20minutes drive north of Perth City, in 1989. It was named after Rob Hancock, a man who had devoted much of his life to the growth of frisbee sports in Australia before tragically accidentally dying on 1987. We hold a tournament there each year in his honor.
It's a nine hole - mostly par 3 course that is still pretty technical and challenging. It's held up well over 26 years. The course began it's life in an outer suburban park but of course with the expansion of the city is now quite a busy inner-suburban park. The most distinct part of the foliage of the park is the grass trees or Xanthorrhoea (the local aboriginal name for them is Balga). Their spines can be quite sharp so we take a one meter relief off these when playing.
7. What is your favorite disc?
Don't really have an outright favourite. I like Buzzes, Star Eagles and Yeti Aviars.
8. What about favorite course?
That's still Poimena in Tasmania for me.
A very hilly, tough course on a small mountain with a river winding around it on three sides. In one of the worlds last great natural environments - Tasmania. Play there before you die. I insist.
My other favorite would have to be our local (privately owned) course called 'Pine Lines'. It's where we hold the Perth Open each year and it is a great combination of tight lines, elevation, and varying terrain. A really beautiful course.
9. Tomahawk or some other throw?
Over the shoulder backhand flex-shot with a drone or my most stable driver. Tomahawk's kill my 50 year old shoulders.