Sabattus Disc Golf is so proud to have hosted a Champs vs Chumps, produced by Central Coast Disc Golf. When we found out it was definitely happening the mood in the building was electric, and I honestly don’t think it’s faded. I’m sure that many of you came out to see some of your favorite pro’s Simon Lizotte and Paige Pierce tear up the Eagle course. How did it all happen? How did a small company in Maine attract a 5x World Champion to come play against amateur players? Disc golf has a unique atmosphere where pros and amateurs can mingle and compete together. I can’t think of another sport where I can play with top competitors, even in a fun match. Check out the spectator photos here.
I’m not an OG disc golfer by any means but I’ve been playing this sport now since 2010, so I remember before we had all this amazing video coverage of a tournament the day after it happens. When I started playing I remember looking up disc golf videos on YouTube so I could learn a forehand, and how to get more distance out of my shots. Some of you might remember these Discraft Videos which were all we had back in 2010 to watch disc golf.
In 2010 Terry Miller, The Disc Golf Guy puts his first disc golf YouTube video out on his channel. In 2011 Central Coast Disc Golf puts out their first disc golf video. In 2012 Jonathon Gomez was following the lead card at worlds and decided to film the final 9 on his phone. In about three years we have three of the most popular disc golf youtube channels starting. Here’s what the PDGA membership looked like right when these channels came out and up until now.
If those numbers don’t seem impressive, remember that’s just people who joined the PDGA to compete in tournaments, not the recreational players. Why is the sport growing so quickly? I think there’s a driving force behind the growth, and that force is disc golf media coverage. There are so many different kinds of disc golf media today and it’s awesome. We have PDGA Radio, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube. And all the pros are doing something different, some are making instructional videos, others do in-the-bag interviews, and some make crazy videos of themselves cooking. We get to see so much more today than we ever dreamed of 10 years ago. More tournaments, more instructional videos on dyeing discs, I even saw a tournament where the broadcast was in Finnish so of course I watched it and didn’t understand a word of it.
I love the Champs vs Chumps series from Central Coast Disc Golf. I think it might be the most unique thing in all of sports. How many times when you’re watching a disc golf tournament online do you think, “I could do that. I could make that shot.” Well, this is your chance to prove it on camera and have the whole disc golf community tune in. Pros getting challenged in another sport by amateurs seems laughable. But in disc golf it’s not a dream, it’s Champs vs Chumps and it has already happened 10 times and I don’t think it will stop.
What’s your favorite form of disc golf media? Is there anyone out there who isn’t a big name that you think people should know about and follow? What or who do you think is going to be the next big thing in disc golf social media?
May your discs miss all the trees,
Andrew Streeter