How season started with Dean from Team NBDG
Playing in The Netherlands, we don’t really get an off season - our National Tour begins in October and lasts for 10 months. But my ‘other’ disc golf season started in April with The Valbyparken Tunnelrun - the first event on The Perfect Flight Tour. While I played above my rating, I wish that I had taken an extra day off of work to learn a few landing zones before the first round. Playing a course like that blind, especially from the long tees, raised the degree of difficulty significantly. Luckily I planned for it - knowing that I’d be in a bit of trouble off the tee I brought an array of utility discs and throwing putters while minimizing my drivers and that kept me around par but I still think a practice round would have been worth 3 or 4 strokes!
Even though I am the director of The Perfect Flight Tour, the trip to Copenhagen felt like a disc golf vacation. I knew the TD, Steffen, would do a great job and I didn’t feel like I needed to micromanage anything so I could relax and play golf. The weather was insanely great and I’m happy I packed shorts! I also loved that so many of my teammates and friends made the trip to Denmark, which is really what makes it all so worthwhile.
April is pretty crazy - 3 weekends away for disc golf out of 4, but I wouldn’t want it any other way. After Copenhagen is The Dutch Open, then London Calling II and then another National Tour event in May and of course TD duties await at the big event, Tyyni in June. With managing the tour, co-hosting a podcast, and serving on The Board of PDGA Europe, I wonder how I find the time to practice (but I do!). In fact, I think staying so busy actually makes me appreciate my time on the course with my club and also the time with just me and my discs.
Now, I better stop writing, I have to go put together some graphics, type up an invoice for baskets, and then place an order for the Oslo Disc Golf Classic player packs!
Writer
Dean Schaub
Team Natural Born Disc Golfer
Amsterdam, The Netherlands