Ladies & Gentlemen, 2013 Vibram Open Putting Contest Semi-Finalist Jason Toothaker.

McBeth crushes Maple Hill like I crush the local pitch n' put on a good day in doubles.... Some kid Grady from Maine, with a 958 rating, pumps 1000+ rated rounds like it's his job... (finishing in the top 15 and earning a spot at the 2013 USDGC)... yeah yeah yeah!  Old news.

The real story my friends, is another gunslinging native from Maine, Jason Toothaker. Who against all odds made it to the final 4 at the Vibram Open Putting contest.  By against all odds I mean that he's not really that great of a putter**. Stacked up against Nate Krahn, David Wiggins, and Jay Reading (how many times has Yeti won this event?).... Toothaker, "Toothy" was a full on Bona fide underdog.  And let's not forget Jerel Davis... the Chuck Norris of Disc Golf... a veritable cherry on top of intimidation. 

Entrance to the putting competition was earned through two preliminary qualifiers sessions on Thursday.  Points were awarded based upon made putts from designated distances.  15' (1pt), 25' (2pts), and 35' (3pts).  Each player was given 2 throws from each.  A perfect score is 18. Only 4 golfers from each session would advance. 

Here's how it stacked up after the prelims: (not sure on the scores for the PM qualifiers)

 AM Qualifiers

1. Jay "Yeti" Reading - 18 (Innova-1007, world putting champ)

2. David Wiggins - 18 (Innova-1020 world distance champion)

3. Jason Toothaker - 15 (unsponsored-950)

4. Jerel Davis - 14 (Vibram-no rating available)

PM Qualifiers

Justin Mount

Aaron Fahey (997)

Jared Roan (Innova -1019, National Collegiate Disc Golf Champion)

Nate Krahn (Discraft-1011)

I must confess that this story was originally slated to be a quick Facebook update.  However, when I asked Toothy about the competition he wrote me back a small book.  This passion could in no way be ignored. So without further adieu, here is the rest of the story by Toothy himself:

I made the quarterfinal bracket against Nate Krahn, a likeable dude from Philly with a laser putt and solid game.  I spent most of the day asking people about his putting and asking if I had a chance. Most people just laughed and said "Good luck, buddy.  Krahn is a lights-out putter".  I went into the match with a healthy amount of fear and tempered expectations.  

The crowd assembled around the putting green for 18.  The top pros (Doss, Koling, Wysocki, Feldberg, Jenkins, Schusterick, McBeth) were sitting right behind us, and all the New England locals were off to the side, encircling the competition area.  The kegs of Berkshire Pale Ale had been tapped and people were in the mood to watch some good competition.  The format for the quarterfinals were as follows:

2 putts from each marker (15, 30, 50 feet), player in the lead goes 2nd

After the players played through the first cycle of putts, they replaced the chains with Phenix Disc Sports Pro-putt chains.  These putts were worth double points.  I was up by 6 points at the end, missing both of my 50' on the Phenix chains.  Krahn had to make just one of his 50' putts to force a playoff.  He made his first and missed the second, forcing overtime.  He, by virtue of scoring the last points, got to choose whether to go first, as well as which mark to shoot from.  He chose 30' and missed.  I had one putt to secure the win from 30 feet, spanking it right into the center of the Pro-putt chains and raising my fists triumphantly into the air.  The crowd was voracious, as I was an underdog and (as Steve Dodge put it) a "New England Favorite".  The top pros were cheering for their touring-pro compatriot, but felt compelled to respect the efforts of a nervous player who had one shining moment in his first NT.  My celebration didn't last too long, as Yeti made every single putt and ran away with an easy victory."

There you have it folks.  A feel good story for the ages.  I personally love the fact that local disc golfers get to compete with top pros at National Tour events like the Vibram Open.  A chance to share the stage with the game's elite.  An opportunity not lost on Jason Toothaker, a "New England Favorite" who putted better than a boatload of other people at the 2013 Vibram Open Putting Contest.

** Other sources have confirmed he actually is a very good putter.  For the purposes of a better story, I have presumed otherwise in the article.

INNOVA Disc Golf inks Maine’s Elite

It’s safe to say that as children, a fair amount of us had dreams of becoming a professional athlete. Two Maine Disc Golfers had their dreams become reality this winter. Jason Dore, a Skowhegan native and Nick Gagne hailing from Sidney, both signed sponsorship agreements with the most popular and largest Disc Golf Company in the world, Innova Disc Golf.

Jason Dore putts at Skyland Classic NT in 2010

Nick Gagne poses during 2011 DG trip out west. 

 


The duo will join an elite group of sponsored players that are headlined by 2012 PDGA World Champion Paul McBeth, Barry Schultz, a two-time World Champion and captained by the legendary twelve-time World Champion, Ken Climo.

Jason Dore at Vibram Open registration behind INNOVA team member Val Jenkins

10Down Disc Golf caught up with Dore and Gagne recently and asked them what their future may hold; now they are part of the INNOVA family. 

10Down: What’d it feel like when you found out INNOVA wanted to sponsor you?

Nick: It was great. It has been one of my major goals since I began playing competitively.

Jason: Absolutely amazing. To work on your game and your rating for six years and to finally get noticed is awesome. I’ve pretty much thrown INNOVA ever since I started playing so psyched about that too.

10Down: What are your obligations? Will this change what you do with Disc Golf?

Nick: Being sponsored means there is a certain criteria you have to follow. By doing that though, you get merchandise and $$$. There are different levels of sponsorships, so the better you play, the more they give you.

Jason: I get to wear INNOVA gear and throw INNOVA discs. I got an agreement that covers it all. I need to maintain my composure on and off the course and promote the sport with a clinic or two. No real changes in what I do as I have been working to get to this point where I can get on Tour and play Disc Golf all over the country and world for a long time.

10Down: What have you done to get your life in order for the upcoming season?

Jason: I took a major look at my financial situation. I set up a plan to cover my home expenses while I’m on Tour, as well as for work when I get back.

Nick: We all know there can be great money in Disc Golf, but it comes with lots of practice and a side job. The side job is needed to keep the money coming in. So that’s how I’m preparing for the season, by getting in the best shape I can and saving up enough to maintain life on Tour.

10Down: How are you training, where are you training, and whom are you training with?

Nick: I usually train alone at my home course DnD, on my home basket, and out in the field. Field practice is key in this game. Any time I can play a round with GaryL is great. Always need to be around competition to make you strive to make the next great shot.

Jason: This time of year is an extremely hard time to train due to the weather. I’d love to do field work, but with 1ft.+ of snow it makes it hard. I practice putting as much as I can and play a couple rounds a week at Woodland Valley Winter League. I also am on Team Maine that plays other New England teams throughout the winter in a monthly series. I’m lucky that I have a bunch of guys to train with down here. All of us play events together and some travel out-of-state with me on occasion.   

Well over 100 in. of snow this winter in Maine - Quaker Hill DG Course

10Down: What are your 2013 goals?

Jason: I think the biggest goal for me this year is to hit as many PDGA major events I can. I’d like to take a couple months this summer and just travel and concentrate on playing Disc Golf. Ultimately I’d like to sustain myself on Tour and not have to go back to a 9-5 job. Other goals: to contend for the title at The Vibram Open, Top 5 in a NT event, and winning my first A-tier event.

Nick: Play as many PDGA events as I can. I want to be in the Top 10 in NT Tour events and in the Top 3 at Regional A and B tiers. Definitely want to put myself in position to get a Major victory.

Future looks bright for these two; we wish them the best of luck and continue to support them in achieving their goals. They will be playing their first PDGA event of the year this weekend at Tourney 54. Check back periodically for continuing coverage of Jason and Nick as well as other Disc Golf news from the Northeast in 2013.

The Future is so Bright

Our vision of disc golf drives us. We see the potential for a challenging and thought provoking disc golf hole everywhere we look. It's an illness, but one that we keep in check with regular practice, play, and study. This vision is of the future of our sport and the field of play, as well as understanding modern golf disc technology and how it should relate to course design.
Although still a fledgling alt sport, this is an exciting time for disc golf. PDGA membership continues to grow and the number of sanctioned events is at an all time high. Due to the fact that most DG courses reside in public parks and are free to play, it's difficult to get a firm grasp on the number of casual players and rounds played. However, judging by the exponential growth in course numbers as well as the growing number of equipment manufacturers, DG seems poised to explode. One could argue it has already.
Why is DG so popular? The short answer: it's fun, it's challenging, and there's a very short learning curve. That last part is important as most new players see massive improvements within their first few rounds. This in turn keeps them coming back.
In the beginning, golf discs were slow, small diameter objects, loosely based on the Frisbee design most people are familiar with. The early courses, especially in the northeast, were often short, tightly wooded affairs, resembling hiking trails more than golf holes. Today, golf discs go much faster and farther than their predecesors, not to mention the dizzying array of molds to choose from, each possessing a unique speed potential, flight path, and roll pattern.



On the other hand, DG courses have largely remained the same. Disc technology, in a sense has relegated most courses to "pitch and putt" or "mini golf" status. As flight distance increased, most designs couldn't hold up, their intent lost.
We believe "pitch and putt" courses are vey important for the growth of our sport. In fact, every venue should have one. They serve as a great place for beginners to hone their skills as well as casual players in search of a quick round. These short courses should always be considered when introducing new people to the game. However, 18 par 3's in a row fails to provide the intended challenge.
The game is golf, one of the greatest games ever invented. Disc golf borrows many of its rules and although there are obvious differences, the goal is the same in both games: get the object in the hole in as few shots as possible. The difficulty lies in linking shots together to finish each hole. That being said, you'll find most holes on a ball golf course to be two (or more) shot affairs, needing an adequate drive and accurate approach to have a chance to putt for a birdie. The idea is to force the player to link shots in order to score well. As it relates to a championship caliber course, par 3 holes present the player with less of a challenge overall and should represent no more than a third of the course.
In designing DG courses, our goal is to present the player with challenging, strategic holes that keep step with, if not compliment modern disc technology. We want to liberate the golf shot, let it air out, let it breathe. The flight of a golf disc can be a beautiful sight. It's a shame to see good shots cut short because the designer had the wrong idea of what should make a hole difficult. We subscribe to the school of thought that suggests reasonably good drives (in reference to wooded courses) shall make their way down the fairway, relatively unimpeded. Near-impossible gaps and low ceilings, while being important design elements, shouldn't be the pervasive theme of a DG course, especially off the tee. The difficulty with this sport should lie in hitting landing areas and linking shots together, while also considering the proper speed, angle, and rpm.
In the end, players want to see their discs fly, their potential realized. This makes them happy. I trust that someday ample fairways and more par 4's become the norm but until then, we're taking it one shot at a time. As we look toward a future so bright, as you design and build new courses, let's keep these ideas in mind because happy golfers play more golf.

Location:10DOWN HQ

BDF Championships

The 7th Bennett Disc Farm Chmpionship has come and gone. Per usual it was three days of friends, family, music, good food, camping, party, and relentless Disc Golf in all capacities!


















I had a number of out-of-state folks make a point to let us know this is on their can't miss events of the summer... Awesome! Hope to see some of the peeps who had to skip out to hit up worlds back next year.

Doubles on Friday, Two Rounds on Saturday, Glow on Saturday Night, Putting and Driving competitions both days, Final Round on Sunday, and beyond...

A lot of different people but tons of effort into getting the course in top notch tournament shape and proving a fun atmosphere for the weekend. Too many to thank. You know who you are and it does not go unnoticed. Big Ups!

40 plus acres mowed twice over by the relic monstrosity of a tractor you see to your left. 5000 ft. plus of OB rope. New holes. New Pin locations. New Clubhouse. SFS



A special thanks to the Conant Family for keeping tournament central sane and safe the entire weekend. Of course, utmost thank to the Bennett family for their continued support and the opportunity to use this beautiful land for the game of Disc Golf.

Also gotta give props to 10Down's own, Benny D. Bruised his ankle pretty

bad (those close could heard a loud snap as he hit the ground.) Anyway... he rested up and came out Day 2 to take second with a late round charge on Jimmy B How we Do!

Here's a link to some great photos by Mike Martin and full results below.
Jason Dore takes open for the 4th year running.

Day 1 Photos

Day 2 Photos



Place Name Rd 1 Rd 2 Rd 3 total
OPEN
1 Jason Dore 50 52 55 157 $260
2 Ben Dunlap 52 53 58 163 $155
2 Jim Bouffard 54 53 56 163 $155
4 Mike Fyfe 63 53 52 168 $95
5 Bobby Brooks 59 55 55 169 $80
6 BrianHarrington 56 54 60 170 $65
7 Derek Libby 59 52 63 174 $25
7 Alex Foley 57 61 56 174 $25
9 Mike Dow 59 58 59 176
10 Daniel Marcus 55 60 62 177
11 Ryan Keefe 60 58 61 179
11 Bryan Jordan 62 57 60 179
13 John Monty 61 59 60 180
14 Pat Roy 61 58 62 181
15 Joe Yaskis 62 60 60 182
15 Jeff Conant 61 65 56 182
17 Justin White 60 62 63 185
18 Ian Beaupre 64 63 61 188
19 Kory Roy 66 58 67 191
20 Randy Dore 64 62 70 196
21 Tyler Cass 59 61 999 1119

PRO GRANDMASTERS
1 Pat LaFlamme 69 65 68 202 $30

AM1
1 Brendan Johnson 57 58 60 175 $135
2 Jeremy Angel 57 61 61 179 $90
2 Zack Jellis 60 60 59 179 $80
4 Jeremy Brooks 60 64 56 180 $80
5 Dave Tbo 57 58 66 181 $40
5 Jason Toothaker 58 59 64 181 $40
7 Jon Sellers 58 63 64 185 $30
8 Jim Tufts 66 58 62 186 $12.50
8 Jon Borenstein 66 59 61 186 $12.50
10 Mike Cole 59 63 69 191
10 Ryan Payzant 65 62 64 191
10 Chris Leclair 64 69 58 191
13 Nick Boulette 63 67 63 193
14 Brad Harris 62 67 65 194
14 Caleb Biggers 66 63 65 194
16 Jim Smith 65 66 63 194
17 Jacob Fowlie 62 69 64 195
18 Damien Morris 67 65 66 198
19 Bobby Harris 69 70 62 201
19 Timber Patrick 64 69 68 201
20 Jon Paul 70 68 65 203
21 Rick Smith 65 70 69 204
21 Paco Jones 66 70 68 204
23 Chris Harrison 75 64 66 205
24 Eric Mason 62 65 999 1126

AM Women
Christie Reynolds 72 76 81 229 $35
Sam Pease 75 77 79 231
Alicia Villnave 78 76 77 231

AM2
1 Scott Poland 67 58 63 188 $45
2 Drayl Hooper 61 66 64 191 $30
3 Josh Weed 64 63 68 195 $20
4 jon fraser 70 63 65 198 $15
5 Justin Foster 69 66 64 199
6 Bill Tapley 72 63 69 204
7 Dave Fiorentino67 69 70 206
8 Gabe Hinds 69 70 75 214
9 Dennis Benard 70 77 74 221
10 Ed Weddington63 64 999 1126
11 Jeff Skillin 68 67 999 1134

Putting Champion - Jon Sellers
Long Drive Champions - Alicia Villnave - Women Zack Jellis - AM Jason Dore - Pro
Ring of Fire - Bryan Jordan $50 LL Bean Gift Card
Jason Dore - Ace Hole 7 Gold $120

Gagne nearly crowned KING OF THE LAKE

I got a call last April from Nick. He told me that he wasn't available to play in the upcoming NEFA Team Challenge Finals... he had to work. I said work... you're 17 yrs. old, why are you working? Little did we know that in a few short months, Nick would be staring a NT victory square in the face. The story of how a starry-eyed kid from rural Maine shot the hot 1st round, slept on the lead going into the final round on Sunday, and came within 2 throws of a PDGA National Tour event victory awaits.

http://www.pdga.com/tournament_results/61921

Gagne took dead aim at a NT Title on the shores of picturesque Lake Tahoe

10Down Disc Golf: Aiight...I gotta ask right off the bat... What did it feel like shooting the hot 1st rnd and then sleeping on the lead going into the Final rnd?

Nick G.: It was sick shooting hot rnd at Tahoe Vista. I really liked that course, lots of clean lines and birdie opportunities. Didn't miss a putt that rnd, it was a great start to the event and gave me lots of confidence. We played Turtle Rock in the morning on Saturday, which was my 2nd favorite, although it was a bit rough. Zephyr Cove had mad elevation changes on every hole. I threw a lot Wraiths, Beasts, beat Destroyers off the tee and Rocs for placement.

courtesy of PDGA Tour

(left to right) Shasta Criss, Ricky Wysoki, Devan Owens & Nick

Nick G.: I gotta say there is a different level of stress being the leader the whole weekend. Lead card on Sunday was sweet, though. Not just because I didn't shoot well, but Bijou Park my least favorite of the four courses. There was a definite lack of fairways. I got off to a slow final rnd start with the huge crowd watching our every move, but got used to it by the back nine and got back to within a few shots.

Bijou Community Park - Hole 18

10Down Disc Golf: Share with us a highlight from your final rnd.

Nick G.: One of the highlights of the final rnd was here on Hole 18. I carded a 2 while the rest of the card all got 4s. I really wanted the NT title, but it wasn't my time. Hopefully next time.

courtesy of PDGA Tour

Nick holding hardware and a $740 check

10Down Disc Golf: What did you do to celebrate your weekend's efforts?

Nick G.: Hit up all the casinos. Lots of famous people where in town for the American Century Celebrity Golf Championships. Michael Jordan, Ray Allen & Aaron Rodgers and a bunch more, so that was pretty cool.

Hangin at the surf of San Fran

10Down Disc Golf: What are you up to this week?

Nick G.: This week I'm chillin on the beaches in San Francisco. I played a league at the safari course last night. Shot -14 in Random Dubz, took first and split $120. I'm playing San Francisco safari this week, We'll see how that goes...

Nick Gagne's DG Tour vol. 2

Verdugo Hills, CA DG course

Nick has been soakin up the Cali sun since we last caught up with him.

10Down Disc Golf: What's been crackN in Cali?

Nick G.: Well... I played Canon Ball Run, a three day, three course, C-tier event last weekend.

Played a solid weekend of DG. My game felt pretty comfortable. I'd like to thank the Tulas for letting me stay with them for this event. They are great people.

Nick grabbed third place and tied 1031 rated and event winner Steve Rico for low 3rd round honors with a 68.

http://www.pdga.com/tournament_results/72050

10Down Disc Golf: Who are you traveling with now?

Nick G.: I've been traveling with Ricky Wysoki, 2010 PDGA Rookie of the Year who is from Medina, OH, Catrina Allen from Phoenix, AZ and Carman Grisham from Winfield, MO. It's been real cool having good people to hang with so far. They have helped me out a lot.

The iconic Hollywood Sign

Nick G.: After Canon Ball we had a few days off so of course we had to go to Hollywood. Hollywood was cool. We went to the Hollywood Sign and took some pictures.

Hard Rock Cafe on Hollywood Blvd. Los Angeles, CA

Nick G.: Then we went down to Hollywood Blvd. It was crazy down there. Mad limos pulling up to the clubs and stuff. We saw the sidewalks with all the stars on them and the famous Chinese theater.

Roosevelt Hotel (left) home of 1st Academy Awards in 1929

I would suspect that the atmosphere Nick experienced on Hollywood Blvd. was a little different than that of downtown Sidney, Me on a normal saturday night.

10Down Disc Golf: With the recent ratings update you are now rated 1001. What's your reaction to becoming a 1000-rated player?

Nick G.: My goal was to come on tour and by the end of the year become 1010 rated or higher. Being 1000 rated looks good. And feels good. A lot of sponsoring companies look to see if you are 1000 rated and I'm definitely excited about that.

10Down Disc Golf: Describe a typical day for you right now?

Nick G.: A typical day for me is either playing some DG, checkin out scenery, goin swimming at lakes and pools or maybe some fishing. I've been shopping at some stores and catching plenty of sun. Pretty much living the life, at least for me.

10Down Disc Golf: What is next for you?

Nick G.: Right now I'm in Lake Tahoe, CA getting ready for the KING of the LAKE PDGA NT event this weekend. I'm here practicing the courses. We are staying in the Super 8, which is the host hotel for the event. The air is crazy here. You throw a roadrunner and it flies like a stable destroyer because the air is so thin and we are at such elevation. It's definitely taking a few adjustments.

Lake Tahoe

(left to right) Steve Mills, Ricky Wysoki, Nick, and Tommy Eckman

Follow Nick's performance at the King of the Lake event.

http://www.pdga.com/tournament_results/61921

Keep the discs flying straight and the stories coming.

Make sure to check back for the KOL recap.

Nick Gagne's DG Tour vol.1

Nick Gagne - Hole 1 Vibram Open 2010

After back to back wins at local Maine Disc Golf events (DDGC and Troll Valley)

Nick Gagne, a recent Messalonskee High School graduate

packed his bags in the middle of June and headed out on the PDGA tour.

This is the first documented installment of his adventure.

Putting at Lavallee Links Fall 2010

I recently caught up with Nick while he had some down time

before heading to Pier Park's weekly league in Oregon.

10Down Disc Golf: What kind of expectations did you have as you began your DG tour?

Nick G.: Try to shoot 1020 rated rounds, learn new courses and play against the best DGers in the world.

Nick has done just that.

His first tournament stop came in Twin Cities, MN at the Minnesota Majestic

a PDGA A-tier, with 192 players and over $11,000 in prize money.

http://www.pdga.com/tournament_results/67419/Open

He had a few stumbles during rnd 1, but played strong enough on the weekend

to take 5th place and $600 while competing in a field that included

Nikko Locastro, Cale Leiviska, Bradley Williams, and Paul Ulibarri,

some of the elite DGers in the world.

Pit stop in Montana

10Down Disc Golf: Off da course, where are some of the places you've visit so far in your travels?

Nick G.: Well...I been to Missouri, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon & California.

10Down Disc Golf: What have been some travel highlights?

Nick G.: I've visited Yellow Stone National Park which was amazing. Seeing beautiful views everywhere with so many different wild animals walking freely. We saw 20 ft snowbanks in the middle of June. But being able to throw a roc off a cliff and watch it go for a mile and see it flip and hyzer about 6 times in that one flight, was pretty cool.

Nick has also made stops at Mt. Hood (pictured above) and Mt. St. Helens

Nick's second tournament for was the Beaver State Fling in Estacada, Oregon.

This was a PDGA National Tour event with 150 players and close to $40,000 in prize money.

http://www.pdga.com/tournament_results/61922/Open

Nick G.: I didn't feel like I played up to my standards at BSF.

The course had some shots that I didn't have in my bag, but I'm learning a lot.

He finished 26th and took home $430 for his efforts.

At his most recent event,

the PDGA A-tier Fort Steilacoom Open in Lakewood, Washington

Nick felt like he really had a shot at crackin the top 3.

Although he fell a few strokes short of that,

he finished a very respectable 5th to take home $330.

http://www.pdga.com/tournament_results/62467

Nick G.: Obviously competition is always tough on tour cause your playing against the best. You gotta maintain focus at all times on the course. Watching most of the competition execute throw after throw, you just gotta trust your talents and make your throws. The courses out here are much larger and different from the east. Discs fly a little farther and tend to be a little more stable. It takes a little getting used to.

10Down Disc Golf: What do you feel is the most important thing for you to concentrate on while touring?

Nick G.: For me it's getting in enough practice on all these new tournament courses.

10Down Disc Golf: What advice would you give someone that wanted to get out here with you?

Nick G.: Well... you'll need discs, clothes, money, friends & places to stay. You need to play your practice rounds seriously. If you really want to compete you need to work on learning good form and throwing accurate shots.

Shores of the Pacific Ocean in Washington State

Coming up on a month on the road, Nick has seen and done quite bit already.

Keep checking back periodically as we catch up with Nick and his journeys on the PDGA tour.