The All-Star Draft was broadcast live on YouTube.
If you wanted to see it, you saw it.
For the remainder of the 2022 DGPT All-Star Weekend, that’s no longer the case. In spite of the discount for PDGA members, if you chose not to spring for a Disc Golf Network subscription, Twitter likely brought you up to speed. This article, however, will help fill in the gaps …
The following are four of the top skills competition tidbits, as I saw them firsthand:
1. Distance: DoubleG was disappointed with 661 feet
Can you imagine a world in which you’d be disappointed with a 661-foot drive?
If you can’t, you must not be Garrett Gurthie. That’s exactly what he felt after doing just that. As the fourth and final distance thrower for Team Eagle, Guthrie needed 18 more feet tacked onto his longest throw to tie and 19 to bring home a tight victory for his captain and teammates.
A 661 FT SMASH from @doublegurth89 was the longest drive in the men's distance contest. #DGPTAllStars pic.twitter.com/gx8Q1cTQ5I
— Disc Golf Pro Tour (@DiscGolfProTour) February 11, 2022
A hot mic picked up Gurthie’s thoughts, clearly unhappy with his performance. Of the three events, the distance competition would be the only challenge Team Eagle lost on the day.
2. Accuracy: The ‘limbo mando’ was pure insanity
There were five stations to test the accuracy of all four participants. Each station required a different kind of throw: anhyzer, hyzer, straight, high and low. Mandatories made certain the desired throw was the one taken. Accuracy was brutal, but one station clearly stood out …
The low mando or “limbo mando,” as I like to call it.
Strung up between two trees, the mandatory for this station called for a really low placement shot. Like, it was so low, that a few FPO players actually threw forehand rollers to navigate it. Jeff Spring could also be heard in the background urging players to go for the roller …
That’s Jigsaw-level behavior, right there.
Amateurs look to distance and putting as the great separators between themselves and touring professionals. But watch the MPO guys make this mando over and over and over again …
If you needed a reason to play wooded courses more regularly, congrats – now you have it.
3. Putting: Uli was airmailing from the struggle bus
Nate Sexton and Jeremy Koling are going to razz Paul Ulibarri about this for a long time …
Here’s how his third putting station went – an obstructed straddle from 25 feet:
- Putt No. 1 – Short. Clank.
- Putt No. 2 – Short. Clank.
- Putt No. 3 – Right. Airball.
- Putt No. 4 – Right. Airball.
- Putt No. 5 – Short. Clank.
The setting sun was (kind of) in his eyes, but still …
There alone, he missed out on a possible 10 points for Team Calvin with the fat squadoosh. He was yippy the rest of his turn. His team lost by 22 points. He played a sizable role in that.
Take it from a guy who knows the look well: MA2 isn’t sexy on you, Paul.
4. General: A guy with a walkie-talkie makes things intense
Walkie-talkies were cool when I was 10 years old. I’m now in my 30s. After today, I’m back on the hype train. I have no idea who it was that was using ‘em – probably multiple people, really.
But at the end of every smash during the distance competition, there was a guy with a two-way relaying (literal) footage back to the teepad. Same thing for accuracy. Using his handheld, the dude would say if the shot was a bullseye, inside circle one or two or entirely out of bounds.
I think it’s safe to say that the overall environment surrounding All-Star Weekend is pretty chill. The presence of an active walkie-talkie, however, immediately adds a layer of seriousness.
Walkie-talkies demand respect. News to me, they also demand better disc golf.
That's a wrap for the skills competition! Team McMahon leads after the first day of All-Star Weekend. pic.twitter.com/96Ymyu70iG
— Disc Golf Pro Tour (@DiscGolfProTour) February 12, 2022
Check back in here on Green Splatter again tomorrow morning …
We’ll have yet another detailed update for you on how the doubles rounds went down.
Have anything to add? Take to Twitter to let us know – we’ll actually (for real) get back to you.
