“That’s all I wanted! That’s all I’ve ever wanted! Let’s go!”
What could bring Nikko Locastro, a man most known for his prickly rage, such satisfaction?
An ace.
One throw. One perfectly imagined (and executed) flight. One symphony of chain-rattling sound. There is perhaps no better feeling the game of disc golf has to offer its addicts. And wouldn’t you know it, it’s the feeling Joseph Phillips has been chasing – over and over (and over) again.
Joseph Phillips: The Ace Whisperer
Phillips is the co-owner of Another Round Disc Golf in Charlotte, N.C. When he’s not playing sidekick to Paul Ulibarri on his YouTube channel, you can see the dude all over social media chasing the ever-elusive ace. Only, for Joey, they aren’t that elusive, if you can believe it …
To date, he estimates he’s thrown over 100 of ‘em.
Last week, he threw four – in one day.
But why spend SO MUCH time trying to ace?
I asked him – here’s what he told me:
“Well, it’s thrilling, for one. Especially given how infrequently it happened for me in my early years of playing. So, when you see one go in — it rules. Brian Earhart and I share a similar view of disc golf: The scoring and serious side of it is always secondary to the fun. It’s hard to describe how meaningful it is to me to be able to put something into flight.”
The fun of flight.
From the beginning, this is what hooks many of us – it did for me, anyway. If you’re looking to chase more of that feeling, tried-and-true, here are Joe’s six steps for making it happen:
* Step No. 1: Find the right hole
Find a hole that is less than 250 feet.
Also, it should have a relatively obvious line(s) to the basket.
* Step No. 2: Use the right discs
Buy five of the EXACT same disc – the same run, weight and brand new, if possible. Given the ideal length of an “ace-friendly” hole, the Prime Judge, Z-Line Buzzz or Neutron Crave come to mind as possible suitors. Also, if a sharp hyzer or flex line is needed, the Lucid Felon’s a gem.
You’re smart. You know what’ll work.
* Step No. 3: Throw the same ones
Every time you play, throw all five discs on the “aceable” hole you’ve identified – if nobody’s pushing you, of course. When doing this, pay EXTREMELY close attention to your angle of release, speed, etc. Make corrections based on what happened during previous attempts.
* Step No. 4: Be patient
To a certain degree, acing holes is a numbers game. The more shots you throw, the greater the likelihood one of ‘em finds its way to the dish. Still, it’s key you understand the following:
Disc golf aces are hard – REALLY hard.
The perfect shot needs luck. You have to hit the chains at just the right speed and angle. Spit-outs are to be expected. And don’t forget about untimely wind-bounces, because they 100% happen.
* Step No. 5: Have fun
Remember: Disc golf is fun.
In and of itself, an ace is awesome, but nobody really cares if you have 1,000 of them.
* Step No. 6: Film it
Set up a tripod, film it and tag Another Round on Twitter or Instagram.
Why so serious?
There will ALWAYS be “anti-acers” out there …
And don’t you know it, in parents’ basements all over the world, they lay in wait next to their keyboards to label aces “clickbait” at a moment’s notice. Clearly, ace-runs on “pitch-and-putt” holes don’t make for great tournament preparation, but that’s hardly the point of all this …
Disc golf isn’t a zero-sum game. If you want to hardcore compete in sanctioned tournaments, skyrocket your PDGA rating and dominate the Pro Tour one day, more power to you, man …
Heck, I get goosebumps just thinking about you.
But the “art of the ace” is something different – it reminds us of why we fell in love with disc golf in the first place. As any good father would, Phillips has been teaching his son the ropes out on the disc golf course. Oftentimes, he’ll hear Zeke ask, “Dad, can we go ace-hunting today?”
[Queue the Sarah McLachlan Music]
To recapture our child-like wonder of the sport …
Isn’t it time we all go “ace-hunting” again?
When I nabbed my first ace last year with a trusty Star Wraith, people saw a side of me that doesn’t come out to play very often – raw, unfiltered joy. Mind you, this was no “cheapy,” either:
Kilborne Park. 309 feet. Dog-leg right.
Stoicism is overrated.
My wife still claims this is one of her favorite videos to watch:
Anyway, remember the ace-induced bliss that brought about an out-of-body experience for Mr. Locastro? We started this thing off with it: “That’s all I wanted! That’s all I’ve ever wanted!”
Us, too, Nikko – us, too.
Let’s go chase that feeling together.
Have anything to add? Take to Twitter to let us know – we’ll actually (for real) get back to you.
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