I’m a man. Kona Panis is one of my favorite professional disc golfers.
For years, Paige Pierce was clearly the face of women’s disc golf. And if it wasn’t Paige, it was Catrina Allen. And when Cat was off, it was Sarah Hokom. Then Hailey King made a push.
Finally, Europe invaded North America, and it was Kristin Tattar’s time in the limelight.
That order’s not spot-on or anything, but you’re picking up what I’m putting down.
The 2021 disc golf season shook up the pecking order within the FPO field, though. Kona kicked things off by handily taking down the Waco Annual Charity Open – she’d never look back.
In 2021 Kona Panis had 12 top-10 finishes, 6 top-5 finishes, 4 podiums and of course a dominant 14-stroke win at WACO where she averaged a 997 rating
— PDGA Stats (@PDGAStats) January 3, 2022
Her player rating went from 926 at the start of last season to 949 📈
Prior to 2021, when disc golf fans heard the name “Kona Panis,” a few things came to mind:
- Instagram.
- Classic hipster glasses.
- Dating (and now engaged to) Colten Montgomery’s mustache.
- The girl who draws on the back of her discs with a Sharpie pen.
- Her ever-changing putting style that led to this gem of a YouTube clip …
Look away if you’re squeamish:
Smirk all you like, but remember that aforementioned victory in Waco?
Right, she and her “ever-changing putting style” took that thing down by a shocking 12 strokes over the second-place finisher, Ohn Scoggins. Oh, yeah – Pierce, Allen, Hokom and King?
Nowhere to be found.
Thankfully, Panis’ patience, perseverance and stellar play have finally paid off.
On Jan. 3, Dynamic Discs announced that they’d signed Kona to a four-year endorsement deal worth $500,000 in guaranteed money. The deal ties the largest FPO contract in disc golf history, matching Tattar’s current contract with Latitude 64. Incentives further sweeten the deal, as tour series discs, signature discs, a signature bag and performance-based bonuses are all in play.
And finally, we come full circle: Kona’s (still) one of my favorite touring professionals.
Hers is a story weekend warriors can relate to. Don’t lie: That putting fiasco is a situation you’re painfully familiar with. No, Kona might not (yet) have Tattar’s talent or consistency, but what she lacks in raw ability, she makes up for in grit, work ethic and branding and business savvy.
Of course Panis will serve as an inspiration to current and future female disc golfers. But let’s not limit the narrative. She’s a serious inspiration to all disc golfers, both male and female.
If she can do it, you can, too.
Put down the Cheetos Puffs and Mountain Dew. Go get to work.
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Absolutely love this take! And i wholeheartedly agree.
Thanks, Donovan – glad we’re on the same page!