Why you should model your disc golf game after Philo Brathwaite

Philo Brathwaite might very well be the coolest guy in disc golf history.

That’s a strong statement, but the evidence certainly supports such a claim:

  • Dreadlocks? Check.
  • Looks good in a flatbill? Of course.
  • Uses the word “integrity” to describe overstable discs? No doubt.
  • Makes DX plastic seem like it’s the only stuff worth throwing? For sure.

But for as cool as the guy is on the course, it’s hardly what he should be known for …

DGPT: Philo Brathwaite

Philo’s a talented player. This year will be his 17th as a professional and 16th with Innova Champion Discs. What amateur players everywhere can best take from Philo’s game isn’t his swagger, though. Instead, it’s the simple, straightforward way he attacks (and defeats) courses.

If you want to get better, do what Philo does.

Looking for clarification?

Have at it:

Philo Brathwaite can’t throw far

Please don’t interpret this the wrong way; this isn’t a shot at Brathwaite.

When compared with most of the players you see at your local course, the dude’s a B-17 bomber. When compared with Eagle McMahon, Simon Lizotte and Garrett Gurthie, he’s plain pedestrian.

That doesn’t stop Philo from playing his game – the one you should probably be playing, too.

Philo plays within himself.

He doesn’t allow the shots of others to change how he tackles a hole. He knows what works and what doesn’t. Likewise, if you’ve been playing long enough, so do you. Back in 2020, during a co-commentary gig with Ian Anderson for Central Coast Disc Golf, Philo dropped this little gem:

“I wish I could throw a Roc 425 feet. I’m probably flexing a light destroyer at that distance.”

If you can’t throw far, relax – it’s not the end of the world.

Philo doesn’t throw as far as his younger self used to. He still shreds.

Philo Brathwaite is king of mold minimization

Players like Nathan Queen bag a million different molds, but know them so well that they’re able to hit just about any line. Touring players play a dozen-plus rounds every week. They can do this.

Amateur players with families, nine-to-five gigs and an actual house don’t have that luxury. As such, they’re better off 1) identifying the molds that feel best, and 2) getting to know them well.

Philo’s a touring pro, and he still does this – in 2016, he was only bagging five molds:

  • Putters – Aviars, Classic DX
  • Midranges – Rocs, DX and Champion
  • Fairway Drivers No. 1 – Firebirds, Champion
  • Fairway Drivers No. 2 – Teebirds, Champion
  • Distance Drivers – Destroyers, Star

It’s been a few years. Philo added a Star Wraith. A few Millennium molds, too. But the bulk of his bag hasn’t changed at all. Some of those 2016 discs are still getting action six years later.

Put it in a fortune cookie, peeps: Throw what you know. Know what you throw.

Philo Brathwaite makes the game less complicated

Disc golf is a (painfully) simple game.

Get your disc in the basket in as few strokes as possible – that’s about it.

How you go about doing it? That’s where things get interesting. Nikko Locastro prefers flex lines. Kevin Jones will toss a grenade or two. James Conrad will throw a putter at anything.

Modern-day pros continue to push the boundaries of what’s considered conventional wisdom. 

While more high-octane players seek to split tight tunnels with 12-speed drivers, Philo’s content to bust out a DX Roc and stay in the fairway. Four-finger power grips and Destroyers make for highlight reels, but fan grips and half-swings lead to frequent, easy pars and tap-in birdies.

Do the same to watch your tournament finishes quickly improve.

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Lucas Miller

Lucas Miller is the founder and editor-in-chief of Green Splatter. When he’s not out tossing a Champion Rhyno in his native Utah, he’s watching true-crime documentaries with his wife, wrestling his twin boys and praying the Oklahoma City Thunder’s rebuild passes quickly.

2 thoughts on “Why you should model your disc golf game after Philo Brathwaite”

  1. Good content! I don’t click through to much and I definitely don’t finish much that I do. Good visual design, good formatting and most importantly good info and wisdom.

    Reply
    • Thanks so much for reading, Bryan!

      Yeah, most readers are “skimmers” these days, if you know what I mean …

      Happy to have you onboard – let us know if there’s ever a topic you’d like covered!

      Reply

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