Waco Annual Charity Open Recap

Welcome. You’re In The Circle, as Chubbs Peterson would say, “your own happy place”, but for disc golf.

📝 On today’s card:

• Ricky’s top 5 putting tips

• WACO recap

• Weekly pro rankings

Read time: 5 minutes

UP YOUR GAME

Putting is one aspect of your game that can win you, and lose you games. A solid putting game can help you in more ways than one and can save you when all else fails.

Ricky Wysocki is one of the best players in the game and undoubtedly one of the best putters around. In this video, he walks through his best five putting tips to help all players, but especially beginners up their putting game.

His five tips are:

1. Stance

   The most important aspects of his stance are offset toes and a wide stance. These allow him to get more arm swing and momentum toward the basket.

2. Weight shift

   This is where the power for the put comes from. Start on your back leg then finish on the ball of your forward leg. This shift of weight will give you more power, especially on longer putts.

3. Arm swing

   Spin putter or push putter, how you come forward when releasing the disc is more important than your downswing. Stay on the same plane, and follow through to “shake hands with the basket” after you release the disc.

4. Wrist movement

   Your arm gives the disc the line, and your wrist and fingers create the spin on the disc. You want to engage your wrist just enough to create the spin needed, without over-engaging your wrist which will affect your accuracy.

5. Aiming

   Yes, the classic saying “aim small, miss small” applies to disc golf. Focus on a single point on the basket, whether it be a chain link or something else, then rely on your muscle memory to take over.

These tips are generally focused on the staggered stance approach, however, straddle putters could still benefit from tips #3-5. Additionally, you may not be able to always have a staggered stance or straddle putt due to your lie. So having both in your arsenal would be beneficial.

TOURNAMENT RECAP

Kyle Klein walked away with $7,500 and his first DGPT win of 2023 on Sunday, beating the rest of the field by two strokes.

Kristin Tattar showed why she is #1 in the world. Winning her first tournament of the year and her first since returning from surgery that left her recovering during most of the off-season.

MPO

Adam Hammes set the pace for the tournament in rounds one (-12) and two (-8). Going into the third and final round, Adam had the outright lead at 20 under par, with Calvin Heimburg close behind at 19 under and Kyle Klein at 18 under par.

Adam struggled to get build momentum early in the final round but turned things around with a long 65+ foot birdie putt on hole 6. He followed this up by recording the second ace of the tournament on hole 8. In round one, Max Regitnig threw the only other ace in the tournament, also on hole 8.

Meanwhile, Kyle Klein was one card ahead (chase card) of Adam Hammes and Calvin Heimburg. Kyle was on a heater, shooting what would be the best round of the tournament (-13) and also keeping the pressure on Adam.

While Kyle (-30) was on the tee of hole 18, Adam (-29) was stepping up to his birdie putt on hole 17. Adam’s approach shot had left him with a circle two-putt, a must-make if he was to potentially send the tournament into a playoff. His putt missed skimming off the top of the cage. Kyle landed his drive on hole 18 within the circle, making the birdie putt and leaving Adams only hope as an ace on hole 18. Adam gave his drive a chance but did not get the ace and had to settle for second place.

FPO

Kristin Tattar and Ella Hansen were battling all weekend for the lead. Kristin started off hot, shooting a nine-under, 1021-rated, round one.

Ella Hansen found herself up by one stroke, ahead of Kristin heading into the final round. Kristin was off to a slow start while Ella started four down through the first four holes. After a double bogey on hole 13, Kristin found herself down by four strokes with only three holes left to play.

On hole 16, Ella threw out of bounds off the drive and ultimately took a bogey. Kristin was able to secure the birdie with a circle’s edge putt.

On hole 17, Ella and Kristin found themselves in a good position to put their approach close and get the birdie. Ella threw her approach shot O.B., forcing her to layup and take the bogey. Kristin was left with another circle’s edge putt and missed high right-side chains. However, Kristin got a par and was now only one stroke back from Ella heading into the final hole of the tournament.

On hole 18, Kristin, Ohn Scoggins, and Deann Carey all elected to play safe, laying up before attempting to throw across the water. Ella, though up by one stroke, went for it all by crossing the water off the drive. Ella doubled down, and lost, as she threw O.B. for the third hole in a row. This left the door wide open for Kristin as all she had to do was lay up and make the birdie putt, and she did just that.

HIGHLIGHTS

• 18-year-old Cole Redalen had a breakout performance, securing his first DGPT podium, tieing Calvin Heimburg for third place at -28. His best previous DGPT Elite Series finish was 7th place at Ledgestone Open in 2021.

• Jared Stoll went up and over on hole 17 in round two, landing in circle one. Sadly, he missed the put but his drive is one to remember.

• Eveliina Salonen experienced putting woes on hole 17 in round one. Unfortunately, hers were broadcast on live TV during a Disc Golf Pro Tour event. She took a quintuple bogey, missing five of six putts within the circle before finally putting it in for a nine on the par four.

View the full scores here:

WEEKLY PRO RANKINGS - TOP 10

RULE OF THE DAY