Team Discraft: Scott Papa Disc Golf Bio

	NAME:	Scott 'Papa Tart' Papa
	TEAM:	Masters
	HOMETOWN:	Olalla, WA
	PDGA #:	10099
	2007 PDGA RATING:	993
	BORN:	1962
	day gig:	Home Depot Inventory Manager
	STARTED IN DISC GOLF:	1994
	disc Cred:	Top 10 Pro Worlds Masters finishes in 03, 04, 05, 06 1st, Masters div, 2007 Great Lakes Open NT 7 first place finishes in 2006 Instructional Editor, Flying Disc Magazine

memorable disc golf moment:

I would have to say that here were a few important accomplishments in my career. Getting my first pro win in 1996 at Rockford, IL was huge for me. I was constantly the person who was first out of cash so this was a big step for me.
My first B-tier win came at Hudson Mills in 1997 at No Foolin' and it was especially memorable as I had never seen the course before and I hadn't slept for 30 hours before the event. Add to that the great competition and it was a big win.
Taking 5th in Masters at the 2003 Worlds was huge for me as I had never even cashed at World's before. That was an icebreaker and I haven't looked back since.
But possibly my favorite win may just be the Channahon Classic of 2002 in Channahon, Illinois. It is run by my hero and Hall of Famer Gary Lewis. I had taken 2nd so many times in his events that I started to wonder if I ever would win one, especially after moving to the West coast. But we flew back to visit family and I was able to play in the event and finally taken home an Open first place in a Gary Lewis tourney....awesome.
Besides events, without trying to sound totally cheesy my other major accomplishments would be 1) Convincing the coolest lady in the world to marry me and keep me around for over ten years (Jeanne is the best!), 2) Being awarded Courageous Citizen of the Year for Los Angeles County in 1994 (now there's a story), and 3) Being put on Team Discraft (I have the greatest disc golf family in the world and I am honored to be a part of the Team).

Pro Clinics Featuring Scott:

Discraft Pro Clinic: The Overhead Shot

Scott's Advice For Lower Scores

Scott Papa is a prolific disc golf coach and instructor. For more of his disc golf guidance, see his regular column in Flying Disc Magazine, where he serves as Instructional Editor.

Practice:
Believe it or not, you may be playing too many rounds of golf. The best way to improve your game in any sport is through practicing the fundamentals. Take time to work out by throwing drives, upshots or putts, but not in a game setting. You will get a much better feel for your discs and shots through repetition. After these practice sessions then you're ready to hit the course and lower your score.

Maximize Your Flight:
The toughest thing for a new player to learn is how to throw a disc to maximize it's flight. The reason for this is that generally they are playing with all of their friends who just picked up the game also. Because of this they often don't get to see a properly thrown disc and start to pick up some bad techniques.

When first starting to throw remember to keep the arm motion of your disc on a flat plane. There are two common problems for the beginner that make this difficult: The first is that the off arm (the one without the disc) is still in front of the body so that makes the player start low and end high with their throw. If you pull that arm back not only will it get out of your throwing arm's plane but it will also help your shoulders rotate around to get more power that you were missing with the arm in front.

The second problem would have to be weight distribution. All too often the learning thrower gets leaned back on the back foot to generate power for the big toss. Unfortunately this dips the rear shoulder and the throwing plane again goes straight up and major distance and straightness of throw are lost. Transfer that weight to the front foot and it is almost impossible to throw the disc at an upward angle. These are a couple of quick tips that will add quick distance and keep the flight much straighter. Yes, some of the problem may be disc selection but the chances are the reason it is turning too quick is that the disc is goin up instead of forward.

Increase Your D:
For the intermediate player that already has a decent grip on throwing technique the answer to more power is not always the same. More often than not I will notice that a person struggling to get that extra distance is 'arming' the disc rather than 'snapping'. Make sure that as you come through on your pull that the elbow is breaking and the disc is coming on a straight line through you pull. The finish should be a snap and have a follow through that can't and shouldn't be stopped. Also, remember that the strongest muscles in your body are your legs so utilize them. This doesn't mean run fast, but rather explode in that weight transfer and really get your hips into the motion. Flexibility and snap equals major distance.

Putting Made Easy:
I often hear players making a statement that goes something like this: 'If I could just make all of my putts within 20 feet I would win so many tournaments.' I then ask 'How much putting practice do you do and from what distances?' At this point the conversation usually breaks down and the person needs to call his girlfriend or something.

There is no easy way about it, putting is all about practice. Yessir, mind numbingly repetitive, boring practice. While all of your friends are out playing another round and throwing around 30 putts in two hours you will have the opportunity to throw about 1000 putts in an hour. Sounds excessive? I used to think so but I love nothing better than playing a round and hearing comments from my group like 'He's a machine. Great, it's inside thirty, another gimme for Papa. You could miss every once in a while just so we know you can.' Yeah, it's boring until you have drilled so much on practice days that when you get into a tournament that the basket seems huge from 30' and you don't even think about 20' putts. An added bonus is that it puts pressure on the other players because you haven't even put yours in yet and they already feel that you will. Practice putting instead of playing rounds and it will pay off. And practice the short ones most because that is where you will putt from the most. Miss a 60 foot putt in a round and it really doesn't hurt your psyche, but doink a couple of 20 footers and sometimes it really hurts.

Throwing As Good As You Look:
Finally, I carry as many fly dyed discs as I can. This is important because I think that having cool discs makes you throw better. Why? Because when you pull out that cool dye job and everyone says, 'Cool disc' the last thing you want to do is throw a crappy shot. This makes me concentrate even harder on tossing a winner.

Don't Always Throw for the Basket
This is something that is especially critical on wooded courses or where the basket is blocked by obstacles. If you are in the rough off of the fairway and are looking to throw to the basket, you don't always need to try and get to the pin. Remember, you are an EXCELLENT putter and can use this to your advantage. Instead of trying to thread the needle between to trees to land under the basket, it will probably be much safer and have a higher percentage of success if you throw around those trees and land close to the basket. I would much rather throw a shot that I have a 99% chance of getting about 25' from the basket instead of throwing a shot that I have a 40% chance of making to land within 10 feet of the basket. The payoff of risk is just not there when you are going to end up still needing to putt it in anyway. Play the safer shot and rely on your skill as a putter!

Putting for Rhythm
This is near and dear to me as I rely on putting to keep up with everybody. Many people love to say 'Drive for show, putt for dough'. I just like to say 'If you are a great putter, then you can mess up a lot more on drives and nobody notices'. One of the keys to practicing putting is developing rhythm and muscle memory. To do this you need to take time out to practice and you need some equipment. Both of these thoughts are generally not want people want to hear but it's the truth. You have to actually allocate time to practicing putting instead of playing (like in 30 minute blocks) and you should have 5 to 10 of whatever putter you are using. You need to have these putters so that you can practice multiple shots in a row to define your throw, develop a rhythm and assess any mistakes you are making. Throwing two putts and then walking to the basket to walk back to take two more just doesn't give the repetition needed instill your motion in your muscles. A minor investment will go a long way in the advancement of your game.

COURSES YOU SHOULD PLAY:		Washington State's Scott Papa is always a favored cardmate on the PDGA Tour, with a strong respect for keeping 'fun' as the number one priority during any given round.
Course	Comments
Mc Naughton Peoria, IL	A hidden gem filled with elevation, water, hidden baskets and brutal rough. Any round under par is an accomplishment.
Pickard Indianola, IA	Rolling hills, through woods, water too!!! One of the most beautiful courses ever.
Nockamixon Quakertown, PA	Over 9000 fee of technical disc golf. A true test of skill and all shots!

Dalaiwood Olalla, WA	Now even longer at 4600' this course will take anyone's game and test every shot. Because of this course I have been able to improve my game immensely without ever getting into a car. Home course advantage? You bet!
Middle, Richmond Hill, Prospect and Longview Quad Cities, IL/IA	Okay, so maybe it's not one course but if I had a day to play disc golf and four courses to do it on this would probably be the place. Everything the Midwest has to offer is right here on four unique courses. Thanks to Justin and John for showing me the light on this great day trip.

In The Disc Golf Bag: Drivers
Disc	Comments
ESP Surge (170-174)	The moment this disc came out it has been flying for me like no other. It has a great flight for almost any drive that I need to make, especially the big, straight crushes with just a bit of hyzer at the end. I'm not a huge gun but if the hole is anything under the 450' range I now feel that I can reach it with an accurate golf shot. I will use this predominantly as my driver on anything that is mostly straight and I love throwing the big anhyzer with it. The wide rim is still deep enough to really rip into the turnover and with the right height it will fly forever until gently coming out at the end. I currently carry two of these and have just added the FLX to the bag. In the cold weather this thing has an incredible feel and still maintains the same flight path. Depending on how it feels as it warms up this may not even leave the bag then!
ESP Avenger SS (171-174)	This was the disc that I had been waiting for. A truly great driver for those big turnover shots that hold a turn without turning over and goes far at the same time. What else can I say, I rip it flat at speed and I get that turn that I need for all of those courses that are obviously designed by left-handed players. What I really like about it is that as it is slowing down at the end of the flight it then flattens out enough to not roll away at the end. The other thing I love about this disc is that it is probably the disc that I have put in more peoples hands that have a hard time with discs 'hyzering out' too much and watched them turn into driving machines. A great beginner to intermediate straight driver and awesome power turnover/roller disc. This thing rocks.
ESP Flash (172-174)	WHOOOO doggie. The Team went nuts for these at the Players Cup and I have to agree with them. This disc is amazingly easy to throw a long way as long as I have the room for it to fly. I like to rip this one with a little hyzer and then it stands up and turns ever so slightly before gliding forever. Because it has such a nice S-flight when it finishes it is straighter than hyzer so I don't end up off line from where I threw it. It is making 400-425 foot holes something that is not even a crush to reach now that this is in the bag. I think that with the smaller width and deeper rim than many of the newer discs this is a disc that will help many people get that distance that they feel lacks in their game.
ESP and Z Crush (171-174)	The Crush has been such a dependable driver for me that it will always be difficult to give up. Thrown hard with a touch of hyzer this just tips up so nice and runs hard. Although the Surge has edged out the Crush in some driving areas, I still like to use it on drive where I feel the need for a touch more control or just a little more hyzer finish at the end. I carry three of these (two in Z and one in ESP). The Z's differ in how beat in they are and the ESP is there because it is more overstable and great for wind or big, long hyzer shots.
Z Tracker (170-174)	This is a great disc. It is like a hybrid disc between the lip sizes of the old school and the new school. Because of this I get the feel and controllability of an XL but a speed that more resembles the Crush. If I need to hit a straight gap or keep something in a fairway without it hyzering in hard and skipping away this is the disc I turn too. Also, when put on a turnover this disc holds the line better than any other driver I throw. This became a major disc in my bag after all the confidence I gained with it while throwing into the wind at Player's Cup in 2005 and knowing it would hold the line and not stray at the end of the flight.
Z XL (173-174)	This is an old favorite and I still consider it to be my most controllable driver. With it's comfortable rim and deliberate flight, this disc just doesn't allow you to make big mistakes. Used for shots from 300 to 375 feet. While at Worlds, I had a competitor look to see what I was getting ready to drive with. He said 'Oh, that red one again. Hurry up and throw it right down the middle again so the rest of us can see how it's done.' Yep, it's that consistent. A great driver for those just getting into the game. The Tracker has taken some of the drive away from the XL but I still hit days where nothing is flying for me quite like the XL. It's days like that that I always wonder why I throw anything else.
Z Flick (171-174)	The Flick allows me to appear to be in possession of a decent forehand. With its slim profile it feels great and it's overstable enough to take any forehand turnover I put on it. Excellent for any forehand shot from 150 to 325 feet. I also use this for my tomahawks and thumbers. I have been slowly but surely also making this my spike hyzer disc.
X-Clone (175-176)	It's my old school disc that I love to throw... until my stash is gone, because it's been discontinued. I use it for approaches that I want to spike and stop or just for those big hyzers that are so darn fun to throw. Used from 150 to 350 feet. Before I learned to throw straight, I played a lot at Channahon, a course outside of Joliet, IL. This course was 16 hyzers, a tomahawk and a straight shot. As a result, I became 'that guy who throws hyzers over the top of everything.' While at Coldbrook in Kalamazoo MI, J-Bird Matthes (the guy who fly dyes all of Discraft's discs and my first sponsor) dubbed this throw the 'Papa Tart,' as if the disc was popping out of a toaster. This along with the toaster tattoo already on my arm lead to the J-Bird 'Papa Tart' stamp. Thank goodness I have enough of these or I would probably be bugging Mike Randolph for some of his.
X Stratus (173-176)	I've been throwing the Stratus since 97 for turnover shots up to 325 feet. I love using this disc because when I throw it everyone thinks I missed my line but then it turns the wrong way. An absolutely critical disc for my game. This is also the disc I would recommend for beginners or anyone having trouble throwing straight. It's the best disc to start with and to get used to throwing. I especially dig the early versions of the disc when it was made in the old 'Cyclone' plastic. These are the ones I generally tend to throw from the circa 1997-98 era. If you happen to need to get rid of any of those first run ones you could always send them to your favorite funky haired Discraft team member...
ESP Pulse (171-174)	This here is the slightly burlier brother to the Surge. When I throw this I get the same beginning flight pattern but the end is just that slight bit more of an aggressive hyzer. It is getting more and more play in the bag for those shots that need that extra hyzer at the end and for those windier days. If you like the Surge but your power makes it flip a little too much for you, then this is the disc that will harness your power too it's fullest potential.

In The Disc Golf Bag: Midrange
Disc	Comments
ESP and X Buzzz (174-177)	This has become my main midrange and approach disc. The Buzzz is a go-where-you-throw-it disc that will hold almost any line you put it on. The great thing is that it won't exaggerate any misplaced throw so that over hyzering it is generally never a problem. It has great glide and excellent distance for a midrange and doesn't turnover when you give it the juice on a flat toss. I normally am throwing the X plastic version of this disc because I like the feel of it in my hand. I have just put the FLX version in the bag and now I feel even more in control with just an amazing amount of grip. The great thing is that even though it may look like I'm bending it in half when I throw it the disc comes out without a flutter and has the exact same flight as my other Buzzz. Absolutely no time was taken to learn this new disc, but with the feel of it I don't know that I will ever go back to the X Buzzz again.
ESP Comet (175-180)	What happens when a disc you used to love comes out in awesome feeling plastic? You put it back in the bag and throw it like it never left. The ESP Comet is such a great straight midrange that I just can't get over it. Perfect control that doesn't allow big mistakes, this baby will take your throw and just groove with it. My definite disc for straight to slight turnovers to big long holding turnovers. I can count on this to hold the line for me on throws from 150' to 350'. And then in the ESP plastic it last forever. A must disc for beginners and a great control approach/short drive disc for anyone. Did I happen to mention how cool this disc feels in the ESP plastic? I did? Well, you just can't say it enough, this is one comfortable disc..

In The Disc Golf Bag: Putt and Approach
Disc	Comments
Swirl APX (172 - 174)	I carry two of these discontinued gems and they are the ones you will see in my outside pockets. The one in the side pocket is for throwing and the one in the front is for putting. This way the putting one never gets those nasty tree bites. You can't get the Swirl version anymore, but the Soft APX is pretty close. I use the Swirl for throws up to 200' when it's either a straight or turnover shot. I don't expect a big hyzer out of this disc. The putter is used for putts only and is my favorite for feel, stability and chain grabbing. This is the most important disc in the bag because without the confidence in the putting game, I wouldn't card any of the great scores and wins that I have.
X Challenger (173 - 174)	This is my overstable short game disc. I use it for shots up to 200' that are pure hyzer or shots that need to finish with an overstable ending. It may also come out for heavier headwind putts. It has to be the most predictable putter-style disc that I have ever thrown.
X Soft Banger GT (173 - 174)	Okay, so when I first held this disc I couldn't figure out whether it was brilliant or nutsy. Then I thought, 'Hey, that's what people think of me!' So I tried it and now it is in the bag for good. I use this for upshots up to 200 feet where i don't have a bunch of room to work with and need a straight shot. I love the thumb groove for that 'lived-in' feel right out of the box. Give this disc a try and you will see how easy it is to throw and control on a great straight line.

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