Team Discraft: Brad Schick Disc Golf Bio

	NAME:	Brad Schick
	TEAM:	Elite Z
	HOMETOWN:	New Albany, OH
	PDGA #:	7992
	2007 PDGA RATING:	1011
	BORN:	1977
	STARTED IN DISC GOLF:	1991
	day gig:	Sales - Publishing
	ROAD WARRIOR:	Brad plays an average of 26 events per year, and has accumulated many, many top finishes over the years. 2007 - 2nd Brent Hambrick Memorial Open NT 2007 - 6th Canadian Open NT 2007 - 6th DiscNDat Bluegrass Open ST 2007 - 5th Pittsburgh FD Open 2007 - 5th West Virginia Open ST 2007 - 5 B-tiers wins

MEMORABLE DISC GOLF MOMENT

It was at a SuperTour event in Canton, OH back in the late 90s. I finished 2nd to Ron Russell, and fought past an unbelievable field. I loooked up to so many of those players, and to beat people like Larry Leonard, Steve Rico, Bob Vanderboss... it was one of the most exciting experiences of my disc golf career.

Brad's Disc Golf Tips

Lower Your Scores:
Some things to remember when working on your game, try to develop new shots! One example is to develop a forehand if you do not currently have one. Mastering this shot will ultimately give you so many options you currently do not have in your bag. It has saved me hundreds of strokes and gets me out of trouble almost every round I play! Go out to a field and practice throwing shots around 50 feet, then 100, etc. If you are unfamiliar with this shot, it takes time to develop a smooth release and confidence, but once you do it will save you too! Check this great video for forehand development.

Keep It Competitive:
I have always tried to keep my casual rounds somewhat competitive and try to encourage others to do so as well. I think that a lot of people play very casual rounds and play great golf, but when it comes to a tournament round they play very poorly or below their expectations. We all know tournament golf is much different than casual golf, so try to keep the competition strong when you practice. Maybe put a side bet of some sort, play for bag tags, or something that will keep you in the right mindset for competition. It's also very important for you practice as if you were playing a tournament round. Just get in that routine so it's a comfortable feeling when you are really there.

In General:
Brad Schick / Team Discraft

I see a lot of players practicing their distance... and only their distance! That seems to be a big thing to new players. Perhaps they feel that they are going to catch people's eye, which is true, but there is so much more on the road to success. Putting has got to be the biggest part of the game in my opinion. If you practice putting at least half as much as in other areas, your game will improve in strides.

One other thing I see new players doing is throwing discs that are WAY too overstable for their experience and armspeed. When they do actually figure out how to throw that disc, their finesse is so limited that it has major impacts on the touch shots, low ceiling shots, and up shots. Start out with something that is easy to throw and work your way to the overstable stuff. Be patient!

On Distance:
Throwing the long shot is something I have never figured out to be honest. I watch and experiment with different things and I have come to the conclusion that I can throw a max of 425 feet at best. Unless Discraft continues to make magic discs that go farther and farther, I am okay with 425. Many players are so determined to throw the long shot, it is all they practice. If I had to give advice, I tell people to figure out your footwork first. Be smooth with your release and quick with your hips and arm speed. I am not sure there is an easy way to describe gaining distance? It takes practice and god given talent. Don't get discouraged, if you park that 450 foot hole and miss the 18 foot putt, it didn't do you much good. Practice your putts!

The Mythical Perfect Putting Style:
If you're looking to improve your putting, the best advice I can give you is to pick a style that is comfortable for you and go with it. If you look at the top players in the world, a lot of them have extremely different styles. So what does that mean? To me that means there is no right or wrong putting style. Pick what works for you and practice until the confidence is there. A key thing I try to tell new players is you must limit your three putts. You can't be aggressive on every single putt as you would when you are out playing casually with friends. Also you have to keep the wind in mind when putting or approaching the longer putts. If you hate the headwind putts, keep that in mind when approaching...maybe throw the upshot about 10-15 feet long. One last thing you MUST do - KEEP POSITIVE! You can talk yourself out of a 12 foot putt if you try hard enough. Oh yeah...have fun too!

COURSES YOU SHOULD PLAY:		Ohio's Brad Schick is a longtime member of Team Discraft, and continues to travel extensively in pursuit of his next victory. You'll always find him at top notch events like the Player's Cup, the Memorial, Great Lakes Open and the Brent Hambrick Memorial.
Course	Comments
Mt. Airy Cincinnati, OH	One of my all time favorites.
Winthrop Gold Rock Hill, SC	One of the most mentally challenging courses ever.
Hudson Mills Ann Arbor, MI	Awesome disc golf facilities!
Brent Hambrick Memorial Columbus, OH	Home course that molded my game for many years.
Knob Hill Pittsburgh, PA	Many layouts, all challenging and fair with great selections of shots.

In The Disc Golf Bag: Drivers
Disc	Comments
ESP Surge (max weight)	The ESP Surge has been my go to driver since its release. I currently have three in my bag, all of which are a bit more stable than the other. It's going to take a great new disc to replace these... it is my max distance and control disc.
X Predator (max weight)	I absolutely love the Predator for big hyzer shots, and almost all forehand shots. They provide great control, and they are very reliable in the wind. This disc flies very overstable when they are new out of the box, but can get beat in after some work, giving them more flight before the hyzer takes affect. Super fast disc and highly reliable, max distance is about 350 feet.
Z Flick (max weight)	This flat top, lightening fast disc is used in special situations. Usually the wind has to be blowing at 20+ mph for me to throw this backhand because this thing is so overstable. The Flick isn't so much a distance disc for me, but has a major role for short spike shots or I will often use it for a forehand in windy conditions. My max distance with the Flick is about 300-325 feet.
X XS (max weight)	The XS used to be my favorite driver for sure. I still have a beat up XS for a roller that will flip extremely quickly. They are not normally flippy rollers out of the box so you can pick up a lot of distance with them and as they get beat up they flip a bit faster.
ESP Predator (max weight)	I put a the new ESP Predator in my bag late last year for the windy days where I need a long distance hyzer bomb. The ESP plastic holds the line as the early runs of Predators did when they first came out. The plastic speaks for itself and I will often use this for the side arm shots that require a lot of distance.

In The Disc Golf Bag: Midrange
Disc	Comments
D Buzzz (max weight)	This disc has become my go-to midrange. They surely get beat a little faster since they are the Pro-D plastic, but that is what I prefer. They are such a true flyer and do exactly what you want time and time again. I have two white ones, one of which is beat up and the other is fairly new for windier conditions. I am looking forward to throwing the new GT Buzz, which I just got the other day.
ESP Buzzz (max weight)	The ESP Buzzz holds a definite spot in my bag for the more stable mid range shots. My preference is to throw the D Buzzz when possible, but the ESP plastic has such a nice feel and holds that stability that is needed at times. The Buzzz is one of the greatest discs ever made for sure!
FLX Buzzz (max weight)	This FLX plastic is a nice compliment to the ESP run. I use this disc when I need a more stable midrange disc. The FLX seems to be a bit more stable than the ESP, but still flies true like a Buzzz!
X Comet (max weight)	The eight year-old Comet cannot be replaced in my bag. I use this straight flier for soft turn over shots or finesse shots in the woods. The Buzzz has limited my use of the Comet somewhat, but this disc is still one of the best discs out there for all-purpose shots, and always an excellent choice for beginners.

In The Disc Golf Bag: Putt and Approach
Disc	Comments
APX Swirl (max weight)	This has been my putter for a few years now and I am sad they have been discontinued. I still have a handful of the Swirls left and I am currently looking for a replacement. The Swirls are a straight flying, super soft putter that catch excellent. I used to putt with hard Magnets, but seemed to get a lot more spit outs. When I switched to the Swirls, my putting seemed a lot more consistent, and with consistency came confidence. I will most likely switch to the Soft Magnets when my supply runs out.

| FAQ | Contact | Sitemap |