Team Discraft: Chris Smith Disc Golf Disc Golf Bio

	NAME:	Chris 'Smitty' Smith
	TEAM:	Elite Z
	HOMETOWN:	Winfield, KS
	PDGA #:	19983
	2007 PDGA RATING:	1009
	BORN:	1973
	day gig:	Elementary Phys Ed Teacher
	STARTED IN DISC GOLF:	2000
	Disc Cred:	1st, 07 Shunga Nunga 06 Kansas State Champ 1st 2006 Frontier Open 1st, 2006 Round-Up 1st, 06 Dynamic Discs 3rd, 2006 Z-Boaz Open 2nd, 2006 Doo Dah Open 1st, 05 Wichita Round-Up 1st, 2005 Star City Kansas Overall Point Champ 04-07 2x winner Kassner Cup 2003 Am Worlds Long Drive Champion Current PDGA Kansas State Coord Director, Kansas DGA

MEMORABLE DISC GOLF MOMENTs

2003 Am Worlds in Kansas City: My wife and I went on our honeymoon and both played. I hit an Ace in mixed doubles it was great!
2005 City Shoot Out, Lincoln Nebraska: My first ever PDGA win in any division. I had only one PDGA Open cash at this point. I had missed cashing by a stroke or two at many events the year before.
2005 Round-Up, Wichita Kansas: I blew a 3 stroke lead on the last hole, then won the tourney on the first playoff hole. It was an emotional ride, had it won, lost it, won it all in a matter of minutes.
2006 Z Boaz, Ft. Worth Texas: This was my first good showing at a Super Tour event. I ended up tied for third and made the final nine. Burl and I made out like bandits, winning several skins in the final. It was my first time to play with that many people watching. I can still hear my heart pounding in my ears as we stepped up to hole the first hole.
2006 Glass Blown Open, Emporia Kansas: I had played this event many times. I watched tons of GREAT players in the final over the years; Eric McCabe, Ron Convers, Mike Randolph, Danny Stacey, George Smith, Kevin Babbit, LaRon Harris, never thinking that it could be me sometime. I played solid all weekend, and had the chance. Don't know if this counts, hitting a mini ace at the motel on the Saturday night of a tourney. My buddies and I jumped and yelled. The even paid me bucks each.
2007 Ponca City Open: My wife and I were expecting our second baby. She was two weeks from her due date. Somehow I talked her into letting me play, I just had to keep my cell phone on all day. I think that all my buddies called me at least once that day. Never a call from home. Three o'clock that night trip to the the hospital and the arrival of my second little Discrafter.
2007 Might Shunga Nunga Open: Birdied the last two holes to tie E-Mac for the title. Eric and I were a couple of strokes apart the entire last round.

Chris's Disc Golf Tips

Keep it simple. Keep the number of variables down when you throw... think clean and simple. The more simple your form is, the better. You don't see a lot of top players with a ten step run-up, or arms and hands flying all over when they putt. Watch them and mimic their style.

Keep it simple II. Don't throw too many molds. I see new Ams carrying bags that have 10-15 different molds, which can be a big mistake if you're just learning the game. Pick a few that feel good, and learn them.

Throw less stable discs. I think that too many intermediate level players throw plastic that is far to overstable for them. Some good examples of less stable discs.

Friar tuck. I see a lot of people on the course that bring their non-throwing arm over the top of their disc. This slows your rotation, kills your distance, and hurts your accuracy. When a figure skater wants to spin fast, they keep all their body parts close to their trunk. Same idea in disc golf.

Shot selection is key to shooting low scores. First you have to know your limits. Second you have to limit the variables. A hyzer is probably the easiest shot to execute. Whenever you can throw one, do. Practice off the course. The only way to really know what you can do is get away from the course. Find a place where you can develop different shots, then practice them until they are almost routine. Keep your cool. Emotions are part of the game, we all get upset with ourselves. Don't dwell on your mistakes. You are going to get frustrated with mess-ups and bad luck. Try to stay focused and move on. Kicking your bag, and throwing your chair, and slamming discs in your bag, only make you look dumb, and don't change the outcome of your mistake.

Play with people that are better then you! This is the best way to get better. Watch the shots they make, and do your best to replicate them. If you are the best player of your 'group' even the field, give them Cali or mulligans, or even strokes. This will make every shot of your casual round important. We always play for some kind of a trinket that you get to display if you are the current champion.

Practice off the course. Go to an open field and throw all the different shots in your bag. It is also very helpful to get the video camera out there and do a little filming. It will help you clean up your form and become a better golfer. To many people only practice on the course.

COURSES YOU SHOULD PLAY:		Professional disc golfer Chris Smith is equally active as a TD and disc golf promoter. In addition to designing seven disc golf courses, he serves as PDGA State Coordinator for Kansas, and is involved with local parks and rec departments as a clinical disc golf instructor. He also teaches disc golf as a part of his 5th and 6th grade Phys Ed classes.
Course	Comments
Water Works Park Kansas City, MO	A complete blast to play. Great elevation, a chance to get 'water worked' on every green. The park always looks awesome.
Z-Boaz Ft. Worth, TX	A kick butt course with almost every shot in the book being needed. Hole one from the long tees is probably my favorite hole of all time.
Black Hawk Tulsa, OK	A very challenging course. You must hit your lines, and use your head on this course, or you could take some big scores.

Course	Comments
Jones Park Emporia, KS	Two great courses located in the same park. Many great holes that play over or around water and OB.
Frontier Park Hays, KS	I use to live 45 minutes from this course, and took it for granted. Now every time I go back, I am amazed at how good this 20 plus year old course is.

In The Disc Golf Bag: Drivers
Disc	Comments
Z Predator (173-175)	The Predator is my favorite driver to throw. It is most consistent disc on the market. They never vary from run to run or because of color. You know what the Pred is going to do: it is going to cruise down the fairway then hyzer at the end. I always have at least two Preds in my bag and on some courses more. The newest Pred, this thing is a pig! It is the windy day Pred. Playing in Kansas I have a ton of windy days. I have played in very few winds that could flip a new Pred. I also use this for short two finger shots, the fact it is so over stable you get a very predictable flight. The final use of the new Pred is thumber shots. Since it is so overstable it will fight the flip a little longer adding to the distance on my thumber. The workhorse Pred. This disc gets the most use of any driver in my bag. I throw this disc on any hyzer shot. I it hard and flat with now worry of it heading to far to the right. It will always finish with a hyzer. It is the perfect driver for most of the courses I play in Kansas.
ESP Surge (173-175)	The Surge is a great disc. For an ultra long-range driver it is very controllable. I throw the Surge on drives over 450 feet or if the fairway has a little lower ceiling, and I feel like I am going to have to muscle the Predator. The Surge has made a lot of holes that use to be long and hard to reach more routine. The Surge just feels like it is going to go a mile out of your hand and it usually does. I also use the Surge on the longest of anhyzer shots.
Z Tracker (173-175)	The Tracker is a great disc to throw on tighter courses. It has a great straight flight path with a predictable hyzer at the end. Something about this disc make is very easy to throw on lower lines. I also like to throw the Tracker when I have a right to left wind. The disc has just enough stability that it will not flip over and get driven into the ground, it will fight the turn and hold a very straight line.
Z XL (173-175)	This disc is a must have on the tightest of courses. I throw it on many shots that I could maybe reach with a Buzzz if I tried to grip it and rip it. It will hold a perfect straight line and go a long way without much effort. It is an older mold and much slower then some of the newer discs coming out. This often helps keep it in the fairway on tight holes. It has far less skip than most of the new discs. I will also us it on super tall anhyzers, throw it hard and high, the disc will flip over and hold a great anhyzer line.
Z Flick (175 gm)	This is a very fast disc that has a great skip when it hits the ground. I mainly use the Flick for just that, long two finger shots. I am able to throw the Flick as hard as I want or need with no worry of it flipping over and getting me into trouble. I also like to use the flick into the most severe headwinds. It is so flat and overstable that I have never played in a wind that even started to flip it over. The Flick is also killer for long low predictable skips
ESP Avenger SS (173-175)	What a great roller! Brand new this disc is a perfect roller and it only gets better with a little use. Throw it hard and flat and it will flip over, catch an edge, and roll a mile. I will also throw the SS in the air on a tight course, or even on the most extreme anhyzer shots. This disc can help you make some crazy shots. I think it is a great super long range driver for new players and people that don't have huge arms. If a new player asks me what the best driver for them would be, I usually recommend the SS.
X Stratus (175 gm)	I call mine the "Stratusaurus Rex" because it is a dinosaur. It is a very early run that has met its share of trees and has been "tacoed" hundreds of times. I use it for short rollers and getting out of trouble shots. You can throw the Stratus pretty far using just your arm and wrist. I love the look on peoples face when I bust out the "Rex".

In The Disc Golf Bag: Midrange
Disc	Comments
ESP and Z Buzzz (177 gm)	Often the only midrange I will throw during a round. The Buzzz is the best midrange disc on the market. I always have two first runs in my bag. A new one that I use on any slight right to left hyzer shots, and a well used first run that I use on most straight shots or right turning holes. I usually have an ESP in the bag if there is water on the course, the ESP is every bit as good as the first runs, and a ton easier to replace. Whatever line you throw the buzz on is the line it is going to take.
D Drone (175 gm)	The Drone is in and out of my bag. I always keep a few in the truck for those windy days. The Drone is a midrange that can absolutely fight the wind. On a calm day I will leave the Drone in the truck.

In The Disc Golf Bag: Putt and Approach
Disc	Comments
D Challenger (175 gm)	The Challenger is a great putter and short range driver. I have three Challengers in my bag. The main putter that will seldomly be thrown over 100 feet, I just can't stand the idea of possibly smashing it into a tree. It takes care of all putting needs. A new Challenger that I use for upshots as long as 200 feet that need to be straight to slightly hyzered. I also have a well worn Challenger that I throw on lots of anhyzer upshots and short turnover drives.

| FAQ | Contact | Sitemap |