Team Discraft: Daniel Stacey Disc Golf Bio

	NAME:	Daniel Stacey
	TEAM:	Elite X
	HOMETOWN:	Norman, OK
	PDGA #:	16126
	2007 PDGA RATING:	987
	BORN:	1978
	STARTED IN DISC GOLF:	1996
	day gig:	Information Technology Manager
	HOT FINISHES:	1st, 2005 Red Rock Show 1st, 2004 Norman Pro/Am 1st, 2004 Glass Blown Open 10th, 2005 Players Cup

MEMORABLE DISC GOLF MOMENT

I was down two strokes to Kevin McCoy going into the final nine of the 26th Norman Pro/AM, and on the last hole I tied it up. We had a sudden playoff which I won on the second hole. This was my first sanctioned win as a professional on my home course with all of my family and friends there watching. It was very surreal.

Daniel's Disc Golf Tips

Know Your Plastic
I believe that disc selection is one of the underrated attributes of success. Learning when to throw the correct disc comes with experience and practice. It is not just about the generic stability of the disc, but rather high-speed stability, low speed stability, speed, and glide. Weather conditions like temperature, humidity, and wind speed also play a big role in disc selection. Knowing the characteristics of your discs will help with accuracy, distance, and lower scores.

Add Distance This Week
The best way to gain distance is by taking about ten Discraft drivers out to an open flat field and practice throwing. The main thing to work on is your technique. The goal is to learn to throw with a lot of force while still using the proper technique and being accurate. Each time you go out try working on another part of the drive (foot work, posture, weight transfer, and head position). Do not worry about accuracy in the beginning. As your technique gets better so will your accuracy.

What Makes Perfect?
Practice, Practice, Practice! I see this problem all the time. Players are at the local mini complaining about not getting any better even though they play minis every day of the week. The problem is that they are playing minis and not practicing. In order to get better one needs to work on his/her problem areas. Minis do not offer this. If you want to get better at accuracy then take a bunch of discs to a hole that has more than one line. Work on throwing each line while focusing on technique. If you want to throw further then go to an open field and work on your technique while throwing with more force. If you want to become a better putter then find a technique that is comfortable and putt at a basket. The important thing with all of these is learning the proper technique and repetition. Neither of which will be learned at the local minis. Minis are great and everyone should play them, but if you want to improve your game you need to practice, practice, practice.

Learning the Thumber
In the last five years this shot has changed the game. I know it's been around forever, but players are learning to use it in more and more situations. I see it being used more in the midwest and west coast than the east coast due to the terrain of the land. It is definitely more suited for courses that are open or with smaller trees.

I grip this shot with my thumb on the inside lip of the disc and my index and middle finger on the top rim of the disc. I also see a lot of players that keep their index and middle fingers closed in a fist rather than on the rim. Try both grips and use whichever one is more comfortable. The throwing motion of this shot is just like a baseball (over the top). When a right handed person throws this shot it will loop left and then fall to the right.

The best way to practice is to stand about 200' from the basket (or target), aim about 30' to the left and throw at a 45 degree angle. Keep practicing from this distance until you can get 75% of the shots to land within 10' of the basket (or target). Once you get comfortable with that distance move back 25' and do it all over again. This shot will take a little time to hone your skills, but once you learn it will be a valuable shot have. The one piece of advice I would give is that you learn to throw back hand before you start using this shot. I see lot of new players that only throw thumbers because it's an easy shot to learn, but once they get to a tight wooded course they don't have the other shots to be successful.

Tips for Better Health
Obviously there are a million articles on this, but I would like to share a couple things I do. It is very important to continue exercising in the offseason. It's very disappointing to play in that first tournament of the year and be worn out midway through the second round. To stay in shape during the offseason I like to play basketball. The league I play in is indoors, so I don't have to worry about weather and it also helps me keep in shape, especially my legs. During the season I like to ride my mountain bike. This helps me keep in shape while not risking any serious injuries. Other things I do are stretching and drinking lots of water. Stretching is one of the most important things you can do to reduce the chances of an injury and help your body perform at its max potential. My routine is to stretch the night before a tournament as well as before each round. I would like to talk about eating right, but unfortunately I am all about the Mexican food...

COURSES YOU SHOULD PLAY:		Daniel Stacey is heavily involved in disc golf volunteering in his homestate of Oklahoma, where he currently and previously has served as Sooner Disc Golf Vice President, Treasurer, and President of the Norman Disc Golfers Association. A busy family man, Daniel still finds time to webmaster for normandiscgolf.com, and runs dg clinics for local Girl Scouts.
Course	Comments
Fountain Hills Park Fountain Hills, AZ	A beautiful course with great scenery and a very challenging layout.
Moody's DG Country Club Red Rock, TX	Four different layouts on a great piece of land. A good mix of holes.
Cameron Park East Waco, TX	Very difficult. The front nine has a lot of OB and water, the back plays through thick woods and is incredibly tight.
Jones Park Emporia, KS	Two courses around lots of water. A good mix and well cared for.
Griffin Park Norman, OK	I played a large part in the design and installation. This course was designed with EVERY shot in mind.

In The Disc Golf Bag: Drivers
Disc	Comments
Z Predator (173 - 174)	The Predator is my main driver. Playing in the south means I need a disc with stability and speed to stand up against the wind. The Z Predator is that disc. I usually have two Predators in my bag; one that is beat up and one that is fairly new. The beat up one is used for long hyzers or low skip shots. The newer one is used for normal hyzers, long hyzers into the wind, two finger shots, and long tomahawks.
ESP Surge (171 - 174)	My new distance disc of choice. This disc has great speed, glide, and is just stable enough to flex out after a long flight path. This disc is a must have for any player wanting to add distance to their game.
Z Crush (171 -174)	The Crush is a great long distance utility driver. I carry a couple of different varieties of the Crush for different situations. I use the lighter ones with a tailwind and the heaver newer ones for headwind shots. The Crush is great disc because it can be thrown on many different lines with accuracy. I like it for long hyzers, long anhzers, low ceiling shots, rollers, and distance shots.
Z Spectra (170 - 174)	The Spectra is one of the fastest discs on the market. Combining its glide and speed makes it one of the best distance drivers. I use this disc for open distance shots and long rollers. If you have ever had a problem throwing long rollers then give this disc a try.
Z Xtreme (174 gm)	There is only one thing to say about this disc, OVERSTABLE. Okay, two things: overstable, and discontinued. I have never been in a wind that was able to turn over a Z Xtreme. This disc is great for short hyzers, two finger shots, scoobies, and tomahawks.
X Stratus (174 gm)	The Stratus is a great utility disc. It is my disc of choice for short rollers and turn over shots that I need to start with a hyzer. The disc has a lot of control and glide which means it is great for players at all skill levels.

In The Disc Golf Bag: Midrange
Disc	Comments
Z Buzzz (176 - 178)	The Buzzz is the best disc on the market. Any player of any skill can use it with great consistency. The great thing about the Buzzz is its glide and ability to hold a line. I use this disc for straight and turn over shots under 350 feet. The Buzzz is also a good choice for those long windy putts.

In The Disc Golf Bag: Putt and Approach
Disc	Comments
D Challenger (174 gm)	I recently switched to the Challenger from the Magnet. The Magnet was great, but I was looking for something a bit more overstable for the Oklahoma wind. The Challenger is one of the faster, more overstable putters on the market which makes it great for windy areas. This disc is also my approach disc for shots under 150 feet. The stability of the disc allows me to throw it long ranges while still having control.

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