Today was sloppy on the disc golf courses I played. Four new courses in Minnesota and South Dakota! But four new courses in the rain. In the mud and wet grass. So it was the first major test of my new disc golf shoes from Idio Sports.
When I first reached out to Craig Kitchens to see if he might want a middle-aged course collector to put his shoes through their paces (literally, sorry for the pun)? Walking thousands of miles in the rain, snow, ice, heat, cold, et al? I told him that I would give them an honest review. Good, bad or ugly. So today was the first time (since I received the shoes) I’ve had a chance to really put them to the test in the wet/cold/slop. And I came away stunned.
At the end of four rounds of tough disc golf in the rain (and standing water, in spots) my feet were completely dry. And not only were my feet dry, but I never once slipped or bobbled in my balance. I did my X-step at full-speed on the tee and in the fairway, trusting the traction on the bottom of the shoes would do their job. And their performance greatly exceeded my expectations. It could have been 72 degrees Fahrenheit, bright sunshine, and dry conditions, and I’m not sure I would have performed any better from the perspective of footwork and traction. W-O-W! I thought those shoes would be good. I had no idea they would be THIS GOOD. How a pair of shoes could potentially be my favorite disc golf equipment I bring out course collecting. AFTER my ProLine Squalls, of course. 😉
Seriously, if you play disc golf in less-than-ideal weather conditions, hate wet feet, and spend even a little time worrying about your footwork/traction instead of simply executing the shots you know you can make with proper form? I would strongly, STRONGLY recommend giving a pair of shoes from Idio Sports a try. I couldn’t recommend them more highly, after putting my pair through some pretty terrible conditions and not needing to worry about my feet, form or footwork. AMAZING!
Other than doing cartwheels after finally finding an amazing pair of disc golf shoes that’ll help me not worry about issues with form or slips/injuries as much?! 🙂 I also managed to get in four new courses played earlier today. I started out in Vesta, Minnesota, playing their nine-hole recreational course in a small community park. It was okay! Not spectacular, not terrible. A typical “2.5 rating” (out of 5) that I give the vast majority of courses I play around the country. Locals will often give these types of courses a 4 or 5 rating. But until you’ve actually played a course that is a “4” or “5?” You probably don’t know any better. 🙂 I shot a quick -7 (23), for an estimated round rating of 914.
Next it was on to Clear Lake, South Dakota and a quick nine holes at Ulven Park. I liked this course! Nice tees, nice variety with a mix of short and long(ish) holes, etc. I was hussling my way through my round, both because I was getting wet and the fact that I had Becky and my mom in the car waiting for me. 🙂 I shot an underwhelming -3 (24), with an even more-underwhelming estimated round rating of 878 (sigh). But that’s okay. It’s not about the scores, it’s about the +1 and having fun.
Next it was on to Watertown, South Dakota to check out two courses I have tried (and failed) to play in the past: Memorial Park East and Memorial Park West. The rain had gotten worse by the time I made it to Memorial Park, but my feet were still happy and dry (yea Idio Sports). I though the two courses were fun, although finding the Hole 1 tee on East was confusing! I must have roamed around for a quarter mile before I finally found it, even with a map on UDisc to help guide me. And by that point in my afternoon, I was getting tired. And hungry. Not to mention rushing through my shots so that my companions on the trip wouldn’t be waiting for me one minute longer than necessary.
I played poorly on both courses, making mental mistakes in my approach game and missing a few putts. That resulted in a -1 (26) on East and an even par 27 on West. Estimated round ratings of 874 and 856. Ugh. Anyone want to teach me how to play disc golf? 🙂 But again, I tried to remind myself that it was about the +4 in my Courses Played Collection, not my scores. And also, learning that I now have another fantastic weapon in my disc golf arsenal. The best shoes I have ever owned and used on a disc golf course. Thank you again, Idio Sports!
Magic Number = -87 (2,087 Courses Played)
Derek Tonn is a member of the DGA’s Ambassador Team. His company, Mapformation, LLC, has been DGA’s partner in the development of disc golf tee signage since 2012. The longer our two companies have worked together, and the more Derek has gotten to know all the great folks at DGA, the more he has wanted to formally sing the company’s praises. The more he has realized that “Steady” Ed’s (the father of disc golf and the modern-day Frisbee) vision for the sport and his company perfectly describes his own interests and priorities related to disc golf, and the more Derek has recently been encouraged to share his story.