There are many ways to (successfully) play disc golf

Watching Chandler Kramer nab a fifth-place finish at the 2022 European Open was wild. I’d seen his name all over the place this season, but never in relation to anything all that impressive.

I knew who he was. I knew his hair was neon green. I knew he was the MPO’s version of Sarah Hokom, too. Still, I’d never seen him throw a shot with my own eyes – that changed in Nokia …

Kramer overload.

I didn’t think it was possible: Flick, sidearm, forehand – rinse and repeat. It didn’t matter how sharp the dogleg left was, he’d simply bust out a forehand roller to account for it. What’s more, hole after hole, drive after drive, the dude did all of this with the SAME two tie-dye discs …

I have no earthly idea what they were, but as soon as Lone Star Disc releases his “In the Bag” on YouTube, I’m buying three or four of each of ‘em. No joke, the guy needed little more than those two discs, a putter and a fresh, daily pair of basketball shorts to beat out 113 pro disc golfers …

Not bad for an engineer.

* Note #1: Via Twitter, they’re likely a Champion Boss and Champion Ape – click here.

Chandler’s a great story, but you know what I love MOST about it?

Yeah, his game’s different – it works for him. But this whole “weird” way of playing disc golf isn’t unique to Cosmo, by any means. There are TONS of guys all over the Pro Tour doing things that defy conventional wisdom. Take a closer look at the MPO field – they’re not hard to find:

• Matt Bell – Everything Bell throws is a hyzer-flip. In a game dominated by big arms hucking mad-beefy plastic, Bell’s made a living out of bagging understable frisbees.

• Eric Oakley – To master form, it’s a good idea to watch the pros. Then, go outside and do what they do. I can’t stress this enough: Don’t do that with Oakley – his form is spooky.

• James Conrad – While manufacturers all over the globe are creating 13- and 14-speed discs, Conrad sticks with the slow stuff, choosing to throw putters whenever possible.

• Nikko Locastro – Love him or hate him, “he who must not be named” has built a long career out of flexing overstable discs down tight fairways – even if it’s hardly needed.

• Michael Johansen – It wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest if M.J. is incapable of throwing over 350 feet. Also, whether putting or driving, he uses a single fan grip.

* Note #2: Honorable mentions include Simon Lizotte, Ryan Sheldon, Gregg Barsby, etc.

If you’re new to disc golf, I get that Danny Lindahl videos are great …

They’ll help you get your bearings straight – he knows his D.G. I do hope, however, that trying to cling to what’s widely accepted as “Disc Golf Doctrine” doesn’t hinder your creativity.

Get a grip on the basics. Experiment with discs. Try out new stuff. If something feels right and produces results, lean into it a bit more – see where it takes you. Along with thousands of others, Kramer first started playing disc golf in 2020 out of COVID-induced boredom …

His game’s raw – it’s lacking in many areas.

But what he’s doing ALSO works. In the coming months and years, it’ll become a more polished product. For the time being, however, it’s good enough to (kind of) compete for major titles.

Get imaginative with your game: Maybe yours will do the same thing.

Have anything to add? Take to Twitter to let us know – we’ll actually (for real) get back to you.

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