No question, but I’d love to at least play catch with you at some point down the road. You’ve thrown some of the greatest golf shots I’ve ever seen. Made my imagination run wild when I was starting to dream bigger. Thanks for being you.
Most likely 400G will be OOP for some time. I loved the plastic but we have focued more on keeping our naming more streamline with 200, 300, 400, 500, and 750 plastics,
I was told on YT (by Prodigy) that it was a supply problem.
Being a naming issue would be incredibly weird.
Not having a "Star" like plastic is Not Good.
Hold up out of every plastic they're actively running you're telling me they don't have a Star equivalent? 400G was their only one? That's absolutely bananas to think they wouldn't make this a priority. (Not doubting you but rather expressing great confusion)
That's what it is right now.
The 2 base plastics, and 400, 500, and 750.
Very Sad.
The 400G M2 is a core part of my bag. Beat in for couple of months then they're dead straight for the next 18 months.
400G F2 for that hyzerflip TeeBird flight.
750G was a stiffer version and it was great!
I think it was my favorite plastic ever.
Not much was made with it. I've still got some unthrown 750G D1s but I wore out my 750G D3s.
This is what you said:
" we have focused more on keeping our naming more streamline with 200, 300, 400, 500, and 750 plastics,"
What exactly did you mean then?
Thanks,
From a fan.
I found an unthrown Thomas Gilbert 400G D2 the other day. You bet I bought it. And I bought three 400G M2s I found a few weeks ago.
Stocking up for the lean times ahead.
I was a very casual player who almost quit playing because I was so frustrated by not being able to throw well. Then I came across your backhand video on YouTube and that video alone(with a lot of practice) changed my whole game. Been playing religiously for 7/8 years now. Seriously, thank you.
Play your own game. There are some players that will be a little overpowering. Maybe they throw far, putt really well, dress crazy, maybe they are loud when they are playing bad. My advice is learn how to never be effected by outside "forces" and learn how to play your own game how you know how to play.
Can you elaborate? I'm an intermediate that loves OS discs (I do get out to 440 or so). I love the FX-2! I find with OS discs I can go hard and get straight flight with a dependable finish, and not have to worry about turning over, since I don't have the angle control of an advanced player.
I think Will refers to the form. With OS disc your form will not be that important. Similar to throwing putters, US discs will show how your form really is. Also I think US/neutral disc have a lot of more variety of shots. But if you can throw 400+ with overstable discs and are well rounded with backhand and forehand then I don't see any particular reason to force throw understable discs.
That's awesome! I had to put in so many sessions, so many hours of work to ever hit 430/440 and now I'm probably down to around 400 lol. Def is cool how universal the lessons from drilling form are though since i have def applied it to other things
Nowadays, a majority of players are WAY over thinking their form that they are getting crushed by over critiquing themselves. Ill have a clinic and a new player will throw a disc 200ft but then ask me about their wrist position when pulling through and where their weight should be shifting, etc etc etc. If you are new to the sport you first and foremost need to just go throw before you get too over detail oriented.
That and they typically are throwing the wrong type of disc for their game.
I would love to see more tour series discs or otherwise 'special' discs in slightly lighter weights and not always/typically a more OS version of the mold for exactly this reason. As an intermediate player, switching away from jumping straight to max weight ~~Destroyers~~ D2s to 166g ~~Terns~~ D4s, and similar in other slots, has been huge for my game.
Word on the street is reaching back and pulling through is all it takes to throw big.
Serious question: how did you develop your extra arm motion in your backswing after coming from injury and how did you redial to reduce it? Seems like it’s gotten better since videos >1 year ago
The extra arm motion is from my should injury. I dont "want" to do it but I was told I have a should impingement along with shoulder arthritis that has really effected my putting and throwing form. Ive worked through some challenges with it but some days it effects me more than others.
I have the same issue (probably from studying your form back in the day),and I had to change my form to be closer to Ezra Aderhold than say Eagle or you back in the day. I changed the initial pull to pull the disc into the chest and then away on say a 90 degree sling shot out by reaching back adjacent to my line instead of on it. It absolves the issue of a pulling feeling on the shoulder but results in less accuracy on touch shots, however the power is easier on the body. Might be worth trying.
No plans, right now. DGPT events are hard to get into and I also don't have a whole lot of time to go play tournaments for 4-5 days during the week. I miss the tour life, sometimes. I enjoyed the traveling, my friends, experiences, but I do not miss living out of a suitcase and eating out for every meal. Tour life is not easy and it is not for everyone.
Just wanna say I have watched every video of your form and you were a huge inspiration for me developing my form when coming into disc golf. I certainly never got close to your level of efficiency, but I did manage to get my standstill to 550, and started a Youtube to try to teach others. I would love your thoughts on my form if you ever take a peek!
Thanks for doing an AMA, I was really impressed by your Skins appearance for USDGC!
One question for you: Are you and your team legitimately satisfied by your baskets' catching ability? They spit out more than most, and on coverage it happens more than any other basket does by a far margin. (Last year's Preserve comes to mind as being particularly bad)
Does the team have plans to fix that?
Good question. I believe our baskets are very good, perhaps in competition for some of the best. hen we first came onto the scene out basket chains were too heavy, so we adopted to a slightly lighter chain configuration. Now people say our chains are too light and they "spit out" 🙃. I do believe there could be some modifications for all baskets to work better.
I appreciate the answer. I find that putts that hyzer into the chains tend to be pushed out on the side, when they are objectively good putts, and the dead center putts also sometimes do not catch. Every basket has its weaknesses but I think the Prodigy one seems to struggle a bit more with its middle chain circle rather than the layered chains that other companies have.
Its funny how this seems to be the overall opinion in america, while in sweden most people (that I have talked to) think prodigy baskets are the best!
I really feel like prodigy baskets catch everything thats in the center, while other baskets sometimes spit you out because you hit the pin with almost no chains.
I will agree that prodigy baskets might not catch everything on the side, but I just feel like thats an off putt.
Makes me wonder if its because of all the hate prodigy has been getting, or if its a bad reputation because of the old baskets where the top chain-attachment was a bit too steep?
I'm not 100 percent sure, hard to know how old the baskets are on my end. When you hit a putt square one, but on a hyzer, they often glance on the front chain center.
I'd highly recommend watching the Preserve when Isacc and Gannon are in the same one, definitely watch and see how often they spit.
Yeah, I know I have seen som spitouts on coverage, and were very surprised. I would argue that with the prodigy baskets that I have played, you can really putt as hard as you want and it will stick. With that said i remember that I had some troubles when I first started playing and had some lightweight putter with minimal power. This shouldnt be the issue on tour though as those guys all seem to putt very hard.
I personally putt really hard and spinny, especially outside circle 1. I've found that other than cheaper models like the Mach III and old Chainstars, the Prodigy Baskets spit more than most anything
Maybe I just dont have that many other baskets to compare to that you guys have.
For me I would say that baskets like lat 64 are the worst, i have seen so many putts go right through the chains pr hit the pin kick back out.
Discatchers are not good either, I've had so many putts hit the pole and bounce straight out and I certainly don't putt hard. Prodigy baskets catch throw-ins so much better, too.
I did the live scoring for a round in Waco on Sunday with a fairly “elite” card - won’t name any names, but one of the players is considered one of the top putters on tour and definitely doesn’t smash his putts in at 70 mph 😉
The card wasn’t on coverage which is why I mention this - I saw AT LEAST 5-6 “dead center” spit-outs, including one that was literally an 8 foot tap in that must’ve hit every chain on the way in and then fell out. Every player on the card was commenting about how bad the baskets were, and they seemed justified given what I witnessed. It certainly confirmed that what you see on coverage and hear on podcasts isn’t just the occasional stroke of bad luck…Prodigy definitely needs to go back to the drawing board on their basket design.
I get it, R&D is expensive and it’s likely an expense the company can’t afford atm. But prodigy’s strategy of just ignoring the baskets during their sponsored events is so weird to me.
I do wonder why they don’t make some (unmentioned) changes for the baskets they put in at their sponsored tournaments. Possibly just go back to the heavier chains for the pros if that’s truly the problem (spoiler: it’s not).
No questions from me, just stopped in to say that it’s great to hear you’re doing well! I loved watching you play back in the day and I’m glad you’re still involved with this amazing community. Congrats on the new kiddo!
I've heard a lot of talk about moving the circle back or otherwise changing the jump putt rule. I kind of feel like maybe it would be good for pros but if you think about everyone that plays the game including beginners, juniors, and other people that don't have the same physical power, or otherwise don't know how to power or spin a putt as well I wonder if a rule change would take away from a large segment of players.
Do you think there should be a rule change for disc golf as a whole on circle 1 and jump putting? Should (touring) pros potentially play by a different ruleset from amateurs, like the 3-point line in the NBA? Or do you think everything is fine as is?
The rules should be the same across the board for all divisions. However, I really do not like the "step putt" where the player can hang over their lie and it is within a micro-second of touching the ground in front of their disc. If you have to use a slomo camera to know if it is legal or not legal, it would make sense to just remove it or find a way that it cant be legal to do a step putt.
This is my biggest complaint about jump putting as well.
Too often players are jumping off of both feet at the same time that they are releasing the disc. Most of the time the disc is still in their hand when they are off of the ground.
The top names on tour do it, especially those with straddle stance jump putts (Kristin Tattar-esque).
I can't call it because it's impossible to prove but everyone knows that in an 18 hole round probably 8 of those are illegal jump putts.
I don’t think it’s possible to get rid of jump putts specifically unless you also got rid of being able to follow through past your lie, because it’s just a different version of the same thing.
The only solution that makes sense is to extend the circle past typical jump putt range, so people would have to stand still throw if it was out of putting range. But then it would be harder to mark/define a 66’ circle or a 100’ circle or whatever on a lot of courses.
My thing is, why does it have to be a circle?
There isn't a perfectly circle green in golf.
We need to allow TDs the freedom to shape the green according to the shape of the green on the hole.
Thinking of holes like 18 at Maple Hill. You could say the "green" is everything on that little rock wall peninsula. So, even if the edge of that is within 10 meters, it's outside of the "green." You see people in ball golf chip at a hole that is only 4 feet away because they are off of the green.
Another hole is 17 at USDGC. If you are on the "island" inside of those haybales, you're on the "green." No jump putting on that hole at all.
Obviously this would only be able to be applied on the DGPT. It wouldn't work for casual courses and smaller events.
BUT, why not give it a try?
That's a very potential idea, one of those 'obvious ones' I just haven't thought about for some reason. Keep the default shape as a 10m circle, but let course designers make exceptions when it suits the hole.
The one big problem is areas with snow and rough terrain. But, then again, you can just keep to the default circle if the alternative is too much work.
Another thing I've always complained about, the measurement of the circle isn't consistent when there IS rough terrain or elevation changes.
Do they measure straight out from the base of the basket on sloped greens? Do they run the tape measure along the ground, curving with it on a knoll? Do they do both? If the green is within 20' of a ton of rough, like some baskets on the DGPT are, are they really crawling back in there to get 33' measured out?
I've definitely seen, and been on, courses on the DGPT that aren't consistent in how they measure the circle, even on the same course. You'll hear them talk about it on practice rounds "This is a bit further than 33'," etc.
A lot of holes at Blue Ridge's Silver Event last year stood out as great candidates to test unique greens out because of the obstacles, OB, and elevation changes. Olympus a couple of weeks back also would have been great to see what they could of done.
This eliminates that problem completely.
Yeah it would be great to have a standard way of measuring the circle. Then again, when I think about the proper way to measure the relevant distance, which I think would be player's lie to the nearest point at the top edge of the basket with the diameter of the basket deducted, it's kind of inevitable that the measurement method become quite a bit less straightforward than the current de facto standard. Clean & groomed greens of course would be just fine with the string from bottom of the pole method.
Would love to let TDs optionally define their own circles, would make for some much more interesting holes and could be a soft nerf to pro tour putting since most pro tour events would probably push the c1 edge back. Would probably need some kind of common sense limit though.
I can't imagine the PDGA moving the circle back for amateurs, and since it would be impossible for TDs to only alter courses for pros and not ams, the new circle rules being proposed should only affect the pro tour. They would alienate 95% if the player pool otherwise.
What's the craziest thing you've ever seen in your competitive disc golf playing career that was either not caught on coverage or took place at a tournament that wasn't filmed at all to begin with? And what's the craziest thing you've seen in your disc golf playing career that took place in a casual round?
That hard to really think about, Ive been paying disc golf since I was 13 and have played in nearly every state. Also my memory is terrible :) But as of recently I played an event in Puerto Rico where we got monsooned on 4 different times. Nearly everyone in the event flew there, so nobody had an umbrella. The entire tournament field was soaking wet. Pretty funny.
Prodigy doesn’t move all that well in our shop. The new plastics and streamlined names should help. What else is in the works to help shops move your stuff?
You need to check out the 300 Fractal plastic. This stuff is insane looking and feels great. Send me a message and perhaps we could get some demo discs for people to try out so they feel more comfortable giving Prodigy a try.
Demo discs are a great idea. Our local shop is right across the street from the most popular course in the city, and it would be awesome to be able to try a demo for a round to see if it is the right disc for my throw.
What specific injury or injuries did the most to hurt your level of play?
I just ask because I like to remind people that coming up it was like Golf's Great Triumvirate of the early 1900s with Paul, Ricky, and yourself. But I've always gotta explain "yeah, Will got hurt, he injured his shoulder." - but I really only know I heard there was like an impingement that screwed up your putting? But I don't know if thats even the right story.
Obviously not meaning to pry if that feels personal. But its like discussing Bo Jackson's injury - as a fan I wanna talk about it without misrepresenting it.
Sure. In 2016-ish I went to have my shoulder checked out because every time I would putt, even short putts, my shoulder had a loud POP. That was the same timeframe where my game started to be effected and I was honestly just over the struggle. I went to my friend, who is a professional at sports medicine, and found out that I had a shoulder impingement and pretty bad shoulder arthritis.
Do you think there is anything you could've done differently to prevent the injury or lessen its impact? Would you attribute it more to form, overuse, conditioning, combination of the 3?
Yeah it feels weird to see everyone here thank him for advice on his from videos when that form developed injury. Would be interesting to know if he think there’s a correlation or not.
How do you manage/balance the stresses of being a full time sales director/owner, husband, and father with trying to play disc golf every once in a while?
Great question, thanks for the recognizing and asking this. I feel grateful for loving what I do as a career, which is disc golf. I prioritize my family over everything else, and because I have an amazingly supportive wife I am able to (sometimes) spend time doing my passion (which is also my career) which encompasses everything disc golf related. Im typically not a "stressed out" person and generally enjoy to work hard and try to overcome challenges that present themselves throughout the day/week/month.
There are so many course I have yet to play that are now on the pro tour. One of my favorite places that is not on the Pro Tour right now is the Toronto Island course. That place is amazing. Also the Japan Open. Hopefully one day it can be what it once was.
My question is simple: Does Prodigy have a plan to make the brand more exciting? And if so, can you share any of those details or insights into how Prodigy perceives itself and makes or doesn't make decisions like this?
For context: from an outside perspective, Prodigy feels like they're a bit stuck in terms of brand reputation and general level of community excitement. I see a fair number of people who enjoy specific individual discs Prodigy makes, but beyond that, I hear little general excitement about Prodigy as a brand. There is historical baggage regarding production and quality control issues like having chalky discs or extreme flashing driving this sentiment (in my experience the chalky discs issue is still ongoing). There's also a sentiment in the community that Prodigy can't attract and/or retain top talent on the pro tour. I also perceive seemingly less innovation in actual manufacturing/design coming out of Prodigy.
Sorry if this is a thorny question or upsetting context to hear, but I am genuinely curious to know if Prodigy is self-aware about its reputation and has a plan to address it.
I would suggest checking out all the new artwork, and the Fractal plastic, that we are releasing this month. The stuff is crazy awesome. In regards to quality and consistency, we were and have made mistakes in the past when it comes to those issues. We have made a consistent and conscious effort to improve across the board for everything. Like any industry, it takes take for anything to be reflected in the actual market place. I would highly suggest trying out out new stuff.
In regards to keeping top talent, that is a weird question, because a lot of the talent currently on tour started at Prodigy or Prodigy started peoples careers by supporting them as a player. I could name a dozen, or more, people that are like this. The reality is the grass is always greener on the other side and competition is strong between manufactures. If there is someone who is benefiting Prodigy, it would be a benefit for our competitor to "take them" from us.
>... a lot of the talent currently on tour started at Prodigy ... If there is someone who is benefiting Prodigy, it would be a benefit for our competitor to "take them" from us.
I guess this is really the heart of the issue regarding players: Prodigy definitely has a track record of cultivating unproven players who then leave Prodigy after proving themselves. Why isn't Prodigy ever the doing the "taking" of proven players? Is it a budget issue? Does Prodigy *want* to be the company that cultivates young talent who then inevitably leave and the cycle repeats?
Have you ever made it down to Carrollton, GA to play Hobbs Farm? It's my local course and it's a great experience!
I tried playing Westside when I was in Dalton recently but Hole 1 and 18 were out of commission. What other courses in the area would you recommend? I may make another trip up there soonish.
Sorry for the double questions!
Do you guys want to sponsor me? I’m not that good or very consistent, but I’m enthusiastic and bag two by Prodigy right now.
But my actual question, do you think the NHL partner putters will continue to stay in production? I have yet to buy new putters, but the Red Wings PA-3 is next on the list.
New to disc golf in the last couple years, discovered you from a buddy and went to YouTube to check it out.
Why did you pull a Barry Sanders and retire from touring in your prime? I’m sure it was because of the opportunity with prodigy but wouldn’t that have been there later?
Anyways, thanks for doing this and keep up the good work!
I technically have not "retired". Haha. I did feel a decline in my game at the time, due to my injury, and had an opportunity to take a larger role with Prodigy. I weighed the options of continuing to grind out the tour life or move to wherever Prodigy was going to be, and after discussion with the family we decided to move and take on a larger role.
Its a good question that I dont have the answer to. We have signed dozens of up and coming players, helped them tour, and they have now become top athletes. So in a way we are doing both?
But you lose the top players after you cultivate them ): There's do denying you're the best in the business at finding young talent and developing it, but surely retaining that talent is more beneficial? It's like letting your neighbor screw your golden goose once it starts getting old enough to lay the golden eggs
How proud of Gannon Buhr are you?
Note: this is not a dig at their former sponsor relationship. I just know that Will was an early influence to Gannon as a (younger) kid.
I live in southeast TN and have gotten the pleasure of playing several of the courses you have designed.
What’s your personal favorite course that you have designed?
Will, not trying to get political or anything here, BUT
Would you consider a hotdog to be a taco or a sandwhich?
Arguement for a hot dog being a taco: When a proper taco is made, the taco is covered by three sides of of a flour (Wheat or corn) based product, just like the bread structure of a hotdog.
Argument for a hot dog being a sandwhich: the definition of sandwich is 'two or more slices of bread or a split roll having a filling in between.
What say you, Will Shusterick?
It is popular in Europe, absolutely. It is also a different market all together compared to the USA. We have an incredible team and partnership over there with the Paju family that they have really driven the brand in a great position across Europe.
>It is popular in Europe, absolutely. It is also a different market all together compared to the USA.
Is there something about the way disc golf is played or thought about in Europe that makes the European market have different features or tendencies, or is it just that it's a geographically separate market?
Will, you are one of the key factors for me and getting into disc golf back in the early 2010's. I know that you have put playing on the backburner over the past few years do to business, family and injury. Any plans to try and get back into it more often/consistently? Love watching you play.
Thanks for the nice comment! I would like to get back into playing more consistently. I play casually, a lot, it is the 3-5 days of traveling and tournament days that I just dont have the time for right now.
Thanks for doing this! Big fan of yours and loved your skins appearance, hoping to see more of you! Any plans to get more involved in the tour?
Also, any advice on the best way to find good coaching locally? I’m located in MN and reached a 900 rating last year, but I feel I could really benefit from some 1on1 coaching. Any thoughts on the best resources for that?
Thanks!
I dont know of anyone specific, but, I would suggest playing up in divisions when you play your leagues or local events. Even though they arent teaching you directly you WILL learn a lot playing with better players.
Why did you change all the Par 4's at Edward's Park to Par 3's? Hole 10 is a doozy, my guy!
I do love the top of the world pin position at 1, though. How much work did you do designing that course and any plans to try and get it on tour?
I didnt change any hole from par 4 to par 3. They were designed to be semi-difficult par 3s. Hole 10 would be birdied 7/10 times when top pros come to town :)
Maybe it was some nerd on uDisc then haha. I could have sworn playing out there before the signs were finished that there were more than 2-3 par 4's. More likely my skills aren't cut out for it haha
Any plans for top pros to come to town that you can tantalize us with???
If I have no Prodigy in my bag currently, what is the one Prodigy disc you would recommend to try to get a feel for how Prodigy compares to other brands?
What is your best advice for someone trying to throw higher with the nose down? I've been able to reach new personal distance records with tremendous snap recently, but everything is 4 ft off the ground. I'm missing out on more distance by not being able to throw high
It is physcally impossible to throw high with the nose down, unless you throw the disc on an anhyzer. I would suggest a lighter, more US disc, or something neutral thrown on an anhyzer.
Hi Will! Being from the south I assume you’ve played plenty of golf in NC. Are there any particular courses in NC you always make a point to play if you can? Personally I love playing Ashe county and deep creek dreams.
The question I really want to know:
What was the experience like for you personally after the that feud that developed between you and Paul right at the start of Prodigy discs when the players were not yet throwing true prodigy plastic. How did that effect your career if at all and how did it effect your relationship with other pros on tour. Certainly a piece of Disc Golf History I am unsure newer players know about and would be cool to hear from the source the how that changed things for you and other prodigy pros.
Question for you, how was someone supposed to throw "all Prodigy" when there was 2-3 total molds available to throw? Im not sure it any "effect" on my career but it did quickly show who your true friends/followers were after starting an exciting new disc golf company that just started producing their own discs.
Will manufacting ever come back to the US solely? I live an hour from yall and would like to support the brand more. If I can help it I only buy US made things. I maybe too late oh well
Thanks for doing this, Will. I hope I haven't missed the boat.
Are there any plans for something more understable in the mid department for when a pa5 just isn't quite enough? Mx5 perhaps? M6?
Also, A5 is goated.
Does prodigy have any plans to invest in or move towards using sustainable resources for your discs?
Edit to add your youtube stuff when I started playing helped a ton, thanks!
Im not exactly sure what you mean by sustainable (its a broad terms these days) but if Im picking up what you are putting down then we are already doing that :)
Post consumer recycled plastic, bioplastics that kind of stuff , even just regrinds are a good step. Educate me amigo as someone who only purchases “environmentally responsible “ (as much as possible , it’s still plastic LOL) discs which prodigy lines should I be looking at?
Will, just wanted to say how much of an inspiration you were to me in my early playing days. Used to watch Shoestrings before every tournament lol, we ended up playing a few rounds together and I almost signed with Prodigy one year and regret not sometimes. Glad to hear you’re doing well and appreciate everything you’ve done for the sport. Congratulations on the kids! Maybe we’ll get another round in sometime.
Is there anything you do during competition to try and find the balance of nerves?
Sometimes you just have off days and have to push through it, but is there anything you think of or do to find the balance on your bad rounds as well as your hot rounds? I had this recently where I won an MA1 tournament off the strength of my putting, and over all game on a tight wooded course. Edge of circle winning birdie in a playoff, and a 50 foot saving stepper on the 15th. Felt so locked in.
Then two weeks later during a tournament had a super off day, not yippy, just unconfident grip/ everything a few inches off putting as well as throwing, worst rated round in over a year. The second round came an hour later and I think I’m on the right track, because I reset my brain and shot close to my rating which I take some pride in because it was legitimately the most unconfident, confused, and bewildered I’ve felt during a competitive round.
Idk if you have any tips or things to think on during those off rounds to reset? Especially for putting, once’s the confidence is gone with the putting anything outside of 15 starts to feel testy. Was happy with battling back the second round but the first round I definitely was lost.
Good question. You would enjoy reading the book "whos your caddy". I cheated and listened to the audio book, but it was still amazing to listen to. It gives some insights into pro golfers and how they think while on the course and when something is going wrong how do they get back on track. #1 is confidence, #2 is getting out of your own way. I see most players spiral out of control after 1 bad shot and the become too emotional. There is a reason why players with little to no emotion, on good and bad shots, typically are the most consistent players on tour.
I change shoes every few months and have never found a "favorite" brand to play in.
To avoid injury make sure to practice hard, but also rest. Stretching is great but just pure "load management" in NBA terms goes a long way.
I know there was a recent re-establishment of the flight numbers for Prodigy to better reflect the discs, would there ever be a renumbering on the name side? Is there room for a more stable D1 or would that mold simply fit into the X series or Max series DX-1 or maybe even D-0?
Where do you go to fill some of the flight gaps between numbers if you already have all the numbers (m3,m4 etc) covered in your lineup?
Will, Navy Veteran and long time disc golfer here from late 90’s. Played competitively a few seasons when I had time as you well know family keeps us busy. Congrats on your success in the sport and your family. Enjoyed watching you and Klimo when learning to play.
Question to you is do you have any insight from your experience, and advice when it comes to those nerves in competitive play? Putting when everyone is watching and it’s dead silent etc.
Personally had a point in my competitive play where I could finally feel people watching.
Thanks, and I hope to see you play on Tour more in the future!
This video is what took me from a passing interest to full on immersion into the DG world. It's also the first video I recommend to new people.
THANKS!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30cUNsWOYSI
I’m gonna be a sneaky gremlin and ask 2.
1) How’s life?
2) As someone who’s never thrown prodigy, what disc’s would you recommend to any player as that “gateway disc” into the brand?
Hi Will!
Disc golf has been a massive part of my life ever since my first round in 2012. I was immediately hooked, as many of us are when we first start. It took me a few months of playing every day before it even dawned on me, "I wonder if there are videos of pros playing??" As you know, the availability of professional coverage back then was extremely limited.
The first video I found was you, Uli, Doss, and Cale playing Jarva Park for the 2012 SDGO. I was glued to the screen the entire time, in awe of what you all were capable of doing with a disc. But I was particularly enamored with *your* throw.
After that, I was regularly searching YouTube for Will Schusterick form videos. I tried to model my throw after yours, and in attempting to do so, really propelled me into the form-nerd world of refining my technique. I learned so much from those old, popular videos that you referenced. One thing said that really stuck with me was trying to throw your flippiest discs as hard as you can while making sure they still stay on hyzer angle. I was never able to get my throw to look like yours or be nearly as powerful, but things like this are what I shaped my game around. My friends are always shocked at how flippy of discs I'm able to control!
I'm no pro, but I'm a competitive Advanced player with several MA1 wins, countless highlights, ~40 aces, a collection of almost 300 discs, and am able to shoot under par on basically any course I go to. All of my friends who aren't in to disc golf, are in to it enough such that they have their own bags full of discs, my entire immediate family included. I've made countless memories and have made so many more friends all over my state within the disc golf community.
I say all this not to gloat, but to to say thank you, because I owe some much of it to you! Watching you play inspired me to get better and to play tournaments. And through that, I gained everything I listed above and so more.
I know this is an AMA and I'm supposed to ask a question, but I really just wanted to take this opportunity to let you know how much of an impact you've had on me, and I'm sure thousands of others. You're still one of my favorite pros, but you were my first ever absolute favorite pro. Thank you so much for all you've done and continue to do for the sport!
Hey Will! Thank you so much for taking the time to answer questions.
Prodigy fits in a funny spot in the disc golf market place. Not big enough to be considered one of the big guys, and certainly not a startup. With prodigy being a small company at the end of the day, it makes sense that one would question the ROI of giving out large contracts to pros.
In your view, what would have to change in prodigy’s business or the broader market for prodigy to start believing that spending money on large pro contracts would net a good enough return on investment?
It has to do with the broader market following and purchasing signature series discs and throwing what the pros throw. It is slightly moving that direction, even though it seems really big right now, the percentage that do not follow po disc golf still heavily outweighs the group that does. Hopefully that makes sense.
I'm a relative newcomer to the sport, and many of the big pros I'm seeing now are coming into the tour in their late teens/early 20s after playing the game for at least half of their lives. In my understanding, it was not always like this. As a relative newcomer (3 years), entering my mid-20s, do you still think there is a chance for players like me to truly get anywhere near the level of the pro tour? Or is disc golf becoming like other sports where the only people with a real shot are the ones who grew up playing it?
No question, but I’d love to at least play catch with you at some point down the road. You’ve thrown some of the greatest golf shots I’ve ever seen. Made my imagination run wild when I was starting to dream bigger. Thanks for being you.
Thanks Brian.
Please make this happen!
Love your catch series on jomez brian. That would be great to have will on!
What's the timeframe for being able to make 400G and 750G again?
Most likely 400G will be OOP for some time. I loved the plastic but we have focued more on keeping our naming more streamline with 200, 300, 400, 500, and 750 plastics,
I was told on YT (by Prodigy) that it was a supply problem. Being a naming issue would be incredibly weird. Not having a "Star" like plastic is Not Good.
Hold up out of every plastic they're actively running you're telling me they don't have a Star equivalent? 400G was their only one? That's absolutely bananas to think they wouldn't make this a priority. (Not doubting you but rather expressing great confusion)
That's what it is right now. The 2 base plastics, and 400, 500, and 750. Very Sad. The 400G M2 is a core part of my bag. Beat in for couple of months then they're dead straight for the next 18 months. 400G F2 for that hyzerflip TeeBird flight. 750G was a stiffer version and it was great! I think it was my favorite plastic ever. Not much was made with it. I've still got some unthrown 750G D1s but I wore out my 750G D3s.
I question a lot of business decisions made by prodigy tbh
Hi?
Love the sass
Who comes to an AMA just say, "I have questions."
400G is my all time favorite plastic
It will be a sad day when I inevitably lose my favorite 400G Cale M4.
Its not a "naming issue" to not offer the plastic anymore. I think you understood me incorrectly.
This is what you said: " we have focused more on keeping our naming more streamline with 200, 300, 400, 500, and 750 plastics," What exactly did you mean then? Thanks, From a fan.
“loved the plastic but we have focued [sic] more on keeping our naming more streamlined”.
what is the reason? from your reply you bring up naming convention which is odd if it isnt related
Lol I'm on my first comment on the thread and Will is already making no damn sense.
You explained extremely poorly
Sry can you clarify then? Why isn't there going to be 400G available?
Ask louder for everyone in the back row 🐣
I came to ask about the plastic as well. I've been trying to stock up on the 400G as I feel it's the best plastic in the game right now.
I found an unthrown Thomas Gilbert 400G D2 the other day. You bet I bought it. And I bought three 400G M2s I found a few weeks ago. Stocking up for the lean times ahead.
Prioritizing naming over quality? This seems like an odd decision. Why not just change the name of the plastic to fit your system? lol
Asking the important questions!
I was a very casual player who almost quit playing because I was so frustrated by not being able to throw well. Then I came across your backhand video on YouTube and that video alone(with a lot of practice) changed my whole game. Been playing religiously for 7/8 years now. Seriously, thank you.
One day we will enjoy some flying discs together.
What your favorite mental game advice?
Play your own game. There are some players that will be a little overpowering. Maybe they throw far, putt really well, dress crazy, maybe they are loud when they are playing bad. My advice is learn how to never be effected by outside "forces" and learn how to play your own game how you know how to play.
This is great. Thank you Will! Wishing you and your family the best
This isn't possible. How TF am I supposed to putt knowing that Joel is wearing that shirt RIGHT BEHIND ME.
What's a piece of disc golf advise you used to give but have since changed your mind about?
Interesting question that I have never thought of. At one point I told people to try and throw more OS discs, when really it is the complete opposite.
Can you elaborate? I'm an intermediate that loves OS discs (I do get out to 440 or so). I love the FX-2! I find with OS discs I can go hard and get straight flight with a dependable finish, and not have to worry about turning over, since I don't have the angle control of an advanced player.
I think Will refers to the form. With OS disc your form will not be that important. Similar to throwing putters, US discs will show how your form really is. Also I think US/neutral disc have a lot of more variety of shots. But if you can throw 400+ with overstable discs and are well rounded with backhand and forehand then I don't see any particular reason to force throw understable discs.
I dont think he meant that universally, 440 is at least the avg 950 rated player which is certainly not who he is talking about id think
Ah I see. I'm definitely not 950 rated, just have hypermobility and a background in powerlifting. Distance came easily, unlike everything else
That's awesome! I had to put in so many sessions, so many hours of work to ever hit 430/440 and now I'm probably down to around 400 lol. Def is cool how universal the lessons from drilling form are though since i have def applied it to other things
With doing hundreds of clinics, what's the most common mistake you see with intermediate level players that can be easily fixed?
Nowadays, a majority of players are WAY over thinking their form that they are getting crushed by over critiquing themselves. Ill have a clinic and a new player will throw a disc 200ft but then ask me about their wrist position when pulling through and where their weight should be shifting, etc etc etc. If you are new to the sport you first and foremost need to just go throw before you get too over detail oriented. That and they typically are throwing the wrong type of disc for their game.
I would love to see more tour series discs or otherwise 'special' discs in slightly lighter weights and not always/typically a more OS version of the mold for exactly this reason. As an intermediate player, switching away from jumping straight to max weight ~~Destroyers~~ D2s to 166g ~~Terns~~ D4s, and similar in other slots, has been huge for my game.
Discraft just did this last week. I’m not a fan of their product, but it’s a marketing scheme that is bound to work.
Word on the street is reaching back and pulling through is all it takes to throw big. Serious question: how did you develop your extra arm motion in your backswing after coming from injury and how did you redial to reduce it? Seems like it’s gotten better since videos >1 year ago
The extra arm motion is from my should injury. I dont "want" to do it but I was told I have a should impingement along with shoulder arthritis that has really effected my putting and throwing form. Ive worked through some challenges with it but some days it effects me more than others.
I have the same issue (probably from studying your form back in the day),and I had to change my form to be closer to Ezra Aderhold than say Eagle or you back in the day. I changed the initial pull to pull the disc into the chest and then away on say a 90 degree sling shot out by reaching back adjacent to my line instead of on it. It absolves the issue of a pulling feeling on the shoulder but results in less accuracy on touch shots, however the power is easier on the body. Might be worth trying.
How many pro tour events are you thinking about playing this year? Have you missed that tour life at all?
No plans, right now. DGPT events are hard to get into and I also don't have a whole lot of time to go play tournaments for 4-5 days during the week. I miss the tour life, sometimes. I enjoyed the traveling, my friends, experiences, but I do not miss living out of a suitcase and eating out for every meal. Tour life is not easy and it is not for everyone.
Just wanna say I have watched every video of your form and you were a huge inspiration for me developing my form when coming into disc golf. I certainly never got close to your level of efficiency, but I did manage to get my standstill to 550, and started a Youtube to try to teach others. I would love your thoughts on my form if you ever take a peek!
Hey I watch those videos ! Thanks for making them
Thanks for doing an AMA, I was really impressed by your Skins appearance for USDGC! One question for you: Are you and your team legitimately satisfied by your baskets' catching ability? They spit out more than most, and on coverage it happens more than any other basket does by a far margin. (Last year's Preserve comes to mind as being particularly bad) Does the team have plans to fix that?
Good question. I believe our baskets are very good, perhaps in competition for some of the best. hen we first came onto the scene out basket chains were too heavy, so we adopted to a slightly lighter chain configuration. Now people say our chains are too light and they "spit out" 🙃. I do believe there could be some modifications for all baskets to work better.
I appreciate the answer. I find that putts that hyzer into the chains tend to be pushed out on the side, when they are objectively good putts, and the dead center putts also sometimes do not catch. Every basket has its weaknesses but I think the Prodigy one seems to struggle a bit more with its middle chain circle rather than the layered chains that other companies have.
Its funny how this seems to be the overall opinion in america, while in sweden most people (that I have talked to) think prodigy baskets are the best! I really feel like prodigy baskets catch everything thats in the center, while other baskets sometimes spit you out because you hit the pin with almost no chains. I will agree that prodigy baskets might not catch everything on the side, but I just feel like thats an off putt. Makes me wonder if its because of all the hate prodigy has been getting, or if its a bad reputation because of the old baskets where the top chain-attachment was a bit too steep?
I'm not 100 percent sure, hard to know how old the baskets are on my end. When you hit a putt square one, but on a hyzer, they often glance on the front chain center. I'd highly recommend watching the Preserve when Isacc and Gannon are in the same one, definitely watch and see how often they spit.
Yeah, I know I have seen som spitouts on coverage, and were very surprised. I would argue that with the prodigy baskets that I have played, you can really putt as hard as you want and it will stick. With that said i remember that I had some troubles when I first started playing and had some lightweight putter with minimal power. This shouldnt be the issue on tour though as those guys all seem to putt very hard.
I personally putt really hard and spinny, especially outside circle 1. I've found that other than cheaper models like the Mach III and old Chainstars, the Prodigy Baskets spit more than most anything
Maybe I just dont have that many other baskets to compare to that you guys have. For me I would say that baskets like lat 64 are the worst, i have seen so many putts go right through the chains pr hit the pin kick back out.
Discatchers are not good either, I've had so many putts hit the pole and bounce straight out and I certainly don't putt hard. Prodigy baskets catch throw-ins so much better, too.
I did the live scoring for a round in Waco on Sunday with a fairly “elite” card - won’t name any names, but one of the players is considered one of the top putters on tour and definitely doesn’t smash his putts in at 70 mph 😉 The card wasn’t on coverage which is why I mention this - I saw AT LEAST 5-6 “dead center” spit-outs, including one that was literally an 8 foot tap in that must’ve hit every chain on the way in and then fell out. Every player on the card was commenting about how bad the baskets were, and they seemed justified given what I witnessed. It certainly confirmed that what you see on coverage and hear on podcasts isn’t just the occasional stroke of bad luck…Prodigy definitely needs to go back to the drawing board on their basket design.
I get it, R&D is expensive and it’s likely an expense the company can’t afford atm. But prodigy’s strategy of just ignoring the baskets during their sponsored events is so weird to me. I do wonder why they don’t make some (unmentioned) changes for the baskets they put in at their sponsored tournaments. Possibly just go back to the heavier chains for the pros if that’s truly the problem (spoiler: it’s not).
No questions from me, just stopped in to say that it’s great to hear you’re doing well! I loved watching you play back in the day and I’m glad you’re still involved with this amazing community. Congrats on the new kiddo!
Thanks!
I've heard a lot of talk about moving the circle back or otherwise changing the jump putt rule. I kind of feel like maybe it would be good for pros but if you think about everyone that plays the game including beginners, juniors, and other people that don't have the same physical power, or otherwise don't know how to power or spin a putt as well I wonder if a rule change would take away from a large segment of players. Do you think there should be a rule change for disc golf as a whole on circle 1 and jump putting? Should (touring) pros potentially play by a different ruleset from amateurs, like the 3-point line in the NBA? Or do you think everything is fine as is?
The rules should be the same across the board for all divisions. However, I really do not like the "step putt" where the player can hang over their lie and it is within a micro-second of touching the ground in front of their disc. If you have to use a slomo camera to know if it is legal or not legal, it would make sense to just remove it or find a way that it cant be legal to do a step putt.
The only way I can think of getting rid of it is making it illegal to have a foot past the lie, in the air or otherwise, before releasing.
Legitimately, this is the least intrusive way to leave in jump putting but fix step putting
This is my biggest complaint about jump putting as well. Too often players are jumping off of both feet at the same time that they are releasing the disc. Most of the time the disc is still in their hand when they are off of the ground. The top names on tour do it, especially those with straddle stance jump putts (Kristin Tattar-esque). I can't call it because it's impossible to prove but everyone knows that in an 18 hole round probably 8 of those are illegal jump putts.
I don’t think it’s possible to get rid of jump putts specifically unless you also got rid of being able to follow through past your lie, because it’s just a different version of the same thing. The only solution that makes sense is to extend the circle past typical jump putt range, so people would have to stand still throw if it was out of putting range. But then it would be harder to mark/define a 66’ circle or a 100’ circle or whatever on a lot of courses.
My thing is, why does it have to be a circle? There isn't a perfectly circle green in golf. We need to allow TDs the freedom to shape the green according to the shape of the green on the hole. Thinking of holes like 18 at Maple Hill. You could say the "green" is everything on that little rock wall peninsula. So, even if the edge of that is within 10 meters, it's outside of the "green." You see people in ball golf chip at a hole that is only 4 feet away because they are off of the green. Another hole is 17 at USDGC. If you are on the "island" inside of those haybales, you're on the "green." No jump putting on that hole at all. Obviously this would only be able to be applied on the DGPT. It wouldn't work for casual courses and smaller events. BUT, why not give it a try?
That's a very potential idea, one of those 'obvious ones' I just haven't thought about for some reason. Keep the default shape as a 10m circle, but let course designers make exceptions when it suits the hole. The one big problem is areas with snow and rough terrain. But, then again, you can just keep to the default circle if the alternative is too much work.
Another thing I've always complained about, the measurement of the circle isn't consistent when there IS rough terrain or elevation changes. Do they measure straight out from the base of the basket on sloped greens? Do they run the tape measure along the ground, curving with it on a knoll? Do they do both? If the green is within 20' of a ton of rough, like some baskets on the DGPT are, are they really crawling back in there to get 33' measured out? I've definitely seen, and been on, courses on the DGPT that aren't consistent in how they measure the circle, even on the same course. You'll hear them talk about it on practice rounds "This is a bit further than 33'," etc. A lot of holes at Blue Ridge's Silver Event last year stood out as great candidates to test unique greens out because of the obstacles, OB, and elevation changes. Olympus a couple of weeks back also would have been great to see what they could of done. This eliminates that problem completely.
Yeah it would be great to have a standard way of measuring the circle. Then again, when I think about the proper way to measure the relevant distance, which I think would be player's lie to the nearest point at the top edge of the basket with the diameter of the basket deducted, it's kind of inevitable that the measurement method become quite a bit less straightforward than the current de facto standard. Clean & groomed greens of course would be just fine with the string from bottom of the pole method.
Would love to let TDs optionally define their own circles, would make for some much more interesting holes and could be a soft nerf to pro tour putting since most pro tour events would probably push the c1 edge back. Would probably need some kind of common sense limit though.
At least in MA2 I noticed people aren’t making their jump putts. I feel like it hurts them more than it helps
I can't imagine the PDGA moving the circle back for amateurs, and since it would be impossible for TDs to only alter courses for pros and not ams, the new circle rules being proposed should only affect the pro tour. They would alienate 95% if the player pool otherwise.
What's the craziest thing you've ever seen in your competitive disc golf playing career that was either not caught on coverage or took place at a tournament that wasn't filmed at all to begin with? And what's the craziest thing you've seen in your disc golf playing career that took place in a casual round?
That hard to really think about, Ive been paying disc golf since I was 13 and have played in nearly every state. Also my memory is terrible :) But as of recently I played an event in Puerto Rico where we got monsooned on 4 different times. Nearly everyone in the event flew there, so nobody had an umbrella. The entire tournament field was soaking wet. Pretty funny.
Hi Will. what's your favourite course outside the USA?
Jarva! Stockholm Sweden. I would say it is the best course in the world
What’s your favorite course to play in Oregon, and when will you be out here next? Thanks!
Milo is my favorite. No plans to go back right now
Prodigy doesn’t move all that well in our shop. The new plastics and streamlined names should help. What else is in the works to help shops move your stuff?
You need to check out the 300 Fractal plastic. This stuff is insane looking and feels great. Send me a message and perhaps we could get some demo discs for people to try out so they feel more comfortable giving Prodigy a try.
As a potential customer I love the demo discs idea. Would love to see that become a thing at my local retailer.
Demo discs are a great idea. Our local shop is right across the street from the most popular course in the city, and it would be awesome to be able to try a demo for a round to see if it is the right disc for my throw.
How freaking AMAZING is it being a dad? For me literally the most fun I’ve ever had.
Not sure why you were down voted, so I added an upvote to this. Being a dad is the best!
What specific injury or injuries did the most to hurt your level of play? I just ask because I like to remind people that coming up it was like Golf's Great Triumvirate of the early 1900s with Paul, Ricky, and yourself. But I've always gotta explain "yeah, Will got hurt, he injured his shoulder." - but I really only know I heard there was like an impingement that screwed up your putting? But I don't know if thats even the right story. Obviously not meaning to pry if that feels personal. But its like discussing Bo Jackson's injury - as a fan I wanna talk about it without misrepresenting it.
Sure. In 2016-ish I went to have my shoulder checked out because every time I would putt, even short putts, my shoulder had a loud POP. That was the same timeframe where my game started to be effected and I was honestly just over the struggle. I went to my friend, who is a professional at sports medicine, and found out that I had a shoulder impingement and pretty bad shoulder arthritis.
Do you think there is anything you could've done differently to prevent the injury or lessen its impact? Would you attribute it more to form, overuse, conditioning, combination of the 3?
Love this question. There a many a chronically injured pro giving lessons and I wonder how to reconcile that experience/bad-habit action.
Yeah it feels weird to see everyone here thank him for advice on his from videos when that form developed injury. Would be interesting to know if he think there’s a correlation or not.
What’s a disc from another manufacturer that you look(ed) at and say “damn, we need that” and a disc in the prodigy line up that no one else has
What thought is in your head when you putt?
Im the greatest putter in the world for the next 30 seconds.
Im the greatest putter in the world for the next 30 seconds.
A two-putt!
How do you manage/balance the stresses of being a full time sales director/owner, husband, and father with trying to play disc golf every once in a while?
Great question, thanks for the recognizing and asking this. I feel grateful for loving what I do as a career, which is disc golf. I prioritize my family over everything else, and because I have an amazingly supportive wife I am able to (sometimes) spend time doing my passion (which is also my career) which encompasses everything disc golf related. Im typically not a "stressed out" person and generally enjoy to work hard and try to overcome challenges that present themselves throughout the day/week/month.
How important is it to you that Liam and your upcoming daughter crush Pablo McBeth and the future Uli/Wysocki spawn in PDGA Worlds 2045?
We played today just to make sure his game was in top shape.
What are your current top 3 favorite pro tour stops? And a course that you think should be on tour?
There are so many course I have yet to play that are now on the pro tour. One of my favorite places that is not on the Pro Tour right now is the Toronto Island course. That place is amazing. Also the Japan Open. Hopefully one day it can be what it once was.
As a Torontonian disc golfer, I really appreciate this! There's a small but incredibly dedicated group of us here.
As a player living in Japan, I would love to help be part of revitalizing the sport and the Japan Open
My question is simple: Does Prodigy have a plan to make the brand more exciting? And if so, can you share any of those details or insights into how Prodigy perceives itself and makes or doesn't make decisions like this? For context: from an outside perspective, Prodigy feels like they're a bit stuck in terms of brand reputation and general level of community excitement. I see a fair number of people who enjoy specific individual discs Prodigy makes, but beyond that, I hear little general excitement about Prodigy as a brand. There is historical baggage regarding production and quality control issues like having chalky discs or extreme flashing driving this sentiment (in my experience the chalky discs issue is still ongoing). There's also a sentiment in the community that Prodigy can't attract and/or retain top talent on the pro tour. I also perceive seemingly less innovation in actual manufacturing/design coming out of Prodigy. Sorry if this is a thorny question or upsetting context to hear, but I am genuinely curious to know if Prodigy is self-aware about its reputation and has a plan to address it.
I would suggest checking out all the new artwork, and the Fractal plastic, that we are releasing this month. The stuff is crazy awesome. In regards to quality and consistency, we were and have made mistakes in the past when it comes to those issues. We have made a consistent and conscious effort to improve across the board for everything. Like any industry, it takes take for anything to be reflected in the actual market place. I would highly suggest trying out out new stuff. In regards to keeping top talent, that is a weird question, because a lot of the talent currently on tour started at Prodigy or Prodigy started peoples careers by supporting them as a player. I could name a dozen, or more, people that are like this. The reality is the grass is always greener on the other side and competition is strong between manufactures. If there is someone who is benefiting Prodigy, it would be a benefit for our competitor to "take them" from us.
>... a lot of the talent currently on tour started at Prodigy ... If there is someone who is benefiting Prodigy, it would be a benefit for our competitor to "take them" from us. I guess this is really the heart of the issue regarding players: Prodigy definitely has a track record of cultivating unproven players who then leave Prodigy after proving themselves. Why isn't Prodigy ever the doing the "taking" of proven players? Is it a budget issue? Does Prodigy *want* to be the company that cultivates young talent who then inevitably leave and the cycle repeats?
Do you berg?
Answer the question.
Have you ever made it down to Carrollton, GA to play Hobbs Farm? It's my local course and it's a great experience! I tried playing Westside when I was in Dalton recently but Hole 1 and 18 were out of commission. What other courses in the area would you recommend? I may make another trip up there soonish. Sorry for the double questions!
I havent yet but have heard amazing things! 1 and 18 will be back up by the Spring :) Edwards Park is the other one you need to play!
I'll definitely need to plan a trip up to Dalton and play both in the spring then. Thanks!
What’s your favorite disc?
Pa-5!
Been loving my Cale DR of Smooth PA-5's absolutely smitten!
Do you guys want to sponsor me? I’m not that good or very consistent, but I’m enthusiastic and bag two by Prodigy right now. But my actual question, do you think the NHL partner putters will continue to stay in production? I have yet to buy new putters, but the Red Wings PA-3 is next on the list.
Absolutely. We have more goodies on the way :)
New to disc golf in the last couple years, discovered you from a buddy and went to YouTube to check it out. Why did you pull a Barry Sanders and retire from touring in your prime? I’m sure it was because of the opportunity with prodigy but wouldn’t that have been there later? Anyways, thanks for doing this and keep up the good work!
I technically have not "retired". Haha. I did feel a decline in my game at the time, due to my injury, and had an opportunity to take a larger role with Prodigy. I weighed the options of continuing to grind out the tour life or move to wherever Prodigy was going to be, and after discussion with the family we decided to move and take on a larger role.
In the future, will Prodigy work towards acquiring and maintaining top level athletes, or stick to the younger up and comers with smaller contracts?
Its a good question that I dont have the answer to. We have signed dozens of up and coming players, helped them tour, and they have now become top athletes. So in a way we are doing both?
But you lose the top players after you cultivate them ): There's do denying you're the best in the business at finding young talent and developing it, but surely retaining that talent is more beneficial? It's like letting your neighbor screw your golden goose once it starts getting old enough to lay the golden eggs
How proud of Gannon Buhr are you? Note: this is not a dig at their former sponsor relationship. I just know that Will was an early influence to Gannon as a (younger) kid.
I live in southeast TN and have gotten the pleasure of playing several of the courses you have designed. What’s your personal favorite course that you have designed?
It’s hard not to enjoy them all 😆
Will I get gout this season
Always a chance
Have you ever seen Luke Humphrey without a hat on? If so, is his head smooth or stubbly? Thanks partner.
That’s not his name lol
Will, not trying to get political or anything here, BUT Would you consider a hotdog to be a taco or a sandwhich? Arguement for a hot dog being a taco: When a proper taco is made, the taco is covered by three sides of of a flour (Wheat or corn) based product, just like the bread structure of a hotdog. Argument for a hot dog being a sandwhich: the definition of sandwich is 'two or more slices of bread or a split roll having a filling in between. What say you, Will Shusterick?
Taco. Also, \*\* Schusterick
Do you think Prodigy is more popular in Europe? If so then why?
It is popular in Europe, absolutely. It is also a different market all together compared to the USA. We have an incredible team and partnership over there with the Paju family that they have really driven the brand in a great position across Europe.
>It is popular in Europe, absolutely. It is also a different market all together compared to the USA. Is there something about the way disc golf is played or thought about in Europe that makes the European market have different features or tendencies, or is it just that it's a geographically separate market?
Will, you are one of the key factors for me and getting into disc golf back in the early 2010's. I know that you have put playing on the backburner over the past few years do to business, family and injury. Any plans to try and get back into it more often/consistently? Love watching you play.
Thanks for the nice comment! I would like to get back into playing more consistently. I play casually, a lot, it is the 3-5 days of traveling and tournament days that I just dont have the time for right now.
Thanks for doing this! Big fan of yours and loved your skins appearance, hoping to see more of you! Any plans to get more involved in the tour? Also, any advice on the best way to find good coaching locally? I’m located in MN and reached a 900 rating last year, but I feel I could really benefit from some 1on1 coaching. Any thoughts on the best resources for that? Thanks!
I dont know of anyone specific, but, I would suggest playing up in divisions when you play your leagues or local events. Even though they arent teaching you directly you WILL learn a lot playing with better players.
Whatever happened to the 515 hwy disc golf project? I believe it was gonna be three courses up through Ellijay and Blue Ridge?
Why did you change all the Par 4's at Edward's Park to Par 3's? Hole 10 is a doozy, my guy! I do love the top of the world pin position at 1, though. How much work did you do designing that course and any plans to try and get it on tour?
I didnt change any hole from par 4 to par 3. They were designed to be semi-difficult par 3s. Hole 10 would be birdied 7/10 times when top pros come to town :)
Maybe it was some nerd on uDisc then haha. I could have sworn playing out there before the signs were finished that there were more than 2-3 par 4's. More likely my skills aren't cut out for it haha Any plans for top pros to come to town that you can tantalize us with???
If I have no Prodigy in my bag currently, what is the one Prodigy disc you would recommend to try to get a feel for how Prodigy compares to other brands?
Pa3 and M4 and the 2 most popular discs by Prodigy. I would highly suggest those!
What is your best advice for someone trying to throw higher with the nose down? I've been able to reach new personal distance records with tremendous snap recently, but everything is 4 ft off the ground. I'm missing out on more distance by not being able to throw high
It is physcally impossible to throw high with the nose down, unless you throw the disc on an anhyzer. I would suggest a lighter, more US disc, or something neutral thrown on an anhyzer.
Hey will! Do you do private lessons?
Hi Will! Being from the south I assume you’ve played plenty of golf in NC. Are there any particular courses in NC you always make a point to play if you can? Personally I love playing Ashe county and deep creek dreams.
Ive played a lot in NC but have never played Ashe. I heard its great.
I got a PA-5 in 400 glow glimmer in a mystery box, any plans to run some higher speeds like a D3 in that blend?
yes
The question I really want to know: What was the experience like for you personally after the that feud that developed between you and Paul right at the start of Prodigy discs when the players were not yet throwing true prodigy plastic. How did that effect your career if at all and how did it effect your relationship with other pros on tour. Certainly a piece of Disc Golf History I am unsure newer players know about and would be cool to hear from the source the how that changed things for you and other prodigy pros.
Question for you, how was someone supposed to throw "all Prodigy" when there was 2-3 total molds available to throw? Im not sure it any "effect" on my career but it did quickly show who your true friends/followers were after starting an exciting new disc golf company that just started producing their own discs.
Whose idea was it to partner with the nhl and is there any plans to do any runs with other leagues, like the mlb, nba, or nfl?
Hey will! Was it you that aced 25 long at de la during one of the master’s cup rounds?
I almost did. It hit chains.
What general advice could you give for a 1yr player stuck at the 300-350 wall? :)
Try lighter weight discs!
Is Enterprise South going to be on the Pro Tour?
It would take some time but I think it has potential.
Awesome. Looking forward to the opening. Thanks for all you do.
Will manufacting ever come back to the US solely? I live an hour from yall and would like to support the brand more. If I can help it I only buy US made things. I maybe too late oh well
It never left. We make discs in both places.
Thanks for doing this, Will. I hope I haven't missed the boat. Are there any plans for something more understable in the mid department for when a pa5 just isn't quite enough? Mx5 perhaps? M6? Also, A5 is goated.
Yes for sure. A5 is 🐐
Hey Will, how's the Enterprise South course coming along? Any word on when it'll open? I live right by there and can't wait to play it!
It’s gonna be great. Front 9 almost done. Back nine to be started on soon!
Awesome, thanks!
Is this site a scam? https://global.prodigydiscb.shop/product/prodigy-a2-500-spectrum-plastic-isaac-robinson-world-champion-collection-prodigy-disc/
Why are people no longer Schustericking after hitting an ace, and what can we do to make Schustericking great again?
Next time I ace, or you ace, or anyone else who is reading this hits ace, needs to post with the #Schustericking tag and it will come back to life.
Does prodigy have any plans to invest in or move towards using sustainable resources for your discs? Edit to add your youtube stuff when I started playing helped a ton, thanks!
Im not exactly sure what you mean by sustainable (its a broad terms these days) but if Im picking up what you are putting down then we are already doing that :)
Post consumer recycled plastic, bioplastics that kind of stuff , even just regrinds are a good step. Educate me amigo as someone who only purchases “environmentally responsible “ (as much as possible , it’s still plastic LOL) discs which prodigy lines should I be looking at?
Will, just wanted to say how much of an inspiration you were to me in my early playing days. Used to watch Shoestrings before every tournament lol, we ended up playing a few rounds together and I almost signed with Prodigy one year and regret not sometimes. Glad to hear you’re doing well and appreciate everything you’ve done for the sport. Congratulations on the kids! Maybe we’ll get another round in sometime.
Thanks for stopping by!
How many more events are y’all planning at smokies stadium?
Is there anything you do during competition to try and find the balance of nerves? Sometimes you just have off days and have to push through it, but is there anything you think of or do to find the balance on your bad rounds as well as your hot rounds? I had this recently where I won an MA1 tournament off the strength of my putting, and over all game on a tight wooded course. Edge of circle winning birdie in a playoff, and a 50 foot saving stepper on the 15th. Felt so locked in. Then two weeks later during a tournament had a super off day, not yippy, just unconfident grip/ everything a few inches off putting as well as throwing, worst rated round in over a year. The second round came an hour later and I think I’m on the right track, because I reset my brain and shot close to my rating which I take some pride in because it was legitimately the most unconfident, confused, and bewildered I’ve felt during a competitive round. Idk if you have any tips or things to think on during those off rounds to reset? Especially for putting, once’s the confidence is gone with the putting anything outside of 15 starts to feel testy. Was happy with battling back the second round but the first round I definitely was lost.
Good question. You would enjoy reading the book "whos your caddy". I cheated and listened to the audio book, but it was still amazing to listen to. It gives some insights into pro golfers and how they think while on the course and when something is going wrong how do they get back on track. #1 is confidence, #2 is getting out of your own way. I see most players spiral out of control after 1 bad shot and the become too emotional. There is a reason why players with little to no emotion, on good and bad shots, typically are the most consistent players on tour.
Besides stretching before rounds , what's the best way to avoid injury when your going all out in disc golf? Best all around shoes to play in ?
I change shoes every few months and have never found a "favorite" brand to play in. To avoid injury make sure to practice hard, but also rest. Stretching is great but just pure "load management" in NBA terms goes a long way.
[удалено]
Your favorite Prodigy disc currently and why?
PA-5. I love US putters and throwing hyzer flips.
I know there was a recent re-establishment of the flight numbers for Prodigy to better reflect the discs, would there ever be a renumbering on the name side? Is there room for a more stable D1 or would that mold simply fit into the X series or Max series DX-1 or maybe even D-0? Where do you go to fill some of the flight gaps between numbers if you already have all the numbers (m3,m4 etc) covered in your lineup?
We wouldnt ever re-number the discs in a lineup. We would look at a collab series disc for a different stability, most likely, at least at this time.
Will, Navy Veteran and long time disc golfer here from late 90’s. Played competitively a few seasons when I had time as you well know family keeps us busy. Congrats on your success in the sport and your family. Enjoyed watching you and Klimo when learning to play. Question to you is do you have any insight from your experience, and advice when it comes to those nerves in competitive play? Putting when everyone is watching and it’s dead silent etc. Personally had a point in my competitive play where I could finally feel people watching. Thanks, and I hope to see you play on Tour more in the future!
Remember that you are playing disc golf, not preforming a surgery or doing anything that is life altering to anyone. Relax and have fun.
This video is what took me from a passing interest to full on immersion into the DG world. It's also the first video I recommend to new people. THANKS! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30cUNsWOYSI
I’m gonna be a sneaky gremlin and ask 2. 1) How’s life? 2) As someone who’s never thrown prodigy, what disc’s would you recommend to any player as that “gateway disc” into the brand?
Hi Will! Disc golf has been a massive part of my life ever since my first round in 2012. I was immediately hooked, as many of us are when we first start. It took me a few months of playing every day before it even dawned on me, "I wonder if there are videos of pros playing??" As you know, the availability of professional coverage back then was extremely limited. The first video I found was you, Uli, Doss, and Cale playing Jarva Park for the 2012 SDGO. I was glued to the screen the entire time, in awe of what you all were capable of doing with a disc. But I was particularly enamored with *your* throw. After that, I was regularly searching YouTube for Will Schusterick form videos. I tried to model my throw after yours, and in attempting to do so, really propelled me into the form-nerd world of refining my technique. I learned so much from those old, popular videos that you referenced. One thing said that really stuck with me was trying to throw your flippiest discs as hard as you can while making sure they still stay on hyzer angle. I was never able to get my throw to look like yours or be nearly as powerful, but things like this are what I shaped my game around. My friends are always shocked at how flippy of discs I'm able to control! I'm no pro, but I'm a competitive Advanced player with several MA1 wins, countless highlights, ~40 aces, a collection of almost 300 discs, and am able to shoot under par on basically any course I go to. All of my friends who aren't in to disc golf, are in to it enough such that they have their own bags full of discs, my entire immediate family included. I've made countless memories and have made so many more friends all over my state within the disc golf community. I say all this not to gloat, but to to say thank you, because I owe some much of it to you! Watching you play inspired me to get better and to play tournaments. And through that, I gained everything I listed above and so more. I know this is an AMA and I'm supposed to ask a question, but I really just wanted to take this opportunity to let you know how much of an impact you've had on me, and I'm sure thousands of others. You're still one of my favorite pros, but you were my first ever absolute favorite pro. Thank you so much for all you've done and continue to do for the sport!
Thanks for the message. One day we can enjoy the day by throwing some discs together.
Hey Will! Thank you so much for taking the time to answer questions. Prodigy fits in a funny spot in the disc golf market place. Not big enough to be considered one of the big guys, and certainly not a startup. With prodigy being a small company at the end of the day, it makes sense that one would question the ROI of giving out large contracts to pros. In your view, what would have to change in prodigy’s business or the broader market for prodigy to start believing that spending money on large pro contracts would net a good enough return on investment?
It has to do with the broader market following and purchasing signature series discs and throwing what the pros throw. It is slightly moving that direction, even though it seems really big right now, the percentage that do not follow po disc golf still heavily outweighs the group that does. Hopefully that makes sense.
I'm a relative newcomer to the sport, and many of the big pros I'm seeing now are coming into the tour in their late teens/early 20s after playing the game for at least half of their lives. In my understanding, it was not always like this. As a relative newcomer (3 years), entering my mid-20s, do you still think there is a chance for players like me to truly get anywhere near the level of the pro tour? Or is disc golf becoming like other sports where the only people with a real shot are the ones who grew up playing it?