In another thread (http://www.pdga.com/msgboard/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Number=386589&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&vc=1), lauraq wrote:
I've attended clinics in which my drive and putt forms were watched, video taped, and dissected.


How can I find such a clinic in my area? I'd happily pay real money for formalized instruction and personalized critique.

most club charters include talk of clinics, but i've only known of a couple that have actually occurred in any of the areas i've ever lived in.

the really successful/beneficial clinics catering to competitive players i've known of were ones that focused on specific topics, often in a series of clinics over time that would cover many aspects of the game. most experienced players don't want to sit through a clinic about the x-step, but there are a good handful that would like to be stepped through how to throw a roller, throw a 360 turnaround, etc.

however... i do feel there should be more frequent, introductory clinics/demos put on to try and draw in more rec players and covering more basic topics such as basic backhand/sidearm driving forms, putting, wind, etc. generally these must be well-publicized long in advance to get any kind of significant draw other than people wandering by.

can't really say where/who in your area would be available for personalized instruction or even clinic type stuff... but poking around the local scene at league/tournaments is probably a start.

Maybe sponsored players from the disc companies could be required to put on an announced clinic in the towns where major events are happeing. If the disc manufacturers took a look at the big picture and could see the longterm benefits of having their top pros put on such demos for the locals by sharing their knowledge about our sport, it could be a win win situation. Set the pros up in a room for a couple of days prior to the tournaments, they'll be able to practice the course prior to playing in the event, and share their experiences and techniques to make the sport even stronger. Plus, they could put their disc manufacturer's name out there and discuss why one should use a certain disc versus another.... yadda yadda yadda...

Think about it.

Buy Scott Stokely's book and video. He's an amazing player, well rounded game. Over 500 ft. forehand!

Maybe sponsored players from the disc companies could be required to put on an announced clinic in the towns where major events are happeing.



"required" is a very strong word choice. i think "encouraged" or "rewarded" would be a step in the right direction.

i am sure there are a few players out there that would only want to do this if their arm were twisted sufficiently hard, while others would love to do it (and often already do).

beyond the personality side of it, things get more complicated in terms of knowledge and the ability to impart knowledge. we are still at a stage in the game where people equate skill to knowledge, which is often, but not always true.

what you are describing below is what scott stokely did in 2000-2001 with his travelling clinics... promiting the sport and the manufacturer's products at the same time.


as for the comments on the stokely book... i think the original poster was really looking for active feedback in a real time setting in order to make on the fly adjustments, etc...

i think the original poster was really looking for active feedback in a real time setting in order to make on the fly adjustments, etc...


Spot on, Blake. That's exactly what I'm looking for.

I'm fairly new to the sport -- been playing infrequently for years, but seriously for the last year and a half. In my last competitive hobby (amateur motorsports with the Sports Car Club of America (http://www.scca.com/)), every club put on these sorts of clinics and schools every year, mostly as a member retention strategy.

I was the chair of these programs for several clubs around the northeast over the last 15 years. They're fairly easy to organize, a good money maker for the club, and pay dividends in getting people involved not just in the sport and competition, but all the behind-the-scenes stuff as well. I think the same thing could be done for disc golf. (I could go on about this for hours, but I'll stop here unless someone begs.)

There are also professional schools for amateur motorsports, which I think could also work well, but that requires considerably more money and effort. Sounds somewhat like the Stokely program described above, though it wouldn't have to be manufacturer-specific. You'd find top pros who are also good instructors, and pay them, and fly them out. You'd design some consistent curricula and teaching methods, and let the local clubs do the recruiting and organization.

Okay, I'm really stopping now. Sounds like there are people in some parts of the country who have done this before; perhaps they could share more information about how it all works.