They Said It: If I Weren't on the Tour
They Said It: If I Weren't on the Tour
Pro disc golfers imagine an alternative reality
Monday, January 24, 2022 - 13:28
For many of us, stuck behind desks, becoming a professional athlete is an unfulfilled dream. We are in an interesting moment when “Disc Golfer” is becoming a viable career. Even with the possibility of million-dollar contracts, the decision to commit to becoming a full-time tour player is a difficult one. What could they be doing instead? To find out, I spoke to over 75% percent of the field at the 2021 Delaware Disc Golf Challenge about the subject of work.
I asked touring players what they think they would be doing for work (or would ideally like to do) if they weren’t professional disc golfers. For those who weren’t touring full-time, I asked what they did for a living and how they were supporting themselves on the tour.
Over the past few years, and especially during the pandemic, disc golf has seen unprecedented growth in its popularity. There is an abundance of new touring players and in 2022 many skilled Europeans will be chomping at the bit to join the tour as well. Starting this year, with the creation of the new tour card, gaining entry to elite series events will be more difficult. It is likely that soon it will be rare for touring professionals to play in the same divisions and on the same cards as weekend warriors with more traditional jobs.
I have included these non-touring players because I wanted to get a snapshot of the sport at this moment. For many years, these non-touring players have been the backbone of the pro tour, fattening up the purses for the chance to go toe-to-toe with the best of the best. For that weekend, they aren’t a biology teacher, or a bodily claims adjuster, or a construction cost estimator. They are fulfilling that very common, childhood dream of being a professional athlete.
What They Said
Below you will find my brief notes from my conversations with the players at the Delaware Disc Golf Challenge. They are sorted by descending player rating (from August of 2021), with FPO first, then MPO.
| Player | Rating | Tour Status | Work or theoretical work other than disc golf |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catrina Allen | 972 | Touring Pro | I did not get to speak to Cat, but Austin Hannum thought it would be something to do with health, like physical training. |
| Sarah Hokom | 963 | Touring Pro | Sarah was a science teacher. She isn't sure she would be in the classroom if she weren't on tour. She would have been interested in working in the field of anthropology. |
| Heather Young | 953 | Touring Pro | Heather said she would probably be in college right now if she weren't touring. |
| Jessica Weese | 948 | Touring Pro | Jessica would probably make jewelry for a living if she weren't a touring pro. |
| Kona Star Panis | 938 | Touring Pro | Kona would have wanted to be a veterinarian or an artist if not for disc golf. |
| Holly Finley | 937 | Touring Pro | Holly used to work in banking in the financial advisor sector. She also is still working as a fashion model. |
| Alex Benson | 936 | Touring Pro | Alex was a chef before she started touring. Alex said her sponsors and the disc golf community back home along with cashing at tournaments allows her to stay on tour without a side hustle. |
| Vanessa Van Dyken | 935 | Touring Pro | Vanessa said she would probably work in nursing if not for disc golf. |
| Rebecca Cox | 925 | Touring Pro | Rebecca is a licensed esthetician. She would probably be working in beauty or dermatology. |
| Elaine King | 924 | Legend of the game and FPO leader in career points. | Elaine has a limited touring schedule due to work. She is a consultant for the pharmaceutical industry. |
| Michelle Frazer | 922 | Regional Pro | Michelle just finished her Ph.D. in atmospheric and oceanic sciences. She just started a job at Penn State doing research. |
| Kat Mertsch | 916 | Touring Pro | Kat's dream job would be becoming a NASCAR driver. |
| Stacie Rawnsley | 913 | New Touring Pro | If Stacie wasn't touring she would probably be managing a pet store. |
| Becky Harris | 904 | Regional Pro | Becky is a bodily injury claims adjuster. |
| Margaret Sassaman | 891 | Regional Pro | Margaret is a business systems analyst. |
| Leah Tsinajinnie | 875 | New Touring Pro | Leah would be studying for the bar if she weren't touring as she studied law. She tutors online reading and literacy as a side job. Leah is also a newly elected PDGA board member! |
| Jessica Kinard | 864 | Regional Pro | Jessica is a clinical trial project manager. |
| Marissa Kula | 837 | Regional Pro | Marisa is a full-time nurse. |
| Player | Rating | Tour Status | Work or theoretical work other than disc golf |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richard Wysocki | 1055 | Touring Pro | Ricky first told me he had no idea what he would do. I asked him what his dream job would be and he replied he would have wanted to be a professional baseball player. |
| Calvin Heimburg | 1049 | Touring Pro | Calvin said he would be a chemical engineer. |
| Chris Dickerson | 1045 | Touring Pro | Chris said he would probably be an auto mechanic. |
| Matthew Orum | 1039 | Touring Pro | If he were not a touring pro: "Dream job would be captain of a deep-sea fishing charter ship. And realistically if I weren't a disc golfer I would be working in a port in Mobile." |
| Adam Hammes | 1038 | Touring Pro | Adam said, "A loser? (He laughed) Probably a fishing guide." |
| James Conrad | 1037 | Touring Pro | "I don't have an answer for that." |
| Nikko Locastro | 1031 | Touring Pro | If Nikko weren't a disc golfer he thinks he would be doing something competitive and athletic for work. Maybe a professional skateboarder. He always wants to be in the disc golf industry. |
| Joel Freeman | 1030 | Touring Pro | "Several answers to that question. I find myself wishing that I had ten different lives to live. I would want to be a Breakdancer. An art teacher. Professional thespian (Musical theatre stage actor). Singer-songwriter. Professional unicyclist." |
| Garrett Gurthie | 1030 | Touring Pro | If Garret wasn't playing disc golf he thinks he would still be making beef jerky for a living. |
| Paul Ulibarri | 1029 | Touring Pro | I didn't have the chance to speak with Paul so I asked his good friend Ricky Wysocki what he thinks Paul would do if he wasn't a disc golfer. Ricky thought his dream job would be a pro (ball) golfer. Ricky's tour manager chimed in saying he could be a competitive eater. |
| Andrew Fish | 1027 | Part-Time Touring Pro | Andrew is a pro with a limited touring schedule due to work. He is an environmental engineer. |
| Nathan Queen | 1027 | Touring Pro | Nathan told me "Flooring installer is what I used to do." |
| Chandler Fry | 1026 | Touring Pro | Chandler is a licensed titling clerk. He does that in the off-season four months of the year. |
| Emerson Keith | 1026 | Touring Pro | Emerson would want to work for a summer camp if he wasn't a pro. |
| Andrew Marwede | 1025 | Touring Pro | Andrew said, "I don't know." |
| Bradley Williams | 1024 | Touring Pro | "I started disc golfing when I was pretty young. I had a job doing industrial electronic work before. If I weren't a disc golfer I would maybe do something with travel." Bradley is also really into coaching and clinics. |
| Gregg Barsby | 1024 | Touring Pro | If Gregg was not on tour he would be playing music in a professional band. "The band name would be probably something pretty vulgar." |
| Matt Bell | 1022 | Touring Pro | Matt said "I don"t know. I would be surfing and fishing a lot more." |
| Benjamin Callaway | 1022 | Touring Pro | Ben worked construction before touring. He said he would probably be a PE teacher if he weren't a pro disc golfer. |
| Austin Hannum | 1021 | Touring Pro | Austin said "I am not sure. I have a degree in parks and rec management, so something with that." |
| Eric Oakley | 1021 | Touring Pro | If Eric didn't play disc golf he would be a coach or a teacher. He loves "Being involved in sports and helping people get better." |
| Colten Montgomery | 1020 | Touring Pro | If Colton weren't a touring pro he said he would be "Working some regular 9 to 5 job. There is nothing I am passionate about besides disc golf. Well, actually, NASCAR driver would be the dream job." |
| Alden Harris | 1019 | Touring Pro | Alden told me "I have no idea. I can't see myself doing anything else." |
| Raven Newsom | 1019 | Touring Pro | Raven would be working for an environmental business if he had not gone on tour. |
| Corey Ellis | 1019 | Touring Pro | When asked what he would do if he weren't touring Corey replied "No idea." |
| Michael Johansen | 1018 | Touring Pro | Michael does carpentry on the side. If he weren't a pro disc golfer he would want to do musical instrument repair. |
| Alex Russell | 1018 | Touring Pro | Alex does some remodeling and handyman work on the side. He probably would get a contractor license if he wasn't touring. |
| Aaron Gossage | 1017 | Touring Pro | Aaron has a computer science degree so would be looking for a job in that field if he weren't touring. |
| Terry Rothlisberger | 1017 | Touring Pro | If Terry weren't touring he would probably work for UPS or be working with fiber-optic lines. |
| Connor O'Reilly | 1014 | Touring Pro | Connor was coaching basketball before he started touring. His brother plays basketball professionally in Europe. |
| Chris Villa | 1013 | Regional Pro | Chris works in real estate, mostly home inspections and rental properties. |
| Luke Humphries | 1013 | Touring Pro | Luke does disc golf media with GK Pro. He also does outside sales on the side. And he has a crystal shop in Dallas. |
| Zach Melton | 1011 | Touring Pro | Zach said he would probably be working in a YMCA after-school program if he wasn't a pro. |
| Noah Meintsma | 1011 | Touring Pro | If Noah were not touring he might have gone to college. Or maybe have tried to become a professional skateboarder |
| AJ Carey | 1009 | Touring Pro | AJ makes his living playing and selling discs. He would probably be coaching if he weren't playing disc golf. |
| Reid Frescura | 1008 | Touring Pro | "I don't even know. I majored in exercise science, so maybe a fitness instructor or something like that." |
| Nate Perkins | 1008 | Touring Pro | Nate gets supplemental income from media and is increasingly getting into player management/representation as an agent. If he weren't on the pro tour he would be doing evolutionary biology research, which is what his degree is in. |
| Brian Earhart | 1006 | Touring Pro | Brian does media for disc golf through commentating and through his podcast, The Flight Diaries (which is excellent.) Brian wants to do a lot more teaching and coaching and sees that as the area where he feels he can make the biggest impact on the sport. If disc golf wasn't in his life he would probably be a teacher. |
| Luke Samson | 1005 | Touring Pro | "Playing professional baseball. I played independent ball in the Pecos league before going pro with disc golf." Luke is getting by on sponsorships and cashing at events. |
| Gavin Babcock | 1003 | Touring Pro | Gavin just graduated college in May. He is an ambassador for Sweets Kendama, a Japanese dexterity game. If he had not started touring he would have gone into medical sales. |
| Sam Drummond | 1001 | Touring Pro | Sam's fiancé is supporting him at this time. They both just graduated from college and he wanted to try the touring life. He has an industrial engineering degree if touring doesn't work out. |
| Dylan Horst | 1000 | Regional Pro | Dylan works in outsourcing for investment management. |
| Matt Dollar | 1000 | Regional Pro | Matt is a full-time stay-at-home father at this time. |
| Trevon Crowe | 1000 | Touring Pro | "I am 21 and was going to college. I would be finishing college if I weren't touring. Wasn't sure what career I wanted, so I decided I would try touring while I figured that out." Trevon does Doordash and Instacart to make some cash on the side. |
| Kevin Gleason | 998 | Regional Pro | Kevin has a painting company. |
| Levi Hancock | 998 | Touring Pro | Levi does DoorDash on the side. When asked what he would do if not touring he said "Dude I don't even know. This has been my plan since I was 15." |
| Ian Burchett | 998 | Touring Pro | If Ian weren't touring he would "Probably be working a good ole warehouse job" like he was before he started touring. |
| Lance Brown | 995 | Touring Pro | Lance told me "I really don't know what I would do. I studied graphic design, but not sure if I would be doing that. I have never really thought of anything besides being a professional athlete. After this round, I might do some Instacart runs, which helps me take my mind off the tournament." |
| Mike Carman | 994 | Touring Pro | Mike teaches DG lessons and clinics on the side. If he weren't a disc golfer he would start an asphalt manufacturing plant. |
| Jonathan Propalis | 991 | Touring Pro | Jonathan quit his job in February. He was selling steel before this. He didn't love the job and decided life was too short not to give the tour a shot. He is using his savings to support himself on the road. |
| Jason Tiligadas | 990 | Regional Pro | Jason works for a sign company. |
| Michael Hoffman | 990 | New Touring Pro | Michael started touring in March. He does DoorDash and Uber Eats runs on the side. Also, does gig work as a handyman for Handy, a Handyman App. Before touring he did maintenance work at a church. |
| Joey Temali | 989 | Touring pro | Joey does media when not playing, producing bonus content for Jomez. He also shoots video. He would be in college if he weren't playing DG and doing media. |
| Daniel Carlton | 977 | Regional Pro | Daniel is a full-time dad. |
| Brandon Hauer | 977 | New Touring Pro | Brandon has spent two months on the road. He is doing DoorDash on the side for now. Before touring he was managing a pizza restaurant and doing pizza deliveries. |
| Brian O'Neill | 976 | Regional Pro | Brian works for a construction company. |
| Dave Dunn | 973 | Regional Pro | Dave works in sales. Doesn't tour yet. |
| Mark Saraceno | 968 | Regional Pro | Mark runs a flooring business with his brother. He is also a real estate property owner, restoring and flipping houses. |
| Eric Schubert | 967 | Regional Pro | Eric is starting his 1st year of college in Rhode Island. |
| Brett Wolter | 964 | Regional Pro | Brett is a construction cost estimator |
| Vincent Sutlic | 963 | Regional Pro | Vincent works in Medical Sales. He organized the fundraising for this tournament. |
| Lance Trott | 959 | Regional Pro | Lance is a mortgage banker |
| Brendan Smith | 957 | Regional Pro | Brendan is an accountant. |
| Derek Bigley | 947 | Regional Pro | Derek does marketing for a living. |
| Elias White | 946 | Regional Pro | Elias is a software developer |
| Matthew Kashima | 936 | Regional Pro | Matthew works in landscaping and construction. |
| Sean Cunningham | 919 | Regional Pro | Sean has been playing DG for two years. He is a high school biology teacher. |
| Torrin Clapper | 912 | Regional Pro | Torrin works in specialty shipping. |
After interviewing the touring pros, I learned the following:
- A lot of these players would want to work in athletics even if they weren’t disc golfers.
- A lot of players have a side hustle to keep them on tour, such as gig work like Instacart deliveries. (Lance Brown did some Instacart runs after shooting a -6 on day 1.)
- A lot of players didn’t even want to contemplate a scenario in which they weren’t disc golfers.
- We need to start a Gofundme to get Matty O a fishing trawler. ASAP.
Jesse Weisz dabbles in disc golf data visualizations. His hobbies include sustaining injuries through ultimate and disc golf. He also runs a non-profit that helps teachers travel at geeo.org. You can reach him through Twitter (@jesseweisz).
Comments
Me as a class B CDL Truck
Me as a class B CDL Truck Driver, I am even thinking of ways to get out there on the pro tour because I’ve worked plenty of hard jobs in my day and would want nothing more to give it all up to be on tour making money and throwing. Discgolf has become something I truly LOVE doing and want to be a part of it forever.