How Simon Lizotte and Brodie Smith Are Taking Ultimate and Disc Golf Fun to A New Level

Ultimate Frisbee has come to a screeching halt over the past year due to COVID-19 restrictions. Famous players have been forced to abandon the game, even with just local players, to accommodate for the changes brought on by the virus.

Many avid Ultimate Frisbee players have turned to disc golf as a way to unwind during the pandemic, and they’re not the only ones. Professional Ultimate players have also ditched their Ultimate frisbees for disc golf’s discs. Perhaps chief among them is Brodie Smith, led by professional disc golfer Simon Lizotte.

BRODIE SMITH, SIMON LIZOTTE, AND DISC GOLF

Smith has spent years in the Ultimate Frisbee limelight, competing on a professional level but has decided to hang up his Ultimate frisbee in recent years. He suffered a knee injury in 2015 that kept him from the sport for some time, and he has decided that disc golf is easier on his body at the moment.

Smith became interested in disc golf as a substitute for his Ultimate days but found a love for this new sport instead. In 2019, he partnered with Simon Lizotte to create a video of one of his first experiences with disc golf.

Amid the raucous laughter from Lizotte and Paul McBeth at Smith’s obvious lack of prowess on the course, Smith’s attitude toward the sport appears to shift. The dynamic ways disc golfers throw their discs was something foreign, yet appealing.

SMITH AND LIZOTTE: CHANGING ULTIMATE AND DISC GOLF

With the new shift from Ultimate Frisbee to disc golf, Smith and Lizotte are inviting Ultimate players to expand their horizons.

Ultimate players typically throw frisbees short distances to teammates, and though they require stamina, they don’t have the same level of finesse that disc golfers enjoy. Smith has expressed his own flaws in throwing discs and explained that it isn’t as important in Ultimate Frisbee as it is in disc golf.

Smith and Lizotte are welcoming newcomers to disc golf courses in response to the pandemic by offering tips. The transition may be more difficult than new players expect.

YOUR OWN ULTIMATE-TO-DISC-GOLF TRANSITION

Disc golf discs are very different than their Ultimate frisbee counterparts: the weight, plastic, and size of disc golf discs may throw newbies for a loop. Luckily, there are numbers on the discs to let you know what discs are most useful for all points in the game.

Ultimate Frisbee typically involves a wide-open field, but you won’t have the same luxury with disc golf. In fact, you’ll likely see more discs ruined from smashing into trees than there ever were running into an opponent.

Your footwork also plays a big part in disc golf, and it’ll take some time for you to master it, but don’t feel disappointed. It’s been that way for everyone else during their transitions.

If you’re feeling trapped in your house and praying for the day when you can go out and throw a disc in an Ultimate match, it could be time to try your hand at disc golf. Not only will you see a massive improvement in your throws, but you may just convert.

Resources:

https://discgolf.ultiworld.com/2020/01/18/brodie-smith-disc-golf-waiting/

https://ultiworld.com/2020/07/21/tuesday-tips-ten-steps-for-ultimate-players-trying-to-learn-to-play-disc-golf/

https://ultiworld.com/2020/08/21/ultimate-disc-golfers-faces-in-the-crowd/