NAME:	Sonny Ashby
	TEAM:	Elite X
	HOMETOWN:	Auke Bay, AK
	PDGA #:	13061
	2005 PDGA RATING:	994
	BORN:	1980
	STARTED IN DISC GOLF:	1996
	bringing it home:	Before moving to Alaska, Sonny was a longtime resident of Santa Cruz, California. In 2003 he won the California State Championship in Santa Cruz, the first time in 12 years that title was claimed by a local player.

Memorable Disc Golf Moment:

The 1999 Masters Cup. I was on the lead card with Ken Climo, Joel Kelly, and Dan Ginnelly. On hole 16 they all park a 440 foot hole with rollers. I step up and throw a triple helix hyzer with an XL that penetrates the chains... but falls out. They all hit their birdies, then I proceded to miss the shortest putt and collected a par!

Sonny's Advice For Newer Players

Develop a good, solid backhand shot before moving on to more complicated throwing techniques. Try to become confident and accurate with that backhand from 200 and in. The easiest way to make that happen is to get yourself about 12 discs, get a basket or some other target, and go to a field and throw from different distances all the way out to 200 feet. If you complete a hundred throws with those 12 disc a day (which doesn't take very long at all), well my friend, your skill level will grow and mature. Have fun!

COURSES YOU SHOULD PLAY:		A devout Christian, Sonny Ashby has a long history with Discraft golf discs. In fact, the first disc he ever threw was a Cyclone while camping with friends in the desert flats. The throw captured his imagination, and another disc golfer was suddenly hooked.
Course	Comments
Delaveaga Santa Cruz, CA	Seems like God created it just for flying discs.
Kaposia St. Paul, MN	Kaposia is similar to Delaveaga... excellent!
Condon Park Grass Valley, CA	It just has a certain feel: tight shots, babbling brooks, intimate golf in nature.
Ammon Ranch Humboldt County, CA	Championship par 66 with nice big shots, and a mind bending reverse layout.
Solitude Mountain Salt Lake City, UT	900 foot downhill holes that you can reach in one shot.

In The Disc Golf Bag: Drivers
Disc	Comments
Z XL (175 gm)	The XL still flies the farthest for me. It will perform the triple helix hyzer better than any other disc. This shot starts with a hyzer angle and finishes with a hyzer angle. It was the furthest flying drive in 2004 at the USDGC hole 7 which is a tight but high window so you need the disc to perform a spiral-like flight pattern (small movement from left to right) to get max distance in a hole like that.
ESP Surge (175 gm)	It is starting to fly further than the XL for me, but I think it is designed for a more wide open course because of it's potential distance and flight area that it needs. Really great for a novice who wants more hyzer distance.
Z Predator (175 gm)	I have more aces with this disc than any other disc. Just really reliable, and gives hyzer accuracy to the lame of aim.
Z Flick (175 gm)	This is the best two finger disc on the market. Its thin grip and sleek profile create a longer range capability for sidearm throws. I sidearm skipped a Flick in at the USDGC for an ace... and didn't get in on the ace pool!
X Stratus (175 gm)	Stratus is my roller disc of choice for that nice 300 to 400 foot opposing hole. WIt finishes the way I want it to: high and tight on the opposing side of a natural backhand. A quick responder when rolling on the ground.
Z Tracker (175 gm)	What a straight gliding disc! The Tracker is quickly becoming a favorite in my bag for sweet little anhyzers and tricky, accurate backhand shots in the woods. The up lift it gets in the woods makes it great for low ceilings.
X Avenger (175 gm)	This one could set a record. Nate dog is from my hometown and this is his disc, and it really is a far flying disc! It is just a little bit understable compared to a Predator, which totally alters the glide effect of the disc. I have thrown some big 360 anhyzers with it and it just sailed without falling back suddenly, like some of the more overstable discs.
In The Disc Golf Bag: Midrange
Disc	Comments
Z Hawk (175 gm)	The Hawk is my go-to midrange. It goes right to the spot I'm aiming at, with little or no side to side movement. It has been reliable up to 390 feet, just because of the height you can put on it and it will remain nose down.
Z Buzzz (175 gm)	Nice straight fade out to stable finish flight pattern. It has a little overstability, which is nice, and the fine line between too stable and too understable has been achieved with this midrange special.
D Drone (175 gm)	This is a great upshot disc for sidearms from 200 feet and in. It can handle a tough wind which is nice when you really need a saving shot from a shanked drive that has landed in the shule.
Z Wasp (175 gm)	This beefy midrange will take on the most windy courses. Also valuable in rugged terrain where there are lots of rocks and hardwoods like oaks.
X Buzzz-GT (175 gm)	What a cool disc. I find that the GT grip makes the disc do different things than the regular Buzzz, like unusually long lasting nose down flights. I'm getting super straight releases with that nice grip.
In The Disc Golf Bag: Putt and Approach
Disc	Comments
D Challenger (175 gm)	The Challenger has a sweet flight: stable and reliable, it sinks into the chains well. The float is the secret behind it's success. With very little spin you can get it to fly far, which is exactly the quality you want for a putter: something that will drop on command and still fly like a butterfly.
X Challenger (175 gm)	This nice sturdy upshot disc is great on the rocks and rough courses where normal discs get chewed like the dog got a hold of them. The X Challenger has an overall durability while being stable and reliable.