Team Discraft: Matthew Blakely Disc Golf Bio

	NAME:	Matthew Blakely
	TEAM:	Elite Z
	HOMETOWN:	Cincinnati, OH
	PDGA #:	15410
	2007 PDGA RATING:	1009
	BORN:	1981
	STARTED IN DISC GOLF:	1999
	day gig:	Process Engineer
	HOT SHOTS:	3rd, 2007 West Virginia Open 6th, 2007 Discraft Great Lakes Open 2nd, 2006 Lexington Open 2nd, 2006 Bluegrass Open 2nd, 2006 Michiana Open 2003 Rookie of the Year honorable mention Two-time Bluegrass Open Champ Two-time Flying Pig Open Champ

Memorable disc golf moments

Final nine moments with crowds are the most exciting and the most memorable. At my first pro A-tier event, The 2003 Michiana Open I played with some of the best players of the world and competed. In 2005 Michiana Open final nine there was a hole nobody thought anybody would deuce. It was probably 575 feet with no direct route. There was a little elevation and a lot of trees. I threw a big hyzer over the road and when it was time to putt I stepped up and made one of if not the longest jump putts of my career. The crowd went crazy as I jogged the 120 feet to the basket. Completely exhilarating.

Matthew's Disc Golf Tips

Spend more time thinking about control instead of distance. Lots of newer players lack confidence too, and confidence is key to making great shot after great shot. Don't be afraid to ask for help, Matthew Blakely / Team Discraft

and don't be afraid of change. Remember the little things in the game, they all add up. Most top amatuers have the skills needed to play pro, it's a matter of consistently bringing those skills to compete in a tournament. It's not who has the game that wins, it's who brings the game to the course that wins.

Go to a local pro if you can for help on tweaking your form. When the form is down the distance should come. A farther reach back, and follow thru will also help get extra distance.

The mental game is probably the most important part of the game and nobody talks or works on it. Read some books, it might help. Use your brain: it is your best tool to getting better at this game.

Making long putts: There are many keys to this. First a good smooth weight transfer from the back foot to the front foot is key. Another key is to not have too much loft in your putt. If you have too much loft in your putt you can't possibly make long range putts. It is key to have a good amount of forward momentum as well as arch in the putt to get the most out of the flight. Once you get everything together you will be able to putt farther than ever and this is not even including a lunge or jump, which can also add distance.

How to throw anhyzers: Many new players as well as long time players have trouble throwing anhyzers. One key is to arch the back a little when throwing, which allows you to get your elbow higher which allows you to than follow through rolling your forearm over when you snap. If you do all this you will successfully be able to throw an anhyzer out of your hand.

Matthew's Tournament Putts

Watch Matthew Sink Putt After Putt

Matthew's Long Drives

Watch Matthew in this Long Distance Driving Pro Clinic

In The Disc Golf Bag: Drivers
Disc	Comments
ESP Predator (170+)	One of the most controllable, consistent drivers on the market. It is overstable which makes it perfect for shots into the wind, skip shots, forehand drives, and hyzers. They take a while to beat up, but once they do they are still a great disc. They get a little less stable and get little more glide which means they will fly a long way. This disc is a must in the bag for me, and is one of my go to disc in all kinds of situations.
ESP Surge (170+)	One of the fastest drivers and farthest flying discs on the market. The thing is when a disc has this much high speed, they usually become unpredictable and inconsistent; I have found the Surge to be the most controllable and consistent distance driver out there. I look forward to the big holes where I can just rip it and just watch it go right where I want.
ESP Avenger (170+)	A very fast slightly overstable driver that is a great compliment to my bag. This disc is allowing me to throw my side arm further than I ever have. It's still overstable enough to handle my torque while being fast enough to get some good distance. I'm also using this disc to throw hyzers, skip shots, and into the wind. It is a great all around disc.
ESP Avenger SS (170+)	This is my go to disc on anhyzers and rollers. The Avenger SS is one of the fastest and best discs for beginners and I use it all the time. I throw it for softer touch control shots, long straight shots, long anhyzers, short and long rollers, and hyzer flips. This disc is a must in the bag for me, and is one of my go to disc in all kinds of situations.
ESP Crush (170 - 175)	The Crush fills one of the most important slots in my bag. The Crush is a controlled driver that I use to throw all sorts of hyzers, straight shots, and distance shots with.

In The Disc Golf Bag: Midrange
Disc	Comments
ESP Buzzz (170+)	One of the best discs on the market. It is a stable midrange that is consistent, controllable, and versatile. You can throw it for hyzers, anhyzers or even straight shots and it works wonders for all of them. This is a must in the bag for me, and is what I would use in most midrange situations. I can't say enough about the durability of this plastic, it lasts a long time!
ESP Comet (170+)	One of the straightest flying discs ever made. It is has amazing glide and will normally go farther than what you think until you get used to it. The Comet is a great control shot disc as well as anhyzer disc. I use this disc for most of my medium to short range anhyzers.
D Drone (170 - 180)	The Drone is a great midrange disc. There is nothing better for short controlled hyzers, side arms, or throwing in the wind.

In The Disc Golf Bag: Putt and Approach
Disc	Comments
Soft APX (170+)	Straightest flying putter out there. It floats a long way with little effort, which makes it great for especially long putts. Everybody looks for the perfect putter, well I found mine.
Challenger (170+)	A great feeling hard putter that is excellent for driving and approaching. It of course works very well as a putter too. This is relatively new disc to me, so I am still breaking-em in but I love the feel of the disc. This is a must in the bag for me, and is what I would use in most short-range situations.

COURSES YOU SHOULD PLAY:
Course	Comments
Woodshed and Whipping Post Paw Paw, WV	Long challenging courses with very tight woods.
Hudson Mills Ann Arbor, MI	Great venue and courses, 2 24 hole courses with 2 tee pads each, and each is fun and challenging.
Idlewild Burlington, KY	A challenging, beautiful par 72 course that is continuously being worked on and improved.
Moraine State Park Portersville, PA	A challenging, beautiful par 66 course that demands a variety of shots to shot the best possible scores.
Mt. Airy Cincinnati, OH	A very challenging, long hard course to shot par or better on.

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