Team Discraft: Sheila Kirkham Disc Golf Bio

	NAME:	Sheila 'Tornado' Kirkham
	HOMETOWN:	Albuquerque, NM
	PDGA #:	7646
	RATING:	914
	BORN:	1964
	STARTED IN DISC GOLF:	1993
	day gig:	Hairstylist
	all that glitters:	1st, 2009 Memorial Masters 1st, 2009 KC Wide Open Women's 3rd, 2009 Worlds Masters Three National Doubles titles with Juliana Korver One National Doubles title with Des Reading One World Doubles title with Des Reading 4th, Pro World Women Masters 1st, 2006 Discrazy Shootout 3rd, 2006 Pro Worlds Master 2nd, 2007 USWDGC Masters 1st, 2005 Memorial

Memorable Disc Golf Moments

That would definitely be one summer afternoon with my husband, Don. We had just started a round, when a friend showed up late, and we started over. My husband aced hole 1. Wow, I was impressed. Got on hole 2, and he aced that too! I was blown away. Got on hole 3, (4 under par after two holes); didn't ace. By the time we made our way to hole 4, we were all so shook up we left the course for celebratory beers. Back to back aces, I'll never see that again as long as I live.

As for myself, that would be at Aspen standing on the 'Sound of Music' hole yelling 'fore' to the group below (on their 4th or 5th shot). They waved me on, so I released one of the best shots of my life with a pink 160 gram Cyclone. Seeing the line I started screaming at the group below. I nearly aced the 1200 foot downhill. As I approached my lie about 30 minutes later, it was only a 40 foot lay up for a 3.

Returning to the National Tour (DGLO) 16 weeks after ankle surgery in 2007.

2007 USWDC final nine was actually one of the most flawless final nines I've ever played. Smooth controlled drives, together with such a clear focus. Although I finished 2nd, I felt pleased with my overall disc selection, and performance, and to be so content with the choices I made, and the golf I played at the end of the tournament was such a great feeling.

Sheila's Disc Golf Tips

Tips for better health: One of the single biggest things you can do to improve your game is to take care of yourself. At the very least, work on your core and flexibility. Benefits include: better distance with less effort, lowered chance of injury, because a well conditioned body can tolerate more demand, and when your body is used to being 'in repair', recovery time is lessened, and you are more prepared for the next day.

There are many ways to improve core strength. One of my favorites is the exercise ball, a very inexpensive and effective piece of equipment. You can develop abs, chest, back, shoulders, and legs by following the instructions/tape provided in the package, or go online for more advanced exercises. Flexibility comes with it as a bonus. Gain even more, by stretching and yoga, and believe it or not, most cable companies have yoga 'on demand' 24/7, so trying to make a class is not an excuse. Bottom line, get moving keep moving, walk, run, hike, bike. Be active, and enjoy the results.

Better health tip #2: Take a multivitamin everyday: Why? Why not? No one eats perfectly, and, some disc golfers rely on the nutrients extracted from fast food. Yeah, both of them: fat and empty calories. Garbage in, garbage out. That said, realize what you will be asking from your body the BEFORE you step on your first tee. Eat well the night before, good protein and carb mixtures to feed your muscles, and plenty of water to prevent dehydration. Not only in the summer, but remember, when you can see your breath on a cold day that's water too.

Better health tip #3: Rest and fuel up: Although socializing is fun, having it interfere with your play is not. Be aware of your tee time, and know when to pack it up. Morning of the tourney, eat something for breakfast. Even a bagel with some peanut butter, a banana, or yogurt. Fill your water bottles, and don't forget to pack your course snacks, energy bars, dried fruit and nuts go a long way on some of these super long rounds.

Sheila Kirkham / Team Discraft

Improve Your Practice: Find a place where you can be alone. Not your home course. It's too easy to get sucked into a round with your buddies. Decide what you want to work on. If it's driving find a nice open field. Sometimes, you may find the key to that perfect anhyzer was not trying to horse that Z Predator, but putting pace and touch on an ESP Surge. Keep your mind open to throwing different models, and throw what works for YOU! Remind yourself during practice to throw different shots, big hyzers, flat punch drives, gliding annies, side arms, from the knee, against a tree. You never know when these thing will come in handy, but guaranteed, if you are not prepared it will take you out of your game. Repetitive motion = muscle memory, they go hand-in-hand. We ARE what we repeatedly do, excellence is not an act, or accident... it is a habit.

Feed your brain: Understand why our minds say the things they say to us. Sport psychologists are not just for the rich and famous. My favorite book over the last two years is Zen Golf by Dr. Joseph Parent. I have read and re-read this book nearly ten times. Why? Because not everything is applicable at any one time. One chapter may stand out more in March, while another may make more sense for you in October. As you learn to apply different principals, you may change your ideas, reactions, and approach to the game we all love. You may find the toughest putting distance is actually the 6 inches between your ears.

Always remember to warm up and stretch before a round. That said, newer players should be buying discs that are more suited for their skill levels. I see so many buying for looks, instead of their arm speed and abilities. Buying from your local Discraft pro instead of big chain stores gives you an advantage of having someone practically 'custom fit' discs for you. Plus, you get advice and tips on how to increase your consistency and lower your scores.

Try not to get too attached to 'favorite discs.' Discraft has the most predictable plastic on the market. If you buy a Crush today, and another one in two months, it's the same. There is nothing worse than pitching one in the drink and agonizing over what to throw. So just grab another one, and go.

Also, don't be afraid to talk to people at your course, get info online, and ask questions of your course pro. Yes, you can teach yourself how to play, but getting the correct discs and instruction saves frustration. Old habits -- especially bad ones -- are hard to break. Remember, we were all beginners too, and MOST disc golfers don't bite.

Off Season Advice
You've just sunk your last putt of the season, you cashed, you're sitting back with your friends, there's a familiar crisp note to the air. Now what? Here are some tips on what to do during the "off season".

Analyze previous season. Be honest; decide where you could have performed better, and what kept you from achieving your goals. . Take notes. I have notes on every course I have played since 96. I am finding, that more and more I am making notes to myself in the airport on the way home from a tourney while it's still fresh in my mind. Although the discs have changed, so have the way I see courses, and plan my shots, and I can see the progress that I have made over the years. It also helps later to visualize courses you may not have seen for a few years and help refresh your memory of tricky spots, bad shule, and birdies you should be making.

Lay-off/don't lay-off? Only you can make that decision. Sometimes after a long season, it's just nice to sit back and relax. For others trying to stay "on top" of their game in the off-season is just the thing to mentally keep their game up. I find, being a hairstylist, that the holidays are just to hectic of a time, and stressing myself out by not getting my rounds in, is just not worth it. I enjoy being off all December, going to the gym getting my strength back up, outlining new directives for the next season and trying to plan what I am going to need to do to secure a great NEXT season.. While you are making your plans, did you suffer ay injuries last year? What do you need to do to rehab them? More stretching, getting exercise bands to improve your flexibility, working out harder for a more solid core, or just massage to loosen things up? Maybe, just revisiting Mark Ellis' putting clinic. Did you need to get some more distance? Is it body mechanics, poor follow through, lack of practice? Make a game plan. That may involve finding someone who is better than you, and see if they can see where you can improve that aspect of your game. Maybe you need to watch more, and throw less. Maybe you need to experiment with some of the newer model discs, you might have the disc in your bag, but, need to try it in a different plastic. Maybe you need to work on a new shot that could help you get out of tight places. There are lots of things you can ask yourself in the off-season, and, these are things you should be asking yourself if you are looking to make bigger advancements on the course next season. When your mind really starts answering these questions honestly, and openly, that's when you will see the dramatic advancement in you game you've been looking for. If you weren't looking to improve your game you wouldn't be reading this right now.

Last, but certainly not least, try to relax on the course. Take in everything. You aren't going to make up lack of putting practice the day before the tourney, and if you've been holed up all winter and rusty it's gonna show. Take it in stride, make plans to prepare a little better next year, and remember to pull out those notes from the first tourney of this year when the snow starts falling and decide what you need to do for the next season.

What I learned or Relearned in 2009
Confidence is a great thing; ignorant confidence is not. I NEVER, play a tourney playing courses blind. Some people I know can play great blind, but I do not. Even if I can only walk through it quickly, I take notes of "danger areas", and make myself aware of "best placement" opportunities. Well, this year, I, with my mountain girl confidence, and full of ignorance did just that. I was at the Tree Bash Open in Flagstaff. There were going to be 3 courses played, and when I got in on Friday morning I decided to play the two courses that were in town. The weather was nowhere near desirable and I figured that on top of the mountain, Snow Bowl would be much worse. Besides I played that course at the Worlds in '03, and still had my notes. A few people said that the course had changed since then, much shorter, and not playing as far up on the mountain as at the Worlds. I knew with my experience it would not be a problem.

The schedule for the weekend was the 2 in town courses on Saturday and up the hill on Sunday. After the first two rounds I was hanging in there pretty well. Had a good nights sleep, and was ready to go on Sunday am. Tee times.. always a great bonus. Unless you have no chance to see many holes let alone play any. I practiced driving, and really felt ready to go when it was time to tee it up. Hole 1 was straight up the hill roughly 200 ft, with a 40 ft wide fairway. Most everyone birdied, I carded a 5, and realized then I had made a big mistake. The rest of the round had moments of greatness, and moments of pure disgust. I didn't even cash. So, in retrospect, I will always take the time to make sure to see the courses, so that I will always be prepared to play my best golf. Even if the score doesn't change much this year, at least I will know that I have done the best I can, to be prepared to play my best. Getting there a day earlier, will make MY life better even if it means another day of hotel and rental car that way I won't have to wait a year to make the corrections that should have been made during a solid practice round.

COURSES YOU SHOULD PLAY:
Course	Comments
Kensington Toboggan Milford, MI	An extremely tough, beautifully designed, physically demanding course. Has always been one of my favorite Worlds courses. Some of the uphill tugs can just be so humbling.
La Mirada La Mirada, CA	A gorgeously laid out, perfectly marked heaven. Rolling hills, with strategically placed pins. AWESOME!
Aspen Aspen, CO	Everybody talks about it being the best setting... IT IS. If you go there and don't have a good time, you have a problem. Incredible scenery starts on the gondola and it only gets better when you hit hole #1. Love it.
New Horizons Fraser, CO	Grandma Miller was a retired minister in her 70's when she obliged to let some golfers put the course in. No one knew the impact she would make on disc golf. She always made time to meet new faces and greet old ones. She started tournaments with a special prayer, and always threw out the first disc. It never mattered whether you won or lost; the feeling and purity of the spirit is what really mattered. Course closed mid 90's.
Cameron Park Waco, TX	Two truly championship courses, back to back. Very challenging, with water, big hucks, great terrain small tight shots, and low punch drives. These courses have it all.
Any John Houck design All over	From Austin, to Round Rock, Wimberly to San Saba. John never forgets to make every golfer think about distance and placement. When you finally get to putt, you're thankful you've made it down some of the most well planned fairways ever. Always a treat!

In The Disc Golf Bag: Drivers
Sheila is a proud lefty, but her bag is more unique due to the fact that her home course is at an elevation of one mile... that's more than 5000 feet! Discs tend to fly more overstable at higher elevations, so keep that in mind as you study what she throws.
Disc	Comments
Z Stalker 174 gm	What a great new addition to the bag. Great fairway driver, even better for those shots when you feel you may need a little more than a buzz, but, a driver would be overkill. Fits the gap so beautifully. It's also a great beginner driver to get your girlfriend throwing straighter, farther, faster.
Z Surge SS 173 gm	Pulling this out of my bag for nice steady long drives. Plus, it's not as affected by the wind as much as my X Avengers is. Can't wait to take it up to higher altitude (7000+) and chuck it downhill with a head wind.
ESP XL 167 gm	This disc is one of the reasons why I don't have as many X XL's in my bag anymore. Has all the great XL personality with the grippiness, stability and attitude that comes with the ESP plastic. A very nice addition to my bag.
Z XL (max weight)	Got two in my bag. One beat for easy turnovers without wind, and a new one for steady anhyzers and tailwind drives. I also use it for low punch drives in wooded areas because the plastic's durability is unmatched. Handles the wind better than the X, and the smaller rim configuration is perfect for smaller hands.
X XL (max weight)	Always a good tailwind driver. Great for uphill pumps at high altitude (6000+). I am using it more for longer approach shots, and shorter drives. It blends perfectly between the Buzzz and long drivers in light or no winds. Excellent choice for beginners.
X XS (max weight)	Not in my bag day-to-day, but is an absolute must in mountain courses. Holds the BEST anhyzer line at altitude (6000+) effortlessly.
Z XS (167 - 173)	Lower weight: used as flat flyer, or turnover with wind. Higher weight: still hyzers at the end of flight, and is faster than the Z XL.
Z Flash (169 gm)	Fantastic selection in medium wind. Thrown with a little hyzer medium height it just screams out of my hand, flattens, and travels far. I also totally rely on it to skip for me at the end of it's flight. In the Final nine at 2006 Worlds I needed about 200 feet straight, then 90 feet right at a 90 degree angle. I put just a little too much on it, went about 210 feet straight, hit a root, and went 90 degrees right about 45 feet. "Wow", said Stork Roddick, (he'd been following our group). "What WAS that?" "Z Flash," I said. "Playing the skip..." "I can see that, nice shot." It was a pretty lucky shot, but, I'll take it! :}
Z Crush (168 gm)	First run... yeah, it's old. I know what it's going to do: overstable and dependable. Jump on it, and there's always a hyzer at the end for me. I usually add a new one to my bag before a tourney in case I lose it, but I haven't yet.
ESP and FLX Surge (168 gm)	Flies great in the wind: flat with a small predictable hyzer, barely a skip. Perfect for narrow fairways, especially where shule is all around a basket. The plastic is so grippable and comfy in your hand. Very fast disc.
X Avenger (168 - max)	Total bread and butter for medium speed, straight flights. Punch it and let it glide. When the Avenger was introduced I saw it in my hand more and more. Now, I carry four. My first run is beat, a little touchy for flat flight, but comes in handy for uphill pumps at higher altitudes (6000+). Two others gently used, give them a line and, not only do they get there, but FAST. As always, a brand new one waiting its turn.
Z Avenger (168 gm)	When you need a little more stability. I have been so impressed with the Avenger, so predictable, and fast. Just what I need when the wind is up, but not whipping. I also like to rip them low in tight wooded courses because if I get a little excited I won't turn it over.
ESP Avenger (max weight)	Especially useful in higher wind conditions. More overstable (hyzer) than my Z, so I can count on it to hyzer at the end of its flight even if I jump on it.
ESP Avenger SS (173 gm)	This has been one of my favorite drivers through the winter. The ESP plastic is so much kinder on cold fingers, but still has all the characteristics of the X Avenger with a little less stability.

In The Disc Golf Bag: Midrange
Disc	Comments
X Buzzz (max weight)	All purpose approach, and accurate short tee shots. Hyzer, flat, or anhyzer, give this disc a line and it responds. It has been in my bag since the first time I threw it, NEVER a doubt about it. Not above putting with it in heavy wind. So totally indispensable from my bag, I always carry two.

In The Disc Golf Bag: Putt and Approach
Disc	Comments
D Magnet (170-172)	Got two: one old, one kinda new. My main putter has been a new 'four year old semi-soft' Magnet. Held some back for myself from a custom order. They have the stiffer edge I like, and the chain grabbiness and grippability of a soft magnet. A delicate, yet wonderful balance.
D Focus (174 gm)	Love this disc. Just started throwing this and find that I am really liking it for my longer putts and short approaches. I used to keep a glow Magnet in my bag for those reasons, but I have found that it not only does the job, but the grippiness of the plastic has a better feel. I think my glow has lost its job.

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