Team Discraft: Aaron Martin Disc Golf Bio

	NAME:	Aaron Martin
	TEAM:	Core
	HOMETOWN:	Omaha, NE
	PDGA #:	25075
	2009 PDGA RATING:	978
	BORN:	1976
	STARTED IN DISC GOLF:	2004
	day gig:	Film editor/director
	HOT FINISHES:	2nd, 2007 US Mid-Nationals final four, 2007 Minnesota Spring Open 2nd, 2007 Sun Burn Open 2nd, 2007 Peninsula Park Open 2nd, 2007 Spring Fever Fling 3rd, 2007 Call To Arms

MEMORABLE DISC GOLF MOMENTs:

Probably my first tournament ever, the Graceland Open B-tier in Lamoni, IA. It was my first time experiencing the sub-culture of disc golf, while realizing the potential of the sport. It literally changed me into a crazed disc golfing maniac.

Aaron's Disc Golf Tips

Making a Commitment
Committing to a shot has a lot to do with confidence. The best way to build confidence is practice and routine. I create driving, upshot and putting games to help make practice something fun to do. I try to stay focused and make good decisions. Decision making skills usually come with a lot of experience, but I think that we can accelerate this process through, again, focused routine practice. Good decisions card low scores, and are essential to playing against the elements. From choosing the right disc and line, to split second decisions needed with sudden slips, wind changes, etc. When playing rounds, I try to stay focused, with in the moment, and take each shot as a new challenge.

The Rhythm of the Game
The major factor in adding distance to your drive is technique. Generating your weight and power to max at the point of release is not easy, and especially on a consistent basis. Tournament distance is never over 90% for me and rarely even that. A good long hole will usually only require an accurate 300 to 350 feet. I personally practice with a dish towel, and hold one corner like a disc and slowly work my way into 90% swings while focusing on one spot in front of me. My goal is to snap the towel as loud as possible, and not through strength, but rhythm. It's an extremely convenient way to practice. When I do this routinely, I throw consistently longer and more accurate.

Improving Through Practice
Without a doubt practice - not playing - is THE most important component of improving your game. In addition, practicing proper technique is equally as important. But first we have to know what's possible, and we can only do that by playing with people better than ourselves. So get involved with your local disc golf clubs, play tournaments, and leagues. From that alone you'll see vast improvements in your game. One of the most common mistakes we can make is an unwillingness to change something about our game because we get so comfortable with how we already do things. This is why we really have to want to improve, because in most cases, our play is going to get worse before it gets better. This takes discipline, especially when we've already been playing for years and have developed bad habits. My advice to you would be to make absolutely sure your doing everything right, on even the most basic level of play. Then move on to putting those techniques into a practice routine. A great resource for finding proper technique is right here on Discraft.com. We are shaving off strokes around the world through free disc golf instructional videos presented by our top players. Depending on your level of play, I'd look for ones specifically based on grips, foot work, putting techniques, and mental game. These four attributes are the ones that will decide your disc golfing fate.

Once you've seen what's possible and have the knowledge necessary to practice proper technique, you can move on to developing your own personal routine. Practicing is much easier to swallow when we make a game out of it. Just search keywords such as 'disc golf practice games' on the web and pick one that fits you the best. If you want to excel fast then don't get caught up in the social aspect of disc golf as much. Take time out to spend by yourself or with a practice specific partner. I know how easy it is for even the daily player to get pulled into a recreational round with friends and neglect our practice goals. What I do is schedule time before a round of golf, and do it away from the first hole of the course in order to make sure I don't get roped in. If you're lucky enough to have good practice partner then you can practice across the way from each other, giving you the ability to throw more shots in a shorter time frame.

I'll start practice with driving -- my least favorite thing to practice, so I get it out of the way. I'll spend a half hour or more on driving in an open field, always making sure to aim at a target of some sort. And not just a target on the ground but in the air as well. I'll run through the different types of shots in this order: mid-range, straight throws, low-speed drives, rollers, hyzers, anhyzers, specialty throws, and then distance drives. This allows my arm to warm up before throwing at full strength. With a partner you can throw back and forth to each other with twice as many discs.

Approach - It just makes the most sense to throw approaches next because I'm on my way to a basket for putting practice anyway. I'll stop at about 100' to 200' away and throw my whole bag at the basket. This gives me the opportunity to practice a few specialty skip shots, forehand approaches, and really test the wind that day. I'll set my bag up by the basket and go through this routine a few more times.

Next, I put everything away except for 3 to 5 putters. (Side note: learn how to throw your putters within this range, I cannot stress enough how much this will improve your game. Putters are SO much more forgiving then drivers or mid-range at this distance.) Again, I move 100' to 200' feet away and float my putters as close to the basket as I can. Now unless your confidant that you can make at least 80% of your 25' to 30' putts; I'd aim for the pole underneath the basket when practicing. Before going back to pick them up I first try to putt everything in and start the process all over again. Once I feel warm with my approach I move on to putting.

Putting - If you've gotten as far as reading player bios on Discraft.com then you probably already know that putting is THE most vital component of the game. Same goes for any kind of golf, you win rounds on the green. Putting is my favorite thing to practice, so it's easy for me to spend hours on my putt. Some have a harder time with this than I, so making a game out of it is a good way to keep yourself focused. It's very important for me to be as focused as possible my first 50 putts or so. And I mean every putt that I throw. I don't just slam them in one right after the other. I take my time and start at about 10' out. From there I move to 15', then to 20', 25' and 30'. I don't go outside of 30' until I start getting bored. By taking my time in the beginning, it sets the bar and creates confidence throughout my practice session. This is especially important when warming up for a tournament. It's also important to be prepared for any situation on the green.

COURSES YOU SHOULD PLAY:
Course	Comments
Water Works Kansas City, MO	The design beautifully utilizes the potential of the land combined with scenic views which includes the Kansas City skyline on multiple holes. Every concrete tee includes a bag hanger and bench. Massive elevation change and fast greens make this course one of the most uniquely technical, challenging, and fair courses in the nation.
Pickard Indianola, IA	Secluded and beautiful midwestern land scape make the length of the course manageable. The combined design of legitimate par 4s and 5s plays out in such a way that most lies present a new and fun challenge. An awesome mix of shots!
Blue Valley Kansas City, MO	I like this course for a lot of the same reasons I like Pickard. Blue Valley does have some really unique traits such as a different shaped concrete tees for every hole. Tee signs tell you everything from length to elevation. It also gives me a reason to hang out with my KC buddies.
West Lake Davenport, IA	This course pushes me to the edge, testing every shot I've got. Every hole has either natural OB or a beautifully cut out fairway that can really punish an errant throw.
Hummel Park Omaha, NE	This park isn't even installed yet and I'm putting in my top picks. It's a mountain smack dab in the plains of Omaha, Nebraska, filled with huge hills and fun wooded shots. Can't wait to play it!

In The Disc Golf Bag: Drivers
Disc	Comments
ESP NUKE (170 - 174)	Super fast and long driver that pops up right out of the hand. The Nuke is designed to go long distances with less energy. Perfect for an intermediate backhand thrower. I also use the Nuke for big rollers.
Z Force (170 - 174)	The Force is great for an intermediate to advanced player - super fast with reliable stability making it my go to distance driver in head winds and instances where a hole may have danger. (i.e. such as a cliff, lake or pond, O.B., etc., etc.) Because of its stability I like to have a few that are lighter in weight, which makes the flight characteristics a little less stable.
Z Stalker (170 - 174)	The Stalker is the perfect disc for a beginner. It's very reliable and straight. I use the Stalker as a fairway driver, meaning it's basically a slight extension to my Buzzz.
ESP Surge (170 - 174)	The Surge has long been my go to driver, and I highly recommend it for any golfer at any level. With advances in disc technology I've moved to discs like the Force and Nuke - but I keep it in the bag for tail winds, (which tend to push a disc to the ground) and roller shots.
ESP Avenger SS (170 - 174)	The Avenger SS works for me as an ultra-long, hyzer release, late turn-over disc. I also use it to throw rollers off the tee with a flat release. This can be very beneficial for instances where I want to throw a roller but have a low ceiling to contend with. It has a true anhyzer flight path, and I can always count on it never breaking back.
Z Avenger (170 - 174)	The Z Avenger is a very reliable disc for me. Out-of-the-box, the Avenger is like a long Predator with a bit less stability. I can always count on it breaking back right to left, and tend to use it often for long forced over, wide S shots. I also throw long forehand rollers with it. You'll see me use it a lot for 350 to 450 foot shots on windy days.
Z Predator (165 - 174)	Nothing can touch the speed and reliability of the Predator. There are many other Discraft players (and non-Discraft players for that matter), who will agree with me when I say that the Predator is possibly one of the best discs ever made. New, they are great for headwinds, hyzer shots, forehands, and just a reliable 300 to 400 foot shot. Beat them in for a while and you've got a diamond in the rough, with a whole new level of shots to use it for. I carry a well-used Predator in the bag and would probably call it my most valuable disc. Tip - A sparkle or Z type DGA Tsunami is very close to a used Predator right off the shelf.
Z Tracker (170 - 174)	The Z Tracker is a great long distance, straight flying disc. The small rim feels really good in the hands, and I'll usually take it out for similar ESP XL-type shots.
ESP XL (170 - 174)	I use the ESP XL as a fairway driver. It really feels comfortable in my hand, which gives me confidence when I throw. As the Buzzz is an extension to my Challenger, the ESP XL is an extension to my Buzzz. Again, a floaty, flat-flying disc that gives me a lot of control, with just a touch bit more distance and stability then my Buzzz. I'll use the XL a lot for small gap, low ceiling, and just straight, accurate, 300 to 400 foot shots.

In The Disc Golf Bag: Midrange
Disc	Comments
Z Buzzz (170 - 175)	The longest fairway driver, uh umm, midrange disc in the world if you ask me - just floats forever. The Buzzz being an extension to my Challengers, it also acts as a very controlled and straight disc. Without a doubt, the Buzzz is my go-to midrange disc of choice.
ESP Buzzz (170 - 175)	I tend to use a slightly beat-in ESP Buzzz. The durability of the ESP plastic at some point seems to stop wearing down or something, and stays in the perfect shape for smooth hyzer flip-ups and turnovers. The under stability compliments my tight woodsy shot selection. I use it a lot on technical courses.
D Drone (165 - 175)	The Drone's stability and consistent mold makes it very predictable and great for short hyzers, forehands, skip shots, and hyzer putts around obstacles. Probably my favorite shot to throw with it is a smooth anhyzer forehand, creating a flexing 'U' shot from my lie. It's gotten me out of a lot of trouble.
FLX Drone (170+)	Great anhyzer, low speed or hyzer flip up midrange, and perfect for beginners. The Meteor has all the benefits of a Buzzz with a lot less stability. This makes it my go to for anhyzer shots within 300' to 350'.

In The Disc Golf Bag: Putt and Approach
Disc	Comments
D Challenger (170 - 175)	By far my favorite disc to throw. Putts, approaches, and short drives are all shots I frequently use the Challenger for. I have more control with my putter because of its natural, smooth, and flat flight. This creates a powerful tool within 300 of the basket, and is great for dealing with fast, sloped greens or landing zones.

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