Originally published at: https://discgolf.ultiworld.com/2020/08/12/tournament-talk-whats-behind-ellen-widbooms-idlewild-win/
Photo: Alyssa Van Lanen – DGPT
Heading into Idlewild, Ellen Widboom was probably not anyone’s pick to take home the win. In fact, only four users had Widboom in their Grip6 Pick 6 contest for Idlewild, compared to 87 for eventual runner-up Sarah Hokom.
It’s OK, don’t be ashamed. Widboom had never made the podium at an Elite Series event, prior to last month’s Great Lakes Open, although she has racked up 16 wins at A-tiers, 20 B-tier wins, and 17 C-tier wins. Thirty of those 57 career wins have come since 2019, so how is it that such a winning player has flown so far under the radar?
Widboom’s best performance at UDisc Live scored events in 2019 was an eighth place finish at WACO (we are excluding her third place finish at the Majestic, as there were only three FPO players in attendance). Widboom tied Callie McMorran at 9-over par, averaging 941-rated golf over the weekend. That 941-rated weekend is seven points better than her current, and career high, rating of 934. That weekend in Texas, Widboom led the field in C1X putting at 78%, and only took two OB strokes. This past weekend in Kentucky, Widboom was second in C1X putting at 90%, and only took five OB strokes, which was best in the field.
So, hitting putts and avoiding OB, there’s gotta be more to it, right?
Yes, and no.
“Truth be told…I have always dreaded putting. Now, I can’t wait to step up and putt,” Widboom says. “I made practicing putting fun! Never have a routine, change up length of time, different stations, make it into a game!”
“But also switching drivers,” Widboom continued. “Not relying heavily on the skip side of the game has allowed me to stay in bounds and not get all crazy on the green.”
For Widboom, this simple formula has helped propel her to three straight Disc Golf Pro Tour Elite and Silver series podium finishes: second place at The Silver Cup and DGLO, and her win at Idlewild. She is currently the fifth best putter from C1X in FPO, hitting 78% of her looks from inside 10 meters, and 17% from 60 feet and in, which is good for sixth on tour. The only player putting better than Widboom, and who has played more than a single event, is Heather Young. Widboom has a sterling OB rate of .037, which is the best among tour regulars. The next best among tour regular is Sarah Hokom, at .044.
“My focus this year has been on my short game and putting,” Widboom told Ultiworld Disc Golf. “They have needed a lot of work, and the extra time we had off this year due to Covid allowed for extra time to be dedicated to them. I have also been honing my mental game and using meditation and breathing techniques in the process.”
With a clear head and steady hand, 2020 has been Widboom’s best year on tour, and the numbers back-up Widboom’s focus during the time off. In 2019, Widboom was putting at 65% from inside the circle, and going OB at a rate of .103. Her putting was good for 14th on tour, and her OB rate was seventh overall. Looking at and comparing her stats from 2019 to the (admittedly smaller sample size) of 2020, suggests a sort of trickle up(?) effect from her improved accuracy on her way to, and on, the green. Widboom is a more successful scrambler this season (57% in 2020 vs 31% in 2019), hitting more fairways (60% vs 53%), and getting to the green in regulation more efficiently (22% vs 15%).
Photo: Alyssa Van Lanen – DGPTLooking ahead, Ledgestone may be a useful exercise in determining whether these statistical improvements are the exception, or the rule for Widboom in 2020. In 2019, Widboom finished 18th at Ledgestone. Sunset Hills features OB a-plenty, but Widboom only went over the lines at a rate of .063, which was good for sixth at the event, but well off the pace of .056 set by Paige Pierce, who won the event. Widboom also putted at a 59% rate, well below her current rate.
Sunset Hills should provide a good indicator for the areas in which Widboom needs to improve if she wants to find the podium with more regularity. In 2019, Paige Pierce won at Ledgestone with a final score of 25-under par. Widboom finished at +2. It wouldn’t be fair or constructive to compare the two in general, but again, Sunset may prove instructive. Of the 10 holes that Widboom scored bogey or worse, she went OB on five of them, including two double bogeys. On the other hand, Pierce only took five bogeys that weekend, with only three OB strokes. If Widboom can keep it in play, it should free her up to be more aggressive in attacking the pin. Only a handful of holes at Sunset Hills truly favor the big arm, where players like Pierce and Catrina Allen will have a distinct advantage.
“Honestly, I am tired. Physically and mentally. I have taken a few days off to reset,” Widboom said on her preparation for Ledgestone this season. “Tour life is taxing, so you gotta stay on top of your health and well being. Sunset is a challenging course, and while I wish we were playing Northwood, gotta roll with the punches and stay focused. Goal is to stay inbounds and run some putts!”
Let’s get back to Idlewild. We already discussed how well Widboom kept it between the lines and avoided taking extra strokes. In a twist, we now look at Pierce’s Idlewild. Pierce finished in fourth at 12-over par. Pierce went OB at .315 (!) rate, which was second worst in the field. Pierce coughed up at least 17 strokes to OB, including four holes where she went OB twice or more. Pierce’s putting was fine, 83%, and good for fourth on the weekend, but those OB strokes absolutely sank her.
It is worth noting that even with an OB rate of 31%, Pierce still finished fourth, and only four strokes back of Widboom.
Widboom isn’t going to out-throw the field, but she is going to keep it simple and efficient. If someone was to tell me, you’ll hit 78% of my putts from inside the circle, and almost never go OB, I’d be asking how many tournaments I’ll be winning. So far in 2020, Widboom’s count is eight.
Widboom won’t be flying under the radar anymore.