Originally published at: https://discgolf.ultiworld.com/livewire/watch-paige-pierce-course-prep-idlewild/
Ever want to see how pros dissect a hole during tournament prep?
Paige Pierce walks you through her thought process when she’s out on the course. Her look at hole 12 at Idlewild in Burlington, Kentucky, home of the Disc Golf Pro Tour’s Idlewild Open, shows what the four-time world champ is considering when approaching a tricky layout.
Not only does Pierce strategize for the ideal way she’d play the hole, she also prepares herself for any other situation that may present itself. What happens if you miss your spot in this direction or that. It’s all about the contingency plan. Pierce talks about the importance of breaking down longer par 4 and 5s into smaller, more manageable pieces.
The video also features how Pierce actually played the 644-foot par 4 during the tournament. Pierce took a bogey her first round, parring the second and third. She discusses how her results in the tournament round deviated from what she practiced, and how she had to modify her scoring expectations as a result. The hole averaged over par each round for the field, twice a full stroke or more.
Pierce also notably played the 484-foot par 4 hole 7 with a very conservative lay-up off the tee to make her second shot easier.
Alyssa Van Lanen, who photographs events for the Disc Golf Pro Tour and the PDGA, shot and edited the video. She’s been teasing the project since filming during Idlewild week. It appears that “Course Prep with Paige Pierce” may become a recurring series, and it should be a welcome one for fans, as this type of in-depth instructional content is something of a rarity in this growing sport.