QuadCityDiscGolf.com

QCDG.com: During your rise to the top of the women’s Pro disc golf division have you had a mentor who helped you grow as a player or someone you molded your game after and how have they helped you succeed or improve?

Angela:I did not have a mentor, although I always wanted one. Being around better players pushed me to step up my game and I learned from several players. I will not forget people like Chris Sprague, Dave Dunipace, and Justin Bunnell because of what they’ve taught me that made me a better player…things like the importance of a good short game, mental game, and strategy.

QCDG.com: Not only does a person need physical talent to be a top player but also a tough mental game as well. Can you tell us of a time where you needed to dig deep mentally to succeed and what that meant to you as a player.

Angela: Mental game is key to this sport. Just recently I had to dig deep and be tough mentally, that was at the United States Women’s Disc Golf Championship. On the 5th hole of the final 9, I missed a putt inside the circle to take the lead. I found myself getting upset about it and it was bothering me as I was walking to the next hole. I was smart enough to see what was happening and prevent myself from taking it into the next tee by just telling myself “yes, that was too bad, but it’s time to play the next hole.” By letting go of the missed putt and focusing on the next hole, I was able to make a great play, birdie the 6th hole, and take a two-stroke lead.

QCDG.com:. Every year the competition gets stronger and stronger in the women’s Pro division. Tell us what it was like to come from behind to win this year for your second USWDG Championship.

Angela: In previous years, one player has separated themselves by several strokes, but that was not the case this year. Scores were close every round and it was a battle beginning to end. I’ve very proud of my solid play during the finals and that’s how I won the tournament. Every hole during the final 9 was intense because the scores were so close. Val birdied the first hole and made her lead two. On the third hole I birdied and narrowed her lead to one. On the fourth hole, Val took a 5 and I got a 4, and we were tied. On the sixth hole Val took a 4 and I got a 2, so I led by two with three holes to go. Eighth hole Val birdies and I par, and I still lead by one. Last hole I par and Val runs at the basket for a birdie to tie it up, but it doesn’t go in and I win! It was an amazing battle! I could not afford to make mistakes, and I was so focused on what I had to do, and playing that well made me feel so good. I tell people “it put me up on Cloud 9!”

QCDG.com: You’ve had some big wins in your career and many top finishes. What do you consider is missing from your disc golf “resume” that you’d really like to add to it and why?

Angela: A couple things that come to mind are a World Championship title and National Tour title. The World Championship title is the top achievement and honor in my opinion for a disc golfer. The National Tour title would signify excellent play throughout the year, which is a significant accomplishment.

QCDG.com: Disc golf can be a very consuming game for many people, especially touring Pro’s. What do you like to do away from the disc golf course to help maintain a healthy balance in your life?

Angela: Enjoying my time off the course involves enjoying good food, reading, hanging out with friends and family, wireless internet cafes, and whatever else comes up.

QCDG.com: What do you consider to be the strength of your game and what area of your game would you like to improve to help you be even more competitive than you are now?

Angela: I remember how much I struggled with my mental game my first few years as a pro. I spent a whole year working on my mental game, turned it around, and it is now the strength of my game. When I worked on my mental game, I read books and practiced it too. In order for it to work, you have to practice it so it becomes natural, that way when your in the face of pressure during a tourney it just kicks in! I highly recommend Bob Rotella. He's a sports psychologist and writes books on golf, but it contains many of the same ailments we face during a competitive round of disc golf. A couple of my favorite books by him are "Golf Is Not A Game of Perfect" and "The Golfer's Mind". The latter is my favorite. What I did was really work on learning what was happening and then turning it around into something positive. It's a skill you can learn. What I’d like to do now is improve my throwing skills and diversify my shots during competitive play.

QCDG.com:. If you met a new player on the course today and they asked you for some advice, what bit of “wisdom” from your experiences would you share with them?

Angela: I think the most important fundamentals to the game are grip, disc selection, and throwing technique. Several new players are unfamiliar with the power grip, x-step, and what the disc in their hand is “designed” to do in flight. I also let them know about leagues and tournaments and encourage them to play new courses.

QCDG.com: When playing a tournament, do you consider yourself an aggressive player or more conservative when it comes to shot selection and taking chances? What’s your mind-set when it comes to deciding whether to lay up for par or going for the tougher shot and a possible birdie?

Angela: I throw shots I can count on, ones which don’t involve too much risk, so that would make me conservative. If I’m in a situation where I can make the birdie, I evaluate the shot to see if it’s really worth the risk…most of the time it’s not.

QCDG.com: What would you like people to know about yourself that perhaps they don’t know already?

Angela: My last name is German and it’s pronounced “Chick-fry”. I get impressed whenever someone knows how to spell it!

QCDG.com: The nice thing about disc golf is that it can be played at all stages of a persons life. What do you see yourself doing when your touring pro days come to an end?

Angela: I admire women like Sylvia Voakes and Elaine King who have been playing tournaments for over 20 years and hope I can do the same. I will always have some connection to disc golf, even if I’m not a tournament player. I’d help run events, fundraise, install courses, and promote the sport in some way...for the love of the game.

QCDG.com: What type of course do you feel best suits your game and gives you an advantage over your fellow competitors and why?

Angela: I consider myself a well-rounded player because I can do well in the woods or out in the open, long or short holes, hyzer or anhyzer. The ladies I’m playing against are getting better every year and the newer pros are bringing a lot of game, so if anything gives me an advantage it’s my ten years experience playing tournaments.

QCDG.com: Having reached the level and had the success you’ve enjoyed, is there a practice routine or a technique you concentrated on more than others?

Angela: Short game practice is where it’s at for me. Putting and approach. The more I do it, the more confident I get, which just makes my game better. I’ve had the most success when I spend some time each day practicing.

QCDG.com: Even top pro’s have a bad shot or a tough round now and then. What do you do to help refocus on the task at hand that might help other players who read this and find themselves in the same position?

Angela: Change your thinking. Stop yourself from dwelling on the bad shot and think about the next shot. It’s a simple decision, but one of the hardest things to do during competition. As I explained earlier, once I stop those negative thoughts and shift my focus to the next shot and how I can be the most effective on it, then I stay in the game.

QCDG.com:What steps do you see that could be taken to help promote disc golf in a manner that would get more women involved in the sport and eventually playing tournaments?

Angela: Women and girls are out there playing disc golf. We need to welcome them and encourage them to continue to play. We need to give them information and opportunities to see what else is happening in disc golf. If we can get more involved in the schools with EDGE program, we could get more ladies playing disc golf, but they will need direction from there. Ladies leagues are an excellent way to do this, especially if an experienced player can run it. We also need to listen to the ladies and see what’s keeping them from playing.

Thanks so much to Angela for sharing her time with us at QuadCityDiscGolf.com!