Just after winning the Memorial (back home in Oregon)

Billy Crump:
Who are you sponsors?
Dave:
Innova Champion Discs, huk lab, Salomon Shoes, Revolution Bags, ZoneDriven, lots of little sponsors from disc companies across the country – they know who they are.


Billy:
Do you have any advice for young players looking for sponsorship?
Dave:
Hold out. I think a mistake many players make is to take the first sponsorship deal that comes their way. Don’t just take sponsorship to get some free stuff. You want to be using or throwing the products you want. In the long run that’s what will make you the best. So wait for the company that works for you. Maybe you have to approach them and let them know who you are, but wait for the company you want. In the long run you want to be throwing or wearing the things that make sense for you.

Billy:
What does it feel like to have Ken Climo chomping at your heels? How did you get comfortable in that position and learn to beat him?
Dave:
It’s not scary but you always know he’s there. At any moment if I’m not on my game then he can strike and be right in the match. Over the last couple years, I feel like I’ve learned how to win. And I think that has come from losing. So many times Kenny and others have beaten me at the top. I took second and third so many times. I know what it takes to lose. I know how to do that.
Now, I’ve won a lot and I’ve lost a lot too, and I know what both feel like. So, I focus on the difference between the two. I try to make things feel like they do when I win.
One thing about Ken that’s different about a lot of other players out there is how much he’s helped me. He and I talk about it all the time. It’s sort of like he’s passed the torch. Ken taught me. When I was a rookie pro my style was very different than it is now and he helped me, with putting and throwing and how I approach the tour overall. Ken really helped me. With him it’s different, like this weekend. I had a three stroke lead on Hole 17 and Ken said, “It looks like we’re going to finish 1 – 2.” I said, “Champ, how does that feel? To see me winning this tournament, and to have won tournaments with you in the past, how does it feel to know that you taught me? Does that feel good?” He said, “It feels great.”
Halfway through the second round I made one of the tournament changing putts of the weekend, a 35 footer into the wind on the peninsula and as I was walking off the green Ken said, “That was a Climo-esque putt if I’ve ever seen one.” It was a great moment. So that’s kinda why I don’t fear Kenny like a lot of other players.

Billy:
What does it mean to win a big Discraft an event as an Innova player? Is there any additional stress or pressure?
Dave:
I don’t know about additional stress, but we definitely know the difference. The Innova guys talk about it a lot. Even Kenny was saying that he’d never won that event in something like 12 attempts. So it’s definitely a notch in an Innova player’s belt to win a big Discraft event.
Discraft clearly has the bigger fan base there. It feels like you’re on the road. You have to dig deeper because you’re not the home team so it definitely means a lot to win there.

Billy:
How are you able to compete at this level as a student athlete?
Dave:
It’s tough. People don’t realize… they think we are just sitting around practicing all the time.
I usually fly in on Thursday, flying back out on Sunday night and I’m back in class on Monday. I’m in class Monday through Thursday and my teachers don’t cut me any slack.
I didn’t do anything extra at the Memorial. I didn’t go to the fly mart. I didn’t go to the player party. I was in my room every night reading and reading. I think that helps a little because I’m not hearing the hoopla. I’m not talking to people about how good I played or didn’t play. I am in my room studying and thinking about that. My focus is not on the tournament at all. It’s really hard, but I think it’s an accomplishment to go back to school from the disc golf tour and earn your degree. I don’t think people thought we (with Avery Jenkins) were going to be able to do it.

Billy:
Do you think professional disc golfers work as hard to get better as other pro athletes?
Dave:
I think many of them do, but the problem is that it’s just much more difficult when you’re not really getting paid. No one can really make that kind of commitment. It depends on what you want out of the sport. Top players like Nate (Doss), Avery (Jenkins), Barry (Schultz), Ken (Climo) and even me lately, have been focusing much more on diet and working out. We would gladly spend all day practicing and working out if that were realistic. The level though, has come up because people just don’t come out of the woodwork and be at the top in disc golf. It’s much harder now than it used to be.

Billy:
What were your go to discs this weekend and why?
Dave:
Champion Eagle – under 350, holds into the wind, very consistent at lower speeds
Star Starfire – 350 to 400, held in the wind perfectly at medium speeds
Star TeeRex – over 400, super long and predictable

In that kind of wind you just needed something that you were certain what it would do. These three discs could be counted on to move right to left the same way every time.