Scrambles, metal hits, and chainouts -- oh my!
December 14, 2017 by Ultiworld Disc Golf Staff in Awards with 5 comments
Ultiworld Disc Golf’s 2017 Shot of the Year voting is presented by Friction Gloves; all opinions are those of the author. Check out our review of Friction’s DG Gloves here.
2017 was another tremendous year filled with tremendous shots. And there were so many, really, that we figured we’d enlist Ultiworld Disc Golf readers to help us decide on the season’s best.
With that in mind, we are proud to present the second of four bracket challenges to close out the year. We’ve culled highlights from the sport’s best media providers and broken them down into four categories: Roller of the Year, Air Shot of the Year, Putt of the Year, and Ace of the Year. After each bracket is decided, the winners will battle in a four-way, College Football Playoff-style bracket that will determine the 2017 Shot of the Year.
This time around, we take to the skies for the Air Shot of the Year. We’ve combed through the tape and found our favorite non-aces from the season, and now it’s your turn. Take a crack at each matchup below, then come back on Monday for the next round. And if you’re having fun with this, feel free to share the love on social media.
A special thanks to Jomez Productions, Central Coast Disc Golf, The SpinTV, SmashboxxTV, Prodigy Disc Video, and Disc Golf Examiner for capturing these clips. And we’re off!
1) Lizotte vs. Jenkins
The no-doubt-about-it top seed in this bracket is Simon Lizotte’s massive drive for a tap-in eagle on hole 9 at Jones East during the Glass Blown Open. Jaws. Dropped.
Admittedly, Valarie Jenkins has her work cut out for her, despite this smooth park job during the Beaver State Fling:
2) Weese vs. Todd
Jessica Weese was back on tour and made plenty of noise in 2017. Here, she nearly cans an ace at Disc Side of Heaven during the Jonesboro Open:
Jessica Weese Jonesboro Metal GIF
He may not have followed up on his surprise 2016 GBO title, but Cam Todd hit the highlight reel with this day one shot at Olpe Lake:
3) Allen vs. Jones
We think of Jennifer Allen for her pure power, but check out the finesse as she sinks this 250-footer in Emporia. Cash!
Jennifer Allen GBO Throw-In GIF
Speaking of pure power, Kevin Jones burst onto the scene with gobs of it at the United States Disc Golf Championship. He unleashed a bomb of a different nature with this grenade to clear the mando at Winthrop Gold’s 5th:
4) McBeth vs. Pierce
Paul McBeth has provided plenty of highlights during his career, but this almost-ace during the Ledgestone Insurance Open is one of the most unique. A plastic taco, anyone?
McBeth Ledgestone Almost-Ace GIF
Here’s Paige Pierce at the Beaver State Fling, taking the term “park job” a bit too literally:
5) Wysocki vs. Barsby
Sure, Ricky Wysocki has made his money with the putter the last couple seasons. But this escape shot from the Jonesboro Open shows why his scramble game might be even better:
Wysocki Jonesboro Scramble GIF
Usually the trees get in the way of your shots at Maple Hill, but Gregg Barsby is anything but your usual player:
6) Lizotte vs. Conrad
The human highlight reel is back, this time with a 550-foot smash down a narrow corridor on Moraine State Park’s 18th during the Pittsburgh Flying Disc Open. Talk about a frozen rope:
James Conrad does things with putters that the average player can only dream of doing with drivers. This one almost stuck at the Idlewild Open:
7) Masters vs. Wysocki
Florida pro Nicholas Masters played his way onto the lead card at the Vibram Open and shared the card with his mentor, Wysocki. So why not put on a show in the process? This shot hits the pole with a Dynamic Discs Judge:
And it’s teacher versus student in this matchup, as Wysocki goes up-and-over at Fort Gordon to put the nail in the coffin and effectively clinch his second world title:
Wysocki Worlds Escape Clincher GIF
8) Barsby vs. McBeth
Barsby is back, this time carrying the OB on Winthrop’s 10th with a hyper aggressive move for eagle:
Barsby USDGC Hole 10 Park Job GIF
And of course, we have the king of hyper aggressive eagles here with McBeth, who soars over the water and into putting range during the final round of the Gentlemen’s Club Challenge:
