Doss ready for first Silver Cup experience

After feeling good about his performance at the Vibram Open, the Disc Golf Pro Tour’s first event, Nate Doss took the holiday weekend off before traveling to Manitowoc, Wisconsin for this weekend’s Silver Cup. While the tournament itself has been a popular midwest stop for many professional disc golfer for years, this is the first time heading to the event for Doss.

After a few practice rounds we talked with Doss about how he prepares for another DGPT event.

How was the week off?

“I had an awesome holiday with my in-laws in Ohio and saw some friends. It was nice to have a normal weekend without a wedding, tournament, or anything. It was awesome.”

This is your first time to the Silver Cup, correct? How often do you play a tournament or course for the first time?

“Yeah, first time here. It’s very rare these days to play a tournament for the first time. A year ago, the Ledgestone Open was the first time I played it, but I’ve previously played a few of the courses.”

“I just had dinner with the tournament director Jim Van Lanen. We talked about how it’s exciting to play a course for the first time. It brings some new challenges and new holes. It is exciting.”

Do you like playing a new course, or new courses in this case?

“I do. Years ago, when I first went on tour, there were a lot of new courses. I remember when I first played in the midwest where you get the lush grass. You don’t get those big skips all the time. It’s unlike DeLaveaga, my home course, where the disc just slides up to the basket.”

“It’s fun to go into an exciting tournament like this one where they do a lot for the local disc golf community. This is their 16th year and a lot of great people involved.”

You’ve had some practice rounds so far… what’s your approach for the weekend?

“I’ve played the 36 different holes at the Silver Creek course. That course is pretty much a deuce or die type course. Some tight holes, but quite a few holes, around half, are must get birdies. Holes that are 250-300 feet. For top players, you have to get that. That will be our Friday rounds and the leader will be around 20-24 under par. That’s out of 36 holes. That puts a lot of pressure on us as players to make those extra birdies and putts.”

“Moving to Rolling Ridge. This is the type of course where you might end up with no twos all weekend. A lot of tough angles, longer holes, tough basket locations.”

“I’m looking for that hot and fast start to try and go into the more technical course and pick it apart and hit my lines and ride it out until the end.”

Same question as last time, besides winning, what are your goals for the tournament?

“That’s a difficult question this week. Being a new course and a new event. A couple of weeks ago I had a very specific goal, this week, my goal is to come out, and especially on Friday, to break down the day to 36 individual holes. One at a time. Play for the baskets, play for the park jobs. That will be a big goal. If I can come out and do that and not worry about missing a hole where everyone else got it in the card, I can’t worry about that. Have to take it one at a time.”

“I don’t know how the weekend will go since I’ve never been there. That will be exciting though. That could be a positive when its all said and done.”

The Pros are set for two rounds on Friday with one round on both Saturday and Sunday. We’ll be following Doss through the weekend before catching back up early next week. Thanks again to Doss for the awesome conversation.