Jonathan Jonas – NSW – PDGA#36449

Playing Division MP40

Current Rating: 934

Q: How long have you been playing and how did you get introduced to the sport?

A: I’m ADG member #39 – I started playing in Sydney in 2006 back when Albert Munoz, Sally Hill, Luke Williams and Kurt Karlsson were setting up a temporary course on campus grounds at Macquarie Uni. It had some fun shots, including a throw through the fountain.

Q: What are your strengths as a player?

A: I’m consistent and accurate, hit most fairways and approach well. I have less distance off the tee than most pro players.

Q: What is your best or favourite competition result to date?

A: Winning the first Jesmond Jam in a playoff against Martin Ryland-Adair in the pouring rain was a highlight, also it was so exciting representing Australia at the previous World Teams event in Estonia and competing against the big European teams with my friends and team mates.

Q: What are your disc golfing ambitions and plans for the next two or three years?

A: I’m excited to keep growing disc golf in the Newcastle and Central Coast areas, we put in a new (short) course at East Maitland in January which has been really popular and I’d like to keep that momentum going.Q: Can you share a practice tip or something you learned that substantially helped you improve your play. A: To echo Dave Bandy, “I just like watching it fly’.

Q: What is your favourite disc in your bag right now and what do you use it for?

A: Pro Cobra is my favourite for straight approach shots with glide, I have 2 very well used copies and will be sad when they break as I think they’re out of production in Pro plastic now.

Thanks JJ, fantastic to have you representing Australia for a second time.

by David Kynaston

The eleven-strong team representing Australia at the WFDF 2022 World Team Disc Golf Championships has been selected and announced. Between now and the big event in August, we will get to know a little more about each of the players in a series of ‘Meet the Team’ Player Profiles.

WA’s Chris Finn has competed at the highest level of Australian disc golf for over two decades. He has won four ADGC titles, an ADG tour title, has taken many career wins and is Australia’s career earnings leader from pro play. Chris is a prominent figure in disc golf in Australia and worldwide, he runs multiple businesses including The Flying Disc Store, course designer/installer RAD Creations and disc golf clothing brand Dude Clothing. Let’s hear from Chris, there’s a lot we can learn.

Playing Division: MPO
Current Rating: 984
Sponsors: Dude, RAD, FDS, RPM
Predominant throw: RHBH

Q: What are your strengths as a player?
A: Time in the game, I’ve played disc sports and disc golf since 1987 as an 11 year old. This means nothing unless you’ve put time in to learn. I have treated the game the same as a martial art, always working on different aspects of the game to get them better. I am very strategic on the course and also analyze the course I’m playing. At the end of the day, it’s only you versus the course, playing one hole one shot at a time.

Q: What is your best or favourite competition result to date?
A: Hmm, so many hard to decide, I don’t think one singular stands out for me so top 5 are these, Junior Disc Golf Titles were part of my early love but probably then top 2 in a Major in a Pro Division, United Stated Masters Championships top 20 then 2015 Aussie Champs Title, Last but not least winning Rob Hancock Memorial, every time

Q: What are your disc golfing ambitions and plans for the next two or three years?
A: My passion and legacy is to keep developing courses so more people find the game, as this is singularly the most important thing for people to find the game, courses in the ground and my legacy is to ensure I can help people find something like this to help them through life’s ups and downs. Actually putting myself 1st again for playing, and playing my best, no one elses, just to play my best and win or lose doing that is all I want to do knowing I haven’t left any stone unturned, practice, practice, practice. If I’m beaten it’s because someone played better than my best, not because I wasn’t good enough due to not putting in the effort.

Q: Can you share a top form tip or something that substantially helped you improve your play. A: Focus, clearly at the shot you’re about to take. The Wind, the Danger, The memory of a good shot on that hole or a similar shot you’ve played, visualize the shot, practice the shot in your mind and execute it in full, don’t have any doubts in which disc, or shot or line your about to take. When I’ve done this the results have always been 1,000 rated plus rounds.

Q: What top pro player do you look up to and why?
A ; Jay Reading, he’s everything a player and person can aim to be. Enjoying the playing, The competition, giving back to the game and community and furnish everyone with your positive presence, Jay has done this since I’ve known him. Honourable mention to Simon Feasey as well for being such an awesome bloke around the world, he’s the reason I keep pushing myself….

Q: What is your favourite disc in your bag right now and what do you use it for?
A: Most favorite….So hard, I love my discs, my RPM Piwakawaka, P2 Glow and PD2. Always reliable.
Thanks Chris, best of luck for Croatia.

By David Kynaston
Thanks and credit for images to Kingsley Flett

Rueben Berg is a prominent figure in Australian Ultimate but relatively new to disc golf.  Like many who play or have played Ultimate Rueben came to the sport ready armed with a solid throwing foundation.  This provided an accelerated learning curve and in his first PDGA sanctioned competition in late 2021 Rueben took the MA40 win, followed shortly after by a 2^nd and an enviable rating at 917.

A proud Gunditjmara man, Rueben founded the Indigenous Ultimate Association, the primary aim of which is to encourage more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to play Ultimate.  Rueben is a regular public speaker and works through and for several organisations to utilise his expertise and knowledge to improve the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and to raise awareness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture for non-indigenous Australians.

Let’s hear about Rueben’s early experiences in disc golf. 

Playing Division: MA40
Current Rating: 917
Predominant throw: Right Hand Back Hand

Q: What are your strengths as a player?

A: My backhand drives are definitely one of my strengths – it’s always a great feeling to step up to the tee and launch a backhand as hard as you can and watch it sail to just the right spot.

Q: What skills from Ultimate do you employ in disc golf, and have you learned anything new from disc golf that has helped in Ultimate? 

A: Understanding the different shapes you can get through the air by throwing a disc has been a useful skill I have bought across from Ultimate – as well as my love of knowing, understanding and implementing the rules properly! A lesson I learned going back to Ultimate after playing disc golf is that it’s much easier to hit a target when the target can move to catch the disc.

Q: What are you plans or ambitions for disc golf in the coming year?

A: To play as much as I can at different courses and with different people so I can learn more about this great sport. I would love to be able to perform well within the MA40 division.

Q: What is your favourite disc in your bag right now and what do you use it for?

A: I got given it as a bit of a joke, given my surname, but I do love the Kastaplast Berg. I use it for approach shots and Circle 2 putt attempts that I can make a decent run at, but know that the disc won’t go much past the basket if (when) I miss.

Q: Is there a particular pro player that you admire and why?

A: Philo Braithwaite was one of the first pro players I was drawn to – his albatross at Milo McIver is amazing. Great commentator too. As a Gunditjmara man, it is always powerful being able to see other minority players succeeding.

Q: From your work in building the Indigenous Ultimate Association, can you share some thoughts on how more Indigenous people can be encouraged to participate in disc golf.   

A: I think that being able to see diversity of all kinds within the sport is a great thing that helps show this is a welcoming and inclusive sport. So for example I would love to see more female players, and more players from different cultural groups. I also encourage any other Indigenous disc golfers out there to reach out to me to have a chat – it’s always great connecting with others to help us share, learn and support one another.

Many thanks Rueben

Find out more about Rueben and his work

http://www.ruebenberg.com.au/
http://www.indigenousultimate.org.au/