With over 40 years in the sport, Kim has done it all. His experience and knowledge of all aspects of disc golf is unmatched. He’s a natural teacher who will always make time to share valuable advice, particularly with newer players. For his dedication to the sport and service to the disc golf community Kim was inducted into the ADG Hall of Fame in 2013.
Although recently turning 70, Kim remains a force to be reckoned with on the course, competing regularly and very often taking out a trophy. His PDGA record goes back just 10 years but during which he’s clocked up 34 wins from 67 events. He’s known for consistency and accuracy and if you want to beat him in competition you are going to have to come up with something special. You can get witty one liners and great advice for free, but strokes for free you will not.
In WA, when stuck in a difficult spot you’ll often hear a player ask themselves “W.W.K.D.”, standing for What Would Kim Do?. It’s a reminder to play the percentage shot that deep down you know you should…Let’s learn some more from the man himself.
Playing Division: MA50
Current Rating: 893
Predominant throw: Right Hand Back Hand
Q: What are your strengths as a player?
A: I try to make decisions based on minimizing risk of damage to my score by events like going OB, missing a Mando or running a death putt. When I make a mistake, my response is to try to sharpen my focus.
Q: What is your best or most memorbale competition result to date?
A: Finally making the Semifinals at Am Worlds in 2019 after years and years of coming up short. The icing on the cake was playing the last qualifying Round while having my dear friend and wonderful host Mark Hauser as my Caddie and doing him proud with a fantastic Birdie on my finishing hole, the dangerous Ninth Hole at Kline’s Run.
Q: If you could give one piece of advice to every new player for lowering scores, what would that be?
A: See my answer to Q1, consider risks and play appropriately.
Q: Upshots. What is your secret for (your remarkable) consistency in hitting your mark?
A: Chose the slowest speed disc that you know will comfortably get to the basket and try to execute the throw so that the technique would have appeared slow and smooth on a video replay. Consistent with my answer to Q1, the video replay is of a park job, not a Go Pro of an Ace run, unless you are collecting Aces at Chichester Park.
Q: Currently, what disc do you find yourself pulling out of the bag more than most, and what do you use it for? A: I am quite often using a Pig as an overstable Putter to attempt a soft sidearm run at the Basket from Circle’s edge out to 20m.
Q: What top pro player do you look up to and why? A: For backhand drives I hope that eventually an adaption of the technique of Catrina Allen is key for controlled distance; for sidearm drives I hope that (Estonian) Silver Latt’s form will egg me on to discover the golden goose and Paul McBeth is a good role model for how to aspire to improve course management. I know the question only asked for one player, but as my late Mum used to say “things always happen in threes”. Thanks Kim, and good luck for ADGD!
by Dave Kynaston and thanks and credit to Kingsley Flett for all images.